Geronimo! Apache Past in Arizona, New Mexico

The remote, rugged land of southern Arizona and New Mexico was the locale of the Apache Wars, collective skirmishes against the far larger armies of the U.S. and Mexico in the late 1800s.

“Apache Wars: Cochise, Geronimo and Crook” is a learning vacation offered by History America Tours in partnership with History Channel Tours. The eight-day trip begins March 21 in Mesa, Ariz. Neil Mangum, an expert on the Indian Wars, will serve as historian guide. A special guest will be Silas Cochise, great-grandson of the legendary chief.

The tour visits the sites of the Bascom Affair in Siphon Canyon, the Ghost Dance at Cibicue Creek, the historic crossroads of Apache Pass, the ruins of Fort Bowie and the site of Geronimo’s capture in 1877 at remote Ojo Caliente in New Mexico. Also included in the exploration are Ft. Verde, Ft. Huachuca and Ft. Lowell.

Cost: $1,295 per person, double occupancy, including seven nights’ hotel accommodations, transportation via motor coach, 14 meals and guides. Transportation to Mesa is not included.

Contact: History America Tours, P.O. Box 797687, Dallas, TX 75379; telephone (800) 628-8542.

London: Theater

Join the 15th annual “Theatre in London” tour, sponsored by Pasadena City College, from March 28 to April 4. Guests will spend eight nights at a three-star hotel in London and attend five plays. The group will take an excursion to Stratford-on-Avon (Shakespeare’s birthplace) and tour several historic Shakespeare properties.

The tour also includes a visit to the rebuilt Globe Theatre (a replica of the one used by Shakespeare) and a backstage tour of the Royal National Theatre. In addition, there will be free time to visit London’s many art galleries, museums and historic sites.

Cost: $1,775 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare from Los Angeles, hotel accommodations, theater tickets, daily continental breakfast, all entrance fees, private motor coach excursions and a London travel card for the underground rail and bus for seven days.

Contact: Pasadena City College Study Abroad Office, 1570 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91106; tel. Joseph Sierra at Pasadena City College, tel. (626) 585-7203.

Costa Rica: Wildlife

Travelers can experience up-close encounters with Costa Rica’s exotic wildlife in private reserves, away from the more crowded national parks, on 12-day tours offered by Natural Habitat Adventures. The tours will be led by Costa Rican naturalists who know where to find the animals in each reserve.

The trip begins in San Jose, then explores the Tortuguero Canals along the Caribbean coast and Tortuguero National Park, where visitors may encounter spider, howler and white-faced monkeys; sloths; crocodiles; and many colorful birds.

Guests will stay at Tiskita Jungle Lodge, a tropical resort on the Pacific Coast. Other highlights include a relaxing float trip down the gentle Corobici River for a unique view of the countryside, and a visit to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Tours run until April and are limited to 10 travelers.

Cost: $2,795 per person, double occupancy, including accommodations and most meals; all transportation within Costa Rica, including domestic flights; and park entrance fees. International air fare is additional.

Contact: Natural Habitat Adventures, 2945 Center Green Court, Boulder, CO 80301; tel. (800) 543-8917.

Caribbean: Seminar

The Biblical Archeology Society will be hosting a seminar aboard Holland America Line’s Veendam on a seven-night tour of the Caribbean Feb. 14 to 21. A series of lectures led by Ronald Hendel, a professor of religious studies, will explore “The Return to Eden in Israelite Religion.” Lecture topics include symbolism, communion and sacrifice and rituals and how the Jerusalem Temple symbolized a return to Eden.

The ship sets sail from Fort Lauderdale and will stop in at the Grand Cayman Islands, Jamaica, the Bahamas and the ancient Mayan ruins in Mexico.

Cost: from $1,445 per person, double occupancy, including the seven-night cruise; all meals, service and entertainment aboard the ship; and a private party. Air fare to Fort Lauderdale is extra.

Contact: Biblical Archeology Society Travel/Study Department, Janice Krause; tel. (800) 221-4644, Ext. 222.

Amazon: Riverboating

Join naturalists Dec. 26 to Jan. 2 on an Amazon riverboat eco-tour. This small-group adventure will focus on the animals, plants and culture of the lower Peruvian Amazon, the largest rain forest in the world. Short walks into the surrounding forest, by both day and night, will reveal species of birds, plants, monkeys, butterflies, frogs and reptiles.

From a 12-passenger riverboat, guests will explore the Amazon and Tigre rivers upstream from Iquitos, Peru. Several stops a day are planned to observe wildlife, take photographs and visit native villages.

Cost: $2,395 per person, double occupancy, including air fare from Miami, riverboat accommodations and all meals.

Contact: Green Tracks; tel. (800) 966-6539.

California: Skiing

Those interested in learning how to cross-country ski this season can join Adventure Outfitters’ “Cross-Country Skiing Class and Get-Away” at Mammoth Mountain Dec. 11 to 13.

Class members will learn the fundamentals, including equipment selection, winter essentials and avalanche safety at a pretrip class in Long Beach Dec. 5.

The following Friday, participants will meet at Mammoth Mountain for a three-day trip that will cover basic cross-country skiing skills as well as more advanced telemark downhill techniques.

Cost: $185 per person, including all meals and lodging. Students must provide their own transportation to Mammoth. Lift tickets (Saturday) and rental gear are extra.

Contact: Adventure Outfitters, 2137 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90815; tel. (800) 430-2544.

Turkey: Festival

Turkey tour specialist Megatrails is offering a one-week trip to Turkey departing Dec. 4. The tour highlight is a performance of the whirling dervishes at the Mevlana Festival in Konya.

Beginning in Istanbul, guests will tour the city, including visits to the Hippodrome and Topkapi Palace; the Spice Market and Grand Bazaar; and the Blue Mosque and the Chora Church.

After a short flight to Ankara to visit the Museum of the Anatolian Civilizations, travelers visit Cappadocia, venturing into the underground city of Kaymakli. The tour concludes in the ancient city of Konya, where participants will attend an evening performance of the sacred sema ceremony.

Cost: from $1,235 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare from New York, all airport transfers, accommodations, daily breakfast, six lunches and four dinners.

Contact: Megatrails, 1828 2nd Ave., New York, NY 10128; tel. (800) 547-1211.

Greece: Archeology

An American art educator and Greek archeologist will lead an in-depth exploration of Greece called “Hellenic Odyssey.” The tour is 19 days and departs April 29, with the option of adding a three-day Aegean Isles cruise. Highlights include the classical sanctuary at Dodona in Epirus, the newly installed discoveries of Vergina in Macedonia, Athens, Delphi, Olympia, Mycenae, Corinth, Epidauros and three days touring the island of Corfu.

Cost: $3,950 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare from New York, most meals, baggage handling, first-class hotels and all sightseeing.

Contact: OPA Tours Greece, 9345 Glory Ave., Tujunga, CA 91042; tel. (800) 672-7155.

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