Compare Red Rocks & Painted Canyons 2022 by Tauck vs Wonders of the American West by Insight Vacations
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
Trip |
4 | Great
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5 | Excellent
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Duration | 8 days | 11 days |
Price From | $ 4,490 | $ 4,395 |
Price Per Day | $ 561 | $ 400 |
Highlights |
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Trip Style | Small group tour | Group tour |
Lodging Level | Premium | Premium |
Physical Level |
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Travel Themes |
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Countries Visited | ||
Cities and Attractions |
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Flights & Transport | No | Airfare included |
Activities |
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Meals Included | N/A | N/A |
Description |
Have fun exploring Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion national parks from classic inside-the-park lodges, as well as Lake Powell, Sedona, Kanab and Las Vegas, on our fun-filled family vacation. |
See the best of the American West on this 10-Day guided tour. Join a Local Expert at Grand Canyon National Park for a one-of-a-kind experience: Allow the expert to guide you through the park while teaching you about how this national treasure was formed. On the way to picturesque Lake Powell, stop at the Glen Canyon Dam, then lounge at the pool of your hotel. In Page, enjoy a Navajo inspired taco buffet dinner and performance. Meet a Navajo guide in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, where you will board ATVs, explore the valley and learn about the tribe’s history. Later, eat a traditional Navajo lunch amid the valley’s beautiful buttes and mesas. In Moab, see the ancient pueblo dwellings in Mesa Verde National Park, where the Ancestral Pueblo people once lived. Travel to Bryce Canyon National Park to explore its rock pillars and natural amphitheaters — then feast with your fellow travelers overlooking the park’s iconic orange rock formations. |
Day 1 Arrive Phoenix
Tour begins: 5:30 PM, Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North. A transfer is included from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North. Arrive early and enjoy the amenities of your desert resort. Meet new friends who will join your family on this southwestern adventure at our welcome reception and dinner tonight.
MEALS : D
LODGING : Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North
PORTOFCALL : Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
Day 2 Sedona & The Grand Canyon
Stunning red-rock formations like Coffeepot Rock, Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock form an awesome backdrop for your visit to Sedona, Arizona – just like they've provided the backdrop for many Western movies. Spend some free time exploring this beautiful, historic town with its own unique energy, loved by artists, New Agers and Old West fans alike, and have lunch as you please. Continue on to Grand Canyon National Park, where you'll check out the Grand Canyon Overlook and Mather Point, guided by instructors from the Grand Canyon Field Institute. Your family will spend the night at an inside-the-park lodge right on the canyon's South Rim, from which you can experience one of nature's masterpieces after the crowds depart. Enjoy dinner at a choice of restaurants on the South Rim tonight.
MEALS : B, D
LODGING : Kachina Lodge
PORTOFCALL : Sedona, Arizona, USA
Day 3 The Canyon's east rims & Lake Powell
If you choose to, watching the glorious sunrise at the Grand Canyon makes getting up very early well worth it! Enjoy some time to explore the South Rim of the canyon as you please; keep an eye out for mule deer, squirrels and other wildlife on the cactus-studded landscape. Later, on a guided driving tour of the canyon's East Rim as you depart Grand Canyon National Park, stop at several points including Desert View Lookout, each offering a different view of the canyon, en route to your next destination... unique, man-made Lake Powell in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Have fun at tonight's private pizza party at your lakefront resort.
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : Lake Powell Resort
PORTOFCALL : Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA
Day 4 Flightseeing over Lake Powell and Glen Canyon
See remote corners of 186-mile-long Lake Powell – created from the Colorado River by the Glen Canyon Dam in the 1960s – from a variety of perspectives. Early morning, take an included 45-minute flightseeing expedition* (weather permitting) over remote corners of 186-mile-long Lake Powell – created from the Colorado River by the Glen Canyon Dam in the 1960s; view the unusual red-rock formations reflecting in the lake. Alternatively, you can take an optional 4-hour flightseeing excursion* to explore famous Monument Valley with a Navajo guide, available at an additional cost (ask at booking for details or click on one of the dates in Pricing & Availability). This afternoon, cruise the beautiful waters of Lake Powell to Glen Canyon Dam, followed by an evening at leisure.
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : Lake Powell Resort
PORTOFCALL : Page, Arizona, USA
Day 5 Rafting on the Colorado River
No southwestern family vacation would be complete without a canyon rafting experience – and your family will never forget floating along the Colorado River through Glen Canyon together aboard a raft* today, quietly spotting the animals who live amid the unique sandstone landscapes; pack your spirit of adventure – and your sunblock! After a stop for lunch, continue on to an overnight inside Bryce Canyon National Park, where you're treated to spectacular views of natural bridges, limestone cliffs and astounding stone spires, known as hoodoos, in shades of pink, red and orange.
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : The Lodge at Bryce Canyon
PORTOFCALL : Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA
Day 6 Saddle up in Bryce Canyon
The hoodoos, spires, pinnacles and other amazing geologic formations of Bryce Canyon put on a magnificent "performance" as the rising sun plays over them – so you may want to get up extra early at your rustic lodge and walk a short distance to catch the show! Weather permitting, you'll saddle up and share the adventure of a trail ride*, on either a horse or a mule, escorted by a cowboy guide who will point out hidden sights within Bryce Canyon's ever-changing world of naturally carved amphitheaters, rocky spires, gravity-defying bridges, balanced rocks and sculpted limestone cliffs. After lunch, it's off to Zion National Park, where your family enjoys an overnight inside the park at historic Zion Lodge, with dinner at leisure at the lodge this evening.
MEALS : B, L, D
LODGING : Zion Lodge
PORTOFCALL : Zion National Park, Utah, USA
Day 7 Hiking & Rockin' in Zion National Park
Spend the morning exploring Zion National Park's remarkable features – deep canyons, lush valleys, sandstone cliffs, mountain peaks, emerald pools and pink-colored gorges – as you please; eight different rock strata, deposited over 200 million years and creamy-pink Navajo Sandstone cliffs soaring 2,200 feet in height, tell the story of Earth's history here. This afternoon, journey across a corner of the Mojave Desert from Utah to Nevada, arriving in legendary Las Vegas, a neon-bright world crafted by visionaries and entertainers. Take in the man-made wonders of this "city that never sleeps" before joining us for a special farewell reception and dinner as your family's southwestern adventure comes to an end.
MEALS : B, D
LODGING : Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas
PORTOFCALL : Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Day 8 Journey home from Las Vegas
Tour ends: Las Vegas. Check-out time is 12:00 noon. Fly home anytime; a transfer is included from Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas to Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport. Allow yourself a minimum of two hours to check in for your flight.
MEALS : B
PORTOFCALL : Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Day 1: Arrive in Las Vegas
Welcome to glittering Las Vegas. On arrival at Las Vegas International Airport, your transfer will take you to your hotel. At 18:00, join your Travel Director and companions for a Welcome Dinner with wine at the award-winning Bacchanal Buffet.
Caesars Palace, Las Vegas.
Dinner with Wine
Day 2: The Wonders of the Grand Canyon
Journey on to Grand Canyon National Park. Choose to hike along the scenic Rim Trail with your Travel Director. Alternatively join a Local Expert, Canyon Tim, for a fascinating discussion on the wonders of this natural phenomenon, and learn about the local flora and fauna, and find out how you might be able to spot the local wildlife.
Grand Canyon National Park Lodge
Breakfast
Day 3: Grand Canyon and Lake Powell
Wake up to the backdrop of the Grand Canyon and enjoy some peace and tranquility before the day trippers arrive. You may take an optional flight-seeing helicopter ride for stunning views over the Grand Canyon before departing for the majesty of Lake Powell. Stop at Glen Canyon Dam to learn about its impact on the Colorado River before arriving at your lakefront resort. Check in to your room and enjoy the evening at leisure. Watch the sunset as you dine or relax by the pool.
Lake Powell Resorts and Marinas.
Breakfast
Day 4: A Leisurely day at Lake Powell Relaxed Start
Spend the day doing entirely as you please. Perhaps join an optional float trip (signed liability waiver required) down one of the most scenic stretches of the Colorado River or take to the skies and see the sights of Lake Powell, Glen Canyon Dam, and Horseshoe Bend with a 20 Minute landing on Tower Butte. The incredible 360-degree panoramic view this high is unlike any other. In the evening, enjoy an authentic dinner and performance at Red Heritage, a Navajo owned and operated performing arts theatre.
Lake Powell Resorts and Marinas.
Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Day 5: Monument Valley and the Navajo Nation
Journey on through the barren beauty of the desert to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, where you will MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®. Board a Jeep 4x4 to explore the valley with your Navajo guide. These sturdy all-terrain vehicles offer open sides for spectacular views and a roof to protect you from the sun. Learn about Navajo history from your guide and more about life on their beautiful land. The area is also the backdrop for many Western Hollywood hits, including "Stagecoach" and "Fort Apache." Inspired by these iconic movies, you’ll find “John Wayne’s cabin” at nearby Goulding’s Lodge. This small structure was used for exterior shots in "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon," starring Wayne himself. The venue also holds a cinema dedicated to Wayne and his impressive movie portfolio. Enjoy a Navajo cookout Highlight Lunch amid the giant buttes and mesas of this unique landscape before making your way to Mesa Verde National Park, where the day draws to a close. Your lodge inside the park offers sweeping vistas reaching into three states.
Far View Lodge, Mesa Verde.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner with Wine
Day 6: Mesa Verde and Moab
Enjoy a comprehensive visit to the fascinating Mesa Verde National Park. View the ancient pueblo dwellings known as Cliff Palace. Settle in for a relaxing stay at your modern hotel superbly located on the charming Main Street. Later, enjoy a Dine-Around evening and choose from a hand-picked selection of excellent restaurants.
Homewood Suites, Moab.
Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Day 7: Delve into Canyonlands and Arches National Parks
In the morning, visit Arches National Park, housing the greatest concentration of natural arches in the world. Stop and take a short hike to the Delicate Arch Viewpoint to view the iconic arch. Then it's on to Canyonlands National Park for a drive onto the Island in the Sky, a mesa resting 1,000 feet (305 metres) above the surrounding countryside, offering spectacular views over the dramatic sandstone formations. Back at the hotel, your evening is at leisure. Perhaps enjoy the outdoors or relax in this beautiful natural setting.
Homewood Suites, Moab.
Breakfast
Day 8: Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon National Parks
Magnificent scenery awaits at Capitol Reef National Park, best known for its Waterpocket Fold, a 100- mile-long (160 kilometre) warp in the earth's crust. Journey along scenic Byway 12 - one of the most beautiful roads in the world, winding through the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. End the night at The Lodge inside Bryce Canyon National Park. Officially designated as a Dark Sky Park, brightly hued sunsets and starry nights are likely to be found here.
The Lodge at Bryce Canyon.
Breakfast
Day 9: Whimsical Bryce Canyon National Park Relaxed Start
Start the day traveling through Bryce Canyon National Park, the great natural Amphitheatre. These whimsical eroded rock formations that characterize this Utah National Park are some of most unusual shapes imaginable, having an abstract artistic feel to them. Learn how wind, erosion and iron oxidation created the spellbinding hoodoos with your Travel Director. In the evening, join your fellow travelers for a memorable Celebration Dinner set overlooking the park's vivacious orange and red rock formations.
The Lodge at Bryce Canyon.
Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Day 10: Zion National Park, back to Las Vegas
Enjoy a last look at Bryce Canyon, glowing in the early morning light. Head on to Zion National Park - one of the most scenic canyons in the United States. Here, join a guided tour by a private Zion Canyon Shuttle, with live commentary, and views of the park's best sites. Your journey ends with a departure transfer to Las Vegas International Airport, arriving at 16:00.
Breakfast