GO on an African safari to the parks of Kenya with the staff of the Los Angeles Zoo.
The 10-night tour, which begins May 25, visits the Samburu National Reserve, Lake Nakuru National Park, the private Congreve Conservancy and Masai Mara Wildlife Reserve in Kenya.
The group, escorted by zoo Director John Lewis, will view game from minivans equipped with overhead lookouts.
Participants may see leopards, hippos, elephants, cheetahs, white rhinos and many of the 500 species of birds in eastern Africa.
"Sometimes we get close. It just depends," said zoo representative Laura Stegman.
Accommodations range from hotels to tented camps.
Cost: $3,995 per person, double occupancy ($595 single surcharge), including airfare from Los Angeles, meals, lodging, transportation and entrance fees. Airport taxes are not included.
Contact: Greater Los Angeles Zoo Assn., Los Angeles; (323) 644-4792. The tour is organized by Classic Escapes, Astoria, N.Y., www.classicescapes.com.
GREECE
An epicurean tour of Crete island
DISCOVER the natural history and the food of Crete by touring its farms and ancient sites on a weeklong hiking trip that begins April 23.
Tour participants will visit farms, historical sites and villages. The itinerary includes the Palace of Knossos in the Herakleion Prefecture of Crete, visits to organic olive groves, wineries and bakeries in central Crete, and hikes through the gorges and foothills of the island.
Cost: Approximately $2,006 per person, double occupancy ($285 single surcharge), including accommodations, meals, wine in moderation, transportation in Crete and airport transfers. Airfare from Los Angeles is not included.
Contact: Crete's Culinary Sanctuaries, San Francisco; (415) 835-9923, www.cookingincrete.com.
CALIFORNIA
Paddle out, see the migrating whales
SPOT migrating whales off the coast of La Jolla on guided, three-hour kayaking tours.
The weekend trips are offered at 9 a.m. and noon on Saturdays and Sundays through April.
Participants need to be at least 10 years old and be able to swim, but kayaking experience is not required.
The group will travel through La Jolla Ecological Reserve and along the coast within sight of the California gray whales traveling to the Pacific Northwest from their calving grounds in Baja, Mexico.
Cost: $60 per person single kayak, $50 per person tandem kayak. Included are all equipment, instruction, wetsuits, guide and refreshments.
