The back country with comforts in the Rockies

CANADA

Saddle up and amble through the alpine meadows and rugged mountains of Banff National Park with the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies. Six-day trips begin July 13 and run through Aug. 29.

The excursions, which require minimal riding ability, consist of day rides on trails carved from the wilderness by explorers, outfitters and Native Americans. Riders visit Og Pass, Owl and Marvel lakes and Allenby Pass, taking a different trail each day. Wildlife sightings are common. Base camp is in Bryant Creek Valley, where participants stay in Indian-style tepees.

“The horses are looked after by wranglers, three-course meals are prepared by camp cooks, and a musician helps liven up the evenings around the campfire. All you have to do is enjoy yourself,” said Trail Riders spokesman Ben Bury.

The group has been organizing back-country rides in the Rockies since 1923. It is a volunteer, nonprofit organization with headquarters in Calgary, Canada. Members come from around the world.

Cost: $890 for adults and $810 for children 8 to 14. Included are horse and saddle, accommodations, meals, guide and camp coordinator. Transportation to Banff is not included.

Contact: Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies; (403) 684-4086, www.canuck.com/~trcr.

CUBA

Have a look at artifacts on land and underwater

Roam Old Havana’s cobblestone streets and go diving in waters where buccaneers once sailed, on a pair of educational trips planned by Long Beach City College.

The first trip, April 11 to 23, will explore the history, art and architecture of the Caribbean island. Stops include Santiago de Cuba, San Juan Hill, Basilica del Cobre, Baracoa, Holguin, Camaguey, Santa Clara and Havana.

The second trip, planned June 2 to 13, will be an underwater archeology and art program. The school is working with Cuba’s Department of Archeology, which has approved dives on recently excavated shipwrecks around Havana Harbor.

Cost: The first trip is $2,900 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip airfare from Los Angeles, hotels, most meals, admissions, transportation and visa fees. The underwater trip is $3,299 per person, double occupancy, and includes round-trip airfare, accommodations, most meals, 10 dives, transportation and visa fees.

Contact: Ginny Baxter, (562) 938-4134, www.cubaculturaltours.com/lbcc.

CENTRAL EUROPE

Architecture and art -- lots of art -- in three capitals

Study the art and architecture of Austria, the Czech Republic and Hungary on a 12-night UCLA Extension tour.

The June 21 excursion, which focuses on the Baroque, Art Nouveau and Vienna Secession movements, will be accompanied by artist and educator Judith Corona. It will begin in Budapest, Hungary, with visits to the castle district, the National Gallery, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Applied Arts.

In Vienna the group will visit the Wagner Villas, Schoenbrunn Palace, the opera house and the Museum of Applied Arts. Highlights of the Prague, Czech Republic, segment include St. Vitus Cathedral, the Art Nouveau Municipal House, Prague Castle, the Jewish Quarter and the Alphonse Mucha Museum.

Cost: $3,250 per person, double occupancy, plus $350 course fee (four units of UCLA Extension credit). Included are accommodations, many meals, museum entrance fees and transportation. Airfare from Los Angeles is not included.

Contact: Art Adventures International; (310) 230-9299, www.artadventures.net.

BELGIUM, FRANCE

Save the sweets till after you’ve eaten the snails

Nibble your way through Belgium and France on a “Chocolate, Cheese and Escargot” tour April 16 to 24. David Lebovitz, pastry chef and author of “Room for Dessert,” will accompany the group.

The trip will begin in Brussels, where participants will visit various chocolate emporiums and the home of chocolatier Wittamer for a demonstration by chief designer Michael Lewis.

The group then travels to Paris, where they’ll dine at the home of chef David Tanis, formerly of Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley. They will also visit Normandy, where they’ll go to the cooking school and home of chef Susan Loomis, author of “On Rue Tatin.” She will accompany them to a chateau where goat cheeses are made and then to an escargot farm.

In Lyon the group will tour the Bernachon house of chocolate and have lunch at Brasserie Georges.

Cost: $3,800, double occupancy, including accommodations, many meals, transportation between cities, Paris transit pass and daily excursions. Airfare from Los Angeles to Brussels and home from Paris is not included.

Contact: Anne Block, Take My Mother Please; (323) 737-2200, www.takemymotherplease.com, www.picassotravel.com.

CALIFORNIA

Hoofing it in the Bay Area and parts north

Hike the streets, highways and byways of San Francisco and the Northern California coast on a six-night walking tour.

The tours, which will run through December, begin in San Francisco and cross the Golden Gate Bridge before moving on to Sausalito, the Marin Headlands, Mt. Tamalpais and Stinson Beach. The group will walk eight to 10 miles daily, staying at inns and B&Bs; along the route.

Cost: $1,850 per person, double occupancy, including lodging, most meals and ferries. Transportation to San Francisco is not included.

Contact: Footnotes Tours; (800) 303-8555, www.footnotestour.com.

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The Times is not responsible for changes in prices, dates or itineraries. These should be confirmed with travel agents, cruise lines or tour operators.