Colorful Trails of the Southwest End Santa Fe

Arrive in sun-kissed Phoenix and transfer to Scottsdale at your leisure. This evening, meet your Travel Director and fellow travelers for a Welcome Dinner.

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 tour 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. Finally, we'll take a walk to the rim of Glen Canyon to Horseshoe Bend. This evening, join an Optional Make Travel Matter Experience at Red Heritage, a Navajo owned and operated Native American Performing Arts Theater. They showcase culturally inspired food alongside an unforgettable show!

Depart Page and join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. Pause and settle and be surrounded by buttes and mesas for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as you enjoy an outdoor lunch prepared by Navajo tribe members 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 desert southwest. The evening is yours to explore Moab's Main Street.

This morning, discover how the forces of wind and rain have shaped the enchanting landscape of Arches National Park in the stunning formations that they are, with countless perfect photo opportunities. Later, journey to Canyonlands National Park to connect with nature even more. We visit the Island in the Sky - a mesa resting 1,000 feet (305 meters) above the surrounding countryside, offering spectacular views over the dramatic sandstone formations.

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 Stories is historic Strater Hotel. You’ll have the evening at leisure to explore the historic town of Durango.

Enjoy free time in Durango today, or you may take a scenic drive along the Million Dollar Highway from Ouray and Silverton. If you’re lucky, enjoy a truly unforgettable step back in time, on a ride aboard the coal-fired, steam-powered narrow-gauge train (booked independently). 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.

The journey continues along the High Road – Santa Fe Scenic Byway, rich in history, art and culture. Enjoy a Be My Guest and traditional feast experience at Nambe Pueblo. Lunch will be prepared by the community members at the Senior Center, which includes traditional stews and deserts. Guests will embark on a village tour, learning about traditional feast days in Nambe, as well as a one-of-a-kind dining experience with members from the Pueblo of Nambe. Later, arrive at the hotel, ideally located two short blocks from Santa Fe’s Historic Plaza.

Enjoy a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as you visit one of the greatest Ancestral Puebloan archaeological sites in the Southwest. Be immersed in the fascinating adobe dwellings and take a walk through Taos Pueblo, a Native American community that has been continuously inhabited for the last 1,000 years. 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 rest of the day is yours to explore downtown Santa Fe before settling into a Farewell Dinner at your hotel.

Our journey through desert landscapes at its end, you will bid farewell and make your own way to Santa Fe Airport.