TOURS & CRUISES

MEXICO

Easter in the Sierra Madre

Discover the treasures of the Sierra Madre on an 11-day Easter week tour of Mexico’s Copper Canyon that will focus on the scenery and people of the region.

The April 3 railroad tour traverses a canyon system of six interconnected gorges that are deeper and larger than the Grand Canyon. But the scenery is only part of the draw, said Keith Tucker, the tour’s leader.

“The thing that really distinguishes this tour is the unusual time of year. Visitors come from throughout Mexico and around the world for this special week that combines Indian religious customs with Catholic traditions,” Tucker said. “It’s a very colorful celebration.”

Holy Week, or Semana Santa, is the major religious celebration of the year for the canyon’s Tarahumara Indians, who wear colored vestments and play ancient musical instruments, such as the tambour (a drum) and flute.

The itinerary includes stops in Los Mochis, a city on the Gulf of California; the colonial village of El Fuerte; and Creel, along the rim of the canyon. On Good Friday, the group will attend a Last Supper service in the canyon town of Batopilas.

Cost: $1,883 per person, double occupancy (single surcharge $767), including accommodations, railroad trip, some meals, sightseeing and activities. Round-trip airfare from LAX to Los Mochis is not included.

Contact: Acacia Travel, La Jolla; (800) 243-6996, www.acaciatravel.com.

INDIA, NEPAL

Saving tigers

on 17-day trek

Save a tiger while stalking them in wildlife parks of India and Nepal on a 17-day adventure tour that supports tiger conservation efforts.

The March 19 safari begins in Delhi, India, and moves on to Bandhavgarh National Park in central India, where the group will spend three days searching for tigers. Other stops include Katmandu, Nepal and Royal Chitwan National Park, where the group will ride elephants into tiger habitats.

Cost: $3,790 per person, double occupancy (single surcharge $925), plus $550 more for airfare within India and to Nepal. Included are accommodations, most meals, flights in Nepal, transfers, ground transportation and basic medical insurance. Round-trip airfares from LAX to Delhi and home from Katmandu are not included. Participants are asked to make a $300 contribution to the Fund for the Tiger, which will be matched by the tour company.

Contact: Mountain Travel Sobek; (888) 687-6235, www.mtsobek.com.

CALIFORNIA

Gardens of Carpinteria

Explore the garden paths of Carpinteria on two-night tours that visit the city’s private nurseries and gardens.

The packages are available on the first weekend of January, February, March, April and May. Visitors will see four private nurseries that are usually closed to the public, including Ever-Bloom Nursery, one of the largest U.S. growers of gerberas, and Gallup & Stribling Orchids, one of the nation’s largest orchid farms.

Cost: $349 per couple (cost for one person is $174), including hotels on Friday and Saturday, bus tour and picnic lunch.

Contact: Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce; (800) 563-6900, Ext. 12, www.carpchamber.org.

ENGLAND

The play’s the thing on tour

SeT the stage for an entertaining visit to London on a weeklong theater tour.

The Feb. 24 trip includes a behind-the-scenes tour of the Globe Theatre and tickets to five shows.

Cost: $2,245 per person, double occupancy (single surcharge $275), including round-trip airfare from LAX to London, accommodations, a seven-day pass for the Underground, some meals and a Thames cruise.

Contact: Edventures; (877) 533-8368.

NORTHWEST

U.S., Canada by sea and rail

Anchors aweigh for a 13-day Pacific Coast trip that includes a Norwegian Sun cruise from San Pedro to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and return by rail.

The April 27 tour includes port stops in Seattle and Victoria, Canada. Participants also spend two nights in Whistler, B.C., before traveling by train to Portland, Ore., for two nights.

Cost: $1,595 per person, double occupancy (single surcharge $400), including the five-day cruise, accommodations and many meals. Passengers making reservations before Jan. 16 receive free train travel to Los Angeles and return home from Portland.

Contact: Train Holidays, Walnut Creek, Calif.; (800) 543-2846, www.trainholidays.com.

The Times is not responsible for tour changes. Send information to Tours & Cruises, Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 or write via e-mail to travel@latimes.com.