Itinerary Details
Insight Vacations: Wonders of the American West - Classic Group
Day 1 - Arrive in Las Vegas
Welcome to glittering Las Vegas. At Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, see the City of Lights with the same passion, excitement and ambiance of Europe's most romantic city. This evening, savor dinner accompanied by wine in the company of your fellow travelers.
Accommodations: Paris, Las Vegas
Meals: Dinner with Wine
Day 2 - Zion National Park
After a brief stop in St. George, arrive in Utah's first national park, Zion National Park. Follow the paths where Native Americans and pioneers once walked as you gaze up at massive sandstone cliffs of cream, pink and red. Learn about the park at the Visitor Center before taking a narrated tram ride along Zion Canyon Scenic Drive alongside the rushing Virgin River and soaring canyon walls. This winding road, closed to private vehicles during the summer, will take you to some of the most treasured spots in the park. This evening, arrive at Bryce Canyon Lodge for a leisurely two nights inside the park to explore the nearby trails and vistas.
Accommodations: The Lodge at Bryce Canyon
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3 - Whimsical Bryce Canyon National Park Relaxed Start
Start the day by traveling through Bryce Canyon National Park, the great natural amphitheater. Encounter some of Utah's most unusual, whimsical eroded rock formations that characterize this National Park. With your Travel Director, learn how wind, erosion and iron oxidation created the spellbinding hoodoos. Opt to explore by horseback joining a ride in the Dixie National Forest and the rim of Water Canyon Amphitheater, the first canyon in Bryce Canyon National Park. You'll then climb Bristlecone Pine Ridge lined with 1,500-year-old Bristlecone Pines (one of the oldest living things on the North American continent.) This evening, go off the beaten path and into the woods of Bryce Canyon to view the color-changing hoodoos as the sun sets. Conclude the day feasting on a three-course dinner with wine while being entertained by local musicians.
Accommodations: The Lodge at Bryce Canyon
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Day 4 - Escalante National Monument and Capitol Reef
Experience Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, an outstanding biological resource spanning five life-zones, from low-lying desert to coniferous forest. As you explore this rugged land of the Ancestral Puebloan and Fremont people, discover how they were experts at farming. Rock art panels, occupation sites, campsites and granaries built by their descendants still remain today. Venture to Capitol Reef National Park’s landscape of colorful canyons, ridges, buttes and monoliths. Admire its white sandstone cliffs resembling capitol building domes and reefs evoking barrier reefs of the sea.
Accommodations: Element, Moab
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5 - Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park
Visit Arches National Park, housing the greatest concentration of natural arches in the world. View the iconic, 52-foot, freestanding natural arch, the most widely recognized landmark in Utah. Then it's onto Canyonlands National Park for a drive onto the Island in the Sky, a mesa resting 1,000 feet above the countryside. Your sightseeing tour includes spots at various lookout points including the Grand Viewpoint with sweeping views of the Colorado River carving through the red-rock landscape. Tonight, take your pick from a selection of local restaurants to customize your Dine-Around evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Day 6 - Mesa Verde National Park
Enjoy a deep discovery of the fascinating Mesa Verde National Park. Learn how the park protects some of the best-preserved Ancestral Puebloan archaeological sites in the United States and is considered one of the top cultural attractions in the Western United States. Among 600 historic cliff dwellings, view the ancient pueblo dwellings known as Cliff Palace, the largest cliff dwelling in the country. This evening, settle in for a relaxing stay inside Mesa Verde National Park.
Accommodations: Far View Lodge, Mesa Verde National Park
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7 - Durango Free Time and Monument Valley Relaxed Start
This morning, amble through the streets of historic Durango before stopping near the iconic backdrop of Forrest Gump's last run featured in the film. Deepen your knowledge and your connection with the first peoples of this land as you travel to Monument Valley for an Authentic Cookout Dinner with members of the Navajo Nation. Hop in an off-road, open-air vehicle to the cookout site where you’ll enjoy a delicious barbeque grilled dinner with a chance to try traditional Navajo fry-bread. Bask in the stunning red rock scenery and take in the sounds of nature as you enjoy your picnic style dinner with members of the Navajo Nation. Savor each moment of this insightful MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience that provides a sustainable workforce for the Navajo people.
Accommodations: Goulding's Lodge, Monument Valley
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8 - Monument Valley to Mystery Valley Relaxed Start
Embark on an exclusive Insight Experience into Mystery Valley’s relatively unknown haven of Anasazi Ruins and rock art. Explore this intriguing stretch of desert full of graceful geological formations, petroglyphs, scattered artefacts like broken pottery shards and breath-taking views of the spectacular buttes of neighbouring Monument Valley Tribal Park. A true hidden gem, your visit accompanied by a local Navajo (Diné) guide is a unique opportunity for a guided tour among ancient Indigenous ruins. Continue through the barren beauty of the desert to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park where you will board off-road open-air vehicles to explore the valley. This area is also the backdrop for many Western Hollywood hits, including "Stagecoach" and "Fort Apache." Inspired by these iconic movies, you’ll find “John Wayne’s cabin” at nearby Goulding’s Lodge. This small structure was used for exterior shots in "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon," starring Wayne himself.
Accommodations: Goulding's Lodge, Monument Valley
Meals: Breakfast
Day 9 - The Wonders of the Grand Canyon
Begin your final day visiting the historic Cameron Trading Post to pick up some Navajo jewelry, baskets, pottery and artwork. Continue to Desert View for one of the best views of the Grand Canyon from its watchtower. Admire this iconic building inspired by ancient Native American watchtowers and decorated with murals by a Hopi artist. Our visit and MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience contributes to the development of the Desert Viewpoint Intertribal Cultural Heritage Site which will allow guests to interact with Native Americans representing the 11 Indigenous tribes traditionally associated with the Grand Canyon. Journey on to Grand Canyon National Park, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Choose to hike along the scenic Rim Trail with your Travel Director. Alternatively, join a Local Expert, 'Canyon Tim,' for a fascinating discussion on the wonders of this natural phenomenon, the local flora and fauna and how you might be able to spot local wildlife. End your vacation inside Grand Canyon featuring a three-course dinner with wine and spectacular sunset views over the canyon.
Accommodations: Grand Canyon National Park Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Day 10 - Return to Las Vegas
Wake up to the backdrop of the Grand Canyon and enjoy some peace and tranquillity before the day trippers arrive. You may take an optional flight-seeing helicopter ride for stunning views over the Grand Canyon before your journey ends with a departure transfer to Las Vegas International Airport. For those extending their stay in Las Vegas, a complimentary hotel transfer to the Las Vegas post-night hotel is included.
Meals: Breakfast
