Where to go in 2020: Three off-the-beaten-path trips for adventurers
FRENCH POLYNESIA
Cruises through Tahiti’s isles
Go island hopping in the South Pacific, seeing the turquoise lagoons and green peaks of Tahiti and its islands during new eight-day French Polynesia cruises by small ship. The Variety Cruises tours will sail round trip from Papeete, Tahiti, visiting Bora Bora, Huahine, Raiatea, Tahaa and Moorea. Excursions will include snorkeling, hiking, Jeep tours and a chance to swim with sharks and rays as well as participating in cultural activities with local residents.
Dates: Departures Dec. 10, 2020-March 2021
Price: From $2,061 per person, double occupancy. Includes accommodations in double or twin cabins, meals, guided tours and activities. International airfare not included.
Info: Variety Cruises, (800) 319-7776, varietycruises.com/cruises/tahiti
— Rosemary McClure
UZBEKISTAN
Culture and cuisine
Immerse yourself in the culture and cuisine of Uzbekistan during Navruz, the Uzbek New Year, on an excursion offered by Mir Corp. Participants on the 10-day tour will explore the culinary tastes, architecture and UNESCO sites in the Silk Road cities of Bukhara, Khiva and Samarkand. Highlights include joining in Navruz celebrations, visits to the Narzulaev family ceramics workshop and the Urgut craft market, and a drive through the vast Kyzylkum Desert. Group size limited to 16.
Dates: March 16-25
Price: From $3,995 per person, double occupancy; single supplement available. Includes accommodations, most meals, ground transportation, train tickets, sightseeing tours and entrance fees, activities and excursions. International and in-country airfare not included.
Info: Mir Corp., (800) 424-7289, bit.ly/mirtouruzbekistan
— Anne Harnagel
ARGENTINA
Fishing expedition
Experience catch-and-release fishing for dorado, pira pita and pacu on a new expedition organized by Frontiers International Travel. The new Suinda Lodge on the Paraná River in Argentina’s Corrientes Province is home base for the five-day, four-night trip. Anglers will set out each morning in a custom skiff designed for the Paraná; between sessions there will be time for lunch and a siesta. Non-fishing activities such as bird watching are available. Group size limited to eight anglers each week.
Dates: Through May 31
Price: From $4,625 per person, double occupancy. Includes accommodations, meals, guide service and fishing equipment.
Info: Frontiers International Travel, (800) 245-1950, bit.ly/suindalodge
— Anne Harnagel