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Colourful Trails of the Southwest

10 Days Phoenix to Santa Fe
Colourful Trails of the Southwest
Colourful Trails of the Southwest
Colourful Trails of the Southwest

Overview

Book online and enjoy exclusive savings on Trafalgar's 10 Day Colourful Trails of the Southwest. On this tour, each day is a cultural and natural adventure. You’ll stay inside Grand Canyon National Park, view ancient Puebloan cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde National Park and natural arches near Moab, and ride a 4x4 through Monument Valley’s landscapes with a member of the Navajo Nation.
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US$3,758 per person
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Trip Length
Trip Length

10 Days

Trip Starts
Trip Starts

Phoenix

Trip Ends
Trip Ends

Santa Fe

Countries Visited
Countries Visited:
USA
Operator
Operator
Trafalgar
Trip Style
Trip Style

Discoveries

Accommodation
Accommodation

4 Star

Budget
Budget

Premium

Age Range
Age Range

5-99 Years

Max. Group Size
Max. Group Size

48

Guide Style
Guide Style

Fully Guided

Tour Code
Tour Code

DCTS

Itinerary

Arrive in sun-kissed Phoenix and transfer to Scottsdale at your leisure. This evening, meet your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a dinner. (D) Stay: Sonesta Suites Scottsdale Gainey Ranch

Your first stop today is in the artists' enclave of Sedona – surrounded by red-rock buttes, steep canyon walls and pine forests. You'll travel through Oak Creek Canyon next, with its rocky red cliffs, then venture to the UNESCO-listed Grand Canyon National Park, where a Local Specialist will share the canyon's many geological marvels.

Tonight, you'll have an opportunity to overnight at one of the lodges inside the park. (B) Stay: National Park Lodges Grand Canyon

Rise early for an optional flightseeing tour over the Grand Canyon and then trace the scenic South Rim of the Grand Canyon along Desert View Drive. Take in sweeping views of the Grand Canyon's eastern edge from Desert Viewpoint. Finally, admire one of Arizona's most iconic natural wonders, Horseshoe Bend. Take a walk to the canyon's rim for unforgettable views as the Colorado River winds its way through the dramatic cliffs below.

Finish the day connecting to the soul of the land over a Be My Guest experience on the Navajo Nation. (B/D) Stay: Courtyard by Marriott Page at Lake Powell

Depart Page for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience tour in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, then savor an outdoor MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience set among the iconic buttes and mesas, prepared by Diné (Navajo) tribe members who share stories of their people and their deep connection to the land. Then, continue to Moab on a scenic drive where you can sit back and enjoy desert views of the Southwest. The evening is yours to explore Moab's Main Street. (B/L) Stay: Hyatt Place Moab

This morning, discover how the forces of wind and rain have shaped the enchanting landscape of Arches National Park in the stunning formations that they are, with countless perfect photo opportunities.

Later, journey to Canyonlands National Park to connect with nature even more. We visit the Island in the Sky - a mesa resting 1,000 feet (305 meters) above the surrounding countryside, offering spectacular views over the dramatic sandstone formations. (B)

Arrive in the UNESCO-listed Mesa Verde National Park to delve into the history and culture of the Ancestral Puebloan people. Explore their beautifully preserved sandstone dwellings.

This evening, in Durango, your Stay with Stories is historic Strater Hotel. You'll have the evening at leisure to explore the historic town of Durango. (B) Stay: Strater

Enjoy free time in Durango today, or you may take a scenic drive along the Million Dollar Highway from Ouray and Silverton. If you're lucky, enjoy a truly unforgettable step back in time, on a ride aboard the coal-fired, steam-powered narrow-gauge train (booked independently). The train chugs along rails that were originally laid at the end of the 19th century, winding through a spectacular wilderness which would be inaccessible by car. If you're feeling more adventurous, opt for a white-water rafting trip on the Animas River. (B)

The journey continues along the High Road – Santa Fe Scenic Byway, a picturesque route in Northern New Mexico that stretches approximately 56 miles from Santa Fe to Taos.

Enjoy a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as you visit one of the greatest Ancestral Puebloan archaeological sites in the Southwest. Be immersed in the fascinating adobe dwellings and take a walk through Taos Pueblo, a Native American community that has been continuously inhabited for the last 1,000 years. Meet your Taos tribal resident guide and explore the only living Native American community designated both a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and a National Historic Landmark.

Later, arrive at the hotel, ideally located two short blocks from Santa Fe's Historic Plaza. (B) Stay: Piñon Court By La Fonda

Today, you'll have a full free day to explore Santa Fe at your leisure. Perhaps visit the iconic Georgia O'Keeffe Museum on your terms or explore one of the many chocolate shops and art galleries just steps away from your hotel. This evening, savor dinner in town. (B/D)

Your journey through desert landscapes comes to an end with an included drop off at Santa Fe Municipal Airport, or continue to Albuquerque. (B)

Trip Inclusions

  • Explore the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, and Taos Pueblo
  • Visit Scottsdale, Cameron Trading Post, Horseshoe Bend Lookout, Moab, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Durango, Santa Fe
  • Scenic drive through Sedona's Red Rock Country, Oak Creek Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park's Desert View Drive, Trail of the Ancients National Scenic Byway, the High Road Scenic Byway from Taos to Santa Fe
  • View Cliff Palace dwelling at Mesa Verde National Park, Desert Viewpoint

Be My Guest

  • Grand Canyon National Park: Enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience at Shash Dine Eco Retreat on the Navajo Nation. Meet your hosts Baya and Paul for an under-the-stars, traditional meal of mutton stew, frybread, vegetables, melon, coffee and Navajo tea. Your local dining experience is enhanced by Navajo storytelling by storyteller and award-winning Diné recording artist Eli Secody, whose fun and fascinating stories are steeped in his Dine' roots. Cap off the evening walking up to a remarkable vista on the very land where Baya can trace her lineage back over 20 generations.

Iconic Experience

  • Grand Canyon National Park: One of the seven natural wonders of the world and the second most visited national park in the United States. Explore the Visitor Center and get familiar with the history of the Grand Canyon, grab a coffee at a local cafe and take a walk along the Rim Trail. Keep your camera on-hand as you explore some of the 278 miles of the Colorado River and adjacent canyonlands at one of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world with unmatched vistas along its rim.
  • Oak Creek Canyon: Drive through Coconino National Forest on one of the most scenic drives in the U.S., offering a picture perfect view of the surrounding red-rock and Ponderosa Pine forest between Sedona and Flagstaff, Arizona.
  • Grand Canyon National Park: The great outdoors is your classroom today when you meet geologist Canyon Tim for an enlightening talk about the Grand Canyon at the South Rim . Having over 30 years of geological experience, Tim's fascinating talk reveals how this natural marvel was formed millions of years ago and how the different layers that make up the Colorado Plateau are still visible today.
  • Glen Canyon Dam: Enjoy a walk to the rim of Glen Canyon where you will get the chance to visit Horseshoe Bend.
  • Monument Valley: Board a 4x4 vehicle and navigate the iconic red valley landscape guided by a member of the Navajo Nation and Local Specialist.
  • Arches National Park: Nature's creations spring to life at Arches National Park, home to the greatest concentration of natural arches in the world. Some 2,000 natural sandstone arches can be found within the boundaries of the national park. On your visit, unlock all the science and history of how these 6,000 natural sandstone arches were formed by rain and wind. Take in the sights of Delicate Arch and Balanced Rock while admiring the ever-changing landscapes as you traverse the park.
  • Canyonlands National Park: There's no better spot to witness the power of the Colorado River carving through rocky red landscapes than at Canyonlands National Park. Take in the views from the Green River Overlook, and be inspired by the vast expanse of high desert canyons at Grand Viewpoint.
  • Mesa Verde National Park: There's no better place to learn about the ancient cliff dwellings of the Ancestral Puebloan people than at Mesa Verde National Park. View the carvings in the sandstone of the canyon walls at the several hundred of these dwellings – astounded by the history presented before you. This UNESCO-listed park also features thousands of well-known preserved archaeological sites. Take in the sites of this protected area as you ride along the Mesa Top Loop and Cliff Palace Loop, where you can see the magnificent Cliff Palace.
  • Taos: Visit Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO World's Heritage Center as well as a National Historic Landmark and one the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the country. Best known for is iconic, multi-storied adobe buildings, built roughly 1,000 years ago. About 150 Puebloans live within the pueblo full time. The Taos Tribal Council, which owns the pueblo, does not allow any modern convenience inside the pueblo, such as running water or electricity.

Make Travel Matter®

  • Monument Valley: Travel to Monument Valley for a cookout lunch with members of the Navajo Nation. Take off-road vehicles to the cookout site where you'll enjoy a delicious steak and chicken dinner with a chance to try traditional Diné (Navajo) tacos and fry-bread. This experience advances UN Global Goal 10: Reduce Inequalities.
  • Monument Valley: Immerse yourself in the landscape of the Navajo people journeying through the desert to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. Get a feel for the land and its people climbing aboard an open-air, all-terrain vehicle to explore the valley with your Navajo guide as you pass its towering sandstone buttes and mesas, many of which have been featured in prominent Western films including John Wayne's ‘Stagecoach'. Your exclusive Navajo Tribal Park tour with a Navajo guide helps preserve the integrity of the land and culture. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reducing Inequalities.
  • Taos: Explore Taos Pueblo with Local Specialists who call Taos Pueblo home. Gain insight into the history of the pueblo and what it is like to live there today. Your visit supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Trafalgar Difference

  • Durango: Stay at The Strater Hotel, adorned with beautiful handcrafted woodwork, housing the largest collection of American Victorian walnut antiques. It's Durango's Historic Landmark Hotel, showcasing stories of the old west and mining times.

  • An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
  • Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
  • All porterage and restaurant gratuities
  • All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
  • Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
  • Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
  • Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
  • All transport and transfers shown
  • Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
  • Optional Experiences (Additional Cost) and free time
  • On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilised

  • 3 Dinners (D)
  • 9 Breakfasts (B)
  • 1 Lunch (L)

  • Itinerary and inclusions are subject to change
  • Price is for land, cruise and internal flights as specified. Flights not specified are not included

Operator

Trafalgar
 (1,001) Reviews
Total No. of Tours & Cruises262
We are the world’s leading and most awarded travel brand spanning all 7 continents of the globe. From the iconic to the unexpected our guests connect to the real depth of the places we go. They will break bread with the locals at our exclusive Be My Guest experiences and unlock local secrets of our Travel Directors and more Local Specialists. Everything is taken care of, so they travel with true ease and get the real thing without worrying about a thing.

We consider how we can positively impact the communities we engage with. Through our JoinTrafalgar initiatives powered by TreadRight, guests don’t just leave footprints on the ground, but leave a lasting legacy for the betterment of locals and the future of their communities.

It’s 72 years of destination experience and feedback from over 5 million happy guests that fuels our innovation to continually delivery simply the best holidays.
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Must-sees to Local Secrets

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Connect with Locals
Connect with Locals

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Trafalgar USA (2026-27) Brochure

Trafalgar USA (2026-27)

Trafalgar’s USA tours span coast to coast, offering epic journeys through iconic cities, natural wonders, and vibrant local cultures. From the Grand Canyon and New York’s museums to Texan ranches and Alaskan wilds, each itinerary reveals the unforgettable glory of the American landscape and spirit. With highlights ranging from Motown to Mardi Gras, more this is the United States at its most dynamic.

Dates & Pricing USD USD

Sunday 03 May 2026 03 May 26 Phoenix
Tuesday 12 May 2026 12 May 26 Santa Fe
Details
Definite Departure
Sign Up Savings
Exclusive Savings
Was: $4,395
US$4,075
Save $320
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Sunday 17 May 2026 17 May 26 Phoenix
Tuesday 26 May 2026 26 May 26 Santa Fe
Details
Not Available
Our Price
US$4,125
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Sold Out
Sunday 31 May 2026 31 May 26 Phoenix
Tuesday 09 Jun 2026 09 Jun 26 Santa Fe
Details
Not Available
Our Price
US$4,175
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Sold Out
Note
A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you Inquire. Additional savings may apply. T&C’s apply.
Note
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Trafalgar. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from the cruise-line and should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.

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