Description
On this tour, you will be surrounded by the natural beauty of the National Parks of the Western United States. Explore canyon country and revel in the excitement of Las Vegas.
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Arrive at the airport, pick-up your Rental Car and proceed to your hotel. Welcome to the “City of Lights”! Las Vegas has something to offer everyone. From the outrageous live shows to the excitement of casinos, the action never stops from morning to night. This evening, stroll down Las Vegas Boulevard, also known as “the strip” and enjoy the spectacle offered by each hotel and casino as they all have a distinctly different theme and all present wondrous displays. Take a trip up to the top of the Stratosphere hotel tower, the tallest building west of the Mississippi River. Enjoy dinner at the Top of the World, or simply admire the view from the observation deck. Visit any of the premier hotels including Caesars Palace, The Venetian and Paris for luxury shopping. If you’re searching for a bargain, drive to one of the outlet malls featuring designer names at discounted prices. Dining in Las Vegas is superior. World-renowned chefs have decided to make Vegas their kitchen and there is a restaurant nearby to satisfy any palette. Make sure not to miss the nightly fountain show at the Bellagio Hotel. Using a dramatic combination of music, water and light, the Bellagio delivers spectacular performances nightly with its majestic fountains. For a different side of Vegas, visit Fremont Street. This historic street features shops, restaurants and casinos. Above you hangs a canopy screen where more than 12 million lights put on a spectacular show.
Accommodations:
(STD) Circus Circus Hotel or similar (1 night).
(SUP) Tropicana Resort & Casino or similar (1 night).
This morning depart Las Vegas and begin driving toward one of the Natural Wonders of the World, the Grand Canyon. The overwhelming size and brilliant colors of the Grand Canyon easily make it one of the natural wonders of the world. The Grand Canyon was carved out by natural elements including the Colorado River over vast geological spans of time. The South Rim has an assortment of viewing areas that can be reached by shuttle or car. There are many paved and unpaved walkways along the rim. Visit the Bright Angel Lodge for an excellent vantage point. The lodge is a historic landmark and also offers a gallery, restaurant, exhibits and a great view. Guided hikes also leave from the lodge and talks are often offered by the park rangers. For the adventurous, hiking trails and guided mule rides will take you down to the Colorado River. Rafting trips along the river are also a spectacular way to enjoy the canyon.
Accommodations:
(STD & SUP) Grand Canyon Lodging* to be determined at time of booking, based on availability.
Excludes El Tovar Hotel – (1 night).
* We would strive to provide accommodations inside Grand Canyon National Park for early bookings. National Park lodging must be booked well in advance, especially for the summer months. National Park accommodations, while rustic, provide an incomparable experience and many added conveniences. The park’s free shuttle buses connect the lodges with restaurants, shops, visitor centers, scenic overlooks and trailheads. Later bookings will be accommodated just outside the National Park.
For an unforgetable and awe-inspiring sight, catch the sunrise this morning at the Grand Canyon; witness the spectacle of colors as the sunlight bathes the red cliff walls in hues only nature can produce. Depart the Grand Canyon and head toward the beautiful Lake Powell. For thousands of years the Colorado River ran through Glen Canyon carving a tremendous canyon through the sandstone. In 1963 the Glen Canyon dam was constructed and took possession of the Colorado River, turning the natural beauty of Glen Canyon into popular Lake Powell, a body of deep blue water surrounded by red cliff walls. You may also want to visit the John Wesley Powell Museum to learn more about the lake, before and after the dam construction. Fishing is also extremely popular and wide varieties of fish inhabit the lake.
Accommodations:
(STD) Marriott Courtyard Page or similar (2 nights).
(SUP) Lake Powell Resort or similar (2 nights).
Today you may wish to visit the magnificent Rainbow Bridge, the largest natural bridge in the world. One of the natural wonders of the world, the bridge has been formed by erosion of the sandstone by water flowing from Navajo Mountain towards the Colorado River. It may be reached by boat, on foot, or on horseback. Guided boat tours also depart daily. Visit the Glen Canyon Dam and Visitor Center – Peer over the edge of the dam at the river far below, and tour the adjacent visitor center. The guide will take you through a detailed account of the construction.
Bid farewell to Lake Powell and drive toward Monument Valley. Over the years, Monument Valley has been the setting for more Western movies than any other site in the United States. Unique sandstone formations punctuate the sometimes barren landscape and spires rise into strange formations that have inspired names such as “Three Sisters” and “The Thumb.” At dawn and dusk, the park comes to life when the sun transforms this area into a bright canvas, painting the monoliths with light and color. Located on the north and central parts of the Navajo Reservation, some of these native people still inhabit this land. Consider a visit to the Navajo National Monument which preserves three intact cliff dwellings of the Ancestral Puebloan people. A visitor center, museum and three short self-guided trails are available. Although the monument is located on the Navajo Nation reservation, the ruins were constructed by the ancestral pueblo people referred to as “Anasazi”. The Navajo have assumed the role of protector of all the ruins contained within the Navajo Nation. Continue to Cortez for an overnight stay.
Accommodations:
(STD) Best Western Turquoise Inn or similar (1 night).
(SUP) Fairview Lodge or similar (1 night).
This morning visit Mesa Verde National Park. The park protects over 4000 archeological sites and includes 600 cliff dwellings of the ancient Anasazi people. Stop at the Far View Visitor Center and find valuable park information and exhibits on Native American pottery and jewelry. Take a ranger-guided tour of one of the dwellings, such as Cliff Palace. Continue on toward Durango. Durango was born as a railroad town and still retains much of its old west feel. Pick up complimentary copies of several walking tour brochures from the visitor center. Along Main Avenue you’ll see the handsome Strater Hotel, the building that housed the region’s first bank, and the sites of saloons and other businesses of the late 1800s. Consider a tasty meal and a live Western stage show at one of the local ranches.
Accommodations:
(STD) Durango Downtown Inn or similar (2 nights).
(SUP) Historic Strater Hotel or similar (2 nights).
Today, explore Durango and enjoy its cowboy history and culture. Take a ride back through time behind a historic coal-fired, steam-powered locomotive. Enjoy the sites and sounds of yesteryear on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad as it winds through 46 miles of the San Juan National Forest to the old mining town of Silverton, Colorado, a National Historic Landmark. You might also enjoy horseback riding at one of the local ranches. There are many outdoor tours and activities available around Durango. Take a trip deep into old gold and silver mines or explore archeological ruins. Tours of local agricultural businesses are also available. Hiking, rafting and fishing are also a great way to spend the day. For shopping, stroll along Main Avenue, where you will find an abundance of one-of-a-kind stores and boutiques located between fantastic restaurants and specialty stores. Or spend the day relaxing at one of the local hot springs.
Depart Durango and drive toward Canyonlands National Park known for its spectacular rock formations and vivid colors. Here you can view thousands of feet down to the Colorado and Green Rivers, or thousands of feet up to red rock arches, spires and cliffs. Visit The Needles district of the park, regarded as the most colorful section. If you are feeling adventurous, you can hike 1,500 feet to Needle Point for breathtaking views. Continue on to Moab for a two night stay.
Accommodations:
(STD) Big Horn Lodge Moab or similar (2 nights).
(SUP) Red Cliff Lodge Moab or similar (2 nights).
Today, visit Arches National Park. Here you will encounter over 2,000 natural freestanding sandstone arches. The number varies from day to day, as old arches crumble and new ones form. The most famous of these is Delicate Arch. The best viewing of this impressive arch is done off the roadway and on a trail. It is well worth the hike to encounter it up close. At the Visitor Center, rangers offer guided walks and nature talks. Keep your eyes open for desert bighorn sheep. These famous residents tend to blend in with the landscape; a sighting is a special treat. You might also choose to visit the Aztec Ruins National Monument. Construction began on this 500 room “great house” by ancestral Pueblo people around 100 A.D. A short trail winds through the rooms and provides an intimate showing. In the afternoon take a drive to Dead Horse Point State Park. This peninsula of stone surrounded by steep cliffs is perhaps Utah’s most spectacular State Park. From the overlook, perched at 6,000 feet above sea level, canyon erosion may be viewed on a grand scale.
Leave Moab behind to explore more amazing natural scenery. Continue to Capitol Reef National Park. Most of the park is created from a hundred mile long ridge of rock that has eroded into wildly colorful and varied sandstone formations. Stop at Panorama Point which offers excellent photo opportunities and to enjoy the views, then at the Park’s Visitor Center to view their displays and hike one of the many trails that depart from there. The area was named for a line of white domes and cliffs of Navajo Sandstone, each of which looks somewhat like the United States Capitol building, that run from the Fremont River to Pleasant Creek on the Waterpocket Fold. Activities in the park include hiking, horseback riding, and a driving tour. As you continue, drive through Kodachrome Basin State Park. This Park consists of a spectacle of massive sandstone chimneys, ever-changing from gray and white to shades of red with the day’s mood. Numerous rocks and coves offer solitude, quiet and unique desert beauty. Continue on to Bryce Canyon for a two night stay.
Accommodations:
(STD) Bryce View Lodge or similar (2 nights).
(SUP) Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon or similar (2 nights).
This morning visit Bryce Canyon National Park. Bryce contains “amphitheatres” of colorful eroded rock formations. These spires of rock are called hoodoos. It is their uniqueness that sets Bryce apart from anywhere else. Light reflecting on the hoodoos at different times of day change the colorful scene of the park. Consider a drive to Rainbow Point where, from some of the overlooks, you can see more than 100 miles on a clear day. There are a variety of walking trails in the park. Horseback riding is another popular way to see the highlights of the park. Consider a drive to Rainbow Point where, from some of the overlooks, you can see more than 100 miles on a clear day.
Driving into Zion you will be greeted by gigantic sandstone monoliths and hear the soft rush of the Virgin River. The Narrows are Zion’s famous slot canyons. These are narrow stone crevices formed with colorful stripes caused by years of water, wind and erosion. The result is a hiker’s paradise. In the park and along the river there are a variety of trails and paved pathways for explorers of all skill levels. In addition, there is a complimentary shuttle system that runs throughout the park. By utilizing this, you can visit the Zion’s other major attractions such as the Emerald Pools, Weeping Rock and Angels Landing. Stop at the Visitor Center for information on guided tours and park history. Continue on to Las Vegas for an overnight stay.
Accommodations:
(STD) Circus Circus Hotel and Casino or similar (1 night).
(SUP) Tropicana Resort & Casino or similar (1 night).
Depart at leisure for the Las Vegas International Airport. Drop-off Rental Car.
On this tour, you will be surrounded by the natural beauty of the National Parks of the Western United States. Explore canyon country and revel in the excitement of Las Vegas.
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