Culture and Countryside in South China, Tibet

Historian Bob Feldman will escort a 15-day tour to Tibet and South China May 27 to June 10. The tour visits Chengdu, Lhasa, Gyantse, Zhigatse, Kunming, Guilin and Guangzhou (Canton). Feldman, a professor emeritus at Cal State Fullerton, will lecture and lead discussions on Tibetan history, culture and current affairs. The tour is limited to 20 people.

The program begins in Chengdu to see the Wolong Nature Reserve, home to the giant panda. Then the group will fly to Lhasa to explore the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Baijiao Market. From Lhasa the tour crosses the Tibetan countryside past Lake Yamdrok to the Upper Brahmaputra Valley, arriving at Zhigatse to see the Tashilhunpo and Sakya monasteries and the Banchan Lama Pagoda. Guests then fly to Kunming for a visit to the Stone Forest and an excursion into the Western Hills. The next stop is Guilin for a Li River cruise to view the limestone karsts. The final destination is Guangzhou, a sister city of Los Angeles.

Cost: $3,990 per person, double occupancy, including air fare, all transportation within China, accommodations, meals, entrance fees, taxes and portage.

Contact: East-West International Tours, 925 Acapulco St., Laguna Beach, CA 92651; tel. (800) 359-6719, Internet https://www.eastwesttours.com

Japan: Textiles

A “Quilting and Textile Tour” of Japan is available from May 8 to 20. Longtime Kyoto resident and textile artist Nancy Craft will lead the group, which will visit artisans of weaving, dyeing and papermaking. Guests will spend time in Tokyo, then travel north by train to the town of Takasaki for a full-day workshop on natural dyeing techniques, followed by a rest at a traditional Japanese hot spring inn. Next the group will board a train to Kiryu, a weaving center, for tours and lectures on Japanese avant-garde textiles. Then it’s on to the picturesque Hakone area for an afternoon of leisure, a hot spring bath and dinner. Participants will attend a special lecture and demonstration by a master Japanese quilter and join a Japanese quilters’ guild for a full afternoon of quilting and swapping techniques and pieces of American and Japanese fabrics. Next stop is Arimatsu, a 300-year-old town known for its intricate tie-dye stitchery used in kimono and other Japanese textile art. Then participants will take the bullet train to the ancient capital of Kyoto.

Guests will be able to buy antique silk kimonos and obis for as little as $10, as well as swatches of indigo-dyed cotton in traditional patterns.

Cost: $3,675 per person, double occupancy, including air fare from Los Angeles, accommodations, most meals and entrance fees.

Contact: Esprit Travel--Walking Tours of Japan, 2101 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 101, Santa Monica, CA 90403; tel. (800) 377-7481, https://www.esprittravel.com.

Peru: Inca Trail

A hike on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is being offered April 20 to May 1 and May 11 to May 27. Other dates are also available. Participants will explore archeological sites and visit native villages and traditional markets that feature original Peruvian ceramics, textiles, art and handicrafts.

The trip includes visits to Cuzco, the sacred valley of the Incas and the lost city of Machu Picchu, and rafting the Urubamba River. On longer treks, guests will have a chance to interact with Quechua herders of llamas and alpacas in remote villages and enjoy views of glacier peaks and lakes from higher camps in the Andes.

Cost: $2,650 per person for the 12-day trip, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare from Los Angeles, all transportation and flights in Peru, private guides, sightseeing tours, hotels, all meals and camping gear.

Contact: Andes Adventures, Devy Reinstein, 1323 12th St., Suite F., Santa Monica, CA 90401; tel. (800) 289-9470, https://www.andesadventures.com.

Spain: Pilgrimage

Santiago de Compostela, in the northwest corner of Spain, is an important Roman Catholic pilgrimage destination and popular with those not on pilgrimage. Wilderness Travel of Berkeley, Calif., has added a hiking tour to Santiago to its 2001 offerings. Though the full route is more than 450 miles, participants will do 80 miles in five- to 10-mile segments per day. The starting point of the 13-day journey is St. Jean-Pied-de-Port in France, with Spain’s Roncesvalles Pass, the 10th century monastery at Irache, the walled town of Astorga and a moor of heather and Scotch broom on the path to Villafranca del Bierzo among the sights. Departure dates are May 13, June 5 and Sept. 10.

Cost: from $3,295 per person, double occupancy, including lodging, most meals and van support. Air fare is extra.

Contact: Wilderness Travel; tel. (800) 368-2794.

Nepal, Tibet: Adventure

Trekking in the Himalayas and exploring the mystical wonders of Tibet will be the focus of a trip from April 19 to May 6. The trip will feature Katmandu, Pokhara and a five-day trek that includes Phewa Lake; Maccapuchare range and Annapurna; Lanjung and Manaslu; Bhadouri to see the Gurung, Chetti and Thakali people; and Bindabasini temple. Then the tour heads to to Lhasa, Tibet, with sights including Tsedang, Yumbu Lagang Castle, several monasteries, the Potala Palace and Drepung. Much-needed supplies will be delivered to village schools along the way.

Cost: $3,995 per person, double occupancy, including air fare on Singapore Airlines from Los Angeles, all flights within Nepal and to Tibet, hotels, the trek, breakfast daily and all meals on the trek, sightseeing and transfers.

Contact: Escapes Unlimited, 17842 Irvine Blvd., Suite 232, Tustin, CA 92780; tel. (800) 243-7227.

Mideast: Holy Land

A visit to Israel combines all the country’s highlights: Galilee, Mt. Tabor, Mt. Carmel, Cana, Nazareth, Bethany, Mount of Beatitudes, Tabhha, Capernaum, Kursi, a Sea of Galilee boat ride, Jordan River, Bet Shean, Jerusalem, Ein Karem, Gethsemane, Via Dolorosa, Holy Sepulchre, Shrine of the Book Museum, Holocaust Museum, Model City, Mt. Zion, the Upper Room and King David’s Tomb. The tour runs March 19 to 28.

Cost: $2,098 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare from Los Angeles, first-class hotels, buffet breakfast and dinner daily, entrance fees, deluxe motor coaches, guides and taxes.

Optional tours offered include a day trip to Masada, $49; and four days in Egypt, including Cairo, $648.

Contact: Tess Poling, tour coordinator; tel. (916) 933-5007.

Africa: Canoe Safari

A “Safari and Sailing Adventure in Botswana and Zimbabwe” runs June 17 to July 2. Included in the itinerary is a visit to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, a stay in a tented safari camp in the remote Linyanti region bordering Chobe National Park, an exploration by dugout canoe of the waterways of the Okavango Delta in Botswana, an on-board sailing adventure on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe and an opportunity in the capital city, Harare, to visit the sculpture gardens at Chapungu and see the Shona stone sculptors at work. Travelers also will experience wildlife up close.

Cost: $5,875 per person, double occupancy, including air fare from New York, lodging, all meals and all entrance fees.

Contact: King Yacht Charters; tel. (800) 521-7552, https://www.sailingcharters.com.

Italy: Walk and Eat

Historical sites, dramatic scenery and a gourmet adventure of food and wines with Tuscan chef Fabio Mucchi are planned for eight-night trips to Tuscany in April and May. Lodging will be in a restored 13th century castle surrounded by acres of vineyards in the heart of the Chianti wine region, 12 miles from the small medieval city of Siena. Cooking classes and gentle hiking are included. Each group is limited to eight.

Cost: $2,399 per person, double occupancy, including lodging, guide service, most meals and ground transportation.

Contact: Spanish Steps and Roman Roads of Colorado; ask for Judy Colaneri; tel. (877) 787-WALK, https://www.spanishsteps.com.

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