Tours to Argentina and much more

ITALY: Venice and Florence

Take advantage of an excellent deal to two of Italy’s most dramatic cities. Adventure Vacations’ “Treasures of Italy — Venice and Florence” package covers the hotel, transportation and airfare. See canals, churches, museums and David for less than a grand, including the hop over the pond.

Itinerary: L.A. to Venice and Florence and back

Dates: Through March 31

Price: From $989 (double occupancy), including airfare from Los Angeles to Venice and from Florence to Los Angeles, two hotel nights in Venice, a first-class train ticket from Venice to Florence, three hotel nights in Florence, daily breakfast and hotel taxes.

Contact: Adventure Vacations Inc., La Jolla, Calif.; (800) 600-5587, www.adventurevacationsinc.com

ARGENTINA: Iguazú and more

Discover Argentina during Friendly Planet’s 11-day “Incredible Argentina Tour.” Start off exploring Iguazú Falls (upon seeing them, Eleanor Roosevelt is said to have exclaimed, “Poor Niagara!”); hit the slopes at Mt. Cathedral; visit Bariloche, a town reminiscent of the Swiss Alps; and tour sophisticated Buenos Aires. Daily scheduled excursions and optional add-ons offer the chance to travel through the rain forest and Iguazú’s cataracts, visit villages and choose a dinner that’ll have you feasting your eyes on tango dancers.

Itinerary: Iguazú to Bariloche to Buenos Aires. (An excursion to Tigre is optional.)

Dates: Departures Jan. 23, Feb. 13, March 13, April 24 and May 22

Price: Starting at $1,599 (double occupancy), including round-trip airfare from Miami (including fuel charges), all hotel stays, all intra-Argentina flights, ground transportation and transfers, daily breakfast and guided sightseeing tours (including entrance fees) but not including taxes and fees ($110). Reserve before Dec. 18 to book at this price; afterward, the rate increases.

Contact: Friendly Planet, Jenkintown, Pa.; (800) 555-5765, www.friendlyplanettravel.com

GRAND CAYMAN: Music festival on the sea

Rock out during VH1′s first attempt at a music cruise, called “VH1′s Best Cruise Ever.” The music and reality cable-TV network’s five-day music festival at sea will be aboard the Carnival Inspiration and hosted by alt-rock band 3 Doors Down. Also performing will be more than a dozen other acts, including Collective Soul, Lifehouse, Shinedown and VH1′s past and upcoming “You Oughta Know” artists. There will be chances to hang out with the musicians, as well as VH1-themed onboard activities and contests.

Itinerary: Tampa, Fla., to Grand Cayman and back

Dates: April 15 to 19

Price: Starting at $659, including admission to all performances, all meals and the cover charge for the ship’s nightclub. Not included are taxes and port charges (about $180), a $10-per-day gratuity charge, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. Airfare and car-rental discounts are available through Sixthman.

Contact: Sixthman, Atlanta; (877) 749-8462, www.vh1bestcruiseever.com

LAS VEGAS: ‘Night and Day’ adventure

The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas’ “Night and Day” package gets you to the clubs by night but keeps you lakeside — with access to golf, water sports and outdoor activities — by day. Note that the resort lies 17 miles southeast of the Strip.

Dates: Through April 30, Thursdays through Saturdays

Price: $279 per night (single or double occupancy; additional fees apply for triple or quad occupancy), including accommodations, private round-trip sedan transport to the Tao and Lavo nightclubs, VIP status at the clubs, a 20% discount on two treatments at the resort’s 30,000-square-foot spa, the resort fee and valet parking.

Contact: Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas, Henderson, Nev.; (800) 241-3333, www.ritzcarlton.com

TIBET: A cultural adventure

Attend the Litang Horse Festival during this 17-day tour of the Tibetan Plateau. You’ll also visit sacred Buddhist places, experience some of the world’s highest altitudes and most impressive mountains and glaciers, meet Khampa warriors, watch a Naxi music-and-dance performance and soak in the hot springs of Shagey. During the festival, you’ll watch as more than 2,000 horsemen compete, doing acrobatics as they ride; at night, everyone sings under the stars.

Itinerary: Kunming to Gyalthang, Shating, Litang, Batang, Markham, Yenching, Dechen, Baima Nature Reserve, Gyalthang, Lijiang and back to Kunming

Dates: July 25 to Aug. 10, though custom dates are available

Price: From $4,595 (single supplement, $415), including intra-China flights, lodging and camping (including service charges, taxes, support staff and equipment), most meals, ground transfers, guided excursions and entrance fees to attractions. The rate does not include international airfare, internal airfare ($305), visa fees or gratuities. Part of the proceeds benefit Read Global, a nonprofit organization that builds libraries in rural Asia.

Contact: Myths & Mountains, Incline Village, Nev.; (800) 670-6984, www.mythsandmountains.com

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SOURCE:
“Tours & cruises”
November 29, 2009
Los Angeles Times
Avital Binshtock itinerary@latimes.com
http://www.latimes.com
http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-tc29-2009nov29,0,4275680.story