BEND, Ore. – Wanderlust Tours will offer an array of half-day and evening tours for Oregon’s Spring Break, March 21-29, 2009. Half-day Snowshoe Trips and Desert Cave Tours are available daily at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.  Bonfire on the Snow snowshoe dessert events will be offered on Saturday, March 21, Sunday, March 22 and Saturday, March 28 from 7 to 11 p.m.   The half-day tour schedule will remain the same for Washington and California Spring Break dates.         

Half-day Snowshoe Tours

Naturalist guides take participants off trail and into the snowy Cascades to explore the winter forest, look for animal tracks, stroll and glissade down snowy lava fields on snowshoes.  Guides provide vibrant natural and cultural history interpretation for all ages.  $47 per person, $42 per child under 12, includes guide, snowshoes, instruction, transportation and hot chocolate. Children 8 years and older are welcome.          

Desert Cave Tours

Cave Tours take small groups out onto Bend’s High Desert to explore one of its many lava caves – both inside and out.  Guides interpret the formation of the lava tubes, the wildlife habitat inside the caves and the many uses of the caves over time from Native American dwellings to cold storage for early Bend residents.  $47 per person, $42 per child under 12, includes guide, headlamps, helmets and transportation. Children 5 years and older are welcome.  

         Bonfire on the Snow participants embark on a short snowshoe tour with a Wanderlust Tours naturalist guide to a quiet spot in the snowy forest to bask at a glowing bonfire in the middle of an amphitheater hand carved into the deep snow.  In small groups, participants relax around the fire enjoying locally baked desserts and hot drinks while guides share fun facts about the forest, its animal life and the night sky.   The event cost is $75 per person and includes guide, snowshoes, instruction, transportation, hot drinks and desserts.  Children eight years and older are welcome.      
       
Wanderlust Tours, specializing since 1993 in taking small groups into remote natural areas while maintaining a low impact on the environment, was awarded the Austin Excellence in Family Business Award in 2007 by Oregon State University.

        For information and reservations, call (541) 389-8359 or (800) 962-2862 from outside Central Oregon, or go to Wanderlust’s NEW web site at www.wanderlusttours.com.