Tours

November 2008 issue

“North Pole Champagne Flight”

4 days/3 nights, April 9-12, 2009. Highlights: From Longyearbyen, NORWAY, fly (weather permitting) to Barneo research station, 89 degrees north/helicopter to geographic North Pole. Champagne!/from Spitzbergen island, Norway, guided dogsled or ski-doo tour of tundra, glaciers, outposts. €12,500 (near $18,364) from Longyearbyen. PolarExplorers (Wilmette, IL; 800/732-7328, www.polarexplorers.com).

October 2014 issue

“Two Great Cities, Beijing & Shanghai”

9 days, 8 nights in CHINA. Departures Jan. 9-April 24, 2015. Highlights: In Beijing, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven/in Shanghai, the Bund, Oriental Pearl Tower, Municipal Wax Museum. Land, $699-$759 ppdo, or land+air, $999-$1,299 ppdo, depending on dates and departure cities (with credit card, add $50). Single supp., $280. China Spree (Bellevue, WA; 866/652-5656, www.chinaspree.com).

November 2014 issue

"Grand Tour of Britain & Ireland"

 24 days, 23 nights; departures May-Oct. 2015. Highlights: In ENGLAND, Tower of London, Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, Cornwall/in SCOTLAND, Edinburgh Castle, Oban Distillery/in IRELAND, Blarney Stone, Book of Kells/in WALES, Conwy Castle, Snowdonia National Park. Land, $5,876-$6,274 per person, double occupancy (ppdo), based on dates. Single supp., $1,898. CIE Tours International (Morristown, NJ; 800/243-8687, www.cietours.com).

July 2015 issue

“New Zealand Hike & Explore”

10 days, 9 nights on the South Island’s west coast, October-November 2015 & 2016. Hikes 2-8 miles per day. Group-prepared meals. Highlights: From Christchurch, drive across Canterbury Plains to Southern Alps/Arthur’s Pass National Park for short hike/drive to Greymouth/Pancake Rocks/Paparoa National Park/town of Hokitika, known for pounamu (jade)/guided kayaking in Okarito Lagoon, home to black swans, herons, tui/Rob Roy Glacier. Land, $2,995 ppdo. Single supp., $400. Wilderness Inquiry (Minneapolis, MN; 612/676-9400, www.wildernessinquiry.org).

 

October 2008 issue

“Culinary & Wine Delights”

9-day/7-night tour of Tuscany, ITALY. Departs June 5, Sept. 18 & Oct. 9, 2009. Highlights: Cooking lessons in Siena, Chianti/winery visits in Chianti, Montalcino/chocolate tasting in Colle Val d’Else/olive oil tasting/two nights’ Florence. Land, $3,199. Single supplement, $940. Andiamo (Staten Island, NY; 714/524-0490, www.goandiamo.com).

November 2008 issue

“Literary Lakes Tour”

10 days/9 nights in ENGLAND’S Lake District. Highlights: Beatrix Potter’s home and haunts/John Ruskin’s home in Brantwood/ride “Lal Ratty” railway between Eskdale and Ravenglass/Wordsworth’s three homes/cruise Windermere Lake/explore Derwent, Buttermere and Crummock Waters/ excavations at Hadrian’s Wall/4,000-year-old Castlerigg Stone Circle. Land price, $4,200 for one person or $3,500 each for a group of six or more. Simply Nice Tours (Carlisle, PA; 717/243-5112, www.simplynicetours.com).

October 2014 issue

“Classic And Festive Japan”

 12 days, 11 nights, March 30-April 10, Oct. 8-19, Nov. 8-19, 2015. Highlights: In Tokyo, Shinto shrine Meiji Jingu/lava Wind Cave, formed by Mt. Fuji eruptions/wooden Matsumoto Castle/Shinhotaka Ropeway cable car in Japan Alps/in Hida Takayama, sake breweries/bullet train to Kyoto. Land, $4,500-$6,800 ppdo, depending on group size. Single supp., $750. Journeys International (Ann Arbor, MI; 800/255-8735, www.journeysinternational.com).

June 2015 issue

“Pembrokeshire Coast”

7-day, 6-night, moderate-level walking tour in WALES, Sept. 27-Oct. 3, 2015. Lodging in country hotels. Highlights: From St. Davids, walk along medieval pilgrimage trail/Chapel and Holy Well of St. Non/17th-century woolen mill Melin Tregwynt/at Nevern Church, 10th-century cross/Treffgarne Gorge/in Trenby, 13th-century castle/Stackpole Head. Land, from $4,195 per person, double occupancy (ppdo). Single supp., $565. The Wayfarers (Newport, RI; 800/249-4620, www.thewayfarers.com).