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Colorful Trails of the Southwest
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Colorful Trails of the Southwest
Operated by: Trafalgar
10 Days from $2,962 per person
Locations Visited
Phoenix (AZ), Scottsdale (AZ), Sedona, Grand Canyon, Bluff (UT), Lake Powell, Monument Valley, Moab, Arches National Park, Durango, Mesa Verde National Park, Taos, Santa Fe (NM), Las Cruces, Alamogordo ...more Phoenix (AZ), Scottsdale (AZ), Sedona, Grand Canyon, Bluff (UT), Lake Powell, Monument Valley, Moab, Arches National Park, Durango, Mesa Verde National Park, Taos, Santa Fe (NM), Las Cruces, AlamogordoBOOK WITH CONFIDENCE
BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE
✓ Lock in this trip with $250 deposit
✓ Refund Guarantee within 30 days of booking
✓ Flexible changes up to 60 days before your tour departs
✓ Lock in this trip with $250 deposit
✓ Refund Guarantee within 30 days of booking
✓ Flexible changes up to 60 days before your tour departs
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Day 1
Welcome to Phoenix and Scottsdale
Sun-kissed Phoenix kickstarts your journey through America's stunning Southwest. You'll have the day on your own to recover from your travels, then meet your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a Welcome Reception later this evening.
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Day 2
See The Red Rocks Of Sedona
Your first stop today is in the artists' enclave of Sedona – surrounded by red-rock buttes, steep canyon walls and pine forests. You’ll travel through Oak Creek Canyon next, with its rocky red cliffs, then venture to the UNESCO-listed Grand Canyon National Park, where a Local Specialist will share the canyon’s many geological marvels. Tonight, you’ll have an opportunity to overnight at one of the lodges inside the park.
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Day 3
Take In The Sights Of The Grand Canyon
Don’t miss an unforgettable experience: Rise early for an optional flightseeing over the Grand Canyon and then trace the scenic South Rim of the Grand Canyon along Desert View Drive. Enjoy a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as we visit Desert View's Pueblo-style Watch tower and support the development of the Desert View Inter-tribal Heritage Center. Later, we’ll all stop at Cameron Trading Post and perhaps sample traditional Native American fry bread. Finally, we'll take a walk to the rim of Glen Canyon to Horseshoe Bend. This evening, join an Optional Experience for a bird’s eye view from atop one of the desert Southwest’s most fascinating features with a helicopter flight to the top of Tower Butte.
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Day 4
Take A Scenic Drive To Canyonlands National Park
Depart Page and drive through Navajo Tribal Lands to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. Board a 4x4 vehicle and navigate the iconic red valley landscape guided by a member of the Navajo nation and Local Specialist. Pause and settle and be surrounded by buttes and mesas for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as you enjoy an outdoor lunch prepared by a Navajo tribe member as they share stories about the Dineh (Navajo) people and their connection to Monument Valley. Then, continue to Moab on a scenic drive where you can sit back and enjoy views of the San Juan River, Mexican Hat, Bluff, and the Abajo "Blue Mountain" and La Sal Mountains. Kick off your time in Moab with a hearty Be My Guest experience dinner at Canyon Steak and Waffle House where you'll Connect With Locals and enjoy your meal with host Shawn Welsh.
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Day 5
Admire The Landscape Of Arches National Park
This morning, discover how the forces of wind and rain have shaped the enchanting landscape of Arches National Park. Later, journey to Canyonlands National Park.
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Day 6
Discover The History Of Mesa Verde
We arrive in the UNESCO-listed Mesa Verde National Park to delve into the history and culture of the Ancestral Puebloan people. Explore their beautifully preserved sandstone dwellings. This evening, in Durango, your Stay With Story is historic Strater Hotel. You’ll have the evening at leisure to explore the historic town of Durango.
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Day 7
Dive Into Durango
Enjoy free time in Durango today. Perhaps, enjoy a truly unforgettable step back in time, on an optional ride aboard the coal-fired, steam-powered narrow-gauge train. The train chugs along rails that were originally laid at the end of the 19th century, winding through a spectacular wilderness which would be inaccessible by car. If you're feeling more adventurous, opt for a white water rafting trip on the Animas River.
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Day 8
Unlock The Legacy Of The Pueblo
This morning’s drive takes you through the towns of Pagosa Springs and Chama. Then you enjoy a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as you visit one of the greatest Ancestral Puebloan archaeological sites in the Southwest. Be immersed into the fascinating cliff dwellings and take a walk along the canyon and volcanic mountains that surround this park and learn about the history of the people that inhabited this area around 1,000 years ago. Meet your Taos tribal resident guide and explore the only living Native American community designated both a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and a National Historic Landmark. The journey continues along the High Road – Santa Fe Scenic Byway, rich in history, art and culture. Arrive at the hotel, ideally located two short blocks from Santa Fe’s Historic Plaza.
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Day 9
Taste The Unique Culture Of Santa Fe
Get ready for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience with a visit to the Allan Houser Sculpture Garden. See many of the city’s major sights before you have the rest of the day to pursue your own interests. Guests will then make their way to a Nambe Village where they will enjoy a traditional feast day meal at the Robinson Property prepared by elders, which include traditional stews and deserts. Guests will learn more about Nambe culture as they enjoy a meal with an active indigenous community located at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains along the Rio Grande River.
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Day 10
End Your Journey In Albuquerque
Our journey through desert landscapes at its end, take a transfer to Albuquerque. The transfer to Albuquerque takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Please be aware when booking your flights.
Price Includes
Dining Highlights
- 1 Welcome Reception
- 8 Breakfasts
- 1 Lunch
- 1 Be My Guest
- 1 Farewell Dinner
First class travel Highlights
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- All transport and transfers shown
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- Optional Experiences and free time
Sightseeing Highlights
- Explore the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park
- Visit Scottsdale, Mesa Verde, Cameron Trading Post, Horseshoe Bend Lookout, Moab, Durango, Taos and Santa Fe
- Scenic Drive through Sedona's Red Rock Country, Oak Creek Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park's Desert View Drive, Trail of the Ancients National Scenic Byway and the High Road Scenic Byway from Taos to Santa Fe
- Dive Into Culture Board a 4x4 vehicle and navigate the iconic red valley landscape guided by a member of the Navajo Nation and Local Specialist.
- Connect with Locals Enjoy an outdoor BBQ cookout prepared by a Navajo surrounded by buttes and mesas in their sacred lands at the Monument Valley Tribal Park.
- Connect With Locals Enjoy a hosted BMG dinner at Canyon Steak and Waffle hosted by Shawn Welch. She worked as a server for many years before purchasing her own old-style diner.
- Stays With Stories Stay at The Strater Hotel, adorned with beautiful handcrafted woodwork, housing the largest collection of American Victorian walnut antiques. It's Durango's Historic Landmark Hotel, showcasing stories of the old west and mining times.
Dates & Prices
Prices shown are per person based on two people sharing a twin room. To request a personalized travel quote, click "Request Quote" and a Travel Specialist will send your custom quote including airfare if requested.
Online Booking Process
Financing from $/month
Optional Add-Ons
Optional Experiences are subject to change. Your Travel Director will supply you with a final list of Optional Experiences available on your trip. Optional Experiences cannot be booked online; they can be purchased during your trip through your Travel Director.
Sedona
Available on Day 2
Old Bear Wallow (60 minutes)
Climb this early stagecoach route along Schnebly Hill Road through Bear Wallow Canyon just below the Mogollon Rim to enjoy stunning views of Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon 2000 feet below. Step onto Munds Wagon or Huckaby Trail and hear stories of Sedona’s early pioneer days.
Adult Price: $49
Easy on the Asphalt (60 minutes)
A “Sedona snapshot” with great photo opportunities! Join us on this informative and relaxing, yet breathtaking, tour of some of Sedona’s most magnificent overlooks including Cathedral Rock, one of the most photographed sites in all of Arizona. On-road tour
Adult Price: $49
Grand Canyon
Available on Day 3
Grand Discovery Air Tour South Rim - 45 Min. Fixed-Wing Aircraft Flight GGG-1
Experience the grandeur of the Grand Canyon South Rim on a fascinating aerial tour. Once onboard the state-of-the-art touring aircraft with high wings and quiet technology, sit back and get ready to enjoy the thrill of incredible scenery this Natural Wonder has to offer. You'll fly over the Kaibab National Forest, Kaibab Plateau, Confluence of Colorado, Little Colorado River, Imperial Point, and Zuni Corridor. All seats provide unobstructed views for sightseeing and photography. This Grand Discovery tour is perfect for families and individuals who have limited time yet wish to enjoy all of the Grand Canyon's beauty.
Adult Price: $174
Grand Kingdom - 40 Min. EcoStar Helicopter Flight HGG-2
See the absolute best views the Grand Canyon has to offer on this 40-50 minute aerial sightseeing adventure. Settle into a state-of-the-art helicopter built especially for sightseeing, and off you go! As you soar across the canyon rim, watch as the bottom seemingly drops out from under your feet. You'll gaze deep into the very core of the canyon over 5,000 feet down to the dramatic confluence of the Little Colorado River. You will then drift past Imperial Point - a rugged spire standing alone near the North Rim of the Canyon. Flying at the same altitude as the North Rim, you may feel you can reach out and touch the canyon walls. It's an up-close and personal perspective only a helicopter can provide! The North Rim is a vastly different climate and supports plant and animal life not present at the drier South Rim. You'll then head back to Grand Canyon South Rim via the Dragon Corridor, another of the Grand Canyon's most picturesque sections. If you want the most scenic views from the most impressive heights, this is the helicopter tour for you.
Adult Price: $349
North Canyon Tour - 25-30 Min. Helicopter Flight. Bell Aircraft. PGG-1 (April 1 - October 31)
Enjoy a memorable helicopter experience over the southern and northern rims of the Grand Canyon. After flying over the Kaibab National Forest, you will enter the Dragon Corridor - the deepest and widest part of the Grand Canyon. Marvel at the canyon's legendary beauty through the specially-designed oversized windows of your helicopter. Have your camera ready to capture the colorful stone walls and sweeping vistas surrounding you. Fly over the mighty Colorado River toward the canyon's rugged North Rim and soar along with rock formations, including the Tower of Ra and Vishnu Schist. Guests can only capture these phenomenal aerial sights via helicopter.
Adult Price: $239
Page
Available on Day 3
Top of the World Tour EcoStar Helicopter Landing on Tower Butte - 45 Min. (HPHT-2)
Combine remarkable views of Horseshoe Bend from the air with an exclusive Tower Butte landing, all within this incredible tour! Guests will lift off on a narrated helicopter experience with views of Lake Powell, Glen Canyon Dam, and Horseshoe Bend before landing atop Tower Butte – a massive natural rock formation that can only be reached by helicopter. Rising 5000 feet above sea level, Tower Butte is one of the American Southwest’s most notable landmarks. Guests will enjoy 360-degree views of Glen Canyon, Lake Powell, Padre Bay, the Grand Staircase Escalante, and the LeChee Rock. The scenery in this region of the country is breathtaking and simply unrivaled! Visitors will enjoy 15-20 minutes on Tower Butte for photo opportunities before returning to the air terminal.
Adult Price: $269
Red Heritage Dinner Show
Navajo-owned and operated; Red Heritage is a Native American Performing Arts Theater. They showcase local dancers talented in colorful powwow dancing, flute playing, and live drum music; PLUS culturally inspired food and an unforgettable show! A buffet with base options of frybread, rice or lettuce. Then there will be southwest-inspired chicken, pork, beef, traditional chili, and vegetarian chili for protein. Sauteed vegetables with lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese, and green chili are offered as toppings or sides. Served with pudding parfait for dessert and 1 drink included. There will be a cash bar available. This is part of TreadRight's Make Travel Matter global initiative for sustainable tourism.
Adult Price: $70
Durango
Available on Day 7
Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway
This historic train constructed in 1882 has been in continuous operation for 135 years. The Durango train winds through spectacular & breathtaking canyons in the remote wilderness of the two-million-acre San Juan National Forest for an unforgettable adventure. Experience the adventure of traveling on this vintage locomotive on the same tracks miners, cowboys and settlers of the Old West took over a century ago. Unplug from the modern world and relive history with the sights and sounds of yesteryear for a truly spectacular journey. You'll experience the iconic Horseshoe Curve, High Bridge and all of the Animas River Gorge including all of the spectacular views from the High Line. If you long to unwind and enjoy Colorado nature at its finest, this is the trip for you. These trains run May - October and include a concession car with a variety of snacks and drinks available for purchase.
Adult Price: $102
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