Free Airfare from NYC! Bike and Barge Through Holland & Belgium

April 24 – May 2, 2009

We invite you on a spring journey that offers a balance of action and leisure, a close-up experience of the Flemish countryside in springtime, and the camaraderie of biking and small-ship cruising. Board the 24-passenger intimate barge Merlijn in Amsterdam for a journey through the waterways of Holland and Belgium. Cycle about 25 miles a day on a 7-speed hybrid bike through the region's gentle landscape, accompanied by an experienced cycling expert. Then rejoin the ship for a three-course dinner and a relaxing evening.

Your route takes you into several cities rich in artistic and architectural heritage: canal-laced Amsterdam, dynamic Antwerp, the university town of Ghent and beautiful medieval Bruges. The Merlijn will spend a night in each of these cities, allowing time for evening walks and some morning tours.

If you'd like a different balance of biking and leisure, spend some days on board where you can watch the passing landscape from the sundeck.

Trip Price: From $3,395 per person.

Discount: FREE AIR is valid only on new bookings and can not be combined with other offers. Reservations must be paid in full at the time of booking. FREE AIRFARE offer is valid for U.S. departures from New York City, and passengers must pay all applicable air taxes and fuel surcharges, which will be determined at the time of booking. Offer is based on availability.

Trip Includes: Small group of no more than 22 alumni, roundtrip international airfare from NYC to Amsterdam and from Brussels to NYC, private airport/ship transfers, accommondations for seven nights on the board the deluxe passenger barge Merlijn, 14 meals (7 breakfasts and 7 three-course dinners), cocktail reception, use of 7-speed bicycle, services of bike guide, guided biking and walking tours of cities and towns en route, luggage handling for one bag per person and gratuities for local guides and cabin crew.

More Information: To learn more and download a full-color brochure, visit our Wolf Treks Web site.

Trip Registration: Space is limited on this trip to 22 participants. To make a reservation using a credit card or check, contact Wolf Treks Coordinator Kathy Hart at 919-515-3375 or 800-627-2586.

Wolf Treks Travel: New Zealand & Australia

Brochures just arrived in the office for our New Zealand and Australia trip next spring, March 1-14, 2009. This fabulous trip offers five days in scenic New Zealand. Remember the beautiful scenes from "The Lord of the Rings." Then you jet off to Sydney, Australia, for a warm Aussie welcome. Spend three days exploring Sydney before ending your trip with a cruise on the Great Barrier Reef, where you'll have the opportunity to see a wealth of sea life, from playful dolphins to lumbering sea cows. The cost of this 15-day extravaganza begins at $4,495 per person, double occupancy, land only. Book before Oct. 8, 2008, and save $500 per person, making the trip only $3,995 per person. The trip costs depends on the level of cabin chosen for the Grand Barrier Reef cruise. Airfares are separate. Gohagan, our tour operator, provided these roundtrip airfares quotes to me today: $2,393 per person from Raleigh/Durham and $2,447 per person from Charlotte. If you want to use frequent flier miles to reach Los Angeles, you can reduce the roundtrip cost to $1,985. I checked these prices on farecompare.com, and they are very competitive. The flights from New Zealand to Australia and the internal flights within Australia are included in the trip base cost. To receive a brochure, send me an e-mail at k_hart@ncsu.edu. To read more about the trip, click here. Questions? Call me at 800-627-2586.

Wolf Treks Active Travel in 2009

Wolf Treks offers three active travel programs in its lineup of 2009 trips. In late April (April 24 to May 2), enjoy the beauty of Holland and Belgium by cycling the countryside during the day and enjoying the luxury and intimacy of a 24-passenger barge in the evenings. Get a close-up experience of the Flemish countryside in the spring while enjoying the camaraderie of a small-group. This is an exclusive NC State departure with only 22 spaces available offers a $300 discount for early booking and payment. If you had rather explore the countryside on your own two feet, then join Wolf Treks for a Walk of the Emerald Isle, May 2 to 11. Stroll along Killarney National Park, the majestic cliffs of Moher, the secluded harbors of Dingle Peninsula and the cultivated gardens of Garnish Island. You are sure to see hundreds of postcard images during this walking adventure. In the fall, explore Tuscany on foot, Sept. 22 to Oct. 1. Walk the streets of Florence, the countryside of Chianti, the medieval fortress of San Gimignano, the fertile fields of Cortona and the hills of Montepulciano. Both walking tours will be limited to 30 participants. NC State is partnering with Wake Forest University for both trips. Book early. Questions? Call Kathy Hart at 800-627-2586. Or send e-mail to alumni_travel@ncsu.edu. You can book any Wolf Treks trip over the phone with a credit card.

First 2009 Brochures Available

Early 2009: The Wolf Treks office has brochures available for Tahiti, India, South Africa and Chile/Argentina. Australia/New Zealand is in production and will be in the office in the new few weeks. We have extended the discount deadline for India to Aug. 15. Also, please note that our North India travel program is an exclusive NC State departure with only 24 travelers. I do have a gentlemen who is seeking a roommate for the Tahiti trip. Please call 800-627-2586 or 919-515-0508 if you would like to be a roomate. To get a brochure in the mail for any of these destinations, send an e-mail to alumni_travel@ncsu.edu.

Upcoming travel: We have 12 Wolf Treks travelers leaving for Alaska in just a few days. I can't wait to see the photos from this cruise. In early August, we have 16 headed for the Swiss Alps. Erin Cleghorn, one of our associate executive directors, will be hosting this trip. For fall, our China trip is full, and Randy Ham, another associate executive director, will he hosting our 24 Wolf Trekkers as they travel from Beijing to Shanghai. Our Italy departure has space for only a single traveler. Our Italy departure is shared with Michigan State University, who is providing the host, a retired professor.