TOURS & CRUISES

YELLOWSTONE

Have a field day -- with wolves

Hear the call of the wild during educational summer programs at Yellowstone National Park, one of the few places in the nation where wolves can be seen running free.

The field seminars, sponsored by the nonprofit Yellowstone Assn. Institute, range from three to five days. They are taught by wildlife biologists and have headquarters at a field campus in the Lamar Valley, near the Montana-Wyoming border.

“These programs are a great way for visitors to have an authentic, enriching experience at Yellowstone,” said Jeff Brown, director of educational operations. “The institute offers the world’s best place to observe wild wolves.”

Courses include “Wolves of Yellowstone,” May 13-15, $215; “Fang & Flesh: Hunter and Hunted in Yellowstone,” June 23-25, $215; “Mirror Plateau Wolf Backpack,” July 11-15, also scheduled for July 19-23, $385. A seminar for teachers, “Gray Wolves, Gray Matter: A Wolf Ecology Workshop,” is set for July 19-22, $290. Accommodations are not included.

Other park programs include four-night Yellowstone family programs, scheduled twice a week at Mammoth Hot Springs and at Grant Village from June 7 through Aug. 27. Families explore canyons, waterfalls and geyser basins and learn about animal tracking and wildlife watching. Parents help their children complete the requirements for the National Park Service’s Junior Ranger program. The course is recommended for families with children ages 8 to 12. Cost is $542 per adult, double occupancy (single surcharge $190). Children’s fees are $328 each. Accommodations and some meals are included.

Contact: To register for wolf courses, contact the Yellowstone Assn. Institute at (307) 344-2294; to register for family programs, call (307) 344-5566. Information on these and other courses is available via the Internet at www.yellowstoneassociation.org.

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EUROPE

A girl, her mom and

their horses

Saddle up with Mom next month on weeklong Mother’s Day season riding trips planned in Ireland, France and Italy.

The packages are at the Mount Juliet Estate in County Kilkenny, Ireland, May 9-14; Kinnitty Castle, County Offaly, Ireland, May 9-15; Provence, France, Inn-to-Inn ride, May 16-22; and Tuscany Trail Ride in Siena, Italy, May 30-June 5.

“The vacations are designed to give mothers and daughters the opportunity to bond while they share their passion for riding and travel,” said tour representative Karen Lancaster.

Cost: $1,595 per person, including accommodations, horses, meals and spa treatments and massages. International transportation to the equestrian facility is not provided.

Contact: Cross Country International, (800) 828-8768 or www.equestrianvacations.com

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TAHITI

Low-cost trips

to Polynesia

start at $799

Watch a golden sunset from Moorea’s beautiful Cook’s Bay on a low-cost five-night package to Polynesia.

The special includes air, hotel, transfers and leis on arrival and departure starting at $799 per person, double occupancy. Single surcharge is $200. The package is valid through May 31.

Other specials are a six-night Tahiti and Moorea combination starting at $1,299 (single surcharge $540) and a five-night Tahiti and Bora-Bora package starting at $1,599 (single surcharge $690). The Bora-Bora package includes meals.

Prices are for midweek departures. Airport departure taxes and fees of about $70 are not included.

Contact: Tahiti Vacations of Los Angeles, (800) 553-3477, www.tahitivacations.com

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NEVADA

Teaching petroglyph appreciation

Become an archeologist for a weekend on a training session hosted by the Nevada Rock Art Foundation.

The April 24 and 25 session includes a day of training in Reno, with lectures and demonstrations of the fundamentals of rock art research. The next day, participants will visit rock art sites north of Reno and receive field experience in recording petroglyphs and pictographs.

“Recording these sites is a vital step to preserving these links to the past,” said Alanah Woody, executive director of the Nevada Rock Art Foundation.

Cost: The training session is free to foundation members. (Membership can be purchased for $30.) Transportation to Reno is not provided.

Contact: Nevada Rock Art Foundation, (775) 687-4810, Ext. 229, www.nevadarockart.org.

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 write via e-mail to travel@latimes.com.