Tales, sails and killer whales

SAIL with whales and hear native tales on tall ship adventures in British Columbia.

The five-night voyages, planned for Oct. 6, 15 and 23, are aboard the 92-foot schooner the Maple Leaf and sail to islands, native villages and archeological sites. The group will hike in the coastal rain forest.

“The trips are really addictive because of the intimate relationship we have with the places we visit,” said Maureen Gordon of Maple Leaf Adventures. “When you hear a whale breathing or when you are alone in a village that’s been there for thousands of years, it’s almost an overwhelming experience.”

The Oct. 6 sailing departs from Port McNeill on Vancouver Island and visits Hanson Island, Echo Bay and Alert Bay, where participants will tour the cultural center and the Kwakwaka’wakw village. The vessel will cruise Blackney Pass, the autumnal feeding grounds of pods of orcas.

The later cruises depart from Sidney in British Columbia and visit the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, including Saturna, Prevost and D’Arcy islands. Participants will meet with members of the Coast Salish nation and kayak into remote inlets. The group will observe sea lion colonies, porpoises, shore birds and tide pools.

Cost: $1,400 per person, including berth accommodations, meals, wine with dinner and shore excursions. Airfare from Los Angeles to Vancouver or Sidney is not included.

Contact: Maple Leaf Adventures, Victoria, B.C.; (888) 599-5323, www.mapleleafadventures.com

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CALIFORNIA

The rhythms of the desert

DISCOVER the wonders of the desert by day and night at Joshua Tree National Park during the Desert Music Foundation’s Celestial Rhythms program on Sept. 16 and 17.

The main event, co-sponsored by the Desert Institute and the Joshua Tree National Park Assn., is an evening of musical performances and a drum circle that involves the audience.

Astronomy buffs will be able to view the full moon and the Andromeda galaxy through high-powered telescopes on site. “You can read a newspaper by the light of the full moon in the desert,” said Kathleen Radnich of the Basin Wide Foundation.

Daytime activities available on Sept. 17 include a percussion seminar led by Paulo Mattioli, hikes and classes on ancient and modern uses of desert plants and the history of desert dwellers.

Camping is available in Joshua Tree National Park; lodging also can be found in nearby Twentynine Palms and the city of Joshua Tree.

Cost: $38 to $48 per person for the evening music program; hikes, classes and seminars are $5 to $20 per activity per person. Camping fees in Joshua Tree are $10 per night for individual sites. Sites for large groups are $20 to $35 per night.

Contact: The Desert Music Foundation, a committee of the Basin Wide Foundation, Twentynine Palms; (760) 366-0270, www.celestialrhythms.org. For campground reservations, call (800) 365-2267. For park information, call (760) 367-5500 or see www.nps.gov/jotr.

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NEW MEXICO

Hot air over Albuquerque

WATCH balloons soar at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta during a trip to New Mexico that starts Oct. 1.

Visitors on the eight-day tour will travel to Santa Fe and Ruidoso and will tour Carlsbad Caverns. Other stops include White Sands National Monument and a visit to Acoma Pueblo. Group members will spend two days in Albuquerque during the festival, where they will also visit museums and shop.

Cost: $1,699 per person, double occupancy ($430 single surcharge), including round-trip airfare from L.A., hotels, most meals, airport transfers, and shuttle home.

Contact: AFC Tours & Cruises, San Diego; (800) 369-3693, www.afctours.com.

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MEXICO

A vintage way to travel

RIDE the rails in vintage splendor on a day trip Nov. 19 to the border towns of Campo, Calif., and Tecate, Mexico.

Campo is home to the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum. After touring the museum, visitors will hop the train for a scenic ride to Tecate on a restored Santa Fe observation car. They will tour the Tecate Brewery, have lunch and shop for tiles and pottery before a return trip to Campo.

Cost: $110 per person, including transportation from San Diego to Campo, round-trip train ride, lunch and guides. Transportation to San Diego from Los Angeles is not included.

Contact: Baja California Tours, La Jolla; (800) 336-5454, www.bajaspecials.com.

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ENGLAND

Backstage theater passes

GO backstage on a nine-day theater tour of London.

The jaunt, which begins Dec. 28, includes tickets to six shows, among them “Billy Elliot” and “Mary Poppins.”

The group will tour the Churchill Museum, the Royal Academy of Arts and the Royal Opera House.

Participants meet with actors, historians and critics, visit with a British political journalist and attend a New Year’s Eve celebration. Writer Barbara Isenberg accompanies the group.

Cost: $5,638 per person, double occupancy ($900 single surcharge), including round-trip airfare from L.A., some meals, excursions, theater tickets, admissions and airport transfers.

Contact: Gilner International Travels, Beverly Hills; (310) 273-6161.

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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; travel@latimes.com.