Compare Utah's National Parks from Las Vegas by Tours of Distinction vs Western Rails & Canyons with Rocky Mountaineer by Globus

Day 1 - Arrive Las Vegas, NV

Today, transfer to the airport for your flight to Las Vegas. Upon our arrival, we transfer to our hotel on the Las Vegas strip. This evening, there is a Tours of Distinction exclusive welcome reception with the remainder of the evening free to explore the vibrant nightlife that is Vegas.

Day 2 - Grand Canyon Village, AZ

After breakfast, we depart Las Vegas and travel past Lake Mead and Hoover Dam as we enter Arizona. We stop in Kingman to tour the Route 66 Museum, which highlights the glory days of cross country automobile travel. We travel Route 66 heading east through northern Arizona. This afternoon, we will see “One of the Wonders of the World,” Grand Canyon National Park. This 1.2 million acre national park hosts a vast variety of wildlife and scenic wonders. We will learn about the geology and history of the canyon while taking in its breathtaking beauty at all the best view points along the South Rim, including Grand Canyon Village. After, we check into our hotel just outside of the park. Dinner is included this evening.

Day 3 - Lake Powell, UT

Breakfast is included this morning before we make one more pass along the south rim of the Grand Canyon National Park. We include a stop at Desert View before exiting the park. Then, enter the Navajo Nation with a rest stop at Cameron Trading Post with time to explore the amazing gift shop.  Next travel past the Vermillion Cliffs as you make your way to Page for an included lunch.  Then take a spectacular tour through Antelope Canyon.  The mysterious and haunting beauty of Antelope Canyon awaits the adventurous traveler who seeks to discover one of the most spectacular attractions of the Lake Powell area.  A tour to this awe-inspiring sculpture set in stone is a must for amateur and professional photographers alike.  An optional short hike to Horseshoe Bend for a stunning view of the Colorado River is available.  Arrive Lake Powell Resort with the evening free to explore and have dinner on your own.

Day 4 - Monument Valley

The morning starts with breakfast and a scenic cruise on Lake Powell. The contrast of the red rock walls and emerald blue waters are a stunning sight as we glide through the canyons. After, there is time for lunch, on own. This afternoon, we depart Lake Powell and travel to famed Monument Valley, a sacred place to the Navajo. We will be immersed in the rich cultural heritage of the ‘Dineh’ people. Their arts, music and livelihood are all closely tied to the dramatic desert landscape that is their home. After checking in to our hotel, we meet our Navajo guide and board a 4-wheel drive vehicle for a scenic tour of Monument Valley; location for scores of famous western films, television programs and commercials. As we travel through the valley and visit famous locations, such as John Ford Point, Artist Point and The Totem Pole, we will also learn more of the Navajo traditions and way of life. This evening, we experience Navajo culture, food and entertainment at a Navajo Cookout. After a wonderful day, we settle into our hotel.

Day 5 - Arches National Park

After breakfast, we depart Monument Valley and head north, arriving at Dead Horse Point State Park for a picnic lunch and one of the most spectacular scenes in the southwest. We have the chance to see the expanse of Canyonlands National Park stretching to the south and the mighty Colorado River 2,000 feet below. From here, we are off to nearby Arches National Park for sightseeing. The 18,000 square-foot visitor center (with over 2,000 named arches within its 73,000-acre boundary) will introduce us to the unique geologic forces that created the highest concentration of natural arches in the world. We visit all of the park’s highlights including: Park Avenue, Balance Rock, The Windows and Delicate Arch. In the late afternoon, we embark on a fabulous experience, as we take a Jet Boat Ride on the mighty Colorado River through spectacular red rock canyons. As the sun dips in the west, the canyon colors come to life while we learn about the river’s ecosystem, geology and history. After the thrilling ride, we enjoy a delicious BBQ dinner served on the banks of the Colorado River. We later arrive at the beautiful Red Cliffs Adventure Lodge which is located on the bank of the mighty Colorado, and check in for a two night stay. This area has been the site of numerous classic western movies including Rio Grande with John Wayne.

Day 6 - Canyonlands National Park

Our day starts after breakfast by meeting our professional driver guide and board 4x4 vehicles for a Jeep Tour of Canyonlands National Park. The Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park is the focus of this outstanding tour. Set 2,000 feet above the canyon floor, we descend from the top of the mesa via the famous Shafer Trail. Using switchbacks, the tour will take us from atop the mesa to the meandering river corridor below. Throughout the tour, our guide will provide information on the Park and the scenery. What an exciting morning in Canyonlands! Enjoy free time in Moab to have lunch on own, and to do some shopping and exploring. This afternoon, we return to Red Cliffs where we have the rest of the day free to relax and soak in the scenery. There is time to visit the Utah Movie Museum and the Castle Creek Winery, both included, at your leisure. Dinner, this evening, will be served outside with the quintessential western scenery of Castle Valley in full view.

Day 7 - Bryce Canyon National Park

From breakfast, we depart Moab for Capitol Reef National Park. We pass through the town of Green River and the San Rafael Swell. We will see ancient petroglyphs, beautiful rock formations, deep canyons and pioneer history followed by a wonderful picnic lunch under towering cottonwood trees. We will drive scenic Highway 12, designated as an ‘All American Road,’ through Grand Staircase ~ Escalante National Monument, before arriving at Bryce Canyon National Park for sightseeing. Later, we check into our hotel for the evening. This evening is free to enjoy dinner, on own.

Day 8 - Zion National Park - Depart Las Vegas

We depart after breakfast on a short drive to see Utah’s oldest and most famous national park, Zion National Park. The Paiutes believed mischievous spirits lived among the 2,000-foot high towers and would not enter the canyon alone or remain there after dark. There will be time for lunch on own before crossing the desert returning to the glitz and glam of Las Vegas. After an amazing trip through some of our nation’s greatest natural treasures, we enjoy a farewell dinner before being transferred to the airport for your flight home.

Day 1: ARRIVE IN DENVER, COLORADO

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

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Day 2: DENVER–COLORADO SPRINGS

The Mile-High City See Denver’s historic Union Station, Mile High Stadium, and more on an orientation tour en route to Colorado Springs. Explore Garden of the Gods Park, featuring 300-foot towering sandstone rock formations against a backdrop of snowcapped Pikes Peak and brilliant blue skies. Take a thrilling ride on the Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway. Travel up to the summit of 14,115-foot Pikes Peak, the place that inspired Katharine Lee Bates to write America the Beautiful. Tonight, a [LF] home-cooked BBQ dinner with western music under the stars at the historic Flying W Ranch (weather permitting). (Breakfast,Dinner)

LOCAL FAVORITE
LOCAL TASTES Enjoy some Rocky Mountain home cooking under the stars with a BBQ at Flying W Ranch. Tap along to western music to get you in the spirit in this working cattle ranch in the Colorado foothills!

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Day 3: COLORADO SPRINGS–GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK–DURANGO

Peak Perfection A scenic drive travels along the Highway of Legends Scenic and Historic Byway, over the Sangre de Cristo Range, home to ten 14,000-foot peaks, and through meandering ranchlands to Great Sand Dunes National Park. Later, continue deeper into the Colorado wilderness passing through the San Juan National Forest to Durango. Tonight is free to explore Durango. Why not visit the saloons, speakeasy, and more on historic Main Street. (Breakfast)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
NATURAL WONDERS A sandbox of epic proportions, the entire dune field encompasses 30 square miles, with the tallest dune towering 750 feet high. With the highest dunes in North America, Great Sand Dunes National Park is a diverse landscape of grasslands, wetlands, forests, and soaring peaks. Enjoy free time here to explore the dunefield trails.

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Day 4: DURANGO. RAIL JOURNEY TO SILVERTON

Rocky Mountain Highs This morning, board the [LF] Durango & Silverton Narrow-Gauge Railroad for a scenic ride through San Juan National Forest. Return to Durango for a free evening. (Breakfast)

LOCAL FAVORITE
EPIC RIDE The legendary Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad train hugs steep canyon walls as it winds its way through Rio de las Animas Canyon to Silverton, a National Historic Landmark. Silverton, once a major mining town, owes its name to an early miner’s claim, “We have no gold, but silver by the ton!” Spend time visiting the breweries, boutiques, and saloons that dot the thriving Greene Street.

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Day 5: DURANGO–MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK–CANYONS OF THE ANCIENTS–MOAB, UTAH

Ancient Mystery Today is a step back to ancient times, lands, and people. Start with a visit to Mesa Verde National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, continuing to the Canyon of the Ancients Visitor Center and Museum. Continue to Moab for a free evening. (Breakfast)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORY & TRADITION Learn about the Ancestral Puebloans and see their mysterious, centuries-old cliff dwellings. Also, visit the museum that depicts the story of the people who once thrived on this 8,000-foot plateau, and stop at a great vantage point for pictures of Cliff Palace (one of the largest of the 700-year-old Anasazi dwellings). Visit the Canyon of the Ancients Visitor Center and Museum en route to Moab. Learn of the Ancestral Puebloan, Native American, and historic cultures in the Four Corners region. Then, walk in the footsteps of these great peoples by visiting the Escalante and Dominquez Pueblos.

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Day 6: MOAB. EXCURSION TO CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK & DEADHORSE STATE PARK

Crimson Canyons Visit magnificent Canyonlands National Park. Return to Moab for a free evening. Perhaps visit the quaint shops and restaurants on Main Street or stretch your legs on the Mill Creek Parkway Trail. (Breakfast)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
NATURAL WONDERS Explore the magnificent views of Canyonlands National Park to see deep canyons stretching across the Colorado Plateau, an intricate canyon labyrinth with a million crimson hues. Then, on to Dead Horse Point State Park to see a vast mesa with an incredible view of the Colorado River as it twists through a gooseneck canyon 2,000 feet below.

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Day 7: MOAB–ARCHES NATIONAL PARK–ROCKY MOUNTAINEER–GLENWOOD SPRINGS, COLORADO

Rockies by Rail Today, explore the incredible landscape of Arches National Park, containing more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches, including the world-famous Delicate Arch. Then embark on the Rocky Mountaineer for a scenic train ride in Silver Leaf Class. Travel east through the Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area. See Parachute Creek and Mount Logan while following the scenic Colorado River. Take in the beautiful red rock formations, desert cliffs of Ruby Canyon, and mountain vistas. Overnight stay in historic Glenwood Springs, Colorado. (Breakfast,Dinner)

NOTE:
Glenwood Springs’ properties are considered moderate 3-star hotels or better. Your chosen hotel is determined by Rocky Mountaineer; however, you can rest assured that it satisfies our high standards of cleanliness and comfort.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
TRAIN SPOTLIGHT The Rocky Mountaineer travels through spectacular scenery. SilverLeaf Service features a single-level coach offering reclining seats, and meals served at your seat, and panoramic views from oversized windows. Enjoy an onboard culinary experience in regional cuisine and ingredients local to the Southwestern U.S.

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Day 8: GLENWOOD SPRINGS–ROCKY MOUNTAINEER–DENVER

On Top of the World A full day aboard the Rocky Mountaineer through the Colorado high country. From dense wooded forests and white-capped mountains of White River National Forest to the picturesque Byers and Gore Canyons and the tranquil mountain lakes of Arapahoe National Forest, you’ll experience the journey of a lifetime. Cross the high elevations of the Continental Divide with a sparkling wine toast while driving through the six-mile-long Moffatt Tunnel. Arrive in Denver this evening for a farewell dinner hosted by your Tour Director tonight. (Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)

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Day 9: DENVER

Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. Want to explore more of Denver? Extra nights are available for purchase. (Breakfast)

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