Meals Included: None

Begin your journey south today as we pick up in St. Albert, Sherwood Park, South Edmonton, Leduc, Red Deer, Innisfail, Calgary, and Lethbridge before heading to the border, stopping at Duty Free, and then crossing into the US at Sweet Grass.

From here, carry on to Great Falls where you will be staying at the Sleep Inn. Rest up and get ready for another day of travel tomorrow.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Welcome Dinner

This morning, you board your motorcoach and continue south into the state of Wyoming. Take in the vast expanses of the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains as you head into Casper, WY, along the way we will stop at Judith Gap where we will have a photo op beside a giant wind turbine blade. 

We will finish our day at the Ramkota Casper where you will have a chance to mingle with your fellow travellers for an included Welcome Dinner.

Meals Included: Breakfast

We will make our way south to Historic Downtown Fort Collins for some shopping and lunch on your own, you may even partake in a short walking tour of Fort Collins. Then we are off to Littleton, CO where we will check in to the Holiday Inn Express for the evening.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch 

Get ready for some stunning sights that will fill our day.  We start heading just west of Denver to the Red Rocks Amphitheater. This natural wonder is an acoustically perfect and naturally formed amphitheater engraved into the hills where all of the greatest musicians and performers have entertained. Creating a stunning backdrop for amazing photos and a fantastic view down on Denver CO.

Next, we are off to Colorado Springs with an included Garden of the Gods visitor and nature center. With plenty of time in the fantastic gift store before we meet our  Step-on Guide who will amaze us with a driving tour through all of the rock formations and point out many features that you would be unaware of if you just casually looked. 

Just a few short miles away we will visit the ManitouCliff Dwellings  Explore the fascinating architecture of the ancient cliff dwellers and browse through two museums featuring cultural displays all overlooking the historic town of Manitou Springs and once again time to browse in the gift store.

From here we will check into our hotel for the evening at the Hyatt Place on Garden of the Gods Road.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today we will head into the state of New Mexico. With lunch and coffee stops along the way, we go right into the heart of Santa Fe arriving mid-afternoon for check-in at La Fonda on the Plaza. Step into the past and experience the splendor of the American Southwest at La Fonda on the Plaza, the only Santa Fe New Mexico hotel situated on the historic Santa Fe Plaza.

An authentic example of one of Santa Fe’s 4-Diamond hotels, La Fonda on the Plaza offers three classic New Mexican dining experiences including a one-of-a-kind seasonal, outdoor cocktail bar. As one of the preferred hotels in Santa Fe, with breathtaking event venues, the hotel showcases views of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi

The evening is free to enjoy all the Plaza has to offer.

Meals Included: None

Today is a free day to explore the plaza on your own, there is so much to see here you simply cannot take it all in in a single day but know you will fall in love with it as we have. You may choose some art tours or a history tour on your own or just wander around enjoying everything at your own leisurely pace. A must to take in is the Loretto Chapel right next door. One could spend all day inside the walls of the La Fonda but with so much at your fingertips you will be enriched in the culture of the area.

Trolley-type tours by Loretto Line Tours depart from La Fonda Hotel at 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM, and 2:30 PM seven days a week from the San Francisco Street entrance.

Art Tours by Santa Fe Art Tours

Walking tours by Santa Fe Footprints

Meals Included: Lunch

This morning we will say goodbye to Santa Fe and head just an hour south to Albuquerque. Here, take a fascinating flight up the Sandia Peak Tramway where you will have a bird’s eye view over the city of Albuquerque and the surrounding expanse of desert. After we get back down to ground level you will be treated to an included lunch at the County Line BBQ of Albuquerque.

We will also visit the Albuquerque International Balloon Museum

Then it is over to Old town Albuquerque to take in the history of the city before heading over to our hotel for the next two evenings at the Hyatt Place Albuquerque.

Rest up as the first flight for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is at dawn tomorrow morning!

Meals Included: Breakfast Bags, Coffee & Donuts at Balloon Park

The hot air balloons take flight at dawn, it’s a sight you cannot miss! Wake up early as we depart with breakfast bags to check in at the Group Hospitality tent which will have hot coffee and donuts awaiting us.

This will be our gathering area and you are welcome to explore the balloon field where you can walk right up and see the balloons in their flight preparations. There are also tons of stores and food options set up along the mile-long balloon field for you to browse. After the morning events, the grounds quiet down for the afternoon.

We will return to the Hyatt Regency for some rest, for anyone wanting to go back down to Old Town Albuquerque we will drop you off back downtown as well as anyone interested in the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History we will drop you off and pick you up for a visit on your own.

We will then return to the Hyatt Regency this evening.

Meals Included: Breakfast Bags, Coffee and Donuts at Balloon Park,  Lunch

Wake yourself extra early again today! The hot air balloons take flight at dawn. We will head back to the park again with admissions into the group hospitality tent again. Once again enjoying coffee and donuts and a seated area for your viewing pleasure or strolling amongst the balloons on the Balloon field. We are only at the park long enough for the mass ascension and time for some more shopping at some of the gift stores you saw yesterday. Once the ascension has taken place we will regroup and leave the park on our way to Durango.

We will stop in Aztec where you will be treated to some down-home cooking at the Aztec restaurant. Once we have enjoyed lunch, we will take a short ride over to the Aztec Ruins for a film and tour. Then it’s off to Durango where we will check in to our hotel Best Western Rio Grande just a few short steps from the Durango train station.

You will have time to visit the Durango Train Museum on your own (admission is free) as you will not have time to visit in the morning before our train ride to Silverton. If you do not wish to go to the museum this small walkable downtown offers many gift stores, a Christmas store, and many restaurants, or perhaps you can have a look at the amazing Stratter Hotel built in 1887.

Meals Included: Breakfast

After breakfast this morning is the exciting Durango to Silverton Narrow Gauge Train Ride Bring your luggage to the coach and walk over to the train station where we get checked in for an exhilarating train ride through narrow canyons and mountainsides along the way to Silverton. (This is optional with pricing TBA in early 2024)

This is a truly stunning 3 ½ hour journey that will have you amazed by the fall colours of the Colorado Rockies. There is a snack and beverage car where you can purchase coffee or alcoholic beverages as well as some hot items to eat. We will have time to browse, shop, and enjoy lunch on your own before we depart on the “million-dollar” highway to Ouray with amazing views.

This short 23-mile highway usually takes about an hour to traverse. Once in Ouray, we will check into our hotel Twin Peaks Lodge and Hot Springs where you can soak away in the crisp cool mountain air. Or choose to wander the streets of this hot springs town. Dinner is on your own at one of the local restaurants or pubs.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

This morning we will make our way to Moab where we will have lunch at Grand Junction CO before heading into Moab UT. On our arrival, we will visit the Arches National Park Visitor Center for a film and gift shop. Then we will enter the park where you will be transfixed on the stunning rock formations on our drive over to the windows which have the most stunning array of arches.

We will have plenty of time to wander over to a few of the arches on good walking paths for many photo opportunities. Once we have viewed the stunning area we will make our back into Moab and check-in for the night at Hotel Moab Downtown Walk to all of Moab’s most popular restaurants and shops, take a stroll along Mill Creek trail, or unwind under the stars in our outdoor pool and jacuzzi.

Meals Included: Breakfast

We will make our way north today but not before a stunning visit to Canyonlands National Park a wilderness of countless canyons and fantastically formed buttes carved by the Colorado River and its tributaries. Rivers divide the park into four districts: Island in the Sky, The Needles, The Maze, and the rivers themselves. These areas share a primitive desert atmosphere, but each offers different opportunities for sightseeing and adventure.

In Layton we will check in to the Holiday Inn Express Layton where just steps away is a Cracker Barrel, Golden Corral, Outback Steakhouse or Applebee’s for your evening dining pleasure. 

Meals Included: Breakfast, Farewell Dinner

Once again, it’s back on the coach after breakfast, as you continue your journey north. Today, you’ll travel through Idaho and back into Montana. We will stop for an included Farewell Dinner in Helena at The Pizza Ranch before making the last leg of our day into Great Falls where you will spend your last evening of the tour back at the Sleep Inn and Suites.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today is the last day of the tour as you load up on the bus and head north to the Canadian border.

After a stop at the Duty Free, we will cross back into the great white north where you will be dropped back off at your respective pick-up location, with the fondest memories of this once-in-a-lifetime experience of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta and all points in between.