Aug. 21--If you're a motorcycle fan and like exploring remote locations on two wheels, a package from Extreme Bike Tours may be what you're looking for in a 2016 trip. The company is offering four 15-day guided motorcycle excursions in western Mongolia departing from the capital of Ulaanbaatar on May 9 or 23 and Sept. 12 or 26. Astride Royal Enfield 500cc Bullet motorcycles, participants will ride through one of the world's least densely populated countries, visiting the Gobi Desert and Altai Mountains. Lodging will be camping in traditional Mongolian yurts, and highlights may include such things as meeting up with Kazakh eagle hunters who train golden eagles to hunt fox and hare. If booked before Sept. 30, there's a discount of $585, making the per-rider cost $5,265, which is single or double occupancy. That includes hotel lodging before and at the end of the ride, on-the-road ger camps, all meals, use of the motorcycle and domestic flights within Mongolia. For passengers riding but not driving a cycle, the cost is $4,455 until Sept. 30. http://tinyurl.com/ppuhkaz
States ranked for road trips
The folks at WalletHub, which offers information on financial matters such as credit cards, are at it again with their travel-related studies. This time they've ranked all 50 states as to whether they're good or bad for road trips. In picking the best and worst states, the study looked at 20 metrics that weigh costs, road conditions and safety and attractions. The results are interesting, though open to quibbling. Ranked No. 1 on the list is Oregon, which seems reasonable, but the second spot goes to Nevada, famous, of course, for Las Vegas and for -- ummmmm -- Las Vegas, well, and the Hoover Dam. Number of attractions and nightlife in Vegas as well as lots of moderately priced lodging there obviously were key in pushing it so high on the list. Meanwhile, South Dakota, popular with road-trippers for sights such as the Black Hills, Badlands and Mount Rushmore, ended up at No. 46 on the list. Let the quibbling begin at http://tinyurl.com/qxxumfy.
Cruising from Indian to Greece
Seeing wonders such as India's Taj Mahal and Jordan's Petra in one trip sounds like an ambitious undertaking. A land tour and cruise package from Enrichment Journeys puts it all together in a 24-day itinerary called Journey to India and the Red Sea that begins May 6, 2017. India is first up with six days hitting the typical hot spots of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur before boarding an Azamara Club Cruises ship in Mumbai. The ship's 17-night itinerary includes lots of days at sea, but spends two days in port in Jordan, one each in Oman, Israel, Egypt and Cyprus as well as transiting the Suez Canal. It ends in Greece. The trip is priced from $6,899 per person double occupancy, which includes round-trip air from New York, tours, lodging and all meals in India, the usual cruise amenities plus drinks and gratuities. Air add-on from other cities includes Boston and Philadelphia, $300; Washington and Miami, $350, and Chicago, $400. Info: 888-546-8617, http://tinyurl.com/p4wuhar
Phil Marty is a freelance reporter.
