Highlights/Options:

• Visit the cultural sights of Madrid, Barcelona, Segovia and the medieval walled city of Ávila
• Experience a homestay with a Spanish family in an authentic Spanish village
• Live, interact, and participate in a fully sustainable community in northern Spain. This small community is a model for sustainable building, traditional agriculture, and community living
• Assist at a youth center and home for the elderly
• Sea-kayak off the beaches of the Costa Brava
• Enjoy one of Europe’s hottest nightspots where the action at a friendly pub and nightlife scene last right
  through long winter nights

Unique Aspects: This trip/program is a tapestry of culture, language immersion, and community service. Travelers participate in sustainable community life, live with homestay families, and truly experience Spanish culture.

Accommodations: Accommodation options include hotels, dormitory style hostels, and homestay families.

Best Time to Go: All year

Duration: 10 days to 3 weeks.

Sustainable Elements:

• Build with adobe at an Ecological Center
• Conduct environmental education classes at local schools
• Recycling service projects
• Group eats locally sourced food

Cost: For personal pricing to meet your budget needs, please e-mail Wiser World Travel, or call 303-443-0604, USA toll free 1-877-743-0604.

Highlights/Options:

• Golden Circle Tour: Experience unique features of Iceland’s geology – the Gullfoss waterfall, Great Geyser, Keri volcanic crater
• Tax-free shopping for visitors: Find souvenirs such as woolens and
  handicrafts and don’t miss the stylish consumer goods and designer
  labels at competitive prices
• Enjoy a local culinary feast in a quaint restaurant on the island’s southern
  shore
• Blue Lagoon: Luxuriate in an azure pool of mineral-rich warm water amid a lava field
• Explore galleries and museums on your own, pamper yourself in a local spa, and/or enjoy the Northern Lights while relaxing in a hot tub at a ski lodge!
• Enjoy one of Europe’s hottest nightspots where the action at a friendly pub and nightlife scene last right
  through long winter nights

Unique Aspects: Every aspect of Iceland is unique!

Accommodations: 4* hotel including unbeatable buffet breakfasts, adjacent to a local spa used by the community because of its excellence. There is a free shuttle to the downtown shopping area and the opportunity to sign up for optional excursions, e.g., day trips and evening fun. Don’t miss the Northern Lights!

Best Time to Go: February and March for off season rates and for the opportunity to see the Northern Lights. Average temperatures: February high – fahrenheit 37, low – 28; March high – 39, low – 32.

Duration: 4 days.

Sustainable Elements:

• Iceland is powered by geothermal energy; first country in the world to change from a carbon-based energy system
• Hotel recycling
• Local guides
• Local food
• Buses powered by hydrogen fuel cells

Cost: For personal pricing to meet your budget needs, please e-mail Wiser World Travel, or call 303-443-0604, USA toll free 1-877-743-0604.

Highlights:

• Wander the safe, friendly streets of old Havana and Trinidad and meet local residents
• Visit with artists in their galleries, studios, and the street markets
• Meet and talk with local musicians as you learn about and enjoy their music
• Visit neighbors who have joined together in urban community development and sustainability projects
• Travel to colonial towns of Cienfuegos and Trinidad
• Tour a sugar plantation and its historic slave quarters

Unique Aspects:  The travel provider has been in business for 21 years, offering journeys to 25 countries, planning tours to Cuba for 14 years. Trips to Cuba can offer a people to people focus on history; architecture; art; music; dance; medical and alternative health research; health and well being; gender issues; organic and sustainable agriculture; community development through neighborhood projects; religions; culture; and education; or a combination. Each trip is custom designed to meet the needs and interests of your group and you can count on fair prices to fit most groups’ travel budgets. We are interested in your trip being a learning opportunity that is fun and expands your awareness of Cuba and the world. Meet the people of Cuba; learn from each other through an exchange of ideas and friendship. Explore a culture and people who have essentially been cut off from the outside world for 50 years.

Accommodations and What’s Included:Comfortable, renovated hotels with all western style amenities. 3,4,5 star accommodations available. Limited international Internet or television. New, air-conditioned buses. Clean food and restaurants.

Best Time to Go: November through May

Duration: 7 to 14 days

Sustainable Elements:

• People to people activities promote global understanding, tolerance, and respect
• Education about the local culture and religions
• Education about rain water capture projects with a visit to a rooftop garden; the biosphere through a visit to a biosphere community; hydroponic garden community development; river cleanup in Havana; organic agriculture in rural areas, and how a cop-op for work animals operates to sustain agriculture

Cost: For personal pricing to meet your budget needs, please e-mail Wiser World Travel, or call 303-443-0604, USA toll free 1-877-743-0604.

Highlights/Options:

• Visit Arenal Volcano and soak in luxurious thermal hot springs
• Surf at Manuel Antonio followed by enjoyment of the sunset
• Whitewater rafting on the Rio Pacuare, named by National Geographic as one of the 5 most scenic rivers in the world
• Zipline through the cloud forest in Monteverde
• Volunteer opportunities: community service or sea turtle conservation project

Unique Aspects:  Costa Rica is a unique country full of varying experiences in a very small package. Due to its geography, you’ll experience cloud forests and hot tropical jungles all within a few hours’ drive. Look for sloths, monkeys, and many species of birds in Manuel Antonio National Park, then travel to Arenal Volcano to watch its spectacular lava flows. Adventure abounds!

Accommodations: Standard hotels with private bath; option of homestay or remote field station during
volunteering..

Best Time to Go: December to July.

Duration: 8 – 12 days.

Cost: For personal pricing to meet your budget needs, please e-mail Wiser World Travel, or call 303-443-0604, USA toll free 1-877-743-0604.

Napa Valley…legendary for so many reasons.  Visitors from around the world come to this spectacular destination for its incredible wines as well as the plethora of available activities. Take a personal glimpse into this California treasure…from biking the quaint roadways to hiking the beautiful hillsides; from savoring the delectable culinary creations and wines to just taking a deep breath of the grape scented air and enjoying a slower pace.

Highlights:

• Take to the skies…enjoy an exclusive hot air balloon adventure, marvel at the quiet as you soar over the vineyards in a glider or hover over the small towns and farms in a helicopter.
• Ride the rails… let the famous Napa Valley Wine Train take you on an exclusive journey through the Napa Valley as you imbibe in fine wines and culinary creations.
• Hit the road in style in a classic convertible or vintage automobile for a winery tour tailored to your tastes.
• Interactive cooking class with a renowned Valley chef, using the freshest ingredients from local farms.
• High adventure …zip across vineyards and hillsides for a bird’s eye view of the Valley’s natural beauty.
• Fore…take a private clinic with a golf pro including one-on-one instruction, videotaping for review and critique and a round of golf at one of Napa’s picturesque courses.

Unique Aspects:  Napa Valley is certainly known for its fine wines and this tour can be customized to your specific interests. If you want to focus on wines, visit the vineyards, observe a harvest and crush, learn the art of wine making and hone your tasting skills, we can tailor an experience just for you. Or, if you’d rather enjoy the great outdoor adventures of the area we can create a once-in-a-lifetime trip with activities just for you—golf, spa pampering, mud baths, biking, hiking, horseback riding and more.

Accommodations and What’s Included: Beautiful Bardessono Hotel or another unique 4- and 5-star hotel/lodge, breakfast and lunch each day, dinner in a vineyard, dinner at a private estate, and a final night wine cave reception and dinner.  Lunches and dinners include selected wines.

Best Time to Go: March through October.   Spring, summer and fall are fabulous times to visit the Wine Country and each season offers its own delights.

Duration: Four days and three nights.

Sustainable Elements:

• Lodging at the Bardessono, winner of numerous “green” awards with luxurious guest rooms, a restaurant focusing on local, farm fresh ingredients, carbon fiber bicycles, on-site gardens, water and energy conservation, waste management, recycling and more.
• Local guides.
• Meals and accommodations provided by locally owned hotels.
• Farm-to-table dinners highlighting local farmers’ bounty.
• Interactive wine making and cooking classes.
• Visits to identified “green” wineries many of whom utilize solar power, water reclamation, organic fertilization, sustainable pest control and more.

Cost: For personal pricing to meet your budget needs, please e-mail Wiser World Travel, or call 303-443-0604, USA toll free 1-877-743-0604.

Highlights:

• Fascinating Bosnian culture, with its European and Near Eastern influences
• Sarajevo, the crossroad of ancient civilizations and the centre of old Ottoman life
• Mostar, the oriental gem of Herzegovina
• Dinaric Alps (mountains in the heart of Europe), undiscovered by tourists
• Perucica, one of Europe’s last remaining medieval forests
• Traditional highland village of Lukomir, where residents still live “the old way”
• Rafting on the Neretva and/ or Tara rivers
• Srebrenica Genocide Memorial

Unique Aspects:  While Bosnia and Herzegovina is undoubtedly Europe’s last undiscovered corner, the previous conflict has left its scars on the country and its people. During your stay you will have a unique insight into how the violent conflict in the ‘90 came about and how it has shaped and shapes current life for the ordinary Bosnian. Visits to Srebrenica and the communities affected by genocide will leave a powerful impression on the participants. In juxtaposition, Sarajevo is magical and a feast for the senses. People here have fun! They enjoy life and this keeps a calendar loaded with festivals, including Sarajevo Film Festival, the MESS Theatre festival, Jazz fest, and a summer celebration called Bascarsija Nights.

Accommodations:2 to 3 star hotels (pensions all with ensuite bathrooms), hostels, privately owned Bed and Breakfasts, and mountain hut accommodation with shared bathrooms.

Best Time to Go: End of April – October

Duration: 14 Days.

Sustainable Elements:

• Locally based projects support, and positively impact, local communities.
• Support of local communities by using locally owned lodging, restaurants and shops, and hiring of local guides where possible.
• Economic, environmental, and cultural factors are taken into account when selecting destinations.
• Support of eco-projects and Fair Trade companies..

Cost: For personal pricing to meet your budget needs, please e-mail Wiser World Travel, or call 303-443-0604, USA toll free 1-877-743-0604.

Highlights:

• Vacationing in Kalk Bay, a picturesque working fishing village on the Cape Peninsula, exploring art and antique shops, and dining at top seafood restaurants
• Exploring the unique Cape environs such as Cape Point and Table Mountain National Park; learning about the Cape Floral Kingdom; hiking on Table Mountain; viewing African penguins at Boulders Beach
• Learning about the Xhosa Culture and experiencing the warmth and hospitality of the local people
• Enjoying a Cape Malay cooking experience which celebrates recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation.
• Participating in a guided walk to explore the culture, architecture, religion, and recent political history of the Bo-Kaap community
• Experiencing a ‘Jazz Safari’ that puts you in the talented hands of those who make a living from conjuring the Cape Town’s soul

Unique Aspects:  Far from being a typical tour, this itinerary allows you to make a lasting difference to people’s lives by visiting and interacting with local people in their homes. With an experienced local tour leader, you will have an opportunity to really experience the life of local Capetonians and learn about the natural environs on a private tour tailored to suit your travelling requirements.

Accommodations: Comfortable guesthouses in unique locations that reflect the character of South Africa.

Best Time to Go:  All year.

Duration: 7 days with optional 4 day/ 3 night Wildlife Safari to Kruger National Park.

Sustainable Elements:

• Activities and tours are Fair Trade and Tourism accredited and support local communities and environment.
• Non-motorized transport where possible and a city cycle tour on bicycle.
• Donation fee included to Masivelani daycare center in Masiphumelele when participating on Bicycle Township Tour.
• Tour supports local artists and musicians.
• Total tour costs include donation to the Sustainable Livelihoods Foundation.

Cost: For personal pricing to meet your budget needs, please e-mail Wiser World Travel, or call 303-443-0604, USA toll free 1-877-743-0604.

Highlights:

Montreal

• Visit the vibrant neighborhoods and island that make Montreal one of the most dynamic cities in the world—view old fortifications, and French, English and modern architecture; view the famed Gothic Revival architecture of the Basilique Notre-Dame de Montreal
• Walk and/or city bike like a local through the streets and parks and

Eastern Townships

• Learn about the history of thousands of colonists who refused to rebel against the King of England; these ‘Loyalists’ chose to flee to Canada and settle in this largely unexplored region of Southeastern Quebec
• Enjoy the small quaint towns that make up the Eastern Townships, opt for a canoe ride, and experience the British flavor that still lingers in this string of villages just north of the Vermont and Maine borders
• Enjoy private wine and cheese tastings with local producers, and a private boat tour

Quebec City

• Learn about local history and uncover archeology of North America’s oldest walled-city, and the only North American urban region to receive UNESCO world heritage status
• Survey the city’s citadel and largest military fortification on the continent still garrisoned by regular troops
• Wonder at your leisure through the many quaint and local artisanal shops in Old Quebec

Unique Aspects: Daily bike rides and/ or walks and distances to be customized. Daily bike rides generally range between 15- 30 miles, walks between one and three hours. Enjoy a private wine tasting and picnics with regional musicians. The tour pertains to history, architecture, the vibrant art scene, and culinary specialties from the local dish of poutine to fine cuisine. Cycle and or walk through the countryside.

Accommodations: Hotel Le St-James, Manoir Hovey, and Auberge St. Antoine (a combination of the best properties in the province), and lovely boutique hotels that combine old world charm and authenticity with modern day comforts and service.

Best Time to Go: May-September

Duration: 7 days

Sustainable Elements:

• Local, expert guides
• Operator dedicated to the environment with cycling and hiking experiences
• Accommodations are typically small, independent, and often family-run hotels
• Low impact with small group size, max 16

Cost: For personal pricing to meet your budget needs, please e-mail Wiser World Travel, or call 303-443-0604, USA toll free 1-877-743-0604.

Highlights:

Community-Driven Service

The service focus is developed by community members and organizations according to their current needs.  Often, community partners feel that learning about local culture, history, sites, and issues is as important as volunteering.  Types of service may take many forms.  In the past, we have:

• Helped construct a vocational training center for youth and adolescents
• Built a children’s health center that now provides healthcare to over 1000 children each month
• Developed an orthopedic workshop that provides a city of 300,000 access to affordable orthopedic shoes
• Drilled wells that bring fresh water to hundreds of people in isolated communities along the Amazon

Cultural & Recreational Activities

• Explore the rainforest on an Amazon River boat trip
• Relax on Brazilian beaches
• Tour a coffee factory
• Explore local historical sites such as Fordlandia
• Play sports with locals
• Enjoy traditional Brazilian dancing

Unique Aspects:  Volunteering with partnering organizations that have been recognized for the profound value they contribute to the community by providing education to Brazilian children and ensuring that the people of the Amazon have access to healthcare.  Bring about lasting change for a better world.

Accommodations: Local hotel (or hostel if desired). Accommodations can be provided according to travelers’ needs.

Best Time to Go: Year-round; even in the rainy season, showers are brief and come and go with the sun still shining each day.

Duration: 7-day minimum, group of 6 or more.  For individuals, 2 week minimum.

Sustainable Elements:

• Community-driven service and community-based learning
• Local site coordinator and guide
• Coordinated through a nonprofit organization in which over 80% of program fees go toward programming and the community
• Dedication to working with local people and organizations
• Life-changing intercultural experiences

Cost:  For personal pricing to meet your budget needs, please e-mail Wiser World Travel, or call 303-443-0604, USA toll free 1-877-743-0604.

As the 21st century unfolds, it is clear that China will take a leading role in shaping the way our world develops. The world’s most populous nation – and dynamic economy – has as its backdrop 5000 years of history and is home to a wide variety of rich cultural traditions, wide geographic diversity, stunning natural beauty, and exotic cuisines. Your journey in China can include visits to the Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and exotic markets; study of Mandarin, Kung Fu, Chinese cuisine, Tai Chi, and calligraphy; visits to isolated villages and staggering Himalayan peaks on the Tibetan plateau; seminars with business leaders and government officials; biking though rice paddies and traditional farming villages, community service; and more.

Highlights:

• Visit Beijing’s legendary Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City, walk on isolated parts of the Great Wall, attend a seminar with a local NGO created to educate about and protect local Hutongs
• Meet with Nature Conservancy China to learn about environmental issues facing China
• Hike in the shade of the Himalayas on the Tibetan Plateau
• Experience tea ceremonies in traditional tea houses and visits to isolated Buddhist monasteries
• Volunteer and work with orphans in a monastery

Unique Aspects:  Your program combines seeing some of China’s most famous sites as well as hidden gems.  We will spend time in Beijing, the most important city in China, and travel to small communities in the serine mountains of SW China.  This will allow travelers to see two very different realities in China, engage in community outreach, and return home with a broad understanding of Chinese culture.

Accommodations: Hotels in Beijing, guest houses in Yunnan.

Duration: 14 days

Best Time to Go:  Late summer-fall, but enjoyable year-round

Sustainable Elements:

• Locally based projects support, and positively impact, local communities
• Educational seminars
• Locally owned lodging, restaurants and shops, and hiring of local guides where possible
• Economic, environmental, and cultural factors are taken into account when selecting destinations
• Donations to local orphanage
• Cultural/language classes taught by local faculty

Cost: For personal pricing to meet your budget needs, please e-mail Wiser World Travel, or call 303-443-0604, USA toll free 1-877-743-0604.