Land tour and river cruise offers best of Russia

Tour and photograph Moscow’s most renowned places, including Red Square, on Ritz Tours’ “Russian Waterways Excursion.”

Dates: Multiple departures through Sept. 27.

Itinerary: Moscow to Uglich, Yaroslavl, Goritsy, Kizhi Island, Svirstroy and St. Petersburg.

RUSSIA

Land tour and river cruise

Price: From $2,799 (double occupancy; single supplement varies), including 12 nights’ lodging, most meals, a reception, tours and educational lectures, but excluding taxes and fees.

Info: Ritz Tours, Alhambra; (888) 345-7489, www.ritztours.com/tourPackage/ Europe/Russian-Waterways-14-Days. html

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UTAH

Between a rock and a tight spot

Seize an opportunity to see the natural beauty created by erosive forces in a pack trip through a slot canyon.

Dates: Oct. 1 to 3.

Price: From $325 per person, $550 for two people sharing a cabin, including two nights lodging (bunk bed and linens are provided) and some meals.

Info: Escape Goats Tours, Escalante, Utah; (435) 826-4652, www.scinternet.net/~smillers/utahpackgoats.com/escapegoattoursandshut tleservice.htm --

PHILIPPINES

The is heart of Cebu City

Trace Magellan’s steps on Pacific Holidays’ “Two Philippines Islands” tour, which reveals Cebu City’s history.

Dates: Multiple eight-day departures from September through November. (Departures are available during other months for about $500 more.)

Price: From $1,535 (double occupancy; single supplement from $420), including round-trip airfare from Los Angeles or San Francisco, inter-island airfare, ground transfers, hotel accommodations, daily breakfasts and half-day tours in Manila and Cebu. Taxes and fees not included.

Info: Pacific Holidays, New York, N.Y.; (800) 355-8025, www.pacificholidaysinc.com

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PACIFIC AND CARIBBEAN

Panama Canal package

The air, sea and land tour includes a voyage on a Celebrity cruise liner, many ports of call and passage through the Panama Canal.

Itinerary: San Diego to Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Huatulco, Mexico; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; the Panama Canal; Cartagena, Colombia; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Dates: Oct. 25 to Nov. 8

Price: Starting at $1,349 (double occupancy; single supplement $730), including two nights’ lodging before the cruise, on-board accommodations, a flight back to San Diego, most meals and entertainment, transfers and port charges.

Info: iCruise.com, Delray Beach, Fla.; (800) 427-8473, www.icruise.com/ customitinerary.asp?ItineraryID=567 &src;=email&adv;=ic&v1;=05122009

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EGYPT

Mix, mingle and float on the Nile

Singles Travel Co.’s “Egypt and Nile Cruise” takes travelers to Cairo, the pyramids, the temples of Abu Simbel and the Red Sea for snorkeling.

Itinerary: Cairo to Abu Simbel, Aswan, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Esna, Luxor and Hurghada

Dates: Nov. 3 to 14

Price: Starting at $1,999 per person (double occupancy; single supplement $499) land only, including 10 nights’ lodging, flights within Egypt, transfers, a Nile cruise and an Egyptologist. The rate excludes international airfare and taxes.

Info: Singles Travel Co., Los Gatos, Calif.; (888) 286-8687, www.singlestravelcompany.com/singles/2009egyptandnilecruise.html

-- Avital Binshtock

[email protected]