Colourful Trails of the Southwest End Albuquerque

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Our journey through desert landscapes at its end, take a transfer to Albuquerque.