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SOUTHERN AFRICAN SAFARI You'll have to forgo a shower or two and sleep under the stars, but this rugged “participatory camping” group trip is an adventure of a lifetime. Intrepid

Travel's guided “Okavango Experience” takes you to South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe. Travel by foot and dugout canoe through the lush lagoons of the Okavango Delta, visit the

Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, stop in at the Khama Rhino Sanctuary (the only place in Botswana where black and white rhinos remain) and spot elephants at Chobe National Park. Another highlight: a

visit to thundering Victoria Falls. $1,207 for 10 days. Macs Adventure THRILLS IN COSTA RICA'S RAIN FOREST On ElderTrek's guided Central American expedition, “Costa Rica:

Rainforest Adventure,” you'll travel by boat through the creeks of the sprawling Tortuguero National Park and peer up at toucans, parrots and exotic birds, then visit the Monteverde

Cloud Forest and the Tilaran Mountains, a reserve with six ecological life zones that are home to miniature orchids and white-faced monkeys. The trip also includes river rafting, swimming

next to waterfalls, zip-lining through the green forest and walking across the Arenal Hanging Bridges at treetop level on the slopes of an active volcano. $3,695 for 15 days. G Adventures

CYCLE WASHINGTON'S PUGET SOUND If you're not into group trips, Macs Adventure offers a go-at-your-own-pace self-guided cycling tour in the Pacific Northwest. You'll ride

through two of Puget Sound's San Juan Islands, navigating with a GPS map app (or old-fashioned paper map). Ride a loop around Lopez Island, passing by picturesque farmland and learning

about the seafaring cultures of Anacortes, Lopez Village and Fisherman Bay Preserve. A ferry transports you to San Juan Island, where you can visit art galleries and dine at Friday Harbor

before riding along the coastline. Just bring a daypack or saddlebag with layers, rain gear, lunch and snacks, and you're off on your day's ride. Your luggage will be waiting for

you at your next location. $1,665 for six days, including accommodations at family-run boutique inns, bike rental and 24-hour phone support but not meals. CULTURAL IMMERSION IN MONGOLIA

Experience Mongolia's nomadic culture by becoming a nomad — literally. Live with three different nomadic host families while exploring this rugged land, sometimes on horseback, with G

Adventures’ “Local Living Mongolia” guided tour. Take in the expansive pastures of the Orkhon Valley and view the ruins of Karakorum, the ancient capital during the days of Genghis Khan.

Hike the green mountains and visit the Aryabal Meditation Temple at Gorkhi-Terelj National Park. Along the way, sleep in traditional Mongolian gers (yurts or tents), drink milk tea with host

families and their neighbors, and even try your hand at archery, vodka making or sewing traditional garments. $1,349 for 10 days.