Itinerary Details
Tauck World Discovery: Wild, Wild West Family Adventure
Day 1 Durango CO
Arrive Durango
Tour begins: 5:00 PM, Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Durango. A transfer is included from the Durango-La Plata County Airport to the Doubletree Hotel Durango, located on the beautiful Animas River within walking distance of downtown Durango. Settle into your river-view room and join us tonight for a welcome dinner where you will meet your fellow family travelers.
Meals: D
Day 2 Durango CO
Hiking, hot springs and chuckwagon fare
Start your day on a morning hike with a local guide who shows you the quintessential western landscapes Durango is known for. Surrounded by the San Juan Mountains and located next to the Animas River, this historic town entices with endless trails, a free-flowing river and outdoor activities that make the most of the great outdoors ¬- including whitewater rafting, hiking, bicycling and more - even opportunities to soak in naturally heated hot springs that have attracted visitors for centuries. Spend the afternoon at the Durango Hot Springs, relaxing in its 26 mineral pools, private Japanese-style soaking tubs and swimming pools as you wish, before returning to town for time at leisure. Tonight, get a taste of cowboy life at a chuckwagon dinner, complete with old West musical entertainment. Strike it rich before dinner when you try your hand panning for gold, see a blacksmith at work, choose a small train ride, visit old time shops, from chocolate to leather, and enjoy a playground built for outdoor fun.
Meals: B, D
Day 3
Horseback riding & Mesa Verde National Park
Saddle up for a trail ride this morning with a local cowboy before exploring Durango as you wish. This afternoon, we are headed for the only lodge inside Mesa Verde National Park for an overnight stay. The park protects the history of 27 Native American groups and is filled with over a thousand kinds of animals and plants - even some that live nowhere else on Earth. It's also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Dark Sky Park, which means the stars at night are out of this world. The lodge you will be staying at was authentically designed to reflect the local culture and natural setting and overlooks endless layered sandstone, canyons and the park's signature mesas. Take in the views after dinner this evening during a private night of family fun with board and lawn games, s'mores and more.
Meals: B, D
Day 4
Ancient cliff dwellings & a historic trading post lodge
Discover what it was like to live in cave-like apartments carved high up in the cliffs and on the flat-topped mesas of Mesa Verde National Park like Ancestral Pueblo families did for over 700 years. Your expert local guide will share the history, architecture and spiritual stories of this amazing place today when you see the homes for yourself. Join a park ranger for a visit to the 150-room Cliff Palace, the largest and most famous cliff dwelling in the park; built between 1190 and 1280, it was once home to over 100 people. After lunch, continue on to your historic trading post lodge inside Monument Valley. Learn about Navajo culture tonight during a fascinating presentation and cultural performance.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 5 Moab, Utah, USA
Monument Valley & Moab
Embark on an exciting 4x4 excursion with a local Navajo guide who shares personal insights about the giant sandstoneformations you'll see; learn about the legends and spiritual significance of the sights and the cultural traditions that live on in the tribal park today.One of the most photographed places on Earth, the towering formations of Monument Valley, sculpted over 300 million years, soar 400 to 1,000 feet above the valley floor. Combined with the surrounding mesas, buttes and desert environment, it truly is one of the world's natural wonders. Get ready to sleep in the great outdoors for the next three nights when you arrive in Moab late this afternoon. Your accommodations are in safari-inspired luxury tents in a secluded desert setting with views across Canyonlands National Park, seamlessly immersing you in the wonders of nature that surround you.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 6 Moab, Utah, USA
Arches National Park & Moab Giants
Explore Arches National Park, driving past unique naturally sculpted formations and making stops that bring you close to the sandstone rock stars you'll find here. The park has over 2,000 natural stone arches, hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive rock fins, and giant balanced rocks, making it a red-rock wonderland like no other. View iconic landmarks like Delicate Arch, the most famous and most photographed arch in the park; Double Arch, towering 122 feet above the ground; Balanced Rock, estimated to weigh 3,577 tons or the weight of 27 blue whales, and more. Continue on to Moab Giants for lunch and time to experience all the activities at this dinosaur-inspired museum. Its state-of-the-art exhibits feature replicas of life-sized dinosaurs that roamed in the area as well as their tracks, which are found in abundance around Moab; the museum's virtual reality technology takes you back in time, assuring a memorable experience for every age and generation.
Meals: B, L
Day 7 Moab, Utah, USA
Colorado River Rafting or the Hole in the Rock Museum
Moab's iconic national parks are just the beginning of the natural treasures found in this area. Surrounding the town are rivers, forests, and desert landscapes just waiting to be explored, with the Colorado River inviting with rafting adventures for all abilities. Embark on a float trip through mild whitewater rapids today, paddling downstream for lunch at Red Cliffs Lodge, then continuing downstream for an afternoon of scenic delights. Conditions on the river are at the pleasure of Mother Nature, so the water levels will vary with the flow and the weather. As an alternative excursion to our rafting adventure, you may enjoy a visit to the Hole in the Rock Museum, centered around a 5,000 sq. ft. house carved into a sandstone cliff, and home to a petting zoo and a trading post. Spend the rest of the day as you wish, before joining us for a farewell reception and dinner at your tented camp.
Meals: B, L
Day 8
Journey home
Tour ends: Moab. A group transfer is available to take you from ULUM Moab to Grand Junction Regional Airport for your journey home, an approximate two-hour drive. Flights should not be scheduled prior to 12 noon. Allow a minimum of two hours for flight check in at the airport.
Meals: B
