A selection of tours and cruise-tours
11-day, 10-night “moderate”-level expedition on New Zealand’s South Island, April 4-14 & Nov. 7-17, 2022. Group limit, 12. Highlights: Christchurch/Kura Tawhiti Conservation Area, home to the kea (alpine parrot)/Pancake Rocks/Māori carvings at bone carver’s studio/in Mt.
5-day, 4-night “Grade 3” hike (up to 12½ miles a day) in Queensland, AUSTRALIA. Departures May 24, June 14 & 28, July 26, 2022. Group limit, 6-8. Highlights: Drive from Mt. Isa to start of Pinnacle Trail/morning tea at Big Bend Waterhole/swimming at Stockyard Gorge/en route to Dry Gorge, Tree Snake Spring/marine limestone formations at Lost City/in Camooweal, picnic lunch by Georgina River. $3,850 ppdo.
14 days, 13 nights, Jan. 17-Feb. 4, 2022. Group limit, 14. Highlights: Overnight in Tokyo/fly to Kyushu Island/Kirishima-Kinkowan Nat’l Park/Arasaki Crane Reserve/in Takayama, sake breweries, miso stores/at Kambayashi Onsen, thermal spring/in Jigokudani, photo ops with Japanese macaques soaking in a thermal pool/at Akan-Mashu Nat’l Park, steaming sulfuroles, whooper swans/Shiretoko Peninsula, home to Steller’s sea eagles. From $19,990 ppdo.
15 days, 14 nights in GREECE. Departures Oct. 14, 2021 & April 28, 2022. Highlights: From Athens to Isthmus of Corinth/Ancient Nemea for 4th-century-BC Doric Temple of Zeus, site of Nemean Games/medieval Monemvasia for 12th-century Agia Sophia Church, wine tasting/Sparta/Caves of Diros/Temple of Zeus at Olympia/in Arcadia, Temple of Apollo Epikourios at Bassai/Mycenaean citadel of Tiryns/Corinth/National Archaeological Museum in Athens.
6-day, 5-night “recreational-level” bicycle tour in northeastern FRANCE. Departures May 23, July 18, Aug. 1 & 8, 2022. Avg. 25-31 miles a day. Highlights: In Strasbourg, 8th-century St. Stephen’s Church/bike Canal de la Bruche to medieval Dachstein/near Bœrsch, Spindler Marquetry Workshop/Route des Vins wine tasting/Unterlinden Museum in Colmar/villages of Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr, Kayserberg. From $6,495 per person, double occupancy (ppdo).
9 days, 8 nights. Departures June 26, Sept. 25, Oct. 16, Nov. 6, 2021 & Jan.-March 2022. Group limit, 20. Highlights: Drive from San José to Caribbean for cruise to Tortuguero Canals, home to caimans, toucans, turtles/cruise, rainforest walk in Tortuguero Nat’l Park/Sarapiquí pineapple farm/Arenal Volcano Nat’l Park/soak in Tabacón Hot Springs/Monteverde Cloud Forest hanging bridges/cooking class at Ecological Sanctuary.
8 days, 7 nights in Southern Africa. Departures May-June, Aug.-Nov. 2021, March-June, Aug.-Nov. 2022. Group limit, 8. Highlights: First night at Victoria Falls, ZIMBABWE/in Botswana, game drives in Chobe Nat’l Park, home to lions, elephants, hippos/Okavango Delta for mokoro (dugout canoe) fishing or sunset boat cruise, game drives in Moremi Game Reserve/fly to Rra Dinare Camp for game drives, mokoro rides.
10-day, 9-night tour of JAPAN. Departures Nov. 6, 2021 & March 12, May 28, June 18, 2022. Includes 7-day Japan Rail Pass. Highlights: In Tokyo, 2 days of free time or optional tours/bullet train to Hakone for national park, open-air museum/in Hikone, 17th-century castle, Genkyuen Garden/visit island of Chikubu for Buddhist temple, Shinto shrine/in Kyoto, tour, free time/return to Tokyo. $3,107 ppdo (2021) or $2,665 ppdo (2022).