The Colorado Rockies

Adventure awaits as you explore the towering peaks and rolling meadows of Colorado. As travellers' arrival times vary greatly, we have no group activities planned during the day. This tour (which features four national parks) opens in the “Mile High City” of Denver where you will gather for a welcome dinner with your fellow travellers.

Travel through Boulder, a scenic university town known for its iconic landmark... the striking, reddish-brown foothills known as the Flatirons. Stop in Estes Park, a mountain resort town and home of the Stanley Hotel, the inspiration for Stephen King’s <I>The Shining.</I> Your adventure in Rocky Mountain National Park starts on the Trail Ridge Road, the highest paved, continuous highway in North America. It’s a drive that should be on everybody’s bucket list. At Rainbow Curve, marvel at the majestic mountains that stand in contrast to deep, rugged canyons. Later, return to Denver for a free evening in this dynamic city.

The spectacular Rocky Mountains are your travelling companion. Make a scenic drive from Denver to Grand Junction, passing through many of Colorado’s famous ski resorts. This journey also takes you to one of the grand landscapes of the American West – Colorado National Monument. Continue along the monument's historic Rim Rock Drive to see a colourful panorama of deep, sheer-sided canyons and high rock towers. Gather for dinner at a favourite local hangout in Grand Junction, a town that attracts outdoorsmen, foodies and all manner of free spirits.

Today, venture to another amazing national park – Colorado’s own “Grand Canyon!" Marvel at the steep-walled gorge and dramatic views of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park while travelling along its South Rim. Pause at one of the scenic viewpoints to soak in this stunning wilderness of rock, water, and sky. Enjoy a picnic lunch overlooking some of the steepest and oldest rock walls in North America, carved over 2 million years by the Gunnison River. Perhaps you’ll even spot a peregrine falcon. Then, <B>it's your choice!</B> Travel back in time to the Museum of the Mountain West dedicated to the history and culture of the American West <B>-OR-</B> tour a local hop farm and learn about hop farming on a small scale from field to preservation and enjoy tastings of craft beer made using hops from the farm. Return to Grand Junction for an evening at leisure.

Head south to Silverton, a former silver mining town and now a National Historic Landmark. Hidden high in the San Juan Mountains, this town blends spectacular scenery, Victorian charm and historic architecture. Then it's “all aboard” the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. This 1881 coal-fired, steam-powered locomotive made its name hauling silver and gold ore from the San Juan Mountains, but you will soon realize it is the view that is its most precious asset.

An incredible day awaits in Mesa Verde National Park (UNESCO), home of the ancient Ancestral Puebloan civilization. Join a local guide on a drive through the park, making several photo stops, including views of the famous Spruce Tree House, one of Mesa Verde’s best-preserved cliff dwellings, and Cliff Palace, the largest in the park. This evening, experience a farm-to-table dinner on a family-owned ranch surrounded by red mountain peaks and lush green pastures.

Sit back and relax during a scenic ride to Colorado Springs. En route, marvel at the landscape as you make your way from the San Juan National Forest and across Wolf Creek Pass, a section of the Continental Divide that would take pioneers two to three weeks to cross. Continue on through the Rio Grande National Forest, a vast expanse of wilderness named for the 1,800 miles of Rio Grande River that cuts through the forest. Your day concludes in Colorado Springs, an artistic and cultural hub.

Depart for Manitou Springs, home of Pikes Peak – the legendary symbol of the 1859 Gold Rush. Embark on a journey aboard the Pikes Peak Cog Railway, the world’s highest cog railroad, for an 8.9 mile trip to the top of Pikes Peak. During the journey you will see magnificent views and perhaps animals in their native habitat. Later, travel to the Garden of the Gods to take in the view of towering sandstone formations that dot the landscape set in the backdrop of majestic Pikes Peak. Tonight, join your fellow travellers for a farewell dinner and celebrate your adventure.

Your tour comes to a close in Colorado Springs.