All Antiques Great and Small in British Villages

See England with an antiques dealer who will guide guests through the maze of Britain’s markets and antiques shops with stops at ancient castles, stately homes, cathedrals and picturesque villages. The tour begins Oct. 5 in the border country between England and Wales, where guests will spend two days in ancient Ludlow and Shrewsbury. Then they will head into Wales, then the Yorkshire moors, the cathedral city of York and the market town of Harrogate. The tour will end with tickets to the Newark Antiques Market, where more than 4,000 dealers will sell their wares. The trip’s final day is Oct. 19.

Cost: $2,500 per person, double occupancy, including all ground transportation, lodging with private bath, daily breakfast, dinner on the last and first nights of the tour, and entrance fees to museums. Air fare is extra.

Contact: Sally Knudson at the Victorian Closet, P.O. Box 141, Amador City, CA 95601; telephone (888) 322-5250.

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Texas: Rio Grande

The terrain of Santa Elena Canyon is the scenic backdrop for three-day fall gourmet rafting trips on the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park, Texas. The trips are scheduled for Sept. 24 to 26, Oct. 7 to 9 and Nov. 12 to 14. Chef Francois Maeder, owner of Crumpets Restaurant in San Antonio, will lead the tours, which begin at Lajitas, Texas, and wind under the 1,400-foot-high cliffs. River guides provide commentary on the region’s geology, history and botany, and at the end of the day, the chef will prepare gourmet dinners with wine on camp stoves. A classical guitarist, attired in black tie, adds further elegance and entertainment.

Cost: $650 per person, including camping equipment and all meals. Air fare to Texas is extra.

Contact: Francois Maeder at Crumpets Restaurant, 3920 Harry Wurzbach, San Antonio, TX 78209; tel. (210) 821-5600.

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Himalayas: Trekking

Travel off the beaten path in the Himalayas on an eight-day family trek. The “Himalayan Family Adventure” features a “leisurely plus” trek in Nepal, a gentle jungle safari in Chitwan National Park, and a visit to the Everest Panorama Resort with views of eight mountains, including Everest. Children will have the opportunity to ride elephants in Katmandu. An optional extension in India is available. Trips are open to novice and veteran hikers of all ages. Departures are available in September, December, January and April.

Cost: $1,713 per adult, $1,285 for children 7 to 9, $860 for children 6 and under, including lodging, most meals and guides. International air fare is extra.

Contact: Adventure Center; tel. (800) 227-8747.

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Nepal: Art

Garendo Gallery is planning an art-oriented trip to Nepal. Participants will travel for 16 days in the Himalayas to visit the numerous peoples and tribes, each with unique traditional dress and language. The tour visits Katmandu and Pokhara, which lies in the foothills of the Annapurna Range. Travelers will have an opportunity to meet villagers who will share their arts and legends.

Cost: $3,750 per person, double occupancy, including domestic and international air fare, ground transportation, most meals, all admission fees, sightseeing and theater tickets.

Contact: Masako Shirai, Garendo Gallery, 12955 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, CA 91604; tel. (818) 783-1861.

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Thailand: Nature

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is offering a tour of Thailand Nov. 8 to 25.

Travelers will be accompanied by museum curator Brian Brown to learn about the country’s Buddhist culture, architecture, ancient ruins and tropical wildlife. The itinerary includes: Khao Yai, Khao Luang and Doi Inthanon national parks; Bangkok to see the Emerald Buddha in the Grand Palace; Nakhon Si Thammarat, the center of the Sanskrit-speaking Srivijaya Empire in the 8th century; and the ancient ruins of Ayuthaya and Sukhothai.

Guests will also travel along the rivers of Thailand to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and the Mekong Delta to visit the hill tribes and artisans in the Northern Highlands bordering Laos and Myanmar.

Cost: $3,900 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare from LAX, first-class accommodations, interior flights, American breakfast daily, some meals, transfers, baggage handling and guides.

Contact: Christine Robison, Natural History Museum Travel Program; tel. (213) 763-3350.

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Italy: Autumn Walks

Tre Laghi, a luxury walking tour company, is offering weeklong walks through diverse areas of Italy. Starting in September, travelers can choose to walk the Tuscan countryside, the coastline of the Cinque Terre or the shores of the Italian Lake District. Dates are available through November. Group size is limited to 14.

These trips are designed for people of all ages and cover between eight and 10 miles over mostly back roads and marked trails. Boats and a minivan will be available to give walkers a break.

Cost: $3,180 ($3,290 for the Tuscany trip) per person, double occupancy, including hotels, meals and guides. Air fare is extra.

Contact: Tre Laghi Tours, 1500 S.W. 5th Ave., Suite 2506, Portland, OR 97201; tel. (800) 293-1117.

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Mexico: Shrimp Festival

Eat shrimp and be merry at the San Felipe Shrimp Festival on a tour of Baja, Mexico, Nov. 5 for two nights.

A bus takes guests from San Diego to the shores of the Sea of Cortez, where they will stay for the festival.

Cost: $249 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip bus transportation from San Diego to San Felipe, two nights at Hotel Las Misiones in San Felipe, two dinners in San Felipe and two lunches, one in Mexicali.

Contact: Baja California Tours, 7734 Herschel Ave., Suite O, La Jolla, CA 92037; tel. (800) 336-5454, Internet https://www.bajatours.signonsandiego.com.

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Peru: Hiking

A wilderness hike through the Andean highlands is being offered Oct. 1 to 11. Participants will travel along Inca-engineered trails, exploring Inca ruins and visiting native villages and traditional markets that feature original Peruvian ceramics, textiles, art and handicrafts.

The trip includes visits to Cuzco, the sacred valley of the Incas called Urubamba and the ruins of Machu Picchu.

Cost: $2,350 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare from Los Angeles, all transportation and flights in Peru, sightseeing tours, hotels, all meals, trekking and camping.

Contact: Andes Adventures, Devy Reinstein, 1323 12th St., Suite F, Santa Monica, CA 90401; tel. (310) 395-5265, Internet https://www.andesadventures.com.

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Ecuador: Shopping

Do your holiday shopping and discover Ecuador on an escorted tour from Oct. 18 to 24. Guests will fly to Quito and spend two nights, taking a city tour. Then the group will motor to the highlands of Ecuador, viewing lakes, mountains and terraced farmlands, with two nights at a first-class hacienda. During the excursion to the highlands, the group will visit villages specializing in native handicrafts.

They can shop for woodcarvings, leather and native handicrafts. The tour also includes a visit to the Indian market at Otavalo, which has weavings, alpaca sweaters and blankets, cotton clothing, shawls, wall hangings, woven rugs, ceramics and pottery.

There is an optional excursion to Cuenca for two nights at a first-class hotel. There travelers will see flower boxes hanging from wrought-iron balconies, cobblestone streets and the blue domes of the cathedral. The area is best known for hat-making, weaving, and gold and silver jewelry.

Cost: $1,399 per person, double occupancy, plus $460 for the Cuenca extension. The tour includes air fare from Los Angeles, escort, deluxe and first-class hotels, transfers, sightseeing, entrance fees and some meals.

Contact: Professional Travel Service, 8484 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 215, Beverly Hills, CA 90211; tel. (323) 852-0549.

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