Day 1: Sunday, September 20, 2009
Scottsdale, Arizona - Tour Begins
Join Collette on a tour through five of America’s most splendid national parks. Your tour begins in Arizona, where you will enjoy a stay in the world-famous resort town of Scottsdale. Today dinner will be included.
Day 2: Monday, September 21, 2009
Scottsdale - Sedona - Lake Powell
Begin the day with a visit to the artists’ colony of Sedona before stopping at the spectacular Oak Creek Canyon. See the amazing rock formations change hue with each turn in the road. Later today, you arrive at Lake Powell. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.
Day 3: Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Lake Powell - Grand Canyon
This morning you embark on a delightful breakfast cruise* on scenic Lake Powell. Then travel to Carl Hayden Visitors Center and look out over Glen Canyon Dam and see to the end of Lake Powell. Afterwards, travel to Marble Canyon before arriving at the spectacular Grand Canyon, staying at the only in-park hotel. The original Grand Canyon Lodge was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1937 by architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood. Its rustic construction of limestone walls and timbered ceilings complements the North Rim’s lush beauty. The Lodge offers peace and comfort to the North Rim visitor and is a National Historic Landmark. Dinner this evening takes place in the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, offering fine dining in a casual atmosphere, with magnificent views overlooking the rim of the Canyon. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.
Day 4: Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Grand Canyon - Bryce Canyon, Utah - Zion Canyon
Today you travel to Bryce Canyon National Park, truly one of the most spectacular scenic wonders of the world. The formations within Bryce Canyon National Park, called Hoodoos, are the creation of wind and water erosion over eons of time. Iron oxidizing within the rock causes the natural orange and red hues that color these formations. Your final destination for the day is the red and white sandstone cliffs of Zion Canyon National Park. In sheer magnitude and color, Zion is very likely one of the most awe-inspiring national parks in the world. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.
Day 5: Thursday, September 24, 2009
Zion Canyon - Salt Lake City
A drive north takes you to Salt Lake City, the “City of the Saints,” where you will enjoy a two-night stay. Perhaps you will want to explore Temple Square. This beautifully landscaped 10-acre plot of ground in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City is one of Utah’s most visited attractions. The centerpiece of the square is the 6-spired granite Salt Lake Temple, and adjacent to this imposing edifice is the domed Tabernacle*, home of the famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir* and the great Tabernacle organ. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.
Day 6: Friday, September 25, 2009
Salt Lake City
Enjoy a tour of Salt Lake City, featuring the Great Salt Lake, the state capitol and the residential district. The remainder of the day is at leisure. Today breakfast will be included.
Day 7: Saturday, September 26, 2009
Salt Lake City - Jackson Hole, Wyoming
En route to Wyoming you will see the majestic Bear Lake Summit. Later you will arrive in the cowboy town of Jackson Hole.
Today breakfast will be included.
Day 8: Sunday, September 27, 2009
Jackson Hole
The day is yours to explore Jackson Hole. Some optional activities include shopping, canoeing, hiking and river rafting trips. Tonight, a fun-filled evening of cowboy entertainment and dinner is in store at the Bar J Chuckwagon.*
Today breakfast and dinner will be included.
Day 9: Monday, September 28, 2009
Jackson Hole - Grand Tetons - Yellowstone
From Jackson Hole, pass through Grand Teton National Park. Towering more than a mile above the valley of Jackson Hole, the Grand Teton rises to 13,770 feet. Twelve Teton peaks reach above 12,000 feet and support a dozen mountain glaciers. The Teton Range is the youngest range in the Rockies and displays some of North America’s oldest rocks. Later, arrive at the amazing Yellowstone National Park where you will enjoy an overnight stay at your lodge nestled in the heart of this wonderful park. One of the many highlights is the world-famous Old Faithful Geyser, a fountain of steam that rises more than 60 feet in the air.
Today breakfast will be included.
Day 10: Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Yellowstone - Cody - Sheridan
A delightful day of sightseeing begins with a trip along Lake Yellowstone and over Sylvan Pass. From the mountains to the prairies, the scenery is simply amazing. As you pass through Cody, a stop will be made at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, a tribute to one of the most colorful figures of the old west, Buffalo Bill Cody. Before turning in for the night in Sheridan, you drive through the incredible Bighorn Mountains and journey through the territory of the Great Sioux Nation. Today breakfast will be included.
Day 11: Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Sheridan - Custer State Park, South Dakota
See one of the country’s most famous landmarks, Mount Rushmore, before visiting the Crazy Horse Monument, a memorial dedicated to the Native Americans of our great land. You’ll also have the opportunity to visit the Native American Cultural Center to learn about their culture and customs. Here, Native Americans discuss the movements of their dances and the significance of wearing different feathers and clothes. Later, you will arrive at Custer State Park, in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Join your fellow travelers at a farewell dinner and share your experience at our nation’s wonderful parks. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.
Day 12: Thursday, October 1, 2009
Custer State Park - Tour Ends
Your tour ends, leaving you with many wonderful memories. |
Please Note:
• Air rate and schedule are applicable for groups of 10 or more traveling on the same flights and dates.
• To complete your vacation, we include roundtrip airport-to-hotel transfers when purchasing Collette airfare with your tour. If you have arranged for your own air, we are pleased to provide you the option of purchasing these transfers. Please note that all transfers will leave at pre-scheduled times.
• This tour includes traveling to high altitudes (approx. 10,000 ft.) and may not be suitable for some clients. We suggest you consult your physician if you have any concerns.
• *Bar J Chuckwagon is available from Memorial Day through the last Saturday in September. During all other times, dinner will be substituted at the hotel.
• When the breakfast cruise is not available, a lunch is substituted.
• * The Mormon Tabernacle Choir will be conducting their rehearsals and concerts at the spectacular Conference Center located in Temple Square from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The Conference Center is one of the largest in the world, holding 22,000 people. It is an architectural feat in itself.
• Due to tour scheduling, flights home should not be booked prior to 8:00 AM.
• Collette air passengers will arrive into the Phoenix, AZ airport and depart from the Rapid City, SD airport. All Collette transfers will depart from Phoenix, AZ for Scottsdale and depart from Custer, SD for Rapid City.
• This tour requires average physical activity. You should be in good health, able to climb stairs and walk reasonable distances, possibly over uneven grounds and cobblestone streets. |
