Slideshow: Luxury Trips for Less

Think safari and what often comes to mind are aristocratic Brits sitting around camp in khaki and pith helmets, drinking 100-year-old sherry. Indeed, safaris were once the exclusive province of the very wealthy and travelers with a taste for the exotic. But with tourism to sub-Saharan African up 60% in the last eight years, the trips are quickly gaining popularity among other travelers, including families. Visits to game reserves like MalaMala have fueled the growth of tourism to South Africa, which saw an 8% jump in visitors last year.

MalaMala, with 33,000 acres of reserves directly adjacent to the majestic Kruger National Park, boasts that its visitors saw the so-called Big Five — elephants, lions, buffalo, rhinos and leopards — 342 days in 2006. And while MalaMala is on the affordable end of luxury safari outfits (competitors like Singita's nearby Lebombo Lodge start at $1,000 per person per night), you won't miss out on amenities like the infinity pool or the fully stocked wine cellar. But like at other safari lodges, you need to book early at MalaMala; with only 30 or so rooms, the resort can fill up fast.

More travelers are thinking with their stomachs. Over the last four years, one in six American vacationers has taken cooking classes or a food-related excursion while on holiday. And as tourists' appetite for epicurean getaways increases, opportunities for even the experienced gourmand are on the rise. Later this summer, Poland Culinary Vacations offers its first-ever trip to Lower Silesia, in the southwestern corner of Poland, aimed at the veteran food traveler tired of the requisite Amalfi Coast tour. "They've been to Italy. They've been to France. They've been to Spain," says Sarna Rose, PCV's founder. "They're looking for a new place to go." Vodka tours, anyone?

The trip offers cooking lessons in national staples like pierogi (stuffed dumplings) and zrazy (pork rolls), taught in the kitchens of Polish households, along with a full complement of beer and vodka tastings. Festival visits and a crystal factory tour bring a broader cultural flavor to the itinerary. There's even some decent bang for the buck: While Poland's currency, the zloty, has been rising against the dollar, it's still more favorable than the euro.

If mega-buffets and all-night discos keep you far from the cruise-ship gangplank, consider this: There are worse ways to spend a vacation than sipping a rare Bordeaux on board an intimate ship while sailing the Galapagos. The option is becoming more popular despite the weakening economy; three cruise lines are launching new small cruise vessels just this year.

Lines like Windstar offer small-ship advantages at a relatively affordable price. Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor in chief of Cruise Critic, calls them "hybrid" lines: Bigger than a private yacht and more petite than the 2,000-passenger behemoths, Windstar's sleek masted ships (which carry just over a few hundred) can slip into smaller, more charming ports than their mammoth cousins. And they've just undergone major refurbishments, including wireless Internet throughout the ships and lots of in-room tech toys (flat-screen TVs and Bose iPod sound docks). Like with the big lines, shore excursions and spa treatments are a la carte, but small ships win on elegance and white-glove service. "Hybrids are a good value choice," says Brown.

The Windstar is one of three 148-passenger ships operated by Windstar Cruises that sail around the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. The seven-day cruise from Barcelona to Lisbon takes travelers to ports along the Iberian Peninsula, including Spanish desert city Almeria and Portuguese fishing town Portimao.

In an age of two-hour-long airport security lines and round-the-clock email, it's little wonder travelers are craving a little serenity. And for many, that moment of zen seems to be taking the form of body rubs and algae. In fact, U.S. spa revenue has increased by more than 30% since 2003.

La Costa, in the coastal town of Carlsbad, Calif., just north of San Diego, offers a host of discounts and promotions throughout the year. The most popular is the Golf & Spa package, which includes breakfast for two and a mix-and-match combo of 50-minute spa treatments and days on one of the resort's two 18-hole golf course. The package is up to 20% less than if you purchased the room and activities separately — which should help ease any guilt you feel over splurging on a 5-star dinner or an afternoon of boutique shopping in nearby La Jolla.

The resort offers its biggest discounts from November through February, not an ideal time for sun-worshipers; winter temperatures hover in the mid-50s. But if you're planning to devote yourself to full-time spa pampering, why not? And save even more by getting an early start — some morning massages are discounted.

Many boomers these days would rather trek the Himalayas or bike through Alsatian farmland than sip a piña colada on the beach. That preference has helped drive the $47 billion bike tour industry: Active travel site GordonsGuide.com lists 62 bike tour operators, up 50% over just two years ago.

While bike tourists have a globe full of potential destinations, meandering rides through towering cloud forests and postcard-perfect views of the Andes make Argentina one of the best for exploring on two wheels. What's more, its one of the few places where the dollar still holds up, and can be even cheaper than staying close to home. The company's six-day tour of the Berkshires, for instance, runs nearly 50% more.

And don't rule it out just because sweating and wheezing aren't high on your list of vacation to-dos. In fact, this trip is rated as "moderate" in difficulty, meaning cyclists average about 25 miles a day, all at your own pace and broken up by frequent breaks at wineries, restaurants and museums. Plus, there's always "option B": At any point during the ride, you can ask a guide to drive you back to your hotel for a pool break.