Bookended by the glamour of Las Vegas, this comprehensive exploration of the American West visits awesome natural wonders and captivating landscapes made famous by classic Western movies. Overnight at rustic lodges inside the National Parks, set among dazzling panoramas that no camera could ever quite capture.

 

10 DAYS   | SEPTEMBER 19-28 2021 | UNITED STATES   |   ACTIVITY LEVEL: BALANCED

ITINERARY

DAY 1: ARRIVE IN LAS VEGAS

Welcome to glittering Las Vegas. On arrival at Las Vegas International Airport, your transfer will take you to your hotel. At 6:00pm, join your Travel Director and companions for a Welcome Dinner with wine at the award-winning Bacchanal Buffet.

Included Meals: Dinner with Wine

Accommodation: Caesars Palace, Las Vegas.

DAY 2: THE WONDERS OF THE GRAND CANYON

Journey on to Grand Canyon National Park, where you will join your Local Expert, Canyon Tim, for an informative talk about the wonders of the phenomenon. With over seven years of experience in geology, you’ll be taught all about the origins of the five-million-year-old canyon, its rock formation and impact now. He’ll also talk to you about the local flora and fauna, and where you might be able to spot the land’s elk, mule deer, coyotes, grey foxes, bobcats and mountain lions. Dine at your lodge this evening after a sparkling reception at sunset taking in the incredible orange hues that light up this stunning natural wonder.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Accommodation: National Park Lodges, Grand Canyon.

DAY 3: GRAND CANYON & LAKE POWELL

Wake up to the backdrop of the Grand Canyon and enjoy some peace and tranquility before the day trippers arrive. Depart for the majesty of Lake Powell. Stop at Glen Canyon Dam to learn about its impact on the Colorado River before arriving at your lakefront resort. Check in to your room and enjoy the evening at leisure. Watch the sunset as you dine or relax by the pool.

Included Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Lake Powell Resorts and Marinas
​(Lake View or Marina View Rooms).

DAY 4: LEISURE DAY AT LAKE POWELL

Spend the day doing entirely as you please. Perhaps join an optional float trip down one of the most scenic stretches of the Colorado River, or take a leisurely optional cruise through scenic Antelope Canyon with its steep, sandstone walls.

Included Meals: Breakfast

DAY 5: MONUMENT VALLEY & THE NAVAJO NATION

Journey on through the barren beauty of the desert to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, where you will board all-terrain vehicles to explore the valley with your Navajo guide. These sturdy 4 x 4 jeeps offer open sides for spectacular views and each comes with a roof to protect you from the sun. Learn about Navajo history from your guide and more about life on their beautiful land. The area is also the backdrop for many western Hollywood hits, including Stagecoach and Fort Apache. Inspired by these iconic movies, you’ll find “John Wayne’s cabin” at nearby Goulding’s Lodge. This small structure was used for exterior shots in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, starring Wayne himself. The venue also holds a cinema dedicated to none other than John Wayne and his impressive movie portfolio. Enjoy a Navajo cookout Highlight Lunch amid the giant buttes and mesas of this unique landscape before making your way to Mesa Verde National Park, where the day draws to a close. Your lodge inside the park offers sweeping vistas reaching into three states.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner with Wine

Accommodation: Far View Lodge, Mesa Verde.

DAY 6: MESA VERDE & MOAB

Enjoy an in-depth visit to fascinating Mesa Verde National Park. View the ancient pueblo dwellings known as Cliff Palace. Settle in for a relaxing stay at your modern hotel with Western flair, superbly located just a block away from Main Street. Enjoy a Dine-Around evening and choose from a hand-picked selection of restaurants.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Accommodation: Hoodoo Moab, Curio Collection by Hilton.

DAY 7: DELVE INTO CANYONLANDS & ARCHES NATIONAL PARKS

In the morning, visit Arches National Park, housing the greatest concentration of natural arches in the world. Stop and take a short hike to the Delicate Arch Viewpoint to view the iconic arch. Then it’s on to Canyonlands National Park for a drive onto 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. Back at the hotel, your evening is at leisure. Perhaps enjoy the outdoors or relax in this beautiful natural setting.


Included Meals: Breakfast

DAY 8: CAPITAL REEF & BRYCE CANYON NATION PARKS

Magnificent scenery awaits at Capitol Reef National Park, best known for its Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile-long (160 km) warp in the earth’s crust. Journey along one of the most beautiful roads in the world, Scenic Byway 12, winding through stunning Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Head to the sandstone cliffs of Bryce Canyon National Park in Southern Utah. Here you will be met by pine trees and red rock pillars. You’ll take a leisurely walk along Sunset Point to view the great amphitheatres of the odd-shaped monoliths, known as hoodoos.
 
Included Meals: Breakfast
 
Accommodation: Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel.

DAY 9: WHIMSICAL BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK

Start the day travelling through Bryce Canyon National Park, the great natural amphitheatre. The whimsical eroded rock formations that characterize this National Park are some of Utah’s most unusual shapes. Learn how wind, erosion and iron oxidation created the spellbinding hoodoos with your Travel Director. In the evening, join your fellow travellers for a memorable Celebration Dinner set overlooking the park’s orange and red rock formations.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Day 10: ZION NATIONAL PARK, BACK TO VEGAS

Enjoy a last look at Bryce Canyon, glowing in early morning light, before heading to Zion National Park – one of the most scenic canyons in the United States. Here, join a guided tour by a private Zion Canyon Shuttle, with live commentary, to view the park’s best sites. Your journey ends with a departure transfer to Las Vegas International Airport, arriving at 4:00pm.

Included Meals: Breakfast

Two Unique Isight Experiences

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK: Join Local Expert Canyon Tim for an informative and exclusive talk as you witness the burnt orange hues of the canyon walls.

MONUMENT VALLEY: With a Navajo guide, board an all-terrain vehicle for a private tour through the mythical formation of the Navajo Tribal Park.

 

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Ted Profile

Your Host—Ted Blank

Your personable host, Ted Blank, is an experienced global traveler, and the veteran of dozens of cruises and hundreds of ports.  Ted’s travels have taken him all over the world, from China to Europe, Alaska to the South Pacific.  Ted didn’t choose a career in travel – it chose him!  A graduate of St. Olaf College and the University of St. Thomas, Ted’s creativity, knowledge, and passions for history, culture, and people brought him to Travel Leaders in 2016, where he loves opening new doors to discerning travelers.

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