A selection of tours and cruise-tours
16 days/14 nights, Sept. 1-16, 2009. Highlights: Fado show in Lisbon/coast on a wicker sled in Funchal/Porto city tour/train to Régua, then cruise (day trip) down Douro River/Busaco, the “Venice of Portugal”/attend Mass in Fátima. Land only, $3,850. Single supp., $875. Con Ginny-Al Tours (Los Altos, CA; 800/842-4955, www.azorestours.org).
16 days/15 nights; departs July 30, 2009, and July 8 & Aug. 12, 2010. Highlights: Inveraray Castle, home of the Duke of Argyll/distillery tour in Oban/ferry to Isle of Skye/Hebrides islands of Harris, St. Kilda, Lewis/on Orkney island, Skara Brae archaeological site/hit golf balls on the Old Course at St. Andrews/in Edinburgh, attend the Military Tattoo/return via Glasgow. Land only, $5,395. Single supp., $1,000. Celtic Dream Tours (Tampa, FL; 813/317-6039, www.celticdreamtours.com).
13-day/11-night tour, Sept. 17-29, 2009, emphasizes historical sites and pub visits in GREAT BRITAIN. Highlights: In SCOTLAND, Linlithgow, birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots/15th-century Rosslyn Chapel/walk Hadrian’s Wall/in ENGLAND, Theakston Brewery/York Minster/ale at The Abbey Inn/Creswell Crags/the Uffington White Horse/Cadbury Castle/Iron Age Old Sarum/Stonehenge. Land only, $8,495. Single supp., $895. Far Horizons (San Anselmo, CA; 800/552-4575, www.farhorizons.com).
13-day/12-night tour of ARGENTINA. Highlights: In Buenos Aires, Plaza de Mayo, Metropolitan Cathedral, La Boca, Recoleta, tango lesson and show/in the Lake District, boat across Anchorena Bay to Isla Victoria/fly to Iguassu Falls/train ride to Devil’s Throat gorge/winelands of Vistalba Valley. Land, from $6,150. Single supplement, from $3,260. Internal air, approx. $1,160. Big Five Tours & Expeditions (Stuart, FL; 800/244-3483, www.bigfive.com).
25 days/23 nights, Sept. 13-Oct. 7, 2009, and May 2010. Highlights: In-depth exploration of six major preserve areas throughout the island/see lemurs, chameleons, geckos, frogs, tortoises, birds/snorkel the reefs of Ambola/in Bekopaka village, learn of the Sakalava people/karst landscapes of Petit Tsingy and Grand Tsingy/in Tana, Queen’s Palace, Tsimbazaza Zoo, artisan handicraft market. Land only, €5,650 (near $7,200). Galapagos Travel (Aptos, CA; 800/969-9014, www.galapagos travel.com).
9-day/7-night tour of UGANDA, Sept. 15-23 & Nov. 3-11, 2009. Highlights: In Entebbe, Lake Victoria and Botanical Gardens, home to casqued hornbills, turacos, colobus monkeys/in Mburo wetlands, canoe papyrus swamps to view goliath herons, pygmy geese/in Lake Mburo National Park, zebras, leopards, hippos, otters/in Queen Elizabeth National Park, grey kestrel, chanting goshawk, griffon vulture/in Kibale Forest National Park, track chimpanzees (local cost $90) and many birds. From London, £1,895 (near $2,736); from Entebbe, £1,445 ($2,086). Single supplement, £325 ($469).
19 days/18 nights, Jan. 22-Feb. 9, 2010. Highlights: In Vientiane, National Museum, Great Stupa of That Luang, Talaat Sou market/Pak Ou Caves/Kwang Si Falls/in Luang Prabang, Old Palace, street fair, Wat Xieng/Plain of Jars/Ho Chi Minh Trail/caves at Vieng Xai/hill tribe villages/tribal weavers of Houaphan. Land and air from Bangkok, $1,770. Single supplement, $430. Mekong Tours (Tillamook, OR; 503/842-7198, www.mekongtours.com).
19 days/18 nights, Jan. 22-Feb. 9, 2010. Highlights: In Vientiane, National Museum, Great Stupa of That Luang, Talaat Sou market/Pak Ou Caves/Kwang Si Falls/in Luang Prabang, Old Palace, street fair, Wat Xieng/Plain of Jars/Ho Chi Minh Trail/caves at Vieng Xai/hill tribe villages/tribal weavers of Houaphan. Land and air from Bangkok, $1,770. Single supplement, $430. Mekong Tours (Tillamook, OR; 503/842-7198, www.mekongtours.com).
6-day/5-night tour of SPAIN includes cooking classes. Highlights: In Seville, “tapas crawl,” Jewish Quarter, wine tasting/two classes on cooking local specialties/sherry bodegas in Jerez/vineyard tours/Arabic baths in Ronda/Iberian ham tasting. Land only, from $2,050. Single supplement, $325. Discount if not participating in cooking classes. Epicurean Ways (Charlottesville, VA; 866/642-2917, http://epicureanways.com).
9 days/8 nights, June 18-26 & Aug. 20-28, 2009. Highlights: In Munich, GERMANY, city tour and BMW plant/in Bavaria, visit Neuschwanstein and Linderhof castles/Oberammergau, home to the Passion Play/in Salzburg, VIENNA, walking tour includes Mozart’s birthplace, Mirabell Castle, “Sound of Music” locations/Bad Ischl and Hallstatt in the Lake District/in Vienna, Stephansdom, Hofburg Palace, Spanish Riding School, Hapsburg treasures, Schönbrunn Palace. Land only, $7,950 (June departure) or $8,200 (August). Single supplement, $2,750.