Spirit of the Desert: The National Parks of the Southwest 2024

10 days
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USTOA

Small Group Tour
Experience six national parks over the course of 10 days as you explore the American Southwest. With feelings that evoke the haunting spirit of the desert – view the inspiring natural beauty, hear the stories of the spirit of the people, and feel the spiritual connection we all share with their special sites are at the heart of this vacation.
From$7,590
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate

Highlights

    • Stunning landscapes so arresting that they'll live forever in your mind's eye… impossible red rock arches opening before you like grand entryways
    • offering a sense of endless possibility… canyons and immense cliffs
    • seemingly carved by a giant to form an island in the sky… fanciful hoodoos come alive while gods and legends linger everywhere… how the human spirit is cheered and fortified by the spirit of the desert.On the ground or by air
    • explore Arches
    • Canyonlands
    • Capitol Reef
    • Bryce Canyon
    • Zion and Grand Canyon national parks. Fly over the remote reaches of Capitol Reef and see the Grand Canyon from the air en route to Las Vegas. Spend two nights on the Grand Canyon's North Rim for a fresh
    • 'new' perspective of the park
    • enjoyed by fewer than 10% of park visitors. Enjoy independent sunrise and sunset spirit-of-the-moment experiences in the national parks… and gain insights through filmed vignettes by Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan

What's this trip about?

    Experience six national parks over the course of 10 days as you explore the American Southwest. With feelings that evoke the haunting spirit of the desert – view the inspiring natural beauty, hear the stories of the spirit of the people, and feel the spiritual connection we all share with their special sites are at the heart of this vacation.

Details

Itinerary focusOperator does not provide
Group sizeSmall Group - 24 max
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportN/A
Start City Moab, Utah, USA
End CityLas Vegas

Travel Themes

  • Cultural

Destinations

  • North America
  • United States

Attractions

  • Bryce Canyon National Park
  • Canyonlands National Park
  • Las Vegas
  • Moab
  • Zion National Park

Activities

  • Culture

Trip includes

    • TAUCK EXCLUSIVE – Filmed vignettes by Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan share their own personal stories and tell the stories of those who shaped the creation & preservation of the six national parks On the ground or by air, explore Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, Zion and Grand Canyon national parks – more than any other Tauck trip Two Flightseeing Adventures! Fly over the extraordinary remote reaches of the Capitol Reef National Park and see the Grand Canyon from the air en route to Las Vegas

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Arrive Grand Junction

Tour begins:

5:30 PM, 
Red Cliffs Lodge. 

Day 2 Arches National Park

A tour this morning of Arches National Park provides many unexpected sights. You won't believe your eyes as you travel through the park – there are more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches here, the world's largest concentration. Yo...

Day 3 Inspiration at Canyonlands National Park

Join your Tauck Director for a different type of exploring – a scenic float trip along the Colorado River* where rock towers, colors and light reflect upon the water like mirror images. Depart for the fun little town of Moab, then o...

Day 4 Flying over Capitol Reef National Park and on to Bryce Canyon National Park

Enjoy some free time this morning – you might want to rise early and catch a beautiful sunrise, or explore the Film Museum at the Lodge. For the past 70 years, many of the most famous western movies were filmed in and around Moab – ...

Day 5 Bryce Canyon and Zion, plus a talk on "singaways"

You may want to rise early this morning to catch the shocking array of colors illuminated by the first rays of light throughout the park. More of a series of horseshoe "amphitheatres" than a canyon, morning walks reveal millions of ...

Day 6 Striking images on a full day in Zion

"I was so impressed by the red cliffs and wilderness surroundings of Zion Canyon that I determined we should... have it made a national park." The words of conservationist Horace Albright set the stage for the expansion of national ...

Day 7 North Rim of the Grand Canyon

A film vignette by Dayton Duncan tells the story of Grand Canyon National Park, and how it exemplified the struggle that often occurred when creating a new national park. Leave Zion, and en route to Grand Canyon National Park get a ...

Day 8 Exploring the Grand Canyon

The North Rim is special at sunrise – well worth viewing (but remember, it comes pretty early)! Naturalist John Muir remarked: "The dawn, as in all the pure, dry desert country is ineffably beautiful; and when the first level sunbea...

Day 9 Flightseeing from the Grand Canyon to Las Vegas

Today is your final day to view a spectacular sunrise, this time from the North Rim of the canyon. The last of our vignettes features reflections by Ken Burns about our own private memories of the national parks – these memories are...

Day 10 Journey home

Tour ends: Las Vegas.
Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas to Las Vegas McCarran International Airport. Checkout time is 12:00 noon. Allow a minimum of two hours for flight check-in.

MEALS : B

PORTOFCALL : Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

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Dates & Availability

Price From $7,590
Price per day$759
Last Updated: 4/15/2024

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Tauck.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Tour Operator

Tauck

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It's easy to see the world's sights. To stand in long lines, push through the crowds, and generally have the same standard-issue vacation as everyone else. But that's not good enough for us, and it's not good enough for you. We believe that travel should be easy. It should be fun. It should be worth your time and the price you paid. It should re-energize and transform. And above all else, it should be beyond the ordinary. Because how you see the world matters.

In 1882, Herman Tauck arrived in New York City from Germany in search of the American dream. His determination and values were passed on to his son, Arthur Tauck, who would realize that dream. With ingenuity and an innovative spirit, Arthur started Tauck Motor Tours, a travel company that would give birth to a new industry. The first tour, through the back roads of New England, was created by this 27-year-old in 1925. It embodied the same successful formula used by Tauck today: do the right thing. Craft a life-enriching travel experience; provide it at a single all-inclusive price; ensure there is great value for money; and rely on recommendations of satisfied customers to build a following and grow the business.

Two elements that did change over the next 90+ years – and three generations of Taucks – were the scope of destinations served and the variety of modes of travel used. Today Tauck delivers life-enriching travel experiences to every corner of the globe, incorporating small cruise ships, premium riverboats, trains, helicopters and more. What started as a New England motor coach tour company has truly evolved into an extraordinary global travel company. The fourth generation of Taucks is now involved in the company. While remarkable in any business, this seamless continuity across generations speaks to shared vision and values.

Throughout its history, the concept of “family” at Tauck has gone far beyond those sharing the surname to include hundreds of valued employees, and hundreds of thousands of loyal guests. The story of Tauck is the story of a unique American family company celebrating a passion for travel – a story that will continue to inspire generations to come.

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Fun group tours and cruises that are culturally-focused and great for families and seniors on vacation.

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Logistics

Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Age Requirements
No age restrictions
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Additional Information
Trip ID
tauck-KD2024

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