DAY
1: ARRIVE LAS VEGAS
Welcome to Las Vegas! A complimentary transfer is provided to the tour hotel. Your
Tour Director is available at the hotel this afternoon to greet you and answer your
questions. Join us at 6:00pm for a Welcome Drink at the hotel.
Hotel: Las Vegas Tropicana (F)
DAY
2: LAS VEGAS – ZION & BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARKS
Today we travel through St. George before reaching Zion National Park. See the
massive and colourful rock formations of Zion Canyon ascending toward the blue
sky. Next, on to Bryce Canyon National Park, where sandstone spires reflect vibrant
hues from every vista point. Here we visit the amphitheatre of hoodoos, the odd
shaped stone monoliths. (FB BD) Hotel: Ruby’s Inn (F)
DAY
3: BRYCE – SALT LAKE CITY
Leave the red rock canyons and travel north to Utah’s capital. See the famed Temple Square, headquarters to the Mormon church and home to the renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir. This evening, perhaps enjoy an optional visit to Brigham Young’s former home, followed by dinner at the Lion House, featuring pioneer-style ambiance and cuisine. (FB) Hotel: Hilton Salt Lake City Centre (SF)
DAY
4: SALT LAKE CITY – JACKSON
We travel north along the edge of the Great Salt Lake and across the Oregon Trail en
route to Jackson. There is time to wander through this authentic old-western town
before this evening’s Highlight Dinner. (FB HD) Hotel: Antler Inn (MF)
DAY
5: JACKSON – GRAND TETON & YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARKS (2)
Perhaps rise early for an optional guided raft trip to spot wildlife on the Snake River (seasonal). Then traverse Grand Teton National Park on the way to Yellowstone, established in 1872 as the world’s first national park. Join a local expert to explore the spouting geysers, bubbling hot springs and mud paint pots. (When the South Entrance is closed due to weather conditions, the tour will travel west from Jackson via Idaho and enter Yellowstone National Park through the West Entrance.) (FB D) Hotel: National Park Lodges (NP) (2 nights)
DAY
6: YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK SIGHTSEEING
Explore the impressive Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone with its stunning waterfalls and a chance to see bison and elks. Watch in wonder as Old Faithful’s waters arc nearly 130 feet into the air. This evening, relax under the great basin of stars. (FB)
DAY
7: YELLOWSTONE – CODY – BILLINGS
Head to Cody, named after its most famous resident, Buffalo Bill Cody. Learn about
his adventures during a visit to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. Then journey on to
the historic cattle town of Billings, Montana. Tonight, get ready for some real Old
West hospitality as you travel into the countryside to meet your host, a life-long
cowboy and entertainer, for a ‘Be My Guest’ Cowboy Dinner. You’ll be regaled with tales and ballads of the Old West while your hearty dinner is cooked up
cowboy-style. Join in the fun with harmonica lessons and horseshoes and dress up
in cowboy duds for a photo souvenir. Yeehah! (FB HD) Hotel: Crowne Plaza Hotel Billings (F)
DAY
8: BILLINGS – LITTLE BIGHORN - – RAPID CITY (2)
Today begins with a visit to Little Big Horn, where Custer led his 263 men against several thousand Sioux and Cheyenne warriors. Then travel east through the Black Hills to Rapid City.(FB) Hotel: Radisson Rapid City (SF) (2 nights)
DAY
9: BLACK HILLS EXCURSION
Discover the natural and manmade wonders of the Black Hills with a drive through stunning scenery on your way to visit to Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial, a mountain carving of the famed war chief of the Oglala people. Return to Rapid City this afternoon for some leisure time. (FB)
DAY
10: RAPID CITY – DENVER
Today we drive through the Black Hills National Forest, home to a variety of wildlife,
and through the grassland prairies of South Dakota and Wyoming en route to
Colorado’s capital city – Denver. (FB BD) Hotel: Grand Hyatt Denver (D)
DAY
11: DENVER – VAIL – ARCHES NATIONAL PARK – MOAB
Ascend into the Rockies and stretch your legs in Vail before descending to magnificent Arches National Park. Here, the wind and rain have eroded the sandstone into more than 2,000 natural arches. End your day’s journey at your riverside lodge. Tonight is at your leisure – perhaps opt for taking in the sunset over the red cliffs and a western barbecue dinner right at your ranch-style lodge. Or if you’re in the mood for more excitement, opt for a thrilling jetboat ride along the mighty Colorado, with a Cowboy Barbecue dinner all included as well. (FB) Hotel: Red Cliffs Lodge (F)
DAY
12: MOAB – MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK – KAYENTA
We visit Mesa Verde
National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and learn about the Native American
tribes who lived in the canyons’ amazing cliff dwellings. We continue to Kayenta on
the Navajo Indian Reservation. (FB D) Hotel: Hampton Inn Kayenta (MF)
DAY
13: KAYENTA – MONUMENT VALLEY – GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
Marvel at Monument Valley’s landscape of towering sandstone buttes in special open-air vehicles accompanied by a local guide. Visit the home of the Navajo people, stopping at historic Cameron Trading Post. Breathtaking views along Scenic Desert View Drive just hint at the most spectacular of all vistas – the vast panorama of the Grand Canyon unfolding before you. Meet with a local expert who will enlighten you about the more than two billion years of geology revealed in the canyon. Then gather with your fellow travellers to watch the sunset, the fading light gilding the canyon and casting enchanting shadows. Tonight, toast your grand adventure and your new life-long memories at a Farewell Dinner inside the park. (FB FD) Hotel: National Park Lodges (NP)
DAY
14: GRAND CANYON – DEPART LAS VEGAS
If you like, take an optional helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft flightseeing trip to see the canyon from the sky. Hit the road again, stopping in Seligman and Kingman, Route 66 hotspots that have kept the old Mother Road’s culture alive. End your journey back in Las Vegas where a complimentary transfer is provided to Las Vegas International Airport or to the hotel in Las Vegas. (FB)
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