TOURS & CRUISES

Teaching kids about cameras

Catch the big picture of village life in Peru during a weeklong digital photography workshop in which participants work with local children.

The July 11 seminar will take place in Ollantaytambo, a village in the Urubamba River Valley outside Cuzco that was built on the foundation of an ancient Incan city. Children from the region learn photo skills from participants, who improve their own digital skills at the same time.

“This project offers a much richer cultural experience than just taking a tour; people really bond,” said photographer Phil Borges, who will lead the workshop. Borges’ work is on display at Bowers Museum in Santa Ana (www.bowers.org).

The Peru workshop is part of the nonprofit Bridges to Understanding project, which provides children with digital cameras, audio recorders and training for the equipment. The organization, founded by Borges, connects North American adults with children from indigenous and tribal cultures in India, Nepal, Kenya and other regions. Borges will lead another workshop, to Kenya, on Oct. 5.

Cost: $1,360 per person, double occupancy (single surcharge $120), including accommodations in hotels, instruction and travel within Peru. Round-trip airfare to Cuzco is not included.

Contact: Bridges to Understanding, Mercer Island, Wash.; (206) 275-3247, www.bridgesweb.org.

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MEXICO

A long and winding railroad trip

CHUG through 87 tunnels and across 38 bridges on a weeklong fall railroad tour to Copper Canyon and the Sierra Tarahumara.

The Oct. 10 tour, which focuses on forested plateaus and precipitous canyons, includes overnight stays in Los Mochis and El Fuerte and two-night stays in Divisadero and Cerocahui in the canyon.

The Copper Canyon tour is aboard the Chihuahua al Pacifico Railway. Many parts of the canyon are accessible only by the railroad, which winds along steep walls and drops from the rim of the mountains to sea level in 112 miles.

Cost: $1,749 per person, double occupancy (single surcharge $325), including round-trip airfare, six nights’ accommodations, first-class rail transportation, all meals, transfers, tour director and other activities.

Contact: Main Street Tours, Torrance, (800) 300-6246 or (310) 212-0791, www.mainstreettours.com.

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TAHITI

Watercolor painting in the South Pacific

Test the waters of the South Pacific on a 12-day art trek in Tahiti.

The July 21 tour, which includes four nights in Tahiti and six nights in nearby Huahine island, will focus on painting flowers with watercolors. (Two days are spent traveling.) Art students will paint daily, visiting gardens and other scenic areas with instructor Sally Robertson. Other possible activities include snorkeling, swimming, canoeing and shopping.

Cost: $4,450 per person, double occupancy (single surcharge $950), including round-trip airfare from LAX to Tahiti, inter-island air and transportation, accommodations, some meals, entrance fees and instruction.

Contact: Art Trek, Bolinas, Calif.; (888) 522-2652, www.arttreks.com.

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ITALY

Immersed

in all things Italian

Enjoy la dolce vita this fall on a three-month study-abroad program based in Florence.

The Sept. 8-Dec. 6 program, sponsored by Riverside Community College, offers courses in art, geology, politics, and Italian language and culture. Students can take up to 18 units.

Classes, taught by the college faculty, are held at a language school in Florence. Students receive pre-departure and on-site orientations. They will take a walking tour of Florence, go on a three-day excursion to Rome and have time to travel elsewhere during a weeklong fall break.

Cost: $6,249 per person, including international round-trip airfare, accommodations in student apartments, cultural programs and activities. Riverside Community College tuition ($18 per unit) is not included.

Contact: Jan Schall, Riverside Community College; (909) 222-8340, www.rcc.edu/studyabroad.

The Times is not responsible for changes in prices, dates or itineraries. Send information to Tours & Cruises, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A., CA 90012 or travel@latimes.com.