Compare Iconic National Parks of Utah by Insight Vacations vs Canyons, Rockies, and Rails with Rocky Mountaineer by Cosmos
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5 | Excellent
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4 | Great
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| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Price From | $ 3,902 | $ 3,629 |
| Price Per Day | $ 434 | $ 403 |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Standard |
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| Flights & Transport | No | No |
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| Meals Included | N/A | N/A |
| Description | Explore Utah’s spectacular National Parks in depth on this Limited-Edition Tour. Traveling with up to just 17 fellow guests, revel in red sandstone landscapes and geological wonders, including Monument Valley Tribal Park, Zion and Capitol Reef National Parks. Slip through the sheer rock walls of Antelope Canyon in Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park. Walk among hoodoos in Bryce Canyon and the giant Toadstools of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Savor a picnic lunch, a traditional Navajo cookout, and enjoy destinations and experiences not available to larger groups. Featuring moderate hikes, 4 x 4 excursions and narrow canyon walks, this active tour is perfectly balanced with boutique hotels and resorts, where you can relax in style. | Discover how The West was won as you travel on historic roads and railways through Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado! You’ll win big too with an overnight stay in Las Vegas to try your luck at the tables or try a new dish at one of Sin City’s many restaurants. From the glittering Vegas Strip to the red canyons of Arizona and Utah to the white-topped peaks of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains this tour takes you through some of America’s most scenic vistas. Behold the epic beauty of the Grand Canyon and explore the cultures and captivating beauty of the Native American culture in Monument Valley on a 4-wheel-drive excursion. From Canyonlands National Park to Moab’s spectacular Arches National Park, you’ll be awed by the dramatic landscapes of the American Southwest. Then board your Rocky Mountaineer train for an epic ride through the Colorado Rockies, riding in style along the Colorado River through stunning high-country panoramas of the White River National Forest and Arapahoe National Forest. Cross the Continental Divide en route to the Mile-High City of Denver. A unique and wonderful way to experience these historic destinations of the Wild West! |
Day 1: Arrive Las Vegas
Viva Las Vegas! Your airport transfer will take you to your luxurious hotel, the famous Caesars Palace. Explore the hotel’s vast casino, shops and swimming pools, or take a walk outside on the famous Strip? Join your Travel Director and fellow travel companions this evening for a delicious Welcome Dinner and drinks. Be sure not to miss the spectacular evening light shows on offer from all the major casinos.
Caesars Palace, Las Vegas.
Dinner with Wine
Day 2: Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park, Antelope Canyon and Page
This morning, travel to the stunning Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park. Hike the famous Antelope Canyon with a Navajo guide and discover their rich history. A photographer's dream - This canyon is world renowned for its views, and as you hike down into and then through the slot canyon you will understand why. Visit the Glen Canyon Recreational Area, one of the most iconic photo opportunities in the Southwest, "Horseshoe Bend.” Continue to Page, where tonight you’ll experience the best of Navajo culture and hospitality. Join another MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience and enjoy fabulous food and dancing at Red Heritage, a Native American Performing Arts Theater.
Lake Powell Resorts and Marinas
Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Day 3: Monument Valley Tour and Cookout
Today is dedicated to the remarkable Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. Travel through the Navajo Nation this morning, the largest Indigenous reservation in the United States, as you head to the iconic sandstone peaks of Monument Valley. Make Travel Matter and learn en route about the Navajo people and their traditional way of life and admire the breathtaking rock formations. On arrival at the park, meet your Navajo Local Expert and board a 4x4 vehicle to explore the Valley. Along the way, stop for a tasty traditional cookout lunch, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. The rest of the evening is at leisure.
Goulding's Lodge Monument Valley
Breakfast, Lunch
Day 4: Bear's Ears National Monument and Natural Bridges National Monument
Start the day with a visit to Bear’s Ears National Monument. Take a moderate 1.9 mile dirt trail hike with a 68ft elevation gain to the magnificent “House on Fire” site, where the unique rock formation appears to burst into flames in the sunlight. There’s plenty of time for amazing photographs! Enjoy a picnic lunch at Natural Bridges National Monument before exploring various lookout points to admire the landscapes. This evening is yours at leisure in Monument Valley.
Goulding's Lodge Monument Valley
Breakfast, Lunch
Day 5: Capitol Reef National Park
Today we leave the wonders of Monument Valley behind and journey to Capitol Reef National Park. Sit back and relax on a spectacular scenic drive along the San Juan River, stopping for lunch on the way in Moab. This afternoon, explore Capitol Reef National Park and the geological sights of Waterpocket Fold with your Travel Director. The evening is yours at leisure. Maybe take a dip in the hot tub at your elegant hotel and sip a cocktail with the gorgeous red sandstone landscape as your backdrop?
Capitol Reef Resort
Breakfast
Day 6: From Bryce Canyon National Park to Kanab
Sit back and take in glorious landscapes as you embark on one of the most beautiful drives in the country to Bryce Canyon National Park. Bryce Canyon is famous for its iconic hoodoos, multiple tall shards of rock rising out of the basins. Here, take a rim walk along the natural amphitheater and see one of the most incredible sites in the Southwest, or for a more immersive experience take a walk down along the Navajo Loop trail. Continue to Kanab and your resort hotel to spend the rest of the evening at your leisure.
Canyon’s Boutique Hotel
Breakfast
Day 7: Discover Kanab
This morning, explore Kanab with Insight Choice. Choose to tour the Peek a Boo Slot Canyon with a Local Expert and travel out in 4x4s to explore this picturesque, red Navajo sandstone canyon. Alternatively choose to visit the Coral Pink Sand Dunes and take in the remarkable rosy buttes throughout this Utah state park. This evening toast your travels and your companions with a Celebration Dinner at Sego Restaurant.
Canyon’s Boutique Hotel
Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Day 8: Zion National Park and Las Vegas Departure
Last but certainly not least, this morning you will head to Zion National Park through the famous switchbacks, one of the most scenic canyons in the United States. You may opt to hike up to the Emerald Pools trail across the lodge or to take the National Park shuttle towards the Temple of Sinawava. Transfers will take you to Las Vegas, where your adventure ends at Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) . Return flights should be booked for after 17:00.
Breakfast
Day 1: ARRIVE IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
Welcome to exciting Las Vegas, also known as “Sin City!” Your Tour Director is on hand late this afternoon to answer any questions.
Day 2: LAS VEGAS–BOULDER CITY–WILLIAMS
Depart the glittering lights of Las Vegas and stop at the Hoover Dam Museum, located in Boulder City. Gain insight to the men and women who braved the desolation of the southern Nevada desert to build this engineering marvel – it’s a story of American ambition, vision, and grit. Depart Boulder City into Arizona, journeying across old Mojave gold-strike country. Visit the historic Route 66 town of Seligman and then continue to Williams, gateway to the Grand Canyon, listed in the National Register for Historic Places, and home for the next two nights. The Historic Downtown District covers six square blocks and boasts a rich heritage that features the Old West and Route 66.
Day 3: WILLIAMS. EXCURSION TO GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
Marvel at one of the Natural Wonders of the World at awe-inspiring Grand Canyon National Park. There’s plenty of free time to wander along the canyon rim experiencing the breathtaking views. Return to Williams where the evening is free to explore the historic Americana-style shops and restaurants dating back to the early 1900s. Be sure to take note of the neon signs of “Motel Row” circa 1940’s. (Breakfast)
Day 4: WILLIAMS–MONUMENT VALLEY–KAYENTA
Continue across Arizona and into Navajo Nation and America’s West that has been immortalized on the silver screen. Situated on the Arizona/Utah border, Monument Valley’s scenic desert vistas and iconic buttes have appeared in countless classic Western films. See the massive formations on a memorable 4-wheel-drive tour. Your knowledgeable Navajo guide will show you some of the valley’s most incredible scenery and share inspiring stories, legends, and lore. This evening, join the optional Navajo cookout for dinner surrounded by the red-rock canyons of Monument Valley. (Breakfast)
Day 5: KAYENTA–ARCHES NATIONAL PARK–MOAB, UTAH
Today, we head north for Moab. Visit the magnificent Arches National Park, where you’ll discover a landscape of contrasting colors, landforms, and textures unlike anything else in the world. With over 2,000 preserved natural sandstone arches, including the world-famous Delicate Arch, this red-rock wonderland will amaze you. Overnight in Moab, with time to stroll through the downtown shops for a great selection of Southwestern art and jewelry.
Day 6: MOAB. EXCURSION TO CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK & DEADHORSE STATE PARK
Visit magnificent Canyonlands National Park to see deep canyons stretching across the Colorado Plateau, an intricate canyon labyrinth of crimson hues. Then, on to Dead Horse Point State Park to see a vast mesa with an incredible view of the Colorado River as it twists through a gooseneck canyon 2,000 feet below. Return to Moab for a free evening. Perhaps visit the quaint shops and restaurants on Main Street or stretch your legs on the Mill Creek Parkway Trail.
Day 7: MOAB–ROCKY MOUNTAINEER–GLENWOOD SPRINGS, COLORADO
Enjoy a morning at leisure in Moab before embarking on the Rocky Mountaineer for a scenic train ride in SilverLeaf Class. Travel east, cross the Utah-Colorado border and ride through the Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area. Your train hosts share stories of the area as you pass Parachute Creek and Mount Logan while following the scenic Colorado River. Take in the beautiful red rock formations, desert cliffs of Ruby Canyon, and mountain vistas that can’t be seen from the road! Enjoy dinner on board the train before arriving in historic Glenwood Springs, Colorado for the night. (Dinner) YOUR TRAIN: The Rocky Mountaineer takes you on an extraordinary two-day rail journey between Moab, Utah and Denver, Colorado. SilverLeaf Service features a single-level glass-dome coach offering reclining seats, meals and drinks served at your seat, and panoramic views from oversized windows. You can also spend time on the outdoor viewing area. Enjoy an onboard culinary experience with regional cuisine and ingredients local to the Southwest U.S. If you choose, enhance your experience with SilverLeaf Plus, which elevates the already exceptional SilverLeaf Service to the next level with exclusive access to a lounge car, premium beverages and more! NOTE: Glenwood Springs’ properties are considered moderate 3-star hotels or better. Your chosen hotel is determined by Rocky Mountaineer; however, you can rest assured that it satisfies our high standards of cleanliness and comfort.
Day 8: GLENWOOD SPRINGS–ROCKY MOUNTAINEER–DENVER
This morning, board the train for a full day aboard the Rocky Mountaineer. Enjoy a delicious breakfast while following the Colorado River and admiring the morning light reflected off the mountain. Travel through dense wooded forests, pass the white-capped mountains of White River National Forest and through picturesque Byers and Gore Canyons to the tranquil mountain lakes of Arapahoe National Forest. After lunch, cross the Continental Divide with a toast while cutting through the six-mile-long Moffatt Tunnel. This journey of a lifetime is one you won’t soon forget! Arrive in Denver this evening and continue to your hotel for your final night. (Breakfast,Lunch)
Day 9: DENVER
Your vacation ends this morning.
