Nature produces this epic

SEE the Northern Lights on an eight-day late-summer trip to Iceland.

Sky & Telescope magazine editor Paul Deans will accompany the tour, which begins Sept. 15. The group will travel to a latitude where the aurora borealis is likely to be seen.

“We’re going out for four nights into the Icelandic countryside,” said Aram Kaprielian of TravelQuest International. “By day, we’ll be visiting glaciers, geysers, beautiful waterfalls.”

Cost: $2,470 per person, double occupancy ($650 single surcharge), including lodging, most meals, ground transportation and lectures. Airfare from Los Angeles to Reykjavik, Iceland, is not included.

Contact: TravelQuest International, Prescott, Ariz.; (800) 830-1998, www.travelquestinternational.com.

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ARGENTINA AND ANTARCTICA

To the bottom of the world

SAIL from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Antarctica on a 10-night journey, starting Jan. 16.

The trip begins with a guided tour of Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego National Park.

The group will sail aboard the Sarpik Ittuk, a 96-passenger expedition ship, cruising the Beagle Channel and the Drake Passage.

Cost: $5,495 to $5,895 per person in twin cabins, $7,495 in single cabins, including meals, hotels, ship accommodations and excursions. Airfare from Los Angeles and required medical evacuation insurance are not included.

Contact: TravelStore, Brentwood; (800) 343-9779, Ext. 19133, www.travelstoreusa.com.

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EUROPE

The finer things in life

INDULGE in food, wine and art on a cruise from London to Monte Carlo, Monaco, co-sponsored by the Palos Verdes Art Center.

The two-week trip, which begins Sept. 16, visits museums in London and European ports, including Lorient and Bordeaux, in France; Lisbon; and Cadiz and Barcelona in Spain.

From Monte Carlo, the group will travel to Aix-en-Provence, France, to see a Cezanne exhibit at the Musee Granet, and to Nice, to visit the Matisse and Chagall museums.

Christine Brown, chef of Restaurant Christine in Torrance, will accompany the group to teach cooking classes.

Cost: $4,846 per person, double occupancy, including accommodations, meals and excursions. Airfare from Los Angeles to London is not included.

Contact: Robinson Travel, Manhattan Beach; (310) 379-2495.

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EGYPT

In the land of the Pharaohs

EXPLORE Egypt and cruise the Nile on a three-week tour that begins Oct. 21.

The tour focuses on the historical sites near Cairo, the Nile Valley and the Red Sea coastal cities of Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada. Red Sea resorts popular with Israelis have been the target of recent fatal bomb attacks, including Sharm el Sheikh in July 2005 and Dahab last month. The State Department advises Americans visiting Egypt to be “especially vigilant in crowded tourist areas, remain aware of their personal security and be alert to their surroundings.”

Stan Mazin, who has led tours to Egypt for 25 years, expressed confidence. “I’ve been there after the first set of bombings [in July 2005] and I felt very safe,” he said.

The group takes guided excursions to the Pyramids, the Sphinx, the ancient city of Memphis and the kingdom of Sakara.

Cost: $3,850 per person, double occupancy ($900 single surcharge), including round-trip airfare from Los Angeles, hotels and ship cabins, some meals, ground transportation and admissions.

Contact: Stan Mazin Travels, Sherman Oaks; (818) 645-0336, www.stanmazin.com.

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CALIFORNIA

Deep-sea delving

RESEARCH the most plentiful animals of the deep on an open-ocean plankton expedition with San Pedro’s Cabrillo Marine Aquarium.

The May 20 class will meet at 4 p.m. and cruise from 5 to 10 p.m. when the organisms are closer to the surface. Marine biologist Mike Shaadt will discuss the habitat and biology of creatures.

Participants on the 30-passenger research vessel will cruise between San Pedro and Catalina Island and drop a net 1,000 feet into the sea to capture, identify and release plankton.

Cost: $40 per person, ages 12 and up, including instruction and boat trip.

Contact: The Cabrillo Marine Museum, San Pedro; (310) 548-7562, www.cabrilloaq.org.

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The Times is not responsible for changes in prices, dates or itineraries. Send information to Tours & Cruises, Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012; e-mail to travel@latimes.com.