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Day 1 ARRIVE IN DENVER

Welcome to Colorado! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome drink.

Day 2 DENVER - ROYAL GORGE ROUTE RAILROAD - COLORADO SPRINGS

DENVER Scenic drive to Cañon City to board the Royal Gorge Route Railroad.
ROYAL GORGE ROUTE RAILROAD Scenic train ride along Arkansas River through the Royal Gorge.
COLORADO SPRINGS Guided visit at Garden of The Gods. Free time this evening. (B)

Day 3 COLORADO SPRINGS - SANTA FE

SANTA FE Free time early evening. Dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D)

Day 4 SANTA FE. EXCURSION TO CHIMAYO

SANTA FE Guided trolley tour includes San Miguel Mission, Palace of the Governors, Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, and Loretto Chapel. Free time this evening.
CHIMAYO Lunch at the Rancho de Chimayo. Visit to [LF] Santuario De Chimayo. (B,L)

ENHANCE YOUR FREE TIME in Santa Fe by visiting the shops and restaurants on the historic plaza. Get local maps and tips for free time on your GlobusGO mobile app.

Day 5 SANTA FE - BANDELIER NATIONAL MONUMENT - TAOS - DURANGO

BANDELIER NATIONAL MONUMENT Free time to visit Anasazi Puebloan cliff dwellings and the museum.
TAOS Free time before driving to Durango.
DURANGO Free time this evening. (B)

Day 6 DURANGO. EXCURSION TO MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK

MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) Guided visit includes views of Spruce Tree House and free time at the museum.
DURANGO Tour the D&SNG Railway Museum with the Curator. Free time this evening. (B)

Day 7 DURANGO - NARROW-GAUGE RAILROAD - SILVERTON - GLENWOOD SPRINGS

DURANGO Scenic train trip on the Durango & Silverton Narrow-Gauge Railroad through San Juan Mountains en route to Silverton.
SILVERTON Free time to explore before a scenic drive to Glenwood Springs.
GLENWOOD SPRINGS Overnight stay at [LF] Hotel Colorado. Free time this evening. (B)

Day 8 GLENWOOD SPRINGS - GEORGETOWN LOOP RAILROAD - DENVER

GLENWOOD SPRINGS Scenic drive through the Rocky Mountains en route to Georgetown.
GEORGETOWN Scenic train ride on the Georgetown Loop Railroad.
DENVER Farewell dinner this evening. (B,D)

Day 9 DENVER

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)

DAY 1

Welcome to Denver, Colorado

On arrival in Denver, you’ll be greeted by our Local Insider who will accompany you throughout the trip. Meet your fellow travellers at 6pm and spend the evening mingling at an authentic Denver brewpub, where dinner and a selection of local beers will be served.

ACCOMMODATION

• The Curtis

ACTIVITIES INCLUDED

• Welcome dinner

DAY 2

Transforming landscapes and hiking in Arches National Park, Utah

The adventure really begins on Day 2, as you journey from the American plains and across the Colorado Rockies, where you’ll stop off for wine tasting in Grand Junction. Continuing on, watch the landscape transform from sky-grazing granite peaks into the canyonlands of Utah. You’ll be staying in Moab, gateway to the Arches National Park. Spend the afternoon hiking to the Delicate Arch, where you’ll tuck into burritos as you watch the sun set over the desert. Bed down in a hotel overlooking the Colorado River later that evening.

ACCOMMODATION

• Red Cliffs Lodge

ACTIVITIES INCLUDED

• Wine tasting
• Arches Park Avenue walk
• Delicate Arch sunset hike

DAY 3

Rafting the Colorado River and off-roading in Moab

After a hearty breakfast at the lodge, you’ll spend the morning rafting the Colorado River. There are no rapids in this part of the waterway, so expect a calm trip with ample time to marvel at the red-rock scenery. Following a river swim, you can opt between hiking, mountain biking, horse riding and canyoneering back in the national park or exploring downtown Moab instead. Come nightfall, take an off-road Hummer tour through the surrounding slickrock to really experience Utah.

ACCOMMODATION

• Red Cliffs Lodge

ACTIVITIES INCLUDED

• Rafting on the Colorado River

OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES

• Sunset Hummer tour
• Hiking
• Mountain biking
• Horse riding
• Canyoneering

DAY 4

Devil’s Garden and Dead Horse Point State Park

Receive a sunrise wake-up call to beat the desert heat on your early hike in Arches National Park. You’ll be taking the Devil’s Garden route, which leads past the Landscape Arch, the longest naturally formed stone arch in the world. There will also be a chance to go wild swimming here. After exploring, you’ll head back to Moab for downtime in the hotel pool and hot tub before driving to Dead Horse Point State Park. Watch the sun set over Canyonlands National Park, a bucket list-worthy sight.

ACCOMMODATION

• Red Cliffs Lodge

ACTIVITIES INCLUDED

• Devil’s Garden sunrise hike
• Dead Horse Point State Park sunset hike

OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES

• Horseback ride

DAY 5

Steamboat Springs and soaking under the stars

It’s back over the border to Colorado today; the pretty alpine village of Steamboat Springs is your destination. On the way, you’ll stop for lunch in the quiet town of Rifle before continuing into the Colorado Rockies. Take some time to explore downtown Steamboat before heading into the mountains for a soak at Strawberry Hot Springs. Tucked amid a pine forest, these natural thermal pools are the perfect vantage point to stargaze come nightfall.

ACCOMMODATION

• Residence Inn

ACTIVITIES INCLUDED

• Strawberry Hot Springs entry

DAY 6

Hike Rocky Mountain National Park

You’ll be making your way into the Rocky Mountain National Park this morning, traversing the Trail Ridge Road which stretches up to 12,000ft (3,658m) above sea level. Expect magnificent vistas along this route – and keep your eyes peeled for mountain goats, elk and black bears on the way. Inhale fresh mountain air while enjoying a picnic lunch, combined with a short walk along the Tundra Communities Trail. You’ll then continue on to the mountain town of Estes Park, where you’ll spend the next two nights.

ACCOMMODATION

• Hotel Estes

ACTIVITIES INCLUDED

• Trail Ridge Road scenic drive

OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES

• Guided Tundra Communities Trail hike

DAY 7

Swimming in Bear Lake and cocktails at Stanley Hotel

Your last full day sees you hike the Bear Lake trailhead, which is dotted with picturesque waterfalls. There are easy, moderate and challenging routes from which to choose – and don’t forget your swimsuit as there might be an alpine lake you can’t resist along the way. Later, movie buffs will be in their element as cocktails are served at the supposedly haunted Stanley Hotel, famous for its appearance in the film The Shining (1980). Dinner tonight comes courtesy of the food trucks at The Barrel; regulars include a lobster shack, waffle lab and wood-fired pizza van.

ACCOMMODATION

• Hotel Estes

ACTIVITIES INCLUDED

• Guided hike from Bear Lake trailhead
• Farewell dinner

OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES

• Cocktails at Stanley Hotel

DAY 8

Return to Denver with a Boulder detour

There’s a short drive back to Denver today, but not before stopping at the mountain community of Boulder for lunch. Here, you’ll have a few hours of free time to visit one of the best farmer’s markets in the United States, pop into a local brewery and browse shops along historic Pearl Street. You’ll also swing by the famed Red Rock Amphitheatre – which has seen the Beatles, Stevie Nicks and U2 grace its stage – before returning to Denver and saying your final goodbyes to the group at 4pm.

ACTIVITIES INCLUDED

• Red Rock Amphitheatre visit