Reserve seats on any 2017 Rick Steves tour today, and you’ll save $ 100 per person! To receive your early booking discount, you must reserve a 2017 tour by midnight on November 30, 2016. Discounts are for new bookings only and must be secured with a $400 per person deposit(订金).

See our Conditions:

   Tour price guarantee: our tour prices do not include air tickets, and may be adjusted without notice due to possible changes in currency rates and trip costs. However, your price for the tour you’ve selected will be guaranteed the moment we receive your deposit.

   Included in the price of each tour: Sightseeing tours by a Rick Steves’ Europe(RSE) guide, and local guides when appropriate, including all admission to sights seen as a group; all breakfasts and half of your dinners; accommodation each night; all transportation from the first hotel to the last hotel of the tour; all RSE guide, local guide and driver tips.

   The plans of the trip may be changed: Europe is full of surprise, and we need to be flexible enough to take advantage of whatever comes along so that we may provide you with the best possible tour.

   Tour payments: Your final tour payment must be paid at least 60 days before the departure. Missing the final payment deadline may result in your being removed from the tour! If you sign up for a tour less than 60 days before its departure, the entire tour price must be paid.

   Transferring(改签) to another tour: Up to 60 days before your departure, you can transfer to any other tour in the same calendar year with seats available, applying your existing deposit and with no transfer fee. If you transfer to a different tour, the price of that tour will be applied, effective on the date we confirm your transfer. Transfers less than 60 days before your tour’s departure may not be possible.

Ecotourism：A Different Way to Travel

Are you attracted to obscure places? Do you prefer to vacation away from other tourists? Are you careful to take only memories and to leave only footprints？If you answered yes to more than one of these questions，you just might be an ecotourist.

Ecotourists are people who want to experience the unspoiled natural world—and leave it that way when they return home. This trend started in the 1990s，and ecotourism is now growing three times faster than the tourism industry at large. The Kapawi Ecolodge in Ecuador’s remote Amazon Basin is contributing to that expansion，and it gives a snapshot of what ecotourism looks like.

At the Ecolodge，a small group of cabins sits in the middle of the Achuar people’s reserve and is only accessible by air. From here，visitors can explore parts of the Amazon rainforest seen by few outsiders. As they do，local Achuar guides explain how the forest is like their supermarket，where they find food，clothing，medicine and tools. As a result，tourists learn to appreciate the local culture as well as the natural environment.

The owners of Kapawi pay monthly rent to the Achuar people，but they also train the community to run and manage the lodge. They have agreed on a plan to turn the operation over to the Achuar completely by 2011.The owners are working to make ecotourism benefit and empower the local people.

You probably won’t start your own ecolodge，but you can be an ecotourist if you follow these guidelines：Protect the environment；Support local businesses；Respect the local customs and traditions.

The world is full of fascinating places to visit. As an ecotourist，you can enjoy them yourself and make sure that they remain beautiful for future generations as well.

More perhaps than any other European nation, the Swiss have got used to looking after foreign travelers. As early as the 18th century, wealthy French, Germans and Italians were treating the country as an amusement center while, in the 19th century, it became the major holiday playground for the British nobles. Today, it attracts visitors from all over the world.

The Swiss are clear about the importance of tourism to their economy, which contributes about eight percent of Gross National Product, and helps the industry greatly. Managers of hotels from all over the world go to Switzerland to learn how to do the job, and a generally high standard can be expected from the great majority of the country’s hotels, most of which are small and pride themselves on a personalized service. Public transport is the best in Europe. Both the Swiss Federal railways and the private railways are fully electrified, and the total network is made up of about 5000 kilometers of track.

Under the Fly Baggage system passengers can check luggage in at 116 railway stations and have it automatically carried to their flight. The national highway system is equally well planned, and the mountain roads offer views of some of the country’s most breathtaking scenery. Also serving the mountains is an effective system of railways and cable ways, while more than 160 passenger cars cross the lakes and rivers to and fro. Hiking in the mountains is equally popular with Swiss nationals and foreign visitors. For those who want to view the country from a height without having to climb the mountain themselves, it is always possible to take in the view from a balloon.

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When you are travelling in Thailand，which means of transport is the best choice?

You can rent a variety of motorbikes or bikes in Thailand. It seems to be very popular in most of the beaches and islands along the places in the north. The most popular bikes are the little 125cc Honda Dream which you can get for about 150 baht(铢) a day or as little as 3，000 baht per month，making it the cheapest way to tour Thailand for the people from other countries.

Sometimes you will have to go somewhere by taxi. When you are in cities in Thailand, especially in Bangkok，always remember to get a taxi that is going on the roads. Some drivers outside hotels refuse to use the milometer(计程表)．They will ask a price which is several times the price when they use the meter!

The quality of the roads in Thailand is generally pretty good，so renting cars is another way to get around. The big car rental companies may offer you slightly older cars at a very reasonable(合理的)price. It is a little surprising considering that the cost of buying a car in Thailand is more than that in the West. Petrol is also reasonably priced in Thailand，more expensive than American prices，but much cheaper than what is paid in Europe. In the past，Bangkok could be a difficult place to drive in—signs were generally in Thai only，making it a hard job to find exactly where you were by looking around. But now，the situation is improved. In a lot of places，even the farthest corners of the country, street signs are in both Thai and English.

  Journey to India

Are you Looking for a museum off the beaten path? Try these places.

Bata Shoe Museum

The Bata Shoe Museum opened in 1995 on the premise(前提) that “footwear is a source of delight and reflection of human history”. The space was designed by Raymond Moriyama. Permanent collection includes 12000 pairs of shoes and artifacts. Notable shoes are those belonging to Marilyn Monroe, Princess Diana, Elton John and Madonna.

Campbell House

Campbell House was built in 1822 by Sir William Campbell – chief justice of Upper Canada from 1825-1829. Campbell lived in the house for 12 years before he died. The house was occupied by various other families and used for various other uses (vinegar factory, glassworks). In 1972 in order to preserve the building, the Advocate’s Society moved from its location on Adelaide St to its current home at Queensland University. The building was restored to be as historically accurate as possible.

Gibson House Museum

The Gibson House Museum is an example of Georgian architecture. It was built in the mid 19th century as a farm house for David Gibson – a member of the Legislative Assembly. After being used as a boarding house for many years, the building interior was restored. The museum has a hands -on “discovery gallery” with interactive（互动的） games and exhibits. On weekends workshops are offered on cooking, desserts, breads and preserves.

Black Creek Pioneer Village

Black Creek is a recreation of a Victorian Farm with buildings moved and reconstructed from around Ontario. The result is a 1860s Ontario village. Exhibits demonstrate how domestic tasks were completed before modern technology. Activities include spinning, baking, and a history lesson.

Historical interpreters dress in the clothing of the period and answer visitors’ questions. Favorite destinations in the village include the farm, doctor’s house, and the mill. At the historic brewery, beer is brewed using all natural ingredients. The restaurant serves meals using locally sourced ingredients. On site are also areas for concerts and gift shop. Black Creek is operated by the Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA).

Traveling by bicycle is a very popular means of transportation throughout China. China has a huge population, and it is said that there is at least one bicycle for every two people within the company. Of course, many people in China ride bicycles purely for sport or exercise, but it’s also a much more commonly accepted means of everyday transportation, as compared to countries such as the United States.

If you are living for a long period of time in China, chances are you will want to purchase your own bicycle so that you can use it whenever you want for transportation or just for the enjoyment of riding. Even if you don’t use a bicycle for everyday transportation, owning one can be a great way of enjoying some of the trails in the rural areas, just for fun. However, if you are just visiting China, renting a bicycle can be a more convenient choice.

It is important to choose the correct bicycle for your use. You’ll find that in China, the one-speed style of bicycle is extremely popular. These bicycles are great if you want to ride around in the city to see the sights. They are quite comfortable and easy to ride. You can often rent a bicycle for an entire day for around $15.  

However, if you wish to ride on some of the rural paths, a mountain bike style would be a better choice. They are great for different kinds of road surfaces, providing for a safer ride. If you are planning to have a desire to tour and still be able to carry packages with you, then a touring bike would be the best choice. These are generally the most expensive to rent, but are extremely handy for carrying packages and even some of your luggage along with you.

                     Journey to India

Here is a list of some of the best museums for children in America.

Please Touch Children’s Museum

This museum lies in Philadelphia. It offers Alice in Wonderland exhibits where young children can play with giant flowers and have tea parties. Kids can also play on musical instruments and babies can crawl on lily pads, which make musical sounds.

The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis

This museum lies in Indiana. It holds a fair share of dinosaur fossils (化石). There are many fossils like the T. Rex, Bucky and many others in an 8,000-square-foot area. Around 10,000 man-made objects, including a 55-ton steam engine and a 33-foot tall water clock, are there in the 365,000-square-foot area. It also offers activities like dinosaur building, camps and classes featuring space themes and other educational programs.

Boston Children’s Museum

This museum lies in Massachusetts. The exhibits here are of health, art, science, culture and environment. In this museum, children also learn about Japanese culture. Activities like Play Lab, New Balance Climb and The Recycle Shop bring out the creativity in children.

National Museum of Play

This museum, which lies in Rochester area of New York, has a wide collection of dolls, games, toys and other home crafts dating back to the 19th century. Here, educational tours include stories of machines and other toys. Kids can walk in Sesame Street exhibit and cook food at play or TV studios.

Children’s Museum of Houston

This museum lies in Texas. Termed as the best playground for mind, this museum offers scores of activities for kids of every age. It even offers free family adventure events where families with their kids are encouraged to work on math activities and games. Children also learn about broadcasting activities and preserving ecosystems.