Escorted Tours and Holidays
Sample itineraries
Four Corners, Southwest USA - A Tauck Escorted Tour
From £3335
Vestiges of the past speak volumes about the spirit of the Southwest, from the Durango & Silverton Railroad to the ancient cliff-dwellings of Mesa Verde National Park. Resident experts inform the culturious with personal insights about the natural sandstone sculptures that inspire awe in Arches National Park.
Flightsee on a private charter plane over Canyonlands Nat’l Park from Monument Valley to Moab and raft down the Animas River for different Culturious perspectives. Hike in geological playgrounds in the national parks of the Southwest.
Your Tauck Tour includes:
- Return flights from the UK to Durango, Colorado returning from Grand Junction Airport, Colorado
- 7 nights superior accommodation in sought after locations
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Excursions/experiences included-
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Fly over the canyonlands aboard a private flightseeing charter plane – included exclusively for Tauck
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Feast on a mountain barbecue in a private home in Durango
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Ride a 4 x 4 to a ghost town, amidst haunting scenic beauty
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Ride aboard a vintage train on the Durango & Silverton Railroad
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Hunt rock art on the Petroglyphs Trail in Mesa Verde
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Meet a member of the Navajo Nation as he sheds light on the history of his people, past and present
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Feast on Navajo traditions and see amazing sandstone sculptures during a private cookout and jeep tour in Monument Valley
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Hike in Canyonlands National Park and horseback ride in Moab
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Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted
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15 meals (7 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 5 dinners); service charges, gratuities to local guides, admissions fees, taxes and porterage
Four Corners, Southwest USA - A Tauck Escorted Tour
£3335 price per person (based on two travellers sharing)
Prices are based on off-season travel. Please call for your preferred date of departure.
Tour Departure Dates 2012: (subject to availability)
May 4th, 18th
June 8th, 22nd
July 13th
August 3rd, 17th
September 7th, 21st
October 12th
Day 1 Arrive Durango
Tour begins: 3:00 PM at the Strater Hotel. Welcome to one of the most scenically wondrous destinations in the American West. Don’t worry about missing a beat because we’ll be there to pick you up at the Durango Airport for a drive back in time to the handsome Strater Hotel, resplendent in Victorian-era hospitality. Stretch your legs and your love of history on a walk along streets paved with memories of railcars teeming with precious metals and lined with old-time saloons, stone churches and turn-of-the-last-century homes. Culturious is all about in-depth experiences that capture the essence of the destination to make your explorations personal, it also opens doors you could not enter on your own, like dinner at a private home in the mountains. Tonight, dine on organic, healthy food from the farm, paired with Colorado's finest wines. Crisp air, an incredible setting and a hearty welcome make this a night to savour and a barbecue dinner that will long be remembered.
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Strater Hotel, Durango
Day 2 Ghost Towns & The Railroad
All aboard! Ride the rails from Durango through the scenic San Juan Mountains to Silverton aboard a vintage steam-powered locomotive to experience one of the most scenic rail journeys. Anywhere. The world over. The narrow gauge tracks have been in continuous use for 127 years - the historic locomotives are still coal-fired, steam operated and in vintage condition. Old West towns grew up and prospered thanks to the natural riches of the surrounding mountains. Have lunch in Silverton, a study in "gold rush" prosperity and railroad lore. While the shine may have come off the silver that was mined here, the head-turning natural beauty of this place continues to dazzle. Hop aboard a four-wheel-drive vehicle as we climb higher up into the mountains; ghost towns, like Animas Forks, share their legacies - and views - along the way. Drive back to Durango on the "million Dollar Highway" before dinner.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Strater Hotel, Durango
Day 3 Anasazi Heritage
Spend the morning exploring Durango as you wish or join us for a visit to the Railway Museum, enlivened by fascinating insights from one of the curators who, in addition to loving trains, really knows a lot about their history in the glory days of the American West. After lunch, we'll drive to your lodge in Mesa Verde National Park, one of the first national parks set aside to preserve the work of the people. Learn about life here when a member of the Navajo Nation shares a contemporary perspective on Native American culture.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Far View Lodge, Mesa Verde National Park
Day 4 Cliff Dwellings of Mesa Verde
There are some 4,000 known archaeological sites in Mesa Verde, dating from 600 to 1300 AD, vestiges of ancient civilizations that challenged the wilderness – and thrived. Seasonal nomads, these early cultures lived off the land, sharing a communal lifestyle and ceremonial traditions that sustained them through all kinds of weather and hardships. Get an overview of their cultural tenacity at the Mesa Verde Museum, before joining our local guide on a rock-art hunt along dirt paths. Petroglyphs remain etched on sandstone canvasses to paint a telling portrait of its residents. A picnic lunch of Native American foods and a 1/4 mile downhill hike to the Cliff Palace – the largest and most elaborate cliff dwelling in the park is four stories high, with early steep-roofed porches, towers and kivas (ceremonial rooms) – is just part of your Culturious experience.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Far View Lodge, Mesa Verde National Park
Day 5 A Natural Movie Set
Be sure to pack your camera for today’s visit to the exact spot where the corners of four U.S. states meet; interstate travel has never been so easy! Impressive, monumental moments continue as we drive to Monument Valley, defying the imagination with standing rock sculptures that break all the rules. Navajo guides know the lay of the land unlike anyone else; explore by jeep with an expert, who not only cooks up an amazing repertoire of fascinating discoveries, but also invites you to a cookout in the heart of the valley. The height of Culturious discovery continues on our chartered flightseeing plane from Monument Valley over Canyonlands National Park (an included value of $450). Spirits soaring, fly on to Moab, where ranch hands take over to show you a more luxurious side of daily life at a desert resort.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Sorrel River Ranch, Moab
Day 6 Take a walk on the Wild Side
Wake up in time to get up in the saddle this morning for a trail ride that encourages the cowboy in you. The Colorado River, sandstone buttes and flat-topped mesas provide a beautiful backdrop for this outdoor adventure. A change of pace and setting follows during our visit to the funky honky-tonk town of Moab, frequented by an eclectic mix of outdoor enthsiasts and artists. Take part in a favourite fown tradition when we have lunch at Moab diner, where the locals go! A short drive away, Canyonlands National Park entices with rugged scenery of bizarre pinnacles, sheer-sided alleys and other worldly topography. Colours take on unearthly hues of pink and orange that glow and change depending on the light of the day, adding new dimensions to today's discoveries. Dinner is on your own tonight: take a shuttle back to Moab or remain at our beautiful lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Sorrel River Ranch, Moab
Day 7 Glowing Arches
Hundreds of unusual red sandstone sculptures dominate the landscape in nearby Arches National Park. Carved by wind and rain and chiseled with Mother Nature’s whimsical touch, these wondrous formations create a geologic playground for the Culturious. Take a three-mile hike up sloping, slick rock to Delicate Arch, balancing precariously on the edge of a canyon, and continue on to Devil’s Garden, straight out of a Roadrunner cartoon. Cool off back at the ranch, take a dip in the pool, or put your feet up in the spa, aaahhh... Dinner tonight is a festive affair, western style, a fitting Culturious finale before we hit the trail for home in the morning.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Sorrel River Ranch, Moab
Day 8 Journey Home
Tour ends: Moab. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from the Sorrel River Ranch to Grand Junction Airport (approx. 90 minute ride). Allow a minimum of two hours for check-in.
Meals: Breakfast
