For 75 years, the people at Cosmos Tours and its more expensive sister company, Globus, have been taking visitors (some 500,000 each year) to six continents and more than 60 countries. Though a Swiss company originally, it now has a big presence in the US, with headquarters in Littleton, Colorado. Cosmos, known for its good value vacations, has just issued its 2003 brochure on Exotic Destinations, some costing as little as $174 a day, including airfare, and it behooves you to consider studying it a bit.
Here are just a few of the tours I like, not only because they are good value, but because of the wide range of destinations they cover, and the specific sites visited:
The Asia Medley takes 17 days (15 nights) to carry you through four countries in that part of the world, the cities ranging from Tokyo to Singapore, with prices out of San Francisco going from $2,949 to $3,399, with departures from February through December of 2003.
A 14-day Asia Selection independent vacation takes you to Beijing, Hong Kong and Bangkok, as well as Singapore. In the latter city, you can visit the crazy Sentosa Island theme parks or learn about Feng Shui. Prices range from $2,449 to $2,899, air inclusive from San Francisco, again from February through December of 2003.
The 14-day Asia Collection includes two full days at leisure in Tokyo, a visit to Beijing's Imperial Palace and Summer Palace, nearly two days at leisure in Hong Kong (plus a ride up Victoria Peak), and sightseeing and a full day of leisure in Bangkok. Air-inclusive prices out of San Francisco range from $2,599 to $3,099, again from February through December 2003.
The three Asian tours described above range in price per day from about $174 per day to $195, by the way.
Tours to Australia and New Zealand run a bit higher, from about $194 to $225 a day for trips of 12 to 17 days. For South America, count on paying out from $225 to $331 a day for tours lasting from 8 days to 16 days. (The Galapagos vacation is the highest priced, and for only 8 days.)
You can book with your local travel agent or directly from Cosmos, as well as order brochures and catalogs there, by phoning 800/272-8482 or by logging on to www.cosmosvacations.com.