NATIVE SOUTHWEST and ROCKY MOUNTAINS with SCOTTSDALE EXT (85952010)

Guides
Local Guides for sightseeing in Santa Fe and Monument Valley; services of a professional Tour Director. Host service in Scottsdale, where information is provided for independent exploration and dining.

Hotels


Scottsdale
Hospitality Suites (MF);

Tucson
Best Western Inn & Suites (MF);

Las Cruces
Best Western Mesilla Valley (MF);

Albuquerque
Best Western Rio Grande Inn (ST);

Santa Fe
The Sage Inn (ST);

Durango
Holiday Inn (F);

Kayenta
Holiday Inn Kayenta (ST);

Grand Canyon N.P.
Grand Canyon Park Lodges (NP)

Meals
The option to prepurchase breakfast daily is available on this vacation and will include 9 full and 4 continental breakfasts. Please refer to the Dates & Prices box for pricing details.

Transportation
Private, deluxe air-conditioned motorcoach while touring.

Day 1:
Tue. SCOTTSDALE. Welcome to Arizona, the Grand Canyon State. Enjoy time at leisure to relax or to do some independent exploring. Your Tour Director is on hand this evening to answer any questions.

Day 2:
Wed. SCOTTSDALE–TUCSON. Travel to Tucson, known for its mild climate and colorful heritage. Your city tour includes a visit to the historic neighborhood of El Encanto Estates, the University of Arizona, downtown, and the MISSION SAN XAVIER DEL BAC, known as the “White Dove of the Desert.” Built over 200 years ago, this church is one of the finest examples of Spanish Mission architecture in the United States. Later, visit the ARIZONA-SONORA DESERT MUSEUM, which tells the story of the Sonoran Desert region. More than 300 species of live animals and 1,200 species of indigenous plants are exhibited in naturalistic habitats. Tonight, relax and enjoy your desert surroundings.

Day 3:
Thu. TUCSON. Visit the giants of the desert at SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK, where you’ll enjoy a breathtaking view of thousands of saguaro cacti. Found only in the Sonoran Desert, these cacti can live to be 150 years old and grow as high as 45 feet tall. Journey on to historic Tubac, Arizona’s oldest European settlement, and visit the ruins of the fort, explore artist studios, and enjoy shopping for everything from Southwestern spices to regal paintings of Western life. The rest of the day is at leisure for shopping, visiting art galleries, or perhaps enjoying some authentic Southwest cuisine. Your Tour Director will have suggestions for places to shop and dine.

Day 4:
Fri. TUCSON–TOMBSTONE–LAS CRUCES. Take a step back in time and visit Tombstone, “The Town Too Tough to Die.” It creates images of gunfights and dusty streets that Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp, Johnny Ringo, Ike Clanton, and a host of other Western legends walked over 125 years ago. This is the most authentic Western town left in the United States! Watch the gunslingers battle it out on Main Street, enjoy entertainment in the local saloon, or perhaps find yourself an authentic cowboy hat and boots. Later, we cross into the “Land of Enchantment,” New Mexico. We arrive in the late afternoon in Las Cruces, nestled in the Mesilla Valley.

Day 5:
Sat. LAS CRUCES–WHITE SANDS NATIONAL MONUMENT–ALBUQUERQUE. This morning we visit WHITE SANDS NATIONAL MONUMENT, one of the world’s great natural wonders. Here, great wave-like dunes of sand have engulfed 275-square miles of desert and created the world’s largest gypsum sand dune. Early afternoon arrival in Albuquerque, where you’ll enjoy a city tour that includes a walking tour of Old Town. This evening is at leisure or perhaps join us on our optional outing up to 10,378-foot Sandia Peak for a ride on one of the world’s longest aerial tramways.

Day 6:
Sun. ALBUQUERQUE–SANTA FE. Enjoy a leisurely morning before departing for Santa Fe. Nestled at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Santa Fe enjoys more than 300 days of sunshine a year and is praised for its art community, cuisine, opera, and spas. After we explore the town on a walking tour we’ll visit the GEORGIA O’KEEFFE MUSEUM, featuring the paintings of one of America’s best-known artists. Inspired by the stunning vistas and stark contrasts of the New Mexico landscape.

Day 7:
Mon. SANTA FE. Morning visit to BANDELIER NATIONAL MONUMENT, where the ancestors of the modern Pueblo people built thriving communities about 600 years ago. Explore the Visitor Center and see some of the Ancestral Pueblo dwellings found among the pink mesas and canyons. The remainder of the day is free to discover Santa Fe’s one-of-a-kind stores, to explore the galleries, or to enjoy a fascinating exhibit in one of Santa Fe’s 16 museums.

Day 8:
Tue. SANTA FE–TAOS–DURANGO. We journey north with time to stop and stroll the streets of unique Taos. This picturesque setting has been home to celebrities like frontiersman Kit Carson, English novelist D.H. Lawrence, and movie stars Julia Roberts and Val Kilmer. As we continue northwest we’ll cross over the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge and the impressive 650-foot gorge below. Then, journey into the Rocky Mountains of northern New Mexico and Colorado. This afternoon finds us in the Wild West town of Durango. The evening is free to explore the historic downtown area or perhaps enjoy a stroll along the Animas River.

Day 9:
Wed. DURANGO–MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK–KAYENTA. Our first stop this morning is MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This park offers a look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years. See some of the best preserved cliff dwellings in the United States, including Cliff Palace, Balcony House, and Long House. Continue to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, which preserves one of the most stunning landscapes on earth with its collection of striking spires, mesas, and sandstone buttes. Tonight, join our optional Navajo cookout followed by local Navajo entertainment.

Day 10:
Thu. KAYENTA–MONUMENT VALLEY–GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK. Our morning FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE TOUR takes us into the heart of MONUMENT VALLEY. See the twin buttes of “the Mittens,” the “Totem Pole,” and other iconic sites. Many of these have appeared on television programs, commercials, and Hollywood movies, from John Ford’s She Wore a Yellow Ribbon to Thelma & Louise. We continue south and enter GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Experience breathtaking views, with plenty of time to wander along the Canyon Rim and take photos. We overnight inside Grand Canyon National Park.

Day 11:
Fri. GRAND CANYON–SEDONA–SCOTTSDALE. Before departing the Grand Canyon there is time for optional morning flightseeing over the Canyon—definitely the thrill of a lifetime! Then, travel through beautiful Oak Creek Canyon and on to Sedona in the heart of Red Rock Country. Enjoy time to browse the shops and galleries or take in the breathtaking beauty. We return this afternoon to Scottsdale, where you can join an optional farewell dinner tonight.

Day 12:
Sat. & Sun. SCOTTSDALE Spend two full days enjoying the desert oasis of Scottsdale. Explore the shops and restaurants of Old Town, visit Taliesin West—winter home of famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, or just kick back and relax at your hotel’s pool.

Day 13:
Sat. & Sun. SCOTTSDALE Spend two full days enjoying the desert oasis of Scottsdale. Explore the shops and restaurants of Old Town, visit Taliesin West—winter home of famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, or just kick back and relax at your hotel’s pool.

Day 14:
Mon. SCOTTSDALE The trip ends today with guests departing on individual schedules. Transfers are provided to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

YOU CAN BOOK THIS TOUR ONLINE. Click here to check rates and availability online, 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. Or, to speak to one of our live, experienced travel consultants, Call us now at 1-800-942-3301.
Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
9/7/2010 - 9/20/2010	$1,569
9/14/2010 - 9/27/2010	$1,569
9/28/2010 - 10/11/2010	$1,639
10/5/2010 - 10/18/2010	$1,639
10/19/2010 - 11/1/2010	$1,569
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

City Highlights
In Tucson, Albuquerque, and Santa Fe; Mission San Xavier del Bac, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tombstone, Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, Monument Valley four-wheel-drive tour. Inside visits as shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description, including admission charges where applicable.

Scenic Highlights
Saguaro National Park, White Sands National Monument, Bandelier National Monument, Taos, Durango, Mesa Verde National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Sedona.

Price Details US
Breakfast Supplement per person: $63Single Room Supplement: $650Triple Room Reduction per person: $125

Related Tours
8590|Native Southwest & Rocky Mountains

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