Compare Exploring America's National Parks by Cosmos vs America's Magnificent National Parks 2023 End Denver Classic Group by Insight Vacations
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4 | Great
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 15 days | 15 days |
| Price From | $ 3,279 | $ 6,395 |
| Price Per Day | $ 219 | $ 426 |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Premium |
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| Flights & Transport | No | Airfare included |
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| Meals Included | N/A | N/A |
| Description | Breathtaking scenery, spectacular wildlife, and incomparable photo opportunities await you on this national parks tour through the West’s best-known national and state parks. Tour highlights include an overnight stay inside Grand Canyon National Park, where you can witness the stunning scenery at sunset and sunrise. In Yellowstone National Park, stand in awe as you hear the roar of the water and view the glorious falls at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Witness Old Faithful as it erupts and admire the herds of bison, elk, and other wildlife as you explore the park. Mount Rushmore offers the astounding monument of four U.S. presidents as well as spectacular scenery and wildlife, including mule deer and mountain goats. Also visit Crazy Horse Memorial, carved out of the mountain in honor of the Sioux Indian hero, and enjoy a scenic drive in Custer State Park, with its spectacular landscape and abundant wildlife. Have your camera ready for the bright red, yellow, and pink pillars called "hoodoos" in Bryce Canyon National Park, and marvel at the sculptured canyons and soaring cliffs in Zion National Park. But that’s not all…visit Monument Valley, one of the world’s most photographed places with its red-rock canyons, mesas, iconic buttes, and windblown sand. See the massive formations during your 4-wheel-drive tour with a knowledgeable Navajo guide. All of this—and much more—are included on this national parks tour designed for savvy, value-minded travelers. | Explore America's top national parks on this 15-Day guided tour. After an evening in Scottsdale, start your journey in bohemian Sedona, where spiritual seekers and nature lovers alike will revel in its red-hued mountainous landscape. Take a short jaunt to the Grand Canyon, where a Local Expert will show you the wonders of America’s most famed natural beauty. In Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, Make Travel Matter and board all-terrain vehicles and ride through the desert with your Navajo guide. Glide through Zion National Park on a private shuttle, watching as the red mountains give way to the neon lights of Las Vegas, where you can take in a show or try your luck at poker. Finally, scale the 563-foot-tall Crazy Horse Memorial and stand face-to-face with the stone carving of the Lakota warrior. |
Day 1: LAS VEGAS
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–WILLIAMS–GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
Depart the glittering lights of Las Vegas for one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, Grand Canyon National Park. Journey across the old Mojave gold-strike country, passing through Williams on historic Route 66, and Kaibab National Forest. Arrive at the Grand Canyon by mid-afternoon and marvel at the breathtaking views. Accommodations this evening are inside the National Park.
Day 3: GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK–MONUMENT VALLEY–KAYENTA
If you miss the sunset over the canyon, sunrise is just as impressive! You may want to join an exciting helicopter flight over the canyon for incomparable views of flame-colored walls plunging 6,000 feet into the Colorado River. Continue across Arizona and into the Navajo Nation. 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 local legends and lore. This evening, join the optional Navajo cookout for dinner surrounded by the red-rock canyons of Monument Valley.
Day 4: KAYENTA–MOAB–ARCHES NATIONAL PARK–GRAND JUNCTION
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. This red-rock wonderland will amaze you. A late arrival into Grand Junction, surrounded by awe-inspiring natural beauty and the dramatic red-rock landscape of the Colorado National Monument.
Day 5: GRAND JUNCTION–COLORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT–DENVER AREA
This morning, visit Colorado National Monument. Towering monoliths exist within a vast plateau and canyon panorama. Experience sheer-walled, red-rock canyons along the twists and turns of Rim Rock Drive, where you may spy bighorn sheep and soaring eagles. We then journey east across the Rocky Mountains to the “Mile High City” of Denver.
Day 6: DENVER AREA–CUSTER
Today, travel across the windswept landscape of Wyoming and into the Black Hills of South Dakota. Spend the next two nights in Custer, in the heart of the Black Hills National Forest, and gateway to Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, and Crazy Horse Memorial.
Day 7: CUSTER. EXCURSION TO CUSTER STATE PARK, MOUNT RUSHMORE & CRAZY HORSE MEMORIAL
At Custer State Park, enjoy a scenic drive along Wildlife Loop Road with spectacular terrain and an abundance of wildlife, like the herd of 1,300 bison that roam freely throughout the park. Afterward, visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial, which stands as a shrine to democracy with the stunning granite faces of four great American presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln. Then, visit the Crazy Horse Memorial, a monument carved out of a mountain to honor the great Native American hero, Crazy Horse. (CBreakfast)
Day 8: CUSTER–DEVILS TOWER–CODY
This morning, head through high country, where open-range cattle kings made war on the homesteaders in the 1890s. Next, make a photo stop at Devils Tower National Monument, established as America’s first national monument by Teddy Roosevelt in 1906. Overnight in Buffalo Bill’s Western town of Cody. (CBreakfast)
Day 9: CODY–YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
This morning, join the optional outing and visit the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, which celebrates the spirit of the American West. This afternoon, make your way into America’s first national park, Yellowstone National Park. Spend the next two nights inside the park.
NOTES: Accommodations used by Cosmos in Yellowstone National Park are typically open from late May through mid-September. Departures before or after these opening dates will stay in West Yellowstone. Routing and areas visited in Yellowstone National Park are always subject to favorable weather, gate access, and road conditions; therefore, routings may be adjusted.
Day 10: YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
Spend the day exploring all the wonders of Yellowstone National Park, established in 1872 as the world’s first national park. See world-famous Old Faithful Geyser, Mammoth Hot Springs, the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, and Fountain Paint Pots. Keep a lookout for some of the park’s wildlife that can include moose, bison, elk, deer, bighorn sheep, wolf, bear, fox, coyote, and beaver.
Day 11: YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK–GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK–JACKSON–ALPINE
Head south into magnificent Grand Teton National Park, home to massive mountains, pristine lakes and rivers and abundant wildlife. Its 13,770-foot-high ridges are crested with snow most of the year. Stroll along the shores of beautiful glacier-fed Jenny Lake before arriving in the Wild West town of Jackson with its wooden sidewalks and swinging-door saloons. Overnight in Alpine located on the banks of the Snake River.
Day 12: ALPINE–SALT LAKE CITY
Travel to Salt Lake City, Utah’s vibrant capital. Set on the edge of Great Salt Lake Desert, this center of the Mormon religion is where Brigham Young declared to his followers, “This is the place.” An orientation tour offers a glimpse of Temple Square, the Capitol Building, and the downtown area. (CBreakfast)
Day 13: SALT LAKE CITY–BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK
Today’s highlight is a visit to unique Bryce Canyon National Park with its 20 miles of sandstone cliffs and ever-changing colors. See some of Earth’s most brilliant shades of rock, sculpted by nature into pillars called “hoodoos.” (Breakfast)
Day 14: BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK–ZION NATIONAL PARK–LAS VEGAS
First stop today is Zion National Park with its landscape carved over millions of years by rushing streams. Steep canyons, stone towers, and verdant vegetation form the scenery of Zion. See fantastic rock structures and some unbelievable scenic beauty. We then return to Las Vegas. (Breakfast,Lunch)
Day 15: LAS VEGAS
Your vacation ends this morning. You may choose to extend your vacation with extra nights and explore Las Vegas further.
Day 1: Arrive in Phoenix and Travel to Scottsdale
Welcome to Arizona, famous for its scenic road trips, towering Monument Valley, and of course the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon. Your airport transfer will whisk you to your hotel in Scottsdale where you can enjoy the facilities and grounds of this striking desert oasis. Why not head out and explore Old Scottsdale, a vibrant and unique urban downtown area that introduces you the best of the state? Here, you’ll be surrounded by retro wooden buildings, rodeo inspired artwork and a selection of local stores, all radiating a classic Southwestern flair. At 18:00, join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a Welcome Dinner at Zuzu, where you will have the opportunity to mingle and get to know one another.
Day 2: Sedona and the Wonders of the Mighty Grand Canyon
Travel through world-renowned Red Country along the Red Rock Scenic Byway, one of only 20 designated All-American Roads nationwide. Explore bohemian Sedona with its shops and galleries, or simply take in the exceptional beauty of Red Rock Country before you make your way to the Grand Canyon. Follow Oak Creek Canyon Scenic Byway through Coconino National Forest, a breathtaking stretch of road recognized by Rand McNally as one of the Top Five Most Scenic Drives in America. On arrival, you can take an optional flightseeing tour over the Grand Canyon. Whether you prefer a helicopter or a fixed-wing plane, you'll enjoy magnificent scenery with aerial views from above. Meet your Local Expert Canyon Tim at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon to discover its wonders. You'll learn all about the origins of the five-million-year-old canyon, its rock formations and the human impact on this natural masterpiece. He'll also talk to you about the local flora and fauna, and where you might be able to spot them.
Day 3: Monument Valley and Lake Powell
Early risers will take advantage of the lodge location to witness one of Mother Nature's grandest shows on earth: a sunrise over the Grand Canyon. Travel along the South Rim Desert View Drive, skirting the South Rim of the canyon. We will stop at Desert View Point to see the historic Watchtower built by Mary Colter in the Puebloan style, the Colorado River turning north and the Painted Desert extending towards Navajo and Hopi Indian lands. Make Travel Matter as we will be supporting the Grand Canyon Conservancy and making a donation to support the development of the Desert View Inter-tribal Heritage Center. Head to the Cameron Trading Post, on of the oldest and most historic general stores in Arizona. Enter Monument Valley Tribal Park, where you'll join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as you meet your Navajo Local Experts and board all-terrain vehicles with open sides for a private, off-the-beaten path exploration of this magical valley. Learn about Navajo history, culture and heritage from your expert as you travel deeper into the natural wonders of this unique landscape. Enjoy a Navajo cookout amid the giant buttes and mesas of this unique landscape. Spend the rest of the day relaxing at your lakefront resort.
Day 4: Leisurely Lake Powell Relaxed Start
Today is entirely yours to do as you please. Partake in one of our popular optional experiences, explore on your own, or simply relax by the resort swimming pool with views of Lake Powell. As an optional activity this morning, let yourself be tempted by a gentle float trip down the Colorado River. Calmly float down the Colorado, past some of the most awe-inspiring sites, like the iconic Horseshoe Bend and Petroglyph Beach. In the evening, enjoy dinner with wine at the Red Heritage as you get the opportunity to watch local dancers talented in colorful powwow dancing, flute playing, and live drum music and enjoy a traditional dinner at this Navajo owned Native American Performing Arts Theater.
Day 5: Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks
Journey across a wide-open landscape punctuated by colorful sandstone cliffs, sagebrush-covered flats, and high ridges dotted with piñon pine and juniper. Travel through Bryce Canyon Country on a portion of the Scenic Highway 89, recognized by National Geographic as the No. 1 Driver's Drive in the world. You will be struck by the beauty of Bryce Canyon National Park, an otherworldly landscape of red rock pillars known as hoodoos, pink cliffs, and endless vistas. Follow the Rim Trail from Surprise Point to Bryce Point. Stops will be made at the major viewpoints and there will be time for a leisurely walk along Sunset Point or a more physical hike down the canyon. Either way, you will be spellbound by the beauty and majesty of this dramatic natural landscape.
Day 6: Zion National Park Relaxed Start
After a leisurely breakfast and a Relaxed Start, we will tour the canyon aboard a privately chartered open-air vehicle, with live commentary from a Local Expert to show you the many scenic highlights of the canyon such as the weeping rock, the hanging garden and the fauna and flora of the park.Then choose between a Travel Director guided hike to the Emerald Pools for beautiful scenery of the canyon, waterfalls and green pools surrounded by red sandstone or visit the Zion Nature Center at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center. The afternoon is free after that. In the evening enjoy a Celebration Dinner hosted at the lodge, and a last chance to share travel memories with your new friends.
Day 7: Salt Lake City
This morning you make your way out of Zion National Park and will transfer to Salt Lake City, the capital of Utah. Your hotel is short walk away from Temple Square, which is the headquarters of the Mormon church. In the evening join for a dinner with wine at the hotel.
Day 8: Jackson and the Tetons
Before leaving Salt Lake City, take in the State Capitol building. Drive along the scenic Logan Canyon, over the Wasatch Mountain Range, and up to the Bear Lake Summit. Stop for lunch at Garden City, Utah while enjoying views of the beautiful turquoise waters of Bear Lake. You will then head north across the Oregon Trail to historic Jackson. Have your cameras ready for the famous elk antlers the central square, while eager shoppers will find a number of charming traditional boutique galleries to browse. Enjoy the rest of the evening at leisure, with your hotel located only a short walk away from Jackson's Town Square.
Day 9: Yellowstone National Park
Wake up to a mountainous view like no other and witness the striking Grand Tetons thrust skyward 6,562 feet (2,000 metres) from the valley floor. This morning, you have the opportunity to partake in an optional scenic float down the Snake River (signed waiver required) inside Grand Teton National Park. In keeping with today’s rustic country charm, you’ll enter Yellowstone, the world’s first National Park. Known for its unique geothermal activity, spectacular landscapes and abundant wildlife, you’ll experience Wyoming in all its glory. Keep an eye out for black bears or wolves. Tonight you’ll stay in the National Park Lodges, allowing you to experience the park after hours, in its natural habitat.
Day 10: Geysers and Colourful Mudpots Relaxed Start
Savour the surreal surroundings of Yellowstone with a relaxed start. Walk among the rainbow tinted hot springs and watch the erupting geysers as you take in the history of the park on an informative stroll with your Travel Director. Catch the renowned colourful bubbling mud pots and observe Old Faithful geyser shooting water over 120 feet (37 metres) into the air. In the afternoon, enjoy the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone as you take in stunning natural wonders. While driving through Hayden Valley, famous for its wildlife, keep an eye out for wolves, bears, elk and hundreds of bison. The rest of the evening is at leisure for you to relax.
Day 11: The Ranch at Ucross Relaxed Start
Set off on your travels through the stark Shoshone Canyon and Absaroka Rocky Mountains, leading you to the Wild West Town of Cody. Channel your inner showman and learn more about America’s great Western legends at the Buffalo Bill Centre, known for its Western art collection, firearms, and natural history. Travel through the Bighorn National Forest to the Ranch at UCross. Take in the rustic charm as you're hosted at a traditional Wyoming Family ranch. Start off the evening with a cocktail hour in the historic Ranch House bar. After a home-cooked dinner, enjoy a fire pit with live entertainment, including country, folk and bluegrass music.
Day 12: Devils Tower into the Black Hills
Live the American frontier dream and begin your day with a scenic country horseback ride (8) accompanied by a Ranch Hand. If playing cowboy isn’t your thing, perhaps go fishing or merely relax and take in your beautiful surroundings, the choice is yours. Make your way to Devils Tower, an astounding geological feature that protrudes out of the surrounding Black Hills. This symbolic landmark is considered sacred to the Lakota and other tribes. Experience Spearfish Canyon, a favoured spot among wildlife enthusiasts and one famous for its elvish woodland beauty. The limestone palisades of this creek-carved gorge are more ancient than the Grand Canyon itself.
Day 13: Custer and the Wild, Wild West
A day for those looking to explore the Wild West, try to spotting the fastest mammal in North America, the pronghorn antelope as you cross the great high plains to the Black Hills of South Dakota. We visit Badlands National Park in South Dakota, 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires blended with the largest protected mixed grass prairie in America. Without a doubt, a hidden gem in the national park system, the unique beauty of the Badlands landscape is like no other. Sightseers as well as scholarly scientists are attracted to the area for its astounding beauty and the opportunity to peek into an ancient world. Continue on to Custer State Park, renowned for its beautiful landscape and abundant wildlife.
Day 14: Mountain Monuments of the Black Hills Relaxed Start
Travel to the iconic Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Here, carvings of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt overlook the landscape. Next, head to Crazy Horse Memorial, which is dedicated to protecting and preserving the culture, tradition and living heritage of the North American Indians. An exclusive Insight Experience awaits as you are taken up to stand face-to-face with this impressive sculpture. At 641 feet (195 metres) long and 563 feet (172 metres) tall the piece takes the record for the world’s largest mountain carving.Join your Travel Director and newfound friends for a Celebration Dinner with wine, as you reflect on your adventure across the wide-open spaces of America's national parks.
Day 15: Depart Denver
Travel south from Custer State Park where your trip ends on arrival in Denver. A transfer is available to Denver International Airport. Airport arrival in Denver will be at 16:30 or choose to extend your stay in Downtown Denver.
