A selection of tours and cruise-tours
14-day/13-night nonsmoking tour of ARGENTINA, May 4-18, 2010. Highlights: Fly from Buenos Aires to Salta in the Andes/Huaico Reserve cloud forest/Los Cardones National Park, home to guanacos, condors/jaguars, river otters, rare birds in El Rey National Park/on the Chaco plain, anteaters, cabybaras, howler monkeys maned wolves. Land only, $4,850. Single supp., $900. Cheeseman’s Ecology Safaris (Saratoga, CA; 800/527-5330, www.cheesemans.com).
10 days/9 nights. Highlights: In Cape Town, enjoy seafood at Black Marlin and fusion cuisine at Ginja/wine tasting the Western Cape, Stellenbosch, Franschhoek/game drives in Kruger National Park. Land only, from $6,995. Single supp., $1,815. Safari Ventures (Tampa, FL; 888/341-7771, www.safariventures.com).
13 days/11 nights, Feb. 2-14, 2010. Highlights: On Tahiti Nui, Paul Gauguin Museum, ancient temple of Marae/on Easter Island, Rano Raraku Volcano/moai, petroglyphs, caves/Tapati festival/on Moorea, feed a stingray/handcrafts and maraes (stone temples) on Huahine. Land price, $9,495. Single supp., $1,395. Far Horizons, Inc. (San Anselmo, CA; 800/552-4575, www.farhorizons.com).
16 days/14 nights, Nov. 3-18, 2009. Highlights: Pottery village of Nikko/Fuji Five Lakes, Mt. Fuji/medieval Kyoto/ferry to Miyajima Island to see floating torii gate, Itsukushima Shrine/feudal castle in Uwajima/boat ride through Oboke Gorge. From Los Angeles, $7,150. Single supp., $1,000. In Focus with Michele Burgess (Huntington Beach, CA; 714/536-6104, www.infocustravel.com).
12 days/10 nights. Highlights: In Beijing, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, hutong rickshaw tour/Great Wall/Suzhou, “Venice of the East”/Ming and Qing architecture in Hangzhou/1,700-year-old Lingyin Temple/Bund in Shanghai. From San Francisco, from $1,199. Land only, from $999. China Spree (Blaine, WA; 866/652-5656, www.chinaspree.com).
SPAIN — 5 days/4 nights. Highlights: Tapas tour/Prado Museum/gourmet markets/cooking class/wine tasting/in medieval Toledo, art by El Greco, Van Dyck and Goya. Land only, from $1,760 if 6-7 members, $1,980 if 4-5. Single supp., $380. Epicurean Ways (Charlottesville, VA; 866/642-2917, http://epicureanways.com).
12 days/nights, Sept. 27-Oct. 9, 2009. Highlights: In SLOVENIA, Ljubljana, Lake Bled/in CROATIA, fortified Karlovac/Plitvice Lakes National Park/Krka National Park/Dubrovnik/day trip into MONTENEGRO. Land only, $3,895. Single supp., $450. Intimate France (Oakland, CA; 800/676-1247, www.intimatefrance.com).
17 days/15 nights. Highlights: In Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL, cog train through Tijuca Forest/Iguassu Falls/in Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA, Plaza de Mayo, La Boca, Evita Museum/hydrofoil ride to Colonia del Sacramento, URUGUAY/Patagonia’s Lake District/Pre-Columbian Art Museum in Santiago, CHILE. Land and internal air, from $4,830. Single supp., from $1,540. Grand European Tours (Lake Oswego, OR; 800/552-5545, www.getours.com).
15 days/14 nights, departing Aug. 29 & Oct. 28, 2009. Highlights: Cape Town/Cape Winelands/game-viewing sunset cruise/in SWAZILAND, Mkhaya Game Reserve/Sabi Sands Game Reserve. Land plus internal air, August departure (local guides), $7,940; single supp., $2,240… October departure (tour leader), $10,860; single supp. $2,400. Africa Easy (Seattle, WA; 800/617-2319, www.africaeasy.com).
13 days/9 nights, Aug. 11-23, 2009. Highlights: Feed giraffes at Giraffe Center near Nairobi/Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage/near Mt. Kenya, see chimpanzees, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, antelopes/in Samburu, cheetahs, leopards, zebras, gazelles/flamingos at Lake Nakuru. From Los Angeles, $4,950. Single supp., $900. Hermes Travel & Tours (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA; 310/791-5556, www.hermestoursonline.com).