Focus Points and F-Stops in Scenic Death Valley

A photography and sightseeing tour of Death Valley will run Dec. 5 to 8. Participants will receive instruction in landscape and travel photography while visiting such sites as Zabriskie Point, Badwater, sand dunes and salt fields.

Cost: $270 per person, double occupancy, including accommodations at Stovepipe Wells and two meals. Transportation to Death Valley is not included.

Contact: Image Quest Tours, 1164 Alvira St., Los Angeles, CA 90035; telephone (323) 939-2819.

Italy: Assisi

“Walking in the Footsteps of Francis and Clare in Assisi” is a storytelling trip planned for April 1 to 8. Participants will learn the art of storytelling in workshops. They will stay at the Hotel La Torretta for six nights and take day trips to areas near Assisi, as well as to Greccio and La Verna.

Cost: $2,487 per person, double occupancy, including hotel, workshops, some meals and sightseeing fees. Air fare is not included.

Contact: Storyfest Journeys; tel. (301) 791-9153 or (800) 277-7035, Internet https://www.storyfest.com.

Chile: Adventure

BikeHike Adventures has a double dose of activity with two one-week itineraries of mountain biking, hiking, rafting, sea kayaking and horseback riding through Chile’s Lake District and into the farthest corners of Patagonia. The two tours are scheduled back to back if participants want to take both.

There are numerous departures, leaving every Saturday from Puerto Montt and every Sunday from Punta Arenas, Chile.

The first adventure takes place in the Lake District, characterized by deep blue lakes, old-growth forests and snowcapped volcanoes. The second week is in Patagonia, trekking through Torres del Paine National Park, where summer nights remain light until midnight.

The itinerary is active, so travelers should be in good physical condition to participate, although no prior experience is necessary. Veteran wilderness guides will help fine-tune the skills of all adventurers.

Cost: $2,450 per person for a two-week trip, $1,450 for the Lake District and $1,125 in Patagonia. Kayak, canoe and camping gear are included. Expert guides and all meals are also included. Air fare is extra.

Contact: BikeHike Adventures, tel. (888) 805-0061, Internet https://www.bikehike.com.

London: Theater

A theater trip to London, sponsored by the Whittier Cultural Arts Foundation, runs Feb. 20 to March 1. The tour includes nine nights in England plus tickets to four London shows, two Stratford shows, post-play discussions and afternoon tea at the Savoy Hotel.

There will also be tours of the Royal National Theatre complex in London and the Royal Shakespeare complex in Stratford.

Cost: $2,599 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip flight from Los Angeles to London, coach transfers from the airport, first-class hotel accommodations and daily continental breakfast. Price includes a $200 tax-deductible donation to the Whittier Cultural Arts Foundation.

Contact: Korfco Inc., tel. (562) 947-6334.

New Zealand: Gardens

Visit the Christchurch Flower Festival and private gardens filled with hollyhocks, foxgloves and roses with garden expert Celia Baca, Feb. 21 to March 7.

In addition to sightseeing, highlights include a private tour of Christchurch Botanic Garden, Mona Vale, Ohinetani, the home of the president of the New Zealand Horticultural Society, the International Antarctic Center, Olveston House, Dunedin Botanic Garden, Taieri Gorge Railway, Glenfalloch Woodland Garden, Lanarch Castle and the Royal Albatross Center.

Cost: $4,540 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare from Los Angeles to New Zealand, first-class accommodations, most meals, ground transportation, porterage and all admission fees.

Contact: Celia’s Getaways; tel. (714) 901-3510.

Florida: Kayaking

Four days of kayaking and three nights of camping in the Everglades of Cape Sable at Florida’s southern tip are available from Wilderness Inquiry. Departure dates are Dec. 30, Jan. 6 and 13. The route--subject to tides and weather--runs from Flamingo through the East Cape canal, Lake Ingraham, the Middle Cape canal and back to Flamingo. Groups are limited to eight participants, who will paddle 21-foot sea kayaks four to seven hours daily. Participants will also be pitching in with cooking and cleaning up.

Cost: $495 per person, including two guides, camping equipment and all meals. Air fare is additional.

A canoeing alternative lasts six days and begins south of Fort Myers at the Shark Valley Nature Preserve. This trip, for 10 to 12 participants, departs Collier Seminole State Park and travels the Blackwater River, Gullivan, Gator and Buttonwood bays and Dismal Key.

Cost: $675 per person. Van service from Fort Myers is $30. Dates are Dec. 28, Feb. 7, 16 and 26, March 6, 14 and 23 and April 1. Air fare to Florida is additional.

Contact: Wilderness Inquiry, tel. (800) 728-0719.

The Times is not responsible for changes in prices, dates or itineraries. These should be confirmed with cruise lines, travel agents or tour operators.