This tour is conducted at a medium-fast pace. Some long travel days may be required to complete this itinerary and you will typically spend two nights at each destination, with some one night stays required. This trip includes a mix of sightseeing and free time to explore at your own pace. You will be required to move about unassisted, including getting on and off vehicles, walking up and down stairs and some activities will be conducted on uneven or steep terrain. You will be required to handle your own luggage.
This tour is fully escorted by an expert English-speaking guide who will accompany you throughout the tour.
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✓ Small group experience with no more than 12 guests
✓ Incredible sightseeing including the jagged peaks, abundant meadows and pristine rivers of the Rocky Mountains, visit iconic man-made marvels including Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Monument, witness volcanic geysers, hot springs and abundant wildlife in Yellowstone National Park, see the majestic Grant Teton Mountains, traverse Monument Valley and peer through windows into geological history at Arches National Park
✓ 14 nights in comfortable centrally-located accommodation
✓ 37 meals, including daily breakfast, 11 lunches and 12 dinners
✓ Fully escorted by an expert driver guide
✓ Arrival and departure airport transfers
✓ Dedicated transportation as per itinerary
✓ All entrance fees as indicated in the itinerary
Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.
On arrival to Denver airport, transfer to your hotel. Enjoy free time this evening.
In the morning, we will depart for Rocky Mountain National Park, the roof of North America, carved by ancient glaciers. You will discover wonderful valleys and mountains, softwood forests, flower prairies, lakes and waterfalls, tundra, as well as its fauna of sheep, squirrels, marmots, elks and deer.
We will take Trail Ridge Road, elevating up to 3700m above sea level and is the highest road in the USA, offering superb panoramas over Grand Lake and several ski resorts. After lunch we continue towards Cheyenne, a rodeo city and considered as the capital of the Wild West. We discover the town on a city tour covering the historical center, the State Capitol and the Governor’s Mansion.
Our journey continues towards the lowlands of the American Midwest as we enter South Dakota. Mainly a rural state, South Dakota is popular with tourists. We visit Crazy Horse monument, a gigantic artwork elevating amidst the Black Hills of South Dakota, a few kilometers from Mount Rushmore. Still in the making, the sculpture is a representation on horse of the Sioux Chief Crazy Horse. When finalized, this immense statue will be the biggest artwork in its genre in the world at over 172m tall and 195m long.
After lunch we arrive at Mount Rushmore, where there are sculpted gigantic granite busts of 4 American presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt. Our day concludes in Deadwood, a city of the gold-rush. It conserved many of its old buildings but has lost a large number of its inhabitants. The city keeps the souvenir of some famous bandit families such as Calamity Jane, Wyatt Earp, Doc Holiday and Wild Bill Hickok who found death here at saloon no.10.
On the road to Black Hills, we will visit Devil’s Tower which has been registered in 1906 as the first National Monument of the country. The natural tower played a major role as a landmark to explorers and visitors coming from the Dakota region and continuing towards the West. This impressive rocky formation with monumental basalt columns became famous after being featured in Steven Spielberg’s movie Close Encounters of The Third Kind in 1978. We have lunch on the road before continuing towards Thermopolis, a famous spa resort.
Today starts with a visit of Wyoming Dinosaur Center, home to an impressive collection of dinosaurs comprising a specimen of Thermopolis, a unique archaeopteryx found on US soil. After lunch we continue to Cody, located at 80 km east of Yellowstone, a city named after the Western hero who found it. We take an orientation tour of the city whose founder is best known as Buffalo Bill. We visit the Buffalo Bill Centre of the West before dinner and a western show in the evening.
Today is an all-day visit of Yellowstone National Park. Located mainly in the state of Wyoming, this is the oldest and biggest national park in the world. With over 300 geysers, it is part of UNESCO world heritage due to volcanic activities and it's associated natural beauties. We enjoy a picnic lunch in the park. The most famous geyser, Old Faithful, projects around 3700-4000 liters of boiling water and goes up to 54 meters every 64 minutes. Dinner and overnight in the Yellowstone area.
We will discover Norris Geyser Basin, Obsidian Cliff, Mammoth Hot Springs and, before leaving the park, Yellowstone Lake which is one of the biggest lakes of this altitude worldwide. Enjoy a picnic lunch on the road before we visit Grand Teton National Park, known by its hilly views dominated by the 4297m Grand Teton. Some rocks are over two billion years old and are amongst the oldest on the planet.The park covers the Teton massif, 80 km of the Snake River, seven glacier lakes, more than 100 lakes and many animal and vegetable species. We continue towards Idaho Falls, once a paradise to miners; it is today a rich food producing region, Enjoy an evening at leisure here.
We head for Utah this morning. Discover Antelope Island State Park, an island located in the middle of Grand Salt Lake situated at 1280m above sea level and 4 times more salty than the ocean. It is home to an important reserve of buffalos, antelopes and coyotes. Continue towards Salt Lake City, surrounded by mountains up to 3500m tall The city is the universal center of the Mormons.
On arrival we have an orientation tour including Temple Square and the Temple, covered by the Angel Moroni (inside is only reserved to Mormons), the Tabernacle (magnificent organs, daily free concerts, choral on the week-end and the principal church), We see the Assembly Hall, and the stunning monument of the Utah State Capital, home to the local government. The Latter Day Saint Office Building is home to the richest genealogical library in the world.
Our first stop today is a visit to Arches National Park. Discover of one of the gems of the West, where thousands of natural arches have been created in the red and ochre sandstone. Due to water erosion and strong thermal amplitudes on the cement of red sandstone, the erosion has degraded some crumbly layers of the rocks, leaving the upper, more resistant layers intact.
When the windows get bigger with time and reach 1m of diameter, they become an arch. Along a stretch of over 20km, you will discover many arches including Windows, Balanced Rock, Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch, and Double Arch. We have lunch on the road before arriving at Moab.
We depart this morning for Dead Horse Point, a rocky peninsula over the cliffs offering a magnificent view of the Colorado River and the Canyonlands below. This canyon is one of the wildest parks of the USA and is home to superb rocky formations and canyons crossed by the Colorado River. The park covers a land of 1366 sq. km. It offers visitors colorful views tailored by the erosion. We have a picnic lunch before heading back to Moab for the evening.
Today we visit Monument Valley. You will discover one of the most known West American views in the heart of the Navajo land. We spend time exploring this impressive and protected site, at the frontier of Arizona and Utah. The site is governed by the Navajo Indians, one of the biggest Native American tribes of the USA. We have lunch on the road before continuing to Chelly Canyon. In the back of the canyon, you can see the ruins of 60 villages, built by the Pueblos Indians between 300 and 1300 AD.
The Navajo Indians started to dominate the lowland around 1700 after having attacked the Pueblos villages and the surrounding Spanish facilities. Chelly is a very wild canyon known wfor its abrupt walls of red sandstone.We then arrive in Gallup, Today it is home to the ceremony of inter-tribal Native Americans. Many tribes such as Navajos, Apaches and Pueblos meet, dance, execute rituals and sell their craftwork.
We take the famous route 66 to Albuquerque, the biggest city of New Mexico. It is located in the center of the state and is famous for its old city center dominated by Spanish architecture. The city was founded in 1706 and takes its name from the Duke of Albuquerque, Vice-King of New Spain.
We explore the Old Plaza with characteristic architecture home to art galleries and craftwork boutiques. Enjoy free time for lunch. We hit the road to the impressive city of Santa Fe, a mixture of American, Mexican and Indian cultures and full of art galleries and craftwork. Here the high-rise buildings don't exist; each residence respects the Pueblo style.
Today we explore Santa Fe, profoundly influenced by its Indian, Mexican and Spanish heritage. The city has a special charm coming from its narrow streets, patios and atypical architecture. We visit the Mission of San Miguel of Santa Fe, the oldest church in the country (1636). It's then a short drive to Taos, a Pueblo Indian village of New Mexico, still surrounded by the arid views of the area. Smaller than Santa Fe, this city is known by the light which surrounds it and attracts many artists.
Founded in 1615 by Spanish Colonists, the city is marked by Indian rebellions. You will find here the oldest houses of the USA in a superb environment. After lunch we cross into Colorado and arrive at Pueblo.
We drive to Colorado Springs, in a universe of mountains and greenery with the Colorado River and its gorges, valleys and peaks of high altitude. The city surroundings offer many attractions as well: God’s Gardens Park, Wind Grotto, or simply mountains and cascades. We have free time for lunch before continuing to Denver. The city today has a cultural and dynamic aspect with beautiful museums, renovated old districts and animated streets.
During the short visit of the city, we will see Civic Center Park with Colorado State Capital covered in 7 kg of gold; Central Library, City Council, and the US Mint. We then venture to Lower Downtown, with it's rehabilitated district of artsy streets, the district of Larmier Square; the old heart of the city at the times of the Gold Rush, surrounded by boutiques and pubs, and the superb Union Station with its restaurants and galleries.
Enjoy time at leisure before transferring to the airport according to your flight schedule.
Booking Process
Booking On Request:
COVID-19
Due to COVID there maybe disruptions to standard operating schedules of particular components of this itinerary. Should a component be effected a substitute will be confirmed prior to departure.
Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.
As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.
Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard.
Single Supplement
Single supplement is $1,870.00 per person, in addition to the twin-share price.
Triple Share
Triple share is available on request.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is required to protect yourself against the unexpected.
Visa & Passport information
It is the traveller's responsibility to ensure they have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the intended date of return.
Visas may be required.
Please note that these details are subject to change without notice. We recommend visiting https://smartraveller.gov.au for up to date information in terms of entry requirements.
Tour Documentation
Final documentation including, e-tickets and hotel details, will be provided approximately 30 days prior to travel.
Group Size
The maximum group size for this small group tour is 12 guests
Tour Type - Fully Escorted
This tour is fully escorted by an expert English-speaking guide who will accompany you throughout the tour.
Children
Children must share a room with parents at all times and are charged the same price as adults.
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