Scenic America: Canyons, Trains and the Rockies

TRAVEL
Return flights and transfers
Included travel insurance
VIP door-to-door travel service from anywhere on the UK mainland

ACCOMMODATION
12 nights in hotels and 1 in flight
Porterage at all hotels

EXPERIENCES
Tour Manager
Guided tour of Denver
Anheuser-Busch brewery tour and tasting session
Guided tour of Rocky Mountain National Park
Two-day Rocky Mountaineer train journey
Guided tour of Arches National Park
Guided tour of Canyonlands National Park
Visit Mesa Verde National Park
Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad experience
Tour Taos Pueblo and meet the community
Guided tour of Santa Fe
Guided tour of Great Sand Dunes National Park
Orientation tour of Colorado Springs
Aerial gondola ride over Royal Gorge Bridge
Visit the Garden of the Gods

FOOD & DRINK
Welcome dinner
Farewell dinner
17 meals: 12 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 4 dinners

After taking your VIP door-to-door travel service to the airport, fly to Denver, Colorado.

Stay three nights at the 3-star Sonesta Denver Downtown (3Q). The eco-friendly, boutique hotel is centrally located and features a rooftop heated pool, restaurant, and bar.

Embark on a full-day guided tour of Denver.

Colorado’s state capital dates back to the Old West era, and combines the urban sophistication of craft breweries, world-class restaurants, art galleries and museums, with outdoor adventures in the nearby Rocky Mountains. Learn about the city’s history and see the top attractions, such as the State Capitol, the United States Mint and Larimer Square, Denver’s historic block. Your tour includes a visit to the Anheuser-Busch brewery for a guided tour and tasting session.

A welcome dinner is included this evening.

Meals Included: Breakfast | Dinner

Spend the day exploring the Rocky Mountain National Park on an included excursion.

The park covers 415 square miles of mountain, forest, lakes and alpine tundra, and is home to moose, beaver, elk and hundreds of species of bird. Drive through the park along Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous paved road in the United States, reaching an elevation of 12,183 feet (weather dependent).

Meals Included: Breakfast

Transfer to the train station and board the Rocky Mountaineer train for two-day rail journey through the incredible landscapes of Colorado and into Utah.

Enjoy a light morning snack and beverages as you take in the views of picturesque Byers Canyon and Gore Canyon, and celebrate crossing the Continental Divide with a sparkling wine toast as you journey through Moffatt Tunnel. Lunch is served on board as you travel alongside the Colorado River, arriving in Glenwood Springs in the early evening.

Stay overnight in a hotel in Glenwood Springs chosen by Rocky Mountaineer.

Meals Included: Breakfast | Lunch

Re-board the Rocky Mountaineer for your second day of rail travel to Moab in Utah.

Today you’ll journey past ancient canyons and cross the Colorado-Utah state border as you enjoy a two-course breakfast on board. Admire the scenic views of Mount Garfield and the red rock formations of Ruby Canyon before arriving in Moab at lunchtime. This afternoon, visit Arches National Park, known for its namesake red rock arches.

Stay two nights in Moab at the 3-star Aarchway Inn (3Q). The hotel is located two miles from the national park and has an outdoor pool, hot tub and river walkway.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Join a morning visit to Canyonlands National Park, the largest national park in Utah.

The colourful landscape here is comprised of canyons, mesas and buttes eroded by the Colorado and Green rivers. Drive through the park, making regular photo stops at viewpoints, and explore the visitors centre.

Return to Moab and spend the afternoon at leisure at the hotel, before dinner at a local restaurant.

Meals Included: Breakfast | Dinner

Travel by road to Durango in southern Colorado (158 miles, three hours), visiting Mesa Verde National Park en route.

This UNESCO-listed park is home to some of the best-preserved Ancestral Pueblo archaeological sites in the US. From AD 600 to 1300, the Pueblo tribes built and inhabited over 600 dwellings in the overhanging cliffs of Mesa Verde. Take a tour of the national park, established in 1906 by President Roosevelt to protect the rich cultural heritage of the Pueblo people, and look down at the massive Cliff Palace, the largest cliff dwelling in the world.

Continue to Durango and stay two nights at the 3-star Best Western Plus Rio Grande Inn (3Q). Located close to historic downtown Durango, the hotel offers easy access to shopping and dining outlets. Facilities include an indoor pool, hot tub and fitness centre.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Drive to the mining town of Silverton (48 miles, one hour) to ride the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

Relive the ‘Golden Age’ of the railway as your journey aboard the vintage steam train takes you from Silverton back to Durango, following the Animas River through San Juan National Forest, a route inaccessible by car.

Dinner is at a local restaurant.

Meals Included: Breakfast | Dinner

Cross the border into New Mexico today as you drive to Santa Fe (212 miles, four hours).

The journey takes you through the towns of Vallecito, Pagosa Springs, and Chame, before arriving in Taos, a town rich in Pueblo history. Spend time at historic Taos Plaza in the heart of the town, an old Spanish fortified walled plaza. Then, in the company of a local guide, tour Taos Pueblo, the only UNESCO-listed Native American community. Explore the multi-story adobe buildings of the Pueblo that have been inhabited for over 1,000 years.

Continue to Santa Fe, where you’ll stay two nights at the 3-star The Lodge at Santa Fe (3Q). The hotel is set on a hill overlooking the city and features an outdoor pool, Mexican restaurant and a bar.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Join a morning guided tour of Santa Fe, the oldest state capital in the US, founded in 1610.

Here Spanish, Native American and Old West influences combine to form a colonial city with a unique character. Your guide will show you the highlights of this city founded by Spanish missionaries, then you have the afternoon free to spend at leisure, or you might like to continue exploring independently. Perhaps visit the art galleries of Canyon Road, shop for Native American handicrafts, or visit one of the city’s many museums, such as the Georgia O’Keefe Museum.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Make the long journey north to Colorado Springs (324 miles, five hours), visiting Great Sand Dunes National Park en route.

The park is home to the tallest dunes in North America, alongside 149,137 acres of tundra, forest, and wetlands. After exploring, enjoy a picnic lunch in the park.

Continue to Colorado Springs where you’ll stay two nights at the 3-star Hilton Garden Inn Colorado Springs Downtown Hotel (3Q). The hotel boasts mountain views and has an indoor pool, restaurant and fitness centre.

Meals Included: Breakfast | Lunch

Join an orientation tour of Colorado Springs this morning.

The city lies at the eastern foot of the Rocky Mountains and is a popular destination for walkers and outdoor adventurers. Continue to the Royal Gorge Bridge, America’s highest suspension bridge, considered a major feat of engineering. Look forward to an included aerial gondola ride, reaching 1,200 feet above the Arkansas River and offering incredible panoramic views of the surrounding gorge and park.

A farewell dinner is included this evening.

Meals Included: Breakfast | Dinner

This morning visit the Garden of the Gods, a public park and registered National Natural Landmark known for its towering sandstone formations.

Transfer to Denver airport this afternoon (82 miles, 90 minutes), for your return overnight flight to the UK.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Arrive in the UK this morning and take your included VIP door-to-door travel service home.