CAA Saskatchewan Fall 2016 | Page 25

take 5 Must-Do Tours Haleakala Volcano: 3,055 m combine modern amenities and natural wonders haLeakaLa: tor johnSon/hawaii touriSm authority; kiLauea: cameron brookS/hawaii touriSm authority; uLuru: maSaru kitano Snak ProductionS/touriSm auStraLia Plan to visit Haleakala early on during your trip to Hawaii. It’ll still feel like mid-morning when you wake up at 3 or 4 a.m. to get to the summit for sunrise—the best time to gaze out over the active (though long-dormant) volcano’s Mars-mimicking crater. For the adventurous, Maui’s “House of the Sun” boasts numerous hiking trails through shrubland and cinder desert. the Land Down Under an epic adventure in australia and new Zealand, which makes stops at attractions including the Sydney opera house, Great barrier reef and ayers rock. Jan. 19-Feb. 13 Uluru: 348 m Kilauea Volcano: 1,247 m Hawaii’s Big Island is made up of five massive volcanoes. Kilauea is arguably the most notable: It’s been in a state of constant, though generally non-threatening eruption since 1983. Many visitors choose to view the mountain’s dramatic caldera and lava flows as part of an aerial tour. Nearby Mauna Kea is a similarly spectacular sight. At 4,207 metres tall, Hawaii’s highest peak is known as one of the world’s best spots for stargazing. Though it’s more than 1,500 kilometres from the nearest major city, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is a must-see in the heart of the australian Outback. Among the park’s notable features is Uluru itself, a sandstone mound also known as Ayers Rock. For millennia it’s been sacred to the region’s Aboriginal peoples. It’s easy to see why at dawn and sunset, when Uluru takes on a stunning red-gold hue. Hawaii Land & Sea hop between oahu, maui, kauai and the big island on this excursion, which highlights hawaii’s unique cultural heritage and vibrant ecosystem. Jan. 15-29 Highlights of Costa Rica this 17th anniversary tour showcases some of the world’s top eco-tourism sites, from the dreamy monteverde