Tours in Review

January 2008 issue

Costa Rica with Caravan Tours

Costa Rica is a nature lover’s paradise, as my husband, Gerald, and I, found while traveling Jan. 24-Feb. 2, 2007, with Caravan Tours (401 North Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611; 800/227-2826, www.caravantours.com). Our tour cost $995 plus $99 for insurance (land only).

Our group of 43 toured in an air-conditioned bus with reclining seats and a toilet on board. We rotated seats daily and there was extra space as well. Most meals were buffet, with a big variety of fresh fruit, juices, vegetables, meat and fish.

Highlights included riding the aerial tram through the heart of...

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August 2008 issue

China & Tibet with China Plus

My husband, Marty, and I took a delightful trip with China Plus, Inc. (320 Decker Dr., Ste. 100, Irving, TX 75062; 888/868-8811, www.china plustour.com). Our 14-day tour, Sept. 18-Oct. 3, 2007, included Beijing, Xi’an, Shanghai and Lhasa and cost us $7,400 for two, not including international airfare.

We were part of a small group of 19 people. Our tour leader was terrific, we had competent local guides and drivers and we experienced excellent timing going through the airports. We had wonderful deluxe accommodations everywhere we stayed.

Best of all was the flexibility...

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November 2008 issue

Greece, Macedonia & Turkey with Kutrubes Travel

My wife, Jeanne, and I enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime customized travel adventure to all of Greece’s great historic mainland and island sites plus Istanbul (Turkey), Lake Ohrid and the capital of Macedonia, thanks to the effort of Kutrubes Travel (Boston, MA; 800/878-8566, www.kutrubestravel.com), a terrific small travel firm we found through an ad in ITN.

Our personalized October ’07 itinerary, crafted by the company’s owner, saved us time and money, with hotels carefully chosen for their locations and competitive prices. For two, the cost of our 27-day tour totaled $5,500, including...

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June 2007 issue

“South of Spain” tour with Gate 1 Travel

My friend Pat Powers and I would like to bring to your attention what we believe to be a great bargain.

We took the 11-day “South of Spain” tour with Gate 1 Travel (101 Limekiln Pike, Glenside, PA 19038; 800/682-3333, www.gate1 travel.com), Nov. 11-21, 2006. The price, $1,211 each, included round-trip air on Air France from Washington, D.C., as well as tours of Málaga and the white town of Mijas, where we ate a great barbecue lunch at the lovely restaurant La Reja. Additional tours of Ronda, Seville, Córdoba and Granada cost a total of $296 for each of us.

We stayed in La...

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January 2008 issue

Myanmar & Vietnam with Ceylon Express International

Varini de Silva of Ceylon Express International (9542 Dumbreck Dr., Huntington Beach, CA 92646; 800/423-9566, www.ceylonexpress.com) created an independent month-long trip to Asia for my wife, Barbara, and me. Land and internal air for the Feb. 19-March 19, 2007, trip cost $13,500.

Ceylon Express, using ground operators Rainbow Travel (Thimphu, Bhutan) in Bhutan and Indochina Services (San Francisco, CA) for the rest of the tour, went out of their way to give us a great itinerary that included all of the highlights.

The guides were there when they were supposed to be, the...

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August 2008 issue

29-day “Bora’s Grand Tour of Turkey”

We really enjoyed the 29-day “Bora’s Grand Tour of Turkey” from Cultural Folk Tours International (5631 Lincoln Ave., Ste. B, Cypress, CA 90630; 800/935-8875, www.boraozkok.com).

The tour, May 11-June 8, 2008, was led by Cultural Folk Tours’ owner, Bora Özkök, and covered many varied and beautiful areas of Turkey.

This tour was ideal for those of us who love adventure and who enjoy amazing historical and archaeological sites in an unspoiled and nontouristy environment. The scenery was gorgeous, and the Turkish people were warm and welcoming.

Our tour bus was luxurious...

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November 2008 issue

Ecuador & Galápagos with Latour

Latour, a company in the Isramworld group (New York, NY; 800/223-7460, www.isram.com), organized our 18-day tour to Ecuador, June 20-July 8, 2007, which included a 7-night cruise to the Galápagos Islands aboard the Galápagos Legend. Our trip cost $5,498 per person, not including international airfare.

From Quito we traveled with our tour leader in a nice van to Otavalo, where the Indian market was filled with colorful textiles, rugs, jewelry and more. We saw artisans weaving and carving musical instruments out of wood.

Our hotel, Hacienda Pinsaqui, was a 300-year-old former...

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June 2007 issue

Scotland with Midway Motor Travel

If the thought of rain and fog has kept you from visiting Scotland in October, you may be missing a unique opportunity. During our 14-day Scottish odyssey, Oct. 9-23, 2006, only two days were dampened by wet weather.

Anton Prole of Midway Motor Travel (Southerwicks, Corsham, Wiltshire, SN13 9NH, England; phone +44 [0] 1249 71657 or, toll-free from the U.S. and Canada, 800/214-8738, www.midwaymotortravel.com) organized our trip to avoid the more tourist-traveled places and give us a look at what Scotland is all about. Always the perfect host, Anton fulfilled his promise to the...

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