North of Great Slave Lake in Alberta, Canada, travelers can view the aurora borealis from the comfort of a hot tub or even their own bed at Blachford Lake Lodge, with the 5-day/4-night “Aurora Escape” package from The Great Canadian Travel Company (Chicago, IL; 800/661-3830).
11 days/10 nights, March 20-30 and Dec. 13-23, 2014. Highlights: Wine tasting in Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA/Los Glaciares National Park/La Leona Petrified Forest/trek on Perito Moreno Glacier/boat on Lago Argentino/horseback trekking in Torres del Paine National Park, CHILE/penguins near Puerto Natales. Land, from $5,778. Single supp., $1,950. Paragon Expeditions (Austin, TX; 888/996-3558).
9 days / 7 nights, Feb. 20-28, 2014. Highlights: From Reykjavík, travel west to climb Grabrok Volcano / learn about Icelandic horses / Akureyri, capital of northern Iceland / Eyjafjörður, Iceland’s longest fjord / microbrew beer tasting / view aurora borealis at Lake Mývatn / Namaskar hot springs / snowshoe in a lava labyrinth at Dimmuborgir / Goðafoss waterfall / Christmas garden / fish-leather tannery at Sauðárkrókur. Land, from $1,450. Single supp., $250. Brekke Tours & Travel (Grand Forks, ND, 800 / 437-5302).
18-day/16-night tour of four countries, departing May 26, Oct. 18 & Nov. 22, 2013. Highlights: In ETHIOPIA, castles in Gondar/in Axum, Stelae Park, Queen of Sheba’s Palace/carved pink-granite churches in Lalibela/gorilla tracking in Volcanoes National Park, RWANDA/gorilla tracking in Bwindi National Park, UGANDA/in DUBAI, Bastakia, Fort Fahidi, spice souk, gold souk. From New York, $8,875 (if arranging own air, $6,875). Single supp., $690. Bestway Tours & Safaris (Burnaby, BC, Canada; 800/663-0844).
10-day/9-night tour of ECUADOR. Highlights: From Quito, drive through “Avenue of the Volcanoes”/bike to Papallacta thermal springs/rainforest hike/rafting on Anzo and Napo rivers/horseback ride on slopes of Tungurahua volcano/bike in Cotopaxi National Park/train ride to Otavalo for handicraft markets. Land, $2,399. BikeHike Adventures (Vancouver, BC, Canada; 888/805-0061).
Highlights of an 8-day Jeep-driving adventure in Patagonia include a horseback ride to the Blue Lagoon, catamaran exploration of Perito Moreno glacier and hiking in Torres del Paine National Park.
8 days / 7 nights, departing June 8 & 22 and July 6, 2013. Highlights: City tour of Reykjavik / Deildartunguhver hot springs / Akureyri / Goðafoss waterfall / whale-watching / lava formations, birds at Lake Myvatn / Dettifoss / Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest glacier / Skógar Folk Museum / horse show / Þingvellir National Park, site of Viking Parliament. Land, from $2,105. Brekke Tours & Travel (Grand Forks, ND; 800/437-5302).
I was checking in for my Air China flight from San Francisco to Mongolia — the only Westerner in line — and the reservation clerk seemed very concerned about my beat-up passport and lack of a visa (which is not required for US citizens in Mongolia).
After waiting through several consultations, I finally succeeded in getting my boarding pass. This was the start of the June 29-July 13, 2011, journey that took me to Chinggis Khan country.
