Tour is a mix of business and pleasure

GUATEMALA

JOIN a fact-finding mission to Guatemala and discover the beauty of the country at the same time.

The seven-night tour, which begins Jan. 13, visits Guatemala City and Antigua, spending two days touring “micro-loan” projects and meeting local entrepreneurs. The loans, sometimes as small as $100, help impoverished women start home-based businesses.

“It is a great trip for people who want to see a beautiful country,” said Gail Berkeley of Destinations & Adventures, “but there’s also an additional element. In this case, addressing the issues of poverty and hunger.”

Participants have a choice of activities while in the Central American nation. They may stay in Antigua, tour Guatemala City and hike Pacaya Volcano. They could opt to fly to Tikal to explore the Mayan ruins at Tikal National Park, or tour-goers may drive to Lake Atitlan, visit Mayan villages and shop at the market at Chichicastenango.

Cost: $2,700 per person, double occupancy ($895 single surcharge), including hotels, meals, tours and transfers. International airfare is not included.

Contact: Destinations & Adventures International, Los Angeles; (800) 659-4599, www.daitravel.com.

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CALIFORNIA

In the Mojave, lessons in survival

DISCOVER the austere wonders of the Mojave Desert on a Nov. 11 trip sponsored by the Fowler Museum at UCLA.

The day trip visits the Coachella Valley and the high desert near Joshua Tree National Park.

The group tours the Museum of the Living Desert in Palm Desert and Cabot’s Pueblo Museum in Desert Hot Springs. Guides will compare Cahuilla Native American desert survival strategies with those of African Sahara nomads.

The tour features modern desert habitat, including an artist’s live-in studio.

The trip is held in conjunction with the museum’s exhibition, “Art of Being Tuareg: Sahara Nomads in the Modern World,” on display through Feb. 25.

The deadline for reservations is Nov. 6.

Cost: $40 per person, including transportation, breakfast and snacks. A boxed lunch is available for $20. Parking at UCLA is $8.

Contact: Fowler Museum at UCLA, Westwood; (310) 825-8655, www.fowler.ucla.edu.

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TAHITI

A chance to paint Gauguin’s paradise

PAINT the landscapes that inspired Paul Gauguin on a nine-night holiday trip to French Polynesia, starting Dec. 21.

Participants can explore the islands of Tahiti and Huahine, swim, snorkel, visit a pearl farm or take classes in watercolor painting techniques.

Cost: $3,395 per person, double occupancy ($1,200 single surcharge), including hotels, some meals and some excursions, as well as painting classes. Nonpainters can tag along for $3,095.

International airfare is not included.

Contact: Art Treks, Bolinas; (888) 522-2652, www.arttreks.com.

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INDIA

Learn something; help kids learn too

TOUR Rajasthan and help village children while touring Delhi, Varanasi and the Ganges River, Jan. 22 or Feb. 28.

The 14-night tours stop in the 16th century city of Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, Udaipur and Jaipur.

Participants will tour museums and historical sites, including the Taj Mahal in Agra, the Maharajah’s Palace in Jaipur and the City Palace in Udaipur. The group will ride in Jeeps into Ranthambore National Park in search of tigers and deliver school supplies to villages outside of Udaipur, Jaipur and Varanasi.

Cost: $4,899 per person, double occupancy ($1,500 single surcharge), including round-trip airfare from Los Angeles, hotels, internal flights and ground transportation, most meals and sightseeing.

Contact: Escapes Unlimited, Tustin; (800) 243-7227, www.escapesltd.com.

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MEXICO

Get close to ocean wildlife off Baja

HAVE a whale of a time watching the ocean’s gentle giants and other wildlife on seven-night cruises around the tip of Baja.

The trips on Feb. 10 and March 3 will be led by naturalists and professional photographers from Smithsonian Journeys and Lindblad Expeditions.

The 62-passenger Sea Lion will travel from San Carlos to ports along the Pacific Coast and the Gulf of California during the February cruise. The March itinerary is the reverse.

The group spends three days in Bahia Magdalena, a main breeding ground for California gray whales. Participants visit the colonial town of Los Cabos, then the Gorda Banks seamount to see humpback whales, dolphins and other sea life.

Snorkeling gear is provided at Islas Los Islotes and Espiritu Santo for swimming with sea lions in the bays.

The tour continues to islands in the Gulf of California abundant with birds and exotic fish.

Cost: $3,990 to $4,960 per person, double occupancy (singles not available), including round-trip air charter from L.A., cabin accommodations, all meals, excursions, lectures and receptions. Gratuities not included.

Contact: Smithsonian Journeys, Washington, D.C.; (877) 338-8687, www.smithsonianjourneys.org.

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Send information to Tours & Cruises, travel@latimes.com.