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What
to expect on Mary & Piet's learning vacations...
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Expect
the unexpected!
| Scheduled
BFT Learning Vacations for 2012 & 2013... |
| Our Learning Vacations
Listed Below are now reserving/filling. |
| Call us for Brochures &
Reservations and to discuss your questions and interests. |
Piet
& Mary van de Mark: 520-887-2340 |
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The
Next Best of Baja!
Now Reserving |
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Our Scheduled
Learning vacations
Please
click the program links with the learning vacations below
to be
connected to our specific web pages. |
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The Baja
California and Chaco Canyon programs venture off the beaten track a bit, and provide
you with an extraordinary experience; each offers the
comfort of new passenger vans with seating of just two
guests per wide three-person seat. Everyone enjoys a window
seat with excellent views for photography and comfort. |
The
Best of Baja 2013!
Two
departures with your favorite non-profits!
Participation
limited to 20 guests
Reserving
now!
http://www.bajasfrontiertours.com/Files/friendlywhale.htm
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Chaco
Canyon, New Mexico
Archaeology
October
18-22, 2012
Get into Chaco Culture with
Archaeologist Gwinn Vivian
http://www.bajasfrontiertours.com/new_page_4.htm
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Christmas
in the Barrio
with
Patricia Preciado Martin
December 4, 2012
Details
coming soon!
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Hopi: Arts
& Culture
with
Mark Bahti
This
program was last available in April, 2008
Hopi
will be offered again
April
23-26,
2013
Details
coming soon...
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More coming soon! |
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Always more to
come....call us or write to learn our plans... |
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Please Note:
Most
programs are offered only every few years; some are one-time-only special
events...so, if you see something that really interests you, don't just put
it off 'till "next year" or "next time" until you learn if
- or when - it will ever be offered
again! Please make your decisions well in advance and enjoy the anticipation! We'd
love to have you with us again...or for the first time. Please
allow us to assist you in planning way ahead; additional reservations such as
choosing your travel partners, air, extra hotels and family visits
before or after are easier that way, thank you! We're here
to assist you, and we're as
close as 520-887-2340 or: piet@bajasfrontiertours.com |
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Enrollment
is limited to just twenty guests - Reserving Now |
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Natural
History & Friendly Whale Watching in the Enchanted
Peninsula:
February
28-March 8, 2013
New
features for your comfort & convenience |
Experience
Baja California, Mexico's personalized natural
history...including boating with Scammon's Lagoon's
friendly gray whales. Scammon's is the largest
and best-protected migratory destination. The whales have always
been there for our guests for well over forty years.
We look at
the whales, not for them! And on average, half
of our guests get to pet friendly whales and their
calves! We're pleased to report that in 2012, with
record numbers of both whales and newborn calves
enjoying Scammon's Lagoon, every one of our guests pet
the whales.
And
there's more: Botanical opportunities are outstanding! Whether
your interest is in photography or learning the
specificity of the peninsula's fascinating Sonoran
Desert plants, or just enjoying the unique experience, you'll savor the
time with Mary as your guide. The opportunity to
enjoy the most wonderful fresh seafood
and delightful Mexican (American and continental, as
well) cuisine is unsurpassed!
Co-sponsored with Tucson's
magnificent Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. For your
savings and convenience, comprehensive travel and trip
cancellation insurance is now included in the
price for all Best of Baja
participants!
Further, our friendly group is
limited to just 20 guests, and seating is only two
people per wide (3-person width) bench seat in three
comfortable new vans;
now everyone has a window seat!
We are now accepting
registrations for this offering for 2013 in Baja
California during our 47th year of learning
vacations...and you're invited to consider joining
us; please call us with your questions and to request
your Baja Brochure!
Click
the link for more: http://www.bajasfrontiertours.com/Files/Baja Whale Watching.htm
And more friendly whale pictures here: http://www.bajasfrontiertours.com/Files/friendlywhale.htm |
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Just
to let you know...You can plan ahead!
Many
of you have asked us to give you advance notice of our
future trips, so you can plan ahead and Anticipate! What
follows is early information and not necessarily
complete; we will move each of these programs into detailed
learning adventures when we have completed the initial research,
scouting and necessary reservations; meantime, please
call us with any questions.
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| Hopi:
the seeds of
art
& Culture with
Mark Bahti
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This program was last available in
2008. We plan to offer Hopi again in April of 2013.
Details will be available soon. |
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Death Valley:
Where Wonder Reigns! filled for 2011, thank you! A
number of folks weren't able to come at that time, or inquired
after the trip was full. Your interest affects our decisions on
how soon to schedule another program
Please
let us know your interest for the future. |
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Living
on the Edge
More
Geology with Amazing Bob Scarborough
Stand
on the fabled San Andreas Fault with Amazing Bob and
learn why your position may be precarious. Explore and
discover the historic Coachella Valley and vicinity from
its depths (Salton Sea!) to its heights (Mt. San Jacinto!).
Interested?
Coming
in several years. Anticipate!
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The
2012/2013/2014 Season is still Under Construction
Lots
more to come
Stay
Tuned! |
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Detailed brochures are yours for the asking
for every scheduled program. |
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Call Piet & Mary at
520-887-2340 in Tucson to discuss your interests and BFT's
learning vacation offerings.
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Register now for this brand
new Natural History Adventure trip, below!
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Hidden
Treasures!
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with
naturalist extraordinaire Peter Siminski
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Hidden
Treasures:
California Deserts, Palm Canyons,
Mountain Wilderness & Salton Sea’s Birds - This
program was last offered Feb 6-11, 2012
Did
you miss this one?
We
are considering a small group repeat of this trip.
That
could happen fairly soon, but only if a few of you let us know
your interests.
Join
Peter Siminski, Director of Conservation and Education at the
Living Desert Museum, for an impressive natural history tour d’
force. Peter was
long-time Curator of Mammalogy and Ornithology at Tucson’s
Desert Museum. Experience up close and personal the incredibly
diverse and scenic habitats reachable from our very comfortable
Palm Desert hotel base.
Hidden
treasures abound in the Coachella Valley Region in Southern
California. Five spectacular mountain ranges surround this valley,
with the steepest escarpment in North America rising from the
desert floor to almost 11,000 feet in a mere seven horizontal
miles.
In
this land of contrasts, lush palm and cottonwood oases spring out
of stark landscapes.
The Sonoran Desert gives way to the Mohave as you ascend the
slopes of the Little San Bernardino Mountains. Here the majestic
Joshua Tree abounds and giant rounded-granite boulders punctuate
the landscape. From the higher elevations you can see 50 miles in
the distance, California’s largest surface area of water: the
Salton Sea. This vast inland sea attracts hundreds of species and
millions of birds each year. We’ll spend a full day
circumnavigating this giant sea, stopping often to enjoy the rich
bird life.
In
our days of exploration, we visit palm and cottonwood canyons to
enjoy the bird life or just savor the cool beauty of the oasis.
We’ll ride the world’s largest rotating tramcar up six
thousand feet past the sheer cliffs of Chino Canyon to the 8,516
ft. mountain wilderness. Enjoy the breathtaking vistas of the
evermore-familiar landmarks. We’ll visit the surrounding deserts
and memorable The Living Desert, a 1,200-acre wildlife and
botanical park.
Our
guide for this delightful getaway is Peter Siminski, Director of
Conservation and Education at the Living Desert. Many of you will
remember Peter from Tucson’s Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, where
he worked for many years as Curator of Mammalogy and Ornithology.
We know Peter will enthusiastically and skillfully share his new
desert home with us during these delightful days together.
Please call us to discuss the trip.
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| Click
the link for more:
http://www.bajasfrontiertours.com/hidden_treasures!.htm
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NOTICE:
As you consider your
learning
vacation plans, please keep in mind that many of our programs are
offered just
one-time-only,
or are available to you only once every 2-to-10 years. If
you're thinking about "going next time," please call
us to ask when - or if - that special trip you've always wanted
to do will be offered again.
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The Chiricahua
Cottages
Awaiting
your personal quiet getaways in
the lovely Chiricahua Mountains of southeast Arizona anytime...peaceful
vistas on 80 quiet acres; hiking, world-class birding...please click on the
link below...or give us a call...
Click
the link for more: http://www.bajasfrontiertours.com/Files/Chiricahua%20Cottages.htm
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Let us tell
you something about Baja's
Frontier Tours' handcrafted learning vacations...
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You're in Good Company—Our
guests are very special people bonded by common curiosity about the
chosen travel environment and their passion to learn about the world around
them. Most of our guests are seniors, though we also encourage
well-behaved and interested children and grand children, too. The result
is VERY pleasant people sharing our enjoyment of these unique travel and
learning vacation experiences.
Great fun combined with
learning—During
BFT's four decades, an approach to experiential learning has evolved through which we share our favorite places with pleasant, thoughtful,
independent
and curious guests who choose our enthusiastic guidance and the enjoyable
companionship and sociability of like-minded traveling companions. You'll
enjoy our guests (and our scholars) as we do!
The very best scholars for our
travel environment—Our instructors
are always highly skilled and affable folks, whose company and knowledge you'll
enjoy. In Baja California, for example, we are your
hosts, tour operators and instructors. On other trips, if the subject is not our
specialty, we produce and operate the program personally (as always), and work with the best and most knowledgeable of interpreters.
Additionally, we often work with local specialists to
provide our guests a well-rounded understanding of the focus subject of
the trip, be it natural or cultural history, archaeology, geology, the
arts or
whatever.
Learning vacations
that will change who you are—We don't call
them sightseeing tours. We do see the sights,
however! And yet we do so much more. We rarely sit around in
lectures. Our guests are much more experiential people, hands-on folks, who
enjoy getting out and actually enjoying the experience of being there...of
learning in the field. Itinerary details, and even our approach to the
travel environment, vary considerably from one program to another. That's why we suggest that
you call us and learn more about the specific learning vacation that really seems to be speaking to
you.
Savor the
anticipation...please plan way ahead.
We generally plan over a year ahead to secure reservations at the hotels we choose. And to
schedule our scholars. Your early decisions will assure you a space on your chosen learning vacation.
Some programs fill many months in advance. Others fill at the last minute; very
rarely, a tour must be cancelled several months in advance for lack of
participation, only to have folks call later to sign up and find that an earlier
decision would have allowed their program to operate. So, please plan ahead and savor the anticipation. We
do look forward to speaking with you and to enjoying your
company again...or for the first time! Never stop learning!
Great food & lodging—always
part of the BFT experience to the extent the travel environment permits! Generally some meals are included; and for
the others, we guide our guests to places where they are free to choose from healthy mouthwatering
specialties. In Baja California, every restaurant and hotel
we'll take you to is one we've shared with our guests for well over 30 years...most
of them since they first opened their doors. The
variety of truly fresh seafood is mouthwatering! We select accommodations that allow
us to accomplish the goals of a particular trip, generally the best that an area
has to offer. As some
itineraries take us off the beaten track at times, our choices vary from fairly
simple to rather extravagant, and always clean, comfortable, pleasant and safe.
Comfortable
Transportation—Each
tour program is different and we choose appropriate mode of
transportation for each one. Modern European motor coaches offer the
unsurpassed comfort of picture window views from reclining seats and a
bathroom aboard; the audiovisual capability allows teaching en route. We
choose a bus when our itinerary permits. When our travel goals require
venturing away from paved highways, we choose new passenger vans,
generally with the rear seat removed for luggage, picnic lunches and such.
On overnight trips, we limit enrollment to just two guests per wide,
comfortable (normally 3-person) bench seat, allowing every participant
their own window seat!
"Wish
Lists" planning for the future—Each
tour program is different; many are unique: offered one time only. So,
we encourage you to call us to discuss your interests so that we may
help you choose the memorable and fun experience that will be just right
for you! For some programs that tend to fill quickly, we offer the
opportunity to put your name on a "Wish List" for that
trip well in advance, even before a date is chosen and details are available. This means you'll be among the first to receive
details and the opportunity to sign up when itinerary specifics are available and
the program is officially scheduled. Call for information.
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We're accountable—In
this time in our world, when services are so often impersonal and lacking in accountability,
we hope you’ll appreciate that we create and operate each program
personally. It's almost old-fashioned, isn't it? As BFT's owner/operators, we’re right there with you on your
vacation to keep things humming. Your safety, comfort and enjoyment are
essential to us! Our experience is long. Our quality control is excellent. Our commitment
is deep and personal; we’re accountable. Each of BFT’s four decades has
taught us a lot about producing learning vacations. And we're still
always learning how to do it better. We hope you enjoy our
style!
Weather & Timing—We
thoroughly consider optimal weather and special events—both natural and
cultural—in planning our schedules for each learning vacation. We plan carefully to avoid bad weather and
crowded seasons whenever possible. You will notice that our offerings
come in fall, winter and spring. That's because most of our favorite places are
hot (or over-crowded!) in the summer.
Meals included? Not
necessarily. And that can be a good thing for you in terms of choice
and cost. Some of our programs include most
meals. Others include few or no restaurant
meals; Baja is an example of the latter. Many trips include a number of
enjoyable picnic lunches afield, when we find ourselves far from
restaurants. Generally, we include meals when there is some specific reason
to do so. By not including all meals, we save you money; perhaps lots
of money. Let me
explain: When we include meals, restaurants don't give us the breaks you might
expect; also, we must choose ample meals to satisfy the grandest of appetites; and
meals must be what we think you want to eat, rather than what you might
choose. So, if you
eat lightly (perhaps you and your traveling
companion prefer to share entrees?), then you're paying for a big meal that
you're not enjoying. Additionally, when you do the ordering,
you may choose from the full range of an often-extensive menu, thus enjoying
- and paying for - exactly, and only, what you choose.
Smoking—In
the interest of health and comfort, there is no smoking where our guests gather—in
vehicles, at meals, group discussions, field interpretations, whether inside or
outdoors. No one breathes smoke unless they choose to. Some of our hotels are
non-smoking properties. Smokers who are happy to observe these courtesies are very welcome
on every program.
BFT has offered natural and cultural history
learning vacations in Baja California,
Mexico since 1966. Today, and for many years, our offerings also include the Greater American
Southwest, featuring Arizona and New Mexico (including our Indian Country
programs), Utah, Colorado, California and Nevada. Mary & Piet produce and operate every single one of their programs personally.
Our philosophy
regarding Baja's Frontier Tours' goals is simple: We go to places that we
consider very special and that we've found our guests enjoy immensely, as well;
sometimes these are not the most popular tourist destinations, rather they are special places
where our guests can learn, enjoy and refresh
themselves in peace, safety and comfort. We assure the success of each
program by creating, producing and operating it personally...whether we're your
teachers, or just running the tour, we enjoy each experience right
along with you, making each program the best learning vacation possible!
We don't just have customers, we build
relationships. We invite your participation to make
this a reality for you. We enjoy your calls and emails to discuss your interests, answer your questions and to help you
consider a particular trip and determine if it's right for you. We're here to
help you choose, plan and enjoy the most memorable
and personally satisfying vacation possible. And, if we haven't spoken for a
while (or you're new and would like to get acquainted...), please give us a call
and let's talk!
Piet & Mary Van de Mark
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Piet & Mary Dennis
Winsten photo
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Detailed brochures and
answers to your questions are yours for the asking for
every scheduled program.
Call Piet & Mary at 520-887-2340 in
Tucson.
Or click here to send us an email: piet@bajasfrontiertours.com
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We thank you all who
have made Baja's Frontier Tours' 46 years so very memorable! |
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HOW A NEW LEARNING VACATION
WAS BORN:
Hidden Treasures...
The seed for Hidden
Treasures began several years ago when Jo Falls at Tohono Chul
Park (Tucson's premier botanical garden) asked about a visit to experience
the magnificent bird life at the Salton Sea; we thought, “after driving
over there, let’s add a day to experience some of the amazing desert
details that most visitors (who visit Palm Springs because it’s so well
known) miss completely.”
About a year ago, we stopped by
Palm Desert’s Living Desert (an amazing zoo and
botanical garden) for a couple of days to visit our old friend Pete
Siminski, who’s Director of Conservation and Education there. We first
knew him from Mary’s many years at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’s
Education Department; Pete was long time Curator of Mammalogy and
Ornithology at ASDM in Tucson.
Pete gave us a day of his time to show off
his new habitat, and we immediately discovered that a day wasn’t enough
at all; we needed to come back for an extensive learning vacation of our
own!
So, over the last couple of
weeks of December last year, we began to explore this region, a place that
we thought we knew pretty well. As Pete both explored with us and offered
suggestions for our own adventures, we began to realize that the hidden
treasures of this place deserved another day…then another; finally,
after much consideration, we determined that we would need five nights to
begin to do justice to it all in the form of a learning vacation for our
guests.
Hence, the new natural history program for
February 6-11, 2012, with
Pete Siminski teaching us with his great knowledge and enthusiasm: Hidden
Treasures!
This December 2011, we're off
again for our final scouting trip to firm up details for this exciting
program. Hope you'll come along! |
The Best of Baja! is offered,
as it has been for so many years now, with new comforts and with travel and trip cancellation
insurance now included.
We're proud to offer The Best of Baja,
with improvements that many of you have
suggested: a small group limit of just 14 guests, and
spacious seating of only two
guests per normal 3-person seat in our comfortable brand new vans. Of course, the
cost goes up in response to this, and many of you have told us this is
just fine with you, thank you! We're glad to help. We hope you all agree
that these are good ideas!
For
the very best in natural history adventures, The Best of Baja
is our
root program, going all the way back to 1967 when BFT first took its guests
whale watching on Scammon's Lagoon. The peninsula was largely uninhabited;
those were the early dirt-road-only days of our extensive
four-wheel-drive camping expeditions.
Today, with a paved highway,
delightful hotels and mouthwatering restaurants featured (and all
getting even better every time we visit!), our roots
still allow us to share the peninsula's grandeur in a very personal way.
And now with even more comfort in both travel and accommodations! Co-sponsored
again for 2012 with
the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, The Best of Baja learning vacation features those friendly California gray whales
up close and personal plus the peninsula's astoundingly
beautiful and often unique Sonoran
Desert; learn and photograph the bountiful botany (consider Boojums &
elephant trees!), and the impressive lagoon bird life: Big birds, out in
the open and so easy to see and photograph (with the right camera
equipment) that even folks who haven't considered birds impressive before will be impressed! This experience in the enchanted peninsula always manages to create magical memories
(and photographs!) for
our
guests, as it has for us for over four decades!
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Death Valley: Where
Wonder Reigns - 2011 will
revisit this amazing place in the best of weather (now, there's a
challenge!) and, as always, with
Amazing Bob Scarborough, that enthusiastic geologist who's passion for the place
flows throughout our adventures there and makes it so very special! Bob's November 2011
program filled with 38 happy guests; this time normally offers an excellent
weather and
photography in
the valley, featuring cool nights and pleasant sunny days. And our four nights
at the very pleasant Furnace Creek Ranch Resort, right in the heart of Death Valley will
provide enchanting dining and evening relaxation. If you missed this one and
have an interest, please let us know; a number of guests tell us of their
interest; when we hear from enough folks, we'll schedule it again, and in
just a year or two!
Christmas in the Barrio,
also insightfully taught by Patricia, will introduce many to Mexican holiday
traditions very much alive for centuries right here in Tucson.
Reserving now for both day trips.
Co-sponsoring
institutions:
Christmas in the Barrio,
also insightfully taught by Patricia, will introduce many to Mexican holiday
traditions very much alive for centuries right here in Tucson.
Reserving now for both day trips.
Co-sponsoring
institutions:
Tohono Chul Park
and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.
And, by the way, Chaco
Canyon Archaeology with Gwinn is going on our schedule
again pretty soon for a year or so down the road. We're still
enjoying that delightful Marriott on
the banks of the lovely Animas River in Farmington. Remember those beavers working to build a dam
in the Animas? Hope they're still at it. We've found a new and
delightful hotel in Gallup that we're sure you'll enjoy!
We
love to hear from you! Please
give us a call or a note just to stay in touch and let us know how you are and to catch up on what we're
doing, too... anytime. We're here to help you find just the right learning
vacation for you.
Piet
& Mary Van de Mark
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Please click
on their image to be directed to Travel Insured's website to learn more
and to purchase travel insurance for your learning vacation with us. |
We
recommend the purchase of travel and trip cancellation insurance.
Travel
Insured has provided our guests with excellent service for many
years. |
Our favorite places in Baja California,
Mexico are those that have remained relatively unchanged since Piet first
ventured into "The
Forgotten Peninsula" fifty years ago. Perhaps that explains our
focus on the unspoiled midsection of Baja, rather than well-developed and more
familiar areas like Cabo San Lucas. We hope you'll
join us to experience some of the peninsula's lovely hidden, uncrowded
and unchanged places that most of Baja California's visitors fail to experience in
their mad rush to the more popular resort country. |
Go With
Experience! We do!
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Tucson's
Annual Mexican Folk Art Christmas
Sale
It's
just a memory now.
Thanks
to Barney & Mahina for those 15 great years!
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Any
questions or comments about our website?
Thanks very much for bearing
with any confusions that may beset your browser. Please feel free to e-mail us
about anything. We always answer all
emails received. If you've emailed us and not received a reply, perhaps
we didn't receive your email. Please try again or, better yet, give us a
call!
QUESTIONS &
RESERVATIONS?
Considering a trip? Or wondering
which trip? Each program is personally produced and operated by Piet
& Mary Van de Mark and their knowledgeable interpreters of natural
and cultural history, anthropology, archaeology, geology, or whatever-ology
happens to be the focus of the particular program. Each trip is unique, and the
answers to the details and questions that concern
you may not be obvious on the web site. We're here to discuss your interests and answer
your questions so you may make a good decision. We have brochures for
you with detailed itineraries. Having considered all these things, you'll
join a select group of folks to share a very pleasant and memorable
learning experience.
Contact
Mary & Piet by phone: 520-887-2340
(Tucson,
Arizona)
Outside Arizona call
Toll Free: 1-800-726-7231
If
you enjoy fun and learning, we
hope you'll join
us for your next getaway
or vacation.
Planning
a
tour with us? The
Chiricahua Cottages on your own? Thoughts about your next
vacation? Please tell us
how we can help you make it happen!
©Baja's
Frontier Tours
LLC, Tucson, Arizona
2003 & 2007 & 2008 & 2009 all
rights reserved
Please
request written permission for copy or publication of any portion of these
pages. Thanks! Proofed
by Marcia Quiroz at Tucson,
Arizona January 11, 2006. Thank
you, Marcia!
The
management would also like to thank Mike Liebert for help with proofing!
Updated
by Piet Van de Mark September 2009. Typos? Not Marcia or Mike's fault!
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