Tropical Storm Agatha hit land near the Guatemala-Mexico border on May 29. Guatemala was hardest hit, with heavy rainfall causing flooding and landslides, further complicated by ash from the eruption of Pacaya Volcano the day before. At least 179 people died, including 10 in El Salvador and 17 in Honduras, and more than 100,000 people were evacuated.
A volcano near Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull Glacier, 75 miles southeast of Reykjavik, began erupting on March 20 and continues to erupt. Five hundred people were evacuated from the area, and planes were rerouted to avoid ash damage. Past eruptions of the volcano have triggered larger eruptions at nearby Mount Kalta.
Volcano sightseeing tour packages are available from Reykjavik.
The 30-page booklet “Cape Town Nature Reserves” profiles each of the South African city’s 24 nature reserves and areas with a photo, activities available, types of species found, hours open and entry fees.
It is available at the Rietvlei, Rondevlei and Helderberg nature reserves for R5 (near 50¢) and also at the Botanical Society Bookshop in Kirstenbosch Gardens. For a free PDF download, visit www.capetown.gov.za/en and in the Search box type “Cape Town Nature Reserves Booklet.”
In the Albay region of Luzon island, northern Philippines, the Mt. Mayon volcano continues to erupt. Having gradually dropped to Alert Level 1 in 2006, it showed signs of activity in July 2009 and by December, again at Alert Level 4, was spewing ash clouds and 200-meter-high lava fountains.
The government extended the Permanent Danger Zone to an eight-kilometer radius south of the mountain and seven kilometers north. As of Dec. 22, about 45,000 people were evacuated from the region. The eruptions can be safely viewed from Legazpi City.
11 days/10 nights. Depart March 5 & Oct. 1, 2012, and March 4 & Sept. 30, 2013. Highlights: Colonial El Fuerte/birding by boat on Fuerte River/Mask Hill petroglyphs/ride Chihuahua al Pacifico train through Copper Canyon/overlooks at “Three Canyons”/mining town of Batopilas/Mennonite community of Cuahtemoc/Chihuahua City. Land, $2,790. Single supp., $668.
Adventures Abroad (Blaine, WA; 800/665-3998).
19 days/16 nights, March 15-April 2, 2012. Highlights: Accra/Axim/St. George Castle, Elmina/canopy walk in Kakum National Park rainforest/Ashanti craft villages/ Mole National Park, with 90 mammal species and 350 bird species/Gambaga witches camp/Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary/Koforidua bead market. With air from Atlanta, $5,990. Single supp., $1,550.
In Focus with Michele Burgess (Huntington Beach, CA; 714/536-6104).
Nine days/eight nights; departures through Oct. 3, 2011. Highlights: Calgary/Waterton Lakes Park, Alberta/Glacier National Park, Montana/float trip on Bow River, Banff/Icefields Parkway, home to bears, moose, elks, caribou/ATV on the Athabasca Glacier. Land, from $1,095. Single supp., from $600.
Caravan Tours (Chicago, IL; 800/227-2826).
14-day/13-night cruise-tour of CHILE and ARGENTINA. Highlights: Tour of Santiago/Magellanic penguins at Seno Otway (October-March)/Torres del Paine National Park/hike to Salto Grand waterfall/catamaran Lago Grey/look for Patagonian foxes, flamingos/embark ship in Punta Arenas/elephant seals in Ainsworth Bay/Pia Glacier/Cape Horn National Park/disembark in Ushuaia/hike Moreno Glacier/fly to Buenos Aires. Land and cruise, $6,595-$8,295. Single supp., from $2,000. Internal air, $1,100.
9-day, 8-night hike, Dec. 7-15, 2014 & Feb. 1-9, 2015. Moderate-energetic pace; up to 12 miles a day. Highlights: Start and end in El Calafate (flights from Buenos Aires)/glaciers at Mt. Fitz Roy and Laguna Huemul/cruise to foot of Perito Moreno Glacier/Los Glaciares National Park/Anita Valley, home to flamingos, guanacos, hares/Peninsula de las Colonias, home to condors and rheas. Land, $5,795 (2014) or $5,895 (2015). Single supp., $1,275/$1,295.
