What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but a hearty yell into the canyons of the American Southwest will return with an echo from across the abyss. A night at the slot machines segues into a gauntlet of slot canyons in Zion National Park—a maze of cream, pink, and red sculpted sandstone—and the crimson amphitheaters of Bryce Canyon’s red rock hoodoos and goblins. And what prolific artists were water and wind to create such masterpieces of sand and stone in Arches National Park—with 2,000 red sandstone arches and fins carved among inexplicable balancing rock formations. As the earth below your feet retreats further from the sun, a night sky like no other eclipses the day after the sunset has spilled its painted light through the archways at dusk. More stars are in your future as your Canyonlands escape follows the tracks of horse wranglers and Native hunters in Dead Horse Point State Park outside Moab. Each dark sky night is a starry feast for the eyes from every rocky vantage point—where Native ancestral tribes and wild Mustangs once ruled its mesas 2,000 feet above the Colorado River. The grand finale is the Grand Canyon itself—one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and holy ground for its first peoples. No wonder!
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Welcome to lively Las Vegas! At 6pm, meet your traveling companions for a welcome drink. Your Tour Director will prepare you for your upcoming adventure.
This morning, leave “Sin City” behind and travel northeast into Utah to visit ZION NATIONAL PARK, the state’s biggest and oldest national park. Explore Zion’s deep red canyon walls and its oasis that relies on the historic Virgin River—a tributary of the Colorado River running through the park. Next, continue to BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK, where wind, water, and time have shaped the sandstone cliffs into magical and curious goblins, towers, and fins.
Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner
Today, continue north and travel further into Utah’s Colorado Plateau. Arrive at the town of Moab, an outdoor adventure mecca and the location of geological drama of impressive degrees. Tonight, why not enjoy dinner at one of Moab’s restaurants or visit the shops on Main Street?
Meals included: Breakfast
After breakfast, visit ARCHES NATIONAL PARK, carved by wind to create more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches. Later, visit DEAD HORSE POINT STATE PARK, known for the wild mustangs that roamed the area before the turn of the 19th century only to be round-up by cowboys and corralled in the nature-made promontory. Enjoy dramatic scenery as an ever-changing landscape unfolds. This evening is free to enjoy Moab on your own.
Meals included: Breakfast
After breakfast, travel south for a special visit to MONUMENT VALLEY NAVAJO TRIBAL PARK, where isolated red buttes surrounded by vast desert bring the American West alive. Join a local Navajo guide for a comfortable 4-WHEEL-DRIVE tour to explore Monument Valley’s backcountry. Then, visit Goulding’s Lodge for lunch and enjoy authentic Navajo fry bread. Spend some free time exploring Goulding’s Trading Post Museum, offering a glimpse into the bygone era of the Old West, the valley’s western movie locales, and the area’s rich history and culture. Next continue to GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World drawing more than 5 million visitors a year. After an orientation tour of Grand Canyon Village, arrive at your hotel for a 2-night stay. Be sure to view the canyon’s awe-inspiring sunset, followed by Mother Nature’s own light show of the starry sky above this designated Dark Sky Park. Tonight, why not enjoy dinner at the historic El Tovar Lodge with its displays of murals depicting the customs of the regional Native American Tribes – the Hopi, the Apache, the Mojave, and the Navajo.
Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch
Today, a full free day to explore Grand Canyon National Park. You may wish to partake in an exciting optional flightseeing trip over the Grand Canyon or explore the rim on foot. Visit Mather Point and the Grand Canyon Visitor Center to learn about the geology of the canyon and enjoy a visually stunning video exploration of the canyon rim to the river—from dawn to dusk. Be sure to visit the Kolb Studio, the 1905 restored family home of the Kolb brothers who created a lasting legacy of exploration photography within the canyon. Tonight, join your Tour Director for a special farewell dinner.
Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner
This morning, leave the great canyons behind and return to Las Vegas with a stop at Las Vegas McCarran International Airport for those with homebound flights. The trip ends at Treasure Island Hotel for those guests with extra nights.
Meals included: Breakfast