Colorado Rockies

Adventure awaits as you explore the towering peaks and rolling meadows of Colorado. This tour (which features four national parks) opens in the “Mile High City” of Denver where you will gather for a welcome dinner with your fellow travelers.
Dinner Included
Hotel Name: Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel

Travel through Boulder, a scenic university town known for its iconic landmark... the striking, reddish-brown foothills known as the Flatirons. Stop in Estes Park, a mountain resort town and home of the Stanley Hotel, the inspiration for Stephen King’s The Shining. Your adventure in Rocky Mountain National Park starts on the Trail Ridge Road, the highest paved, continuous highway in North America. It’s a drive that should be on everybody’s bucket list. At Rainbow Curve, marvel at the majestic mountains that stand in contrast to deep, rugged canyons. Later, return to Denver for a free evening in this dynamic city.

Breakfast Included

Visit Area: Denver
Denver, the capital of Colorado, was founded on November 22, 1858, as a mining town. It is nicknamed the Mile-High City because of its official elevation of exactly one mile. Although developed into an urban area, much of Denver still remains green for outdoor adventures.

The spectacular Rocky Mountains are your traveling companion. Make a scenic drive from Denver to Grand Junction, passing through many of Colorado’s famous ski resorts. This journey also takes you to one of the grand landscapes of the American West – Colorado National Monument. Continue along the monument's historic Rim Rock Drive to see a colorful panorama of deep, sheer-sided canyons and high rock towers. Gather for dinner at a favorite local hangout in Grand Junction, a town that attracts outdoorsmen, foodies and all manner of free spirits.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included
Hotel Name: DoubleTree by Hilton Grand Junction Hotel

Admittance: Rocky Mountain National Park
Established in 1915, Rocky Mountain National Park is located in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains and features mountain views, mountain lakes and a variety of wildlife. The park is dominated by Longs Peak. Each year thousands of people attempt to scale this 14,259-foot peak, one of Colorado's "fourteeners." The park is also visited hikers and rock climbers.

Today, venture to another amazing national park – Colorado’s own “Grand Canyon”! Marvel at the steep-walled gorge and dramatic views of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park while travelling along its South Rim. Pause at one of the scenic viewpoints to soak in this stunning wilderness of rock, water, and sky. Enjoy a picnic lunch overlooking some of the steepest and oldest rock walls in North America, carved over 2 million years by the Gunnison River. Perhaps you’ll even spot a peregrine falcon. Then, immerse yourself in the stories of the American west during a tour of the Museum of the Mountain West, a preserved and re-created pioneer town that captures life as it was over a century ago. Return to Grand Junction for an evening at leisure.

Breakfast Included
Lunch Included

Visit Area: Colorado National Monument
Located on desert land on the Colorado Plateau, the Colorado National Monument hosts a variety of wildlife, including red-tailed hawks, golden eagles, ravens, desert bighorn sheep and coyotes. The area was first explored by John Otto in the early 20th century, when many residents believed the canyons to be inaccessible to humans. The park was then established on May 24, 1911. Today, many come to hike, horseback ride, bicycle and take scenic drives through the park.

Head south to Silverton, a former silver mining town and now a National Historic Landmark. Hidden high in the San Juan Mountains, this town blends spectacular scenery, Victorian charm and historic architecture. Then it's “all aboard” the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. This 1881 coal-fired, steam-powered locomotive made its name hauling silver and gold ore from the San Juan Mountains, but you will soon realize it is the view that is its most precious asset.

Breakfast Included
Hotel Name: Strater Hotel

Visit Area: Grand Junction
The city of Grand Junction is the home rule municipality located along the Colorado River. Grand Junction serves as a major commercial and transportation hub between the Green River and the Continental Divide. Like most of Colorado, Grand Junction also serves a natural beauty and red rock landscape. Many come to hike, camp, and ski. In the downtown area, visitors can shop at local stores, dine at various restaurants and view art galleries.

An incredible day awaits in Mesa Verde National Park (UNESCO), home of the ancient Ancestral Puebloan civilization. Join a local guide on a drive through the park making several photo stops including views of the famous Spruce Tree House, one of Mesa Verde’s best preserved cliff dwellings and Cliff Palace, the largest in the park. This evening, experience a farm-to-table dinner on a family-owned ranch surrounded by red mountain peaks and lush green pastures.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included

Visit Area: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Sit back and relax during a scenic ride to Colorado Springs. En route, marvel at the landscape as you make your way from the San Juan National Forest and across Wolf Creek Pass, a section of the Continental Divide that would take pioneers two to three weeks to cross. Continue on through the Rio Grande National Forest, a vast expanse of wilderness named for the 1,800 miles of Rio Grande River that cuts through the forest. Your day concludes in Colorado Springs, an artistic and cultural hub.

Breakfast Included
Hotel Name: Embassy Suites by Hilton

Admittance: Museum of the Mountain West

Depart for Manitou Springs, home of Pike’s Peak – the legendary symbol of the 1859 Gold Rush. Embark on a journey aboard the Pike’s Peak Cog Railway, the world’s highest cog railroad, for an 8.9 mile trip to the top of Pike’s Peak. During the journey you will see magnificent views and perhaps animals in their native habitat. Later, travel to the Garden of the Gods to take in the view of towering sandstone formations that dot the landscape set in the backdrop of majestic Pikes Peak. Tonight, join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner and celebrate your adventure.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included

Admittance: Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
The Durango & Silverton Railroad has run continuously since 1881. The line was constructed to haul silver & gold ore from the San Juan Mountains, but passengers soon realized it was the view that was truly precious. This historic train has been in continuous operation for 131 years, carrying passengers behind vintage steam locomotives. Relive the sights and sounds of yesteryear for a spectacular journey on board the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

Your tour comes to a close in Colorado Springs.

Admittance: Mesa Verde National Park (UNESCO)
Mesa Verde National Park is the largest archaeological preserve in the United States. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park was created in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt to protect cliff dwellings, which are structures built within caves and under outcroppings in the cliff. Today, visitors come to see some of the park features, which include ruins of homes and villages built by the Ancient Pueblo people, the Anasazi.