A polar point and shoot

CAPTURE the northern lights and polar bears in pictures on a photography tour of the Hudson Bay town of Churchill in Manitoba, Canada.

The eight-day tour, beginning Nov. 15, travels in a rolling hotel that resembles a train on oversized tires. Travelers can view polar bears while dining or relaxing in the lounge car. There also is a vehicle on site for excursions onto the tundra.

“Churchill is one of the premier photography destinations in the world,” said Matt Kareus of Natural Habitat Adventures, “because of the polar bears ... the aurora borealis and lots of Arctic wildlife.”

Cost: $4,720 per person, double occupancy ($170 single surcharge), including airfare from Winnipeg to Churchill, accommodations, meals, guides, entrance fees, taxes, service charges and airport transfers. Airfare to Winnipeg from Los Angeles is not included. Helicopter tour is an additional $495 per person.

Contact: Natural Habitat Adventures, Boulder, Colo.; (800) 543-8917, www.nathab.com.

CALIFORNIA

Drinking in ‘Sideways’

TRACE the steps of Miles and Jack on a winery-hopping weekend for singles.

The Sept. 30 escape visits the film locations of the offbeat sleeper movie “Sideways,” including Santa Barbara County wineries, restaurants and cafes; Gaviota State Beach; the golf course in Los Olivos; and the bowling alley in Lompoc.

The trip is sponsored by the nonprofit American Singles Education Inc.

Cost: $459 per person, double occupancy ($175 single surcharge), including round-trip train transportation from Los Angeles or San Diego to San Luis Obispo, three nights’ accommodations, hotel taxes, some meals, bus transportation and bowling. Golf is an additional $54 to $75 per person. Most dinners and alcoholic beverages are not included.

Contact: Singles Travel Co., Los Gatos; (888) 286-8687, www.singlestravelcompany.com.

HAWAII

Doing well in the island sun

SALUTE the sun or hang 10 during a week of yoga, surfing and wellness classes on Maui.

Women’s trips are planned Aug. 28 and Nov. 14; a trip for couples starts Nov. 20. Snorkeling, tennis and a massage are included, as are sightseeing excursions and classes in healthful cooking.

Participants stay in lanai-style cottages at Kaanapali Beach.

Cost: $2,100 per person, double occupancy ($350 single surcharge), including accommodations, meals, classes, excursions and airport transfers. Airfare from Los Angeles to Maui is not included.

Contact: SwellWomen, Puunene, Hawaii; (800) 399-6284, www.swellwomen.com.

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CHINA

Cityscapes, a canal cruise

DISCOVER the treasures of China on a 22-day journey to ancient sites and new museums.

The tour, which begins Oct. 10, visits Beijing, Xian, Nanjing, Shanghai and Hangzhou. Participants stroll imperial gardens in the city of Suzhou in Jiangsu Province and cruise the Grand Canal between Suzhou and Wuxi.

Group leader Harry Lawrence, an expert on Chinese antiques, has been leading tours to China for 26 years.

Cost: $5,250 per person ($1,100 single surcharge) including international airfare from Los Angeles, airfare in China, hotels, meals and guides.

Contact: Far East Art and Adventure Travel; (949) 494-9778.

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SYRIA, LEBANON

Storied past, current affairs

GAIN an insider’s perspective of the Middle East on tours that combine sightseeing, culture and politics.

Participants on the two-week tours, which begin Oct. 7 and April 14, will meet with leaders of various political and religious groups and tour historic and cultural sites.

Previous tours have met with Christian and Muslim newspaper owners in Lebanon and former Lebanese Prime Minister Salim Hoss as well as ordinary people, said Ladan Sobhani of Global Exchange, the nonprofit human rights group that is organizing the tours.

Participants will visit refugee camps in Syria and Lebanon and tour Beirut, the 7,000-year-old Phoenician city of Byblos and the ancient Roman city of Baalbek in Lebanon. In Syria, they will visit the Krak des Chevaliers castle and ruins in Palmyra. They will tour the Omayyad Mosque in the Old City in Damascus and visit Quneitra.

Cost: $1,950 per person, double occupancy ($325 single surcharge), including accommodations, most meals, ground transportation and guides. Airfare from Los Angeles to Beirut is not included.

Contact: Global Exchange, San Francisco; (800) 497-1994, Ext. 251, www.globalexchange.org/tours.

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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; e-mail travel@latimes .com.