TOURS & CRUISES

Taking the horses out for a drive

Saddle up for a Wild West experience this spring: a lively four-day horse drive to herd stock from its winter range in the Owens Valley to its summer home in the High Sierra.

“It’s the best four days of the year,” said organizer Craig London, a Bishop, Calif., veterinarian who has held the horse and mule drives for more than three decades.

Riders do not need to be experts, London said.

The June 19-22 drive is one of many riding opportunities available in the mountains near Bishop. There also are four-day rides to track mustangs in the Inyo National Forest, four-day trail rides, Mt. Whitney pack trips and hiking treks. A return drive runs Sept. 25-28.

Cost: The horse drive is $785 per person, including mount, meals and camp. Other trips start at $450 for three days.

Contact: Rock Creek Pack Station, Bishop; (760) 872-8331, www.rockcreekpackstation.com.

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ENGLAND

Exploring the garden paths

Stroll down the primrose path to the Chelsea Flower Show in London on a May 19-29 trip that focuses on the gardens of England.

The tour, led by horticulturalist and author Felder Rushing, will include visits to several National Trust properties, including Stourhead in Wiltshire, Montacute House near Yeovil and Westbury Court Garden in Gloucestershire. The group will also visit Iford Manor Garden in Wiltshire and the Sir Harold Hillier Arboretum in Hampshire.

Cost: $3,450 per person, double occupancy (single surcharge $695), including accommodations, land transportation, most meals and admission to the Chelsea Flower Show and gardens. Airfare is not included.

Contact: Copper Beech Garden Tours of Spartanburg, S.C.; (864) 582-1498, www.copper-beech.com.

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SCOTLAND

Tracing roots

to Highlands

Explore the wee bit of Scot in your family tree on a weeklong trip that will help you trace your roots.

The air, lodging and car packages are available daily year-round and include personal ancestral information provided by a genealogical research company.

Cost: $1,170 per person, double occupancy (single surcharge $447), including round-trip airfare from LAX to Glasgow, Edinburgh or Aberdeen, seven nights at B&Bs; or hotels, and seven-day car rental with unlimited mileage and insurance.

Contact: Great Canadian Travel Co. Ltd.; (800) 661-3830, www.travel333.com.

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MEXICO

Academic spin on vacation

Scale a volcano or kayak in a bay on class trips to Baja sponsored by Pasadena City College.

The spring and summer sessions in Mexico are part of biology and geology classes at the college. Students will attend a semester of classes, with a two- to three-week break in Mexico. Fieldwork will include searching for dinosaur bones and studying whales and mining operations. Students will stay in field stations most nights and camp out on others.

“Students need only bring a sleeping bag, snorkel and mask and a sense of adventure,” said Bruce Carter, the program’s creator.

Students can earn up to nine transferable credits. During the spring semester, classes will be Tuesday and Thursday evenings, Feb. 17-June 10, at Pasadena City College, with the Baja field science experience set for April 4-17. Summer classes will be June 21-July 9, with a field science trip July 11-28.

Cost: Field trips are $1,600 per person for spring or summer sessions, including transportation, housing, meals, activities, insurance and supervision. Students also pay enrollment fees.

Contact: Natural Sciences Division office at Pasadena City College; (626) 585-7140, www.pasadena.edu/news.

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GREECE

Pre-Olympic

island hopping

Beat the crowds to the Greek isles this year on a May 12 tour that includes four days on an Aegean Sea cruise.

The trip will be in advance of the 2004 Olympics, which will be Aug. 13-29 in Athens.

The escorted 11-day tour will visit Athens and the ruins at Olympia, Delphi and Mycenae. During the cruise, the group will see the islands of Thira (Santorini), Mikonos, Kriti (Crete), Rodos (Rhodes) and Patmos.

Cost: $3,499 per person, double occupancy (single surcharge $600), including round-trip airfare from LAX, land and cruise fees, 22 meals, travel insurance and gratuities.

Contact: New Horizons Travel of Camarillo, (805) 987-6963.

The Times is not responsible for changes in prices, dates or itineraries. 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.