America's Canyonlands
Escorted Coach Tour
Stay at the most sought after lodges right in the heart of three of Amer
ica's most popular national parks - Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion! The rugged American West presents landscapes found nowhere else in the world. From the vastness of the Grand Canyon tour the unusual rock amphi-theatres at Bryce Canyon and on to the odd geological formations of Zion National Park. Enjoy aerial sightseeing over Lake Powell, floating the Colorado River through Glen Canyon, and hiking wild-flower lined trails. You have a choice between a boat trip and a jeep adventure. See ancient cliff-dwellings at Montezuma Castle; take a guided walking tour of artistic Sedona; and end this incredible Canyonlands travel adventure amid the glamour, glitz and allure of ever-popular Las Vegas. Discover for yourself why every year this is a popular Grand Canyon tour - and one of Tauck's most popular tours anywhere in the world!
1. Arrive Scottsdale Tour begins: JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort at 5:30 PM. Welcome to the Southwest! Take a private transfer from the airport to your luxury resort, where the afternoon is spent enjoying amenities of this lovely resort. Join us this evening for a welcome reception and dinner. Meals D
2. Sedona / Grand Canyon. Set out for the red-rock landscapes of Sedona, named for the wife of the first postmaster and renowned for its stunning array of red sandstone formations that glow orange and red at dawn and sunset. Bearing colourful names like Coffeepot Rock, the Mittens and the Rabbit Ears, these red rocks have provided the backdrop for many a Western movie. Following a guided walking tour that takes you back in time to the days of the early settlers, spend time at leisure checking out the town, a favourite with artists. Continue on through Oak Creek Canyon to Grand Canyon National Park; over one mile deep and 277 miles long, it is one of nature's most spectacular examples of erosion. Dine at your choice of restaurants at El Tovarm the Arizona Room or Bright Angel Cafe tonight. Meals BD
3. Grand Canyon National Park. It is easy to be mesmerized by the Grand Canyon's grandeur and chameleon-like colors. You may want to awaken early, take a short stroll from your lodge on the South Rim, and watch the sun rise over the canyon - a truely unforgettable sight! Enjoy an entertaining talk by geology expert Canyon Dave on the rim and explore Canyon Village as you please. Then you depart the Canyon and traverse the Navajo Reservation and the Painted Desert to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area for a two-night stay at Lake Powell Resorts & Marinas. A lecture on water's role in ecology is followed by a private dinner tonight. Meals BD
4. Perspectives on Lake Powell. Glen Canyon Dam transformed the Colorado River into a massive lake 186 miles long. Fringed by fjord-like canyons, there is no lake like it on earth! To see the "hidden" sites of Lake Powell, Tauck includes sight-seeing today by air, and by water or by jeep. There is no better way to enjoy the majesty of the region than by taking an early morning 30-minute flight* over remote reaches of the lake. Colourful patterns of water are surrounded by many unusual red rock formations, including rainbow Bridge, the world's largest natural "arch", or bridge. Resembling the "arc" of a rainbow, this amazing rock arch spans 275ft across the river, rising 309ft in the air - approximately the height of the Statue of Liberty! Rainbow Bridge is of great historical importance, as for centuries it has been a sacred site to local American Indian tribes. Until the formation of Lake Powell, Rainbow Bridge and much of the surrounding area were virtually unaccessible; this sightseeing journey offers in-depth insights. You may choose an opportunity to take an optional four-hour flightseeing excursion and tour from Lake Powell to the vivid desert landscapes of Monument Valley (at additional cost). Explore one of America's most scenic, and one of the most photographed, regions with a Navajo guide; it is resplende
nt with colourful mesas, buttes and spires. Later, you have a choice of sightseeing - take a boat excursion to remote lake areas, or travel on a four-wheel-drive jeep adventure* to Antelope Canyon. A "hidden" canyon to most visitors, the narrow sandstone walls of this "corkscrew" slot canyon appear to be sculpted. A mesmerizing experience ensues when mysterious oranges, reds and yellows appear with the passing sun. Meals BD
5. Rafting on the Colorado River and on to Bryce Canyon. Enjoy the excitement of a float-trip* through Glen Canyon, a scenic part of the Colorado River. The Navajo sandstone cliffs are colorful, creating a dramatic backdrop of red-and-buff cliffs against a blue southwestern sky. Continue by motor coach to Bryce Canyon National Park is a land of pines and pinnacles, an immense semi-circular rock amphitheatre where visions of oddly sculptured formations form tableaus of beauty. Travel the rim road where before you lies a city of stone cathedral spires carved by nature's chisel; it is tinted with shades of pink, orange and red. Your accommodation this evening, Bryce Lodge, is nestled in a lush forest of towering ponderosa pine trees; the lodge is listed o
n the National Historic Register. Meals BLD
6. Explore Bryce and Zion National Park. During your fee morning perhaps take a hike on Bryce Canyon trails to seek out more dramatic views, wildflowers, birds and wildlife. This afternoon, travel to Zion National Park, where your lodge is located in the heart of the park. Meals BLD
7. From mountain majesty to glitz, glitz, glitz. Spend the morning exploring the color-splashed canyons of Zion National Park. Travel through the northeastern Mojave Desert to the glamour and glittering lights of Las Vegas, Nevada, highlighted by themed casinos, headline entertainers, and other attractions. A farewell reception and dinner gives you one last chance to share travel memories with new friends. Meals BLD
8. Journey Home. Tour ends: Las Vegas. Fly out anytime; check-out time is 11:00. Allow a minimum of two hours for flight check-in. Note: An airport transfer is not included. Meals B
B = Breakfast. L = Lunch. D = Dinner.
Monument valley option – £119 per person. Explore a world of sandstone monoliths that truly is the essence of the American West. This aerial sightseeing adventure takes you from the Grand Canyon to Monument Valley, viewing sights that can only best be appreciated by air. Land at Monument Valley, where a Navajo guide takes you through an incredible landscape of colorful buttes, mesas and spires. Fly on to Page for the evening.
* For activities marked with an asterisk (*) in day-by-day descriptions, participation is at your own risk and a signed liability waiver will be required.
2010 Departure dates:
Apr: 12, 19, 26
May: 03, 07, 10, 14, 21, 24, 31
Jun: 04, 07, 14, 18, 21, 28
Jul: 05, 12, 19, 26
Aug: 02, 09, 16, 30
Sep: 06, 10, 13, 17, 20, 24, 27
Oct: 01, 04, 08, 11, 15, 18
Dates in green indicate Small Group Departures with no more than 26 Tauck guests priced at £1725 per person double.
|
2010 Price per person in £'s |
Single |
Twin |
Triple |
| April-June | £1845 | £1151 | £1399 |
| July-August 28 | £1635 | £1309 | £1195 |
| August 30-October 18 | £1789 | £1465 | £1349 |
Triple room is room with 2 beds plus a rollaway
17 meals included.
Special Airfares: Airfare to Phoenix and from Las Vegas is additional. Just America offers special round-trip airfares, subject to availability; inquire at time of booking.
Note: The canyon areas of the Southwest are relatively remote. Hotels and services, although chosen from the best available, may not compare with facilities found in more populated areas.
Night 1 JW Marriott Desert Ridge Hotel & Spa, Scottsdale, AZ
Night 2 Kachina Lodge, Grand Canyon, AZ
Nights 3 & 4 Lake Powell Resort, Page, AZ
Night 5 Bryce Canyon Lodge, Bryce Canyon National Park, UT
Night 6 Zion Lodge, Zion National Park, UT
Night 7 Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas, NV