Colorful Trails of the Southwest End Santa Fe
On this tour, each day is a cultural and natural adventure. You’ll stay inside Grand Canyon National Park, view ancient Puebloan cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde National Park and natural arches near Moab, and ride a 4x4 through Monument Valley’s landscapes with a member of the Navajo Nation.
Dining Summary
- 3 Dinner (D)
- 9 Breakfast (B)
- 1 Lunch (L)
- Grand Canyon National Park: Enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience at Shash Dine Eco Retreat on the Navajo Nation. Meet your hosts Baya and Paul for an under-the-stars, traditional meal of mutton stew, frybread, vegetables, melon, coffee and Navajo tea. Your local dining experience is enhanced by Navajo storytelling by storyteller and award-winning Diné recording artist Eli Secody, whose fun and fascinating stories are steeped in his Dine’ roots. Cap off the evening walking up to a remarkable vista on the very land where Baya can trace her lineage back over 20 generations.
- Grand Canyon National Park: The great outdoors is your classroom today when you meet geologist Canyon Tim for an enlightening talk about the Grand Canyon at the South Rim . Having over 30 years of geological experience, Tim’s fascinating talk reveals how this natural marvel was formed millions of years ago and how the different layers that make up the Colorado Plateau are still visible today.
- Grand Canyon National Park: One of the seven natural wonders of the world and the second most visited national park in the United States. Explore the Visitor Center and get familiar with the history of the Grand Canyon, grab a coffee at a local cafe and take a walk along the Rim Trail. Keep your camera on-hand as you explore some of the 278 miles of the Colorado River and adjacent canyonlands at one of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world with unmatched vistas along its rim.
- Oak Creek Canyon: Drive through Coconino National Forest on one of the most scenic drives in the U.S., offering a picture perfect view of the surrounding red-rock and Ponderosa Pine forest between Sedona and Flagstaff, Arizona.
- Glen Canyon Dam: Enjoy a walk to the rim of Glen Canyon where you will get the chance to visit Horseshoe Bend.
- Monument Valley: Board a 4x4 vehicle and navigate the iconic red valley landscape guided by a member of the Navajo Nation and Local Specialist.
- Arches National Park: Nature's creations spring to life at Arches National Park, home to the greatest concentration of natural arches in the world. Some 2,000 natural sandstone arches can be found within the boundaries of the national park. On your visit, unlock all the science and history of how these 6,000 natural sandstone arches were formed by rain and wind. Take in the sights of Delicate Arch and Balanced Rock while admiring the ever-changing landscapes as you traverse the park.
- Canyonlands National Park: There’s no better spot to witness the power of the Colorado River carving through rocky red landscapes than at Canyonlands National Park. Take in the views from the Green River Overlook, and be inspired by the vast expanse of high desert canyons at Grand Viewpoint.
- Mesa Verde National Park: There’s no better place to learn about the ancient cliff dwellings of the Ancestral Puebloan people than at Mesa Verde National Park. View the carvings in the sandstone of the canyon walls at the several hundred of these dwellings – astounded by the history presented before you. This UNESCO-listed park also features thousands of well-known preserved archaeological sites. Take in the sites of this protected area as you ride along the Mesa Top Loop and Cliff Palace Loop, where you can see the magnificent Cliff Palace.
- Taos: Visit Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO World's Heritage Center as well as a National Historic Landmark and one the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the country. Best known for is iconic, multi-storied adobe buildings, built roughly 1,000 years ago. About 150 Puebloans live within the pueblo full time. The Taos Tribal Council, which owns the pueblo, does not allow any modern convenience inside the pueblo, such as running water or electricity.
- Monument Valley: Travel to Monument Valley for a cookout lunch with members of the Navajo Nation. Take off-road vehicles to the cookout site where you’ll enjoy a delicious steak and chicken dinner with a chance to try traditional Diné (Navajo) tacos and fry-bread. This experience advances UN Global Goal 10: Reduce Inequalities.
- Monument Valley: Immerse yourself in the landscape of the Navajo people journeying through the desert to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. Get a feel for the land and its people climbing aboard an open-air, all-terrain vehicle to explore the valley with your Navajo guide as you pass its towering sandstone buttes and mesas, many of which have been featured in prominent Western films including John Wayne’s ‘Stagecoach’. Your exclusive Navajo Tribal Park tour with a Navajo guide helps preserve the integrity of the land and culture. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reducing Inequalities.
- Taos: Explore Taos Pueblo with Local Specialists who call Taos Pueblo home. Gain insight into the history of the pueblo and what it is like to live there today. Your visit supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
- Explore the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, and Taos Pueblo
- Visit Scottsdale, Cameron Trading Post, Horseshoe Bend Lookout, Moab, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Durango, Santa Fe
- Scenic Drive through Sedona's Red Rock Country, Oak Creek Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park's Desert View Drive, Trail of the Ancients National Scenic Byway, the High Road Scenic Byway from Taos to Santa Fe
- View Cliff Palace dwelling at Mesa Verde National Park, Desert Viewpoint
- Durango: Stay at The Strater Hotel, adorned with beautiful handcrafted woodwork, housing the largest collection of American Victorian walnut antiques. It's Durango's Historic Landmark Hotel, showcasing stories of the old west and mining times.
Whats Included
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- All transport and transfers shown
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- Optional Experiences and free time
- On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized
| Additional Offers |
ID: 9457249
|
ID: 9457243
|
ID: 9457245
|
ID: 9457247
|
ID: 9457251
|
ID: 9457254
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ID: 9457249
|
ID: 9457243
|
ID: 9457245
|
ID: 9457247
|
ID: 9457251
|
ID: 9457254
|
Our Commitment
We’re captivated by the places we visit, from the rugged, crimson sands of Australia’s outback deserts to the verdant forests and inky depths of New Zealand’s fjords and valleys. Our passion for our lands, their people and wildlife is part of what makes each AAT Kings experience unique, and is why we work with partners who share our vision for making travel matter, now and in the future. When you travel with AAT Kings and any of our sister brands you can be assured that you are choosing to travel with a company that puts sustainability and the planet at the core of everything we do.
TreadRight
The TreadRight Foundation was founded over a decade ago as a joint initiative between The Travel Corporation’s (TTC) family of brands with a mission to ensure our trips have a positive impact, and AAT Kings is proud to be a founding member.
People
Community support and cultural preservation by targeting overtourism through the inclusion of new MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experiences, the creation of a standalone strategy to encourage greater diversity and inclusion at AAT Kings, and our global give-back efforts.
Planet
Sustainability and conservation by targeting climate change, sustainable food production and responsible consumption through carbon management, renewable energy, the food cycle, waste reduction, and the elimination of single-use plastics.
Wildlife
Conservation and protection by targeting animal welfare and conservation, and ethical wildlife experiences through our Animal Welfare Policy.
AAT Kings supports the following projects
In partnership with the TreadRight Foundation, we have supported more than 55 sustainable tourism projects worldwide which seek to protect wildlife and marine life and have a positive impact on the people and communities we visit. Each tourism project we support is assessed based on its impact on each of the TreadRight pillars of people, planet and wildlife, underpinned by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which combine to form the basis for our five-year sustainability strategy, How We Tread Right (HWTR).
Kiwi Conservation with the National Kiwi Hatchery
Since 1995 Rainbow Springs Nature Park in Rotorua on New Zealand’s North Island has provided vital support to vulnerable populations of the flightless Kiwi bird, a beloved national species. The species is under threat from predators and their ground nests lack adequate protection, causing their population to decline each year. To date the National Kiwi Hatchery at Rainbow Springs has hatched more than 2,000 eggs, providing a safe environment for birds to hatch, releasing them into ideal habitats in the wild so that they can continue to reproduce. You can visit the Hatchery to learn more about the vital work they are doing to ensure the survival of the species, with less than 70,000 kiwis left in the wild.
Save the Tasmanian Devil
In some areas, more than 80% of the Tasmanian Devil population has been wiped out by Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) which continue to spread through wild populations in Tasmania. In conjunction with the TreadRight Foundation, AAT Kings support the work done at the University of Tasmania to develop a vaccine to ensure the population of Tasmanian devils can thrive disease-free in the wild. Guests travelling on selected Tasmanian tours can spend time observing the nocturnal behaviour of the Tasmanian Devil and learn more about these fascinating creatures with our Devils After Dark experience.
Animal Welfare Policy
AAT Kings is committed to only offering ethical wildlife experiences on our trips guided by TreadRight’s Animal Welfare Policy to support a tourism industry free of animal cruelty. The policy is based on the Five Domains of Animal Welfare.
How We Tread Right (HWTR)
Launched in 2020, How We Tread Right (HWTR) is AAT Kings’ five-year sustainability strategy. It is the sustainability blueprint for us and our sister brands under our parent company The Travel Corporation (TTC).
Our strategy consists of 11 sustainability goals anchored to the United Nations’ Global Goals, which guide the way we are addressing climate change, sustainable food production, waste reduction, travel experiences, diversity and inclusion, and wildlife: the six main issues that we are currently focused on as a business.
Goal 1: Climate Change
Reach net zero GHG emissions across the value chain by 2050 from a 2019 baseline year
Goal 2: Climate Change
Source 50% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2025
Goal 3: Sustainable Food Production
Reduce food waste by 50% across
Goal 4: Sustainable Food Production
Increase use of local & organic food products by our supply chain by 2025
Goal 5: Responsible Consumption
Reduce printed brochures by 50% by 2025
Goal 6: Responsible Consumption
Eliminate as many unnecessary single-use plastics from our operations and itineraries
Goal 7: Overtourism
Include at least 1 Make Travel Matter Experience on 50% of TTC itineraries by 2025
Goal 8: Overtourism
Achieve a 20% increase of itineraries visiting developing regions for select specialist brands by 2025
Goal 9: Our Culture
Increase employee and market sentiment regarding diversity and inclusion across our brands
Goal 10: Our Culture
Complete 30,000 volunteer hours by 2025
Goal 11: Animal Welfare
Ensure all wildlife experiences across TTC brands adhere to our animal welfare policy
At AAT Kings we've assembled a range of fun, passionate, quirky, knowledgeable and talented people to help make your holiday great and one you’ll remember forever. Our team will bring your holiday to life and they’ll share their passion and knowledge for Australia and New Zealand in ways beyond expected.
Travel Directors
At AAT Kings we pride ourselves on having some of the most experienced and insightful Travel Directors in the world. They’ll provide the commentary, stories and local insights behind each destination to allow you to truly get a feel for the places you visit. They’ll share advice, provide personal recommendations and reveal some ‘Hidden Gems’ along the way that you simply couldn't experience if travelling on your own.
Driver Guides
We personally train all our Driver Guides to provide exceptional service every step of the way. Each and every Driver Guide has extensive on road experience and driver training with a safe driving track record. Along with passion and local insight these genuine Aussie characters will enhance your AAT Kings experience and make sure you have a holiday you won’t forget. If you’re travelling on a Short Break you may be joined by a different Driver Guide each day so you can benefit from the breadth of their combined knowledge and years of experience for a more independent style of travel.
Local Guides
We’ll also be joined by a number of Local Guides at various destinations on selected Day Tours and Short Breaks. These Local Guides have specialist knowledge of their hometown and local traditions. They’ll take your sightseeing experience to a whole new level as they share their passion and stories in an engaging and entertaining way.
Travel Solo, Not Alone
Travelling solo doesn’t mean that you have to travel alone. Travelling solo on an AAT Kings Guided Holiday connects you with other like-minded travellers to experience the best Australia and New Zealand have to offer on a worry-free adventure.
Your Solo Traveller Options
Solo Traveller Room Share
On nearly all of our itineraries you can choose to be matched with a same gender traveller and only pay the twin share price
Enjoy A Room Just For You
We offer single room supplements across our tours if you want to enjoy a room all to yourself. Simply choose your tour and select your room preference in the booking process.
What to expect when travelling solo in Australia and New Zealand with AAT Kings
On an AAT Kings Guided Holiday you’ll be joining a tour with travellers who have one thing in common. A desire to uncover the true beating heart of Australia and New Zealand in ways that you never imagined possible. Getting under the skin of a destination, learning from local experts, and travelling worry-free, you’ll experience places more beautiful than any guidebook can describe.
Drink in the view, discover wild tastes to feed your soul and immerse yourself in stories that live and breathe, safe in the knowledge that every detail of your trip will be taken care of. You’ll enjoy the benefits of travelling in a group, with all of the essentials like accommodation and exclusive experiences all seamlessly sorted ‘behind the scenes’.
You don’t need to be single to travel solo. Perhaps you want to travel to parts of Australia and New Zealand your partner is not keen to visit, or you want to challenge yourself to travel solo for the first time. Our First Choice and Best Buys Guided Holidays give you the flexibility to choose a fully curated experience with plenty of local connections or a flexible itinerary with more time for you.
Our Commitment
We’re captivated by the places we visit, from the rugged, crimson sands of Australia’s outback deserts to the verdant forests and inky depths of New Zealand’s fjords and valleys. Our passion for our lands, their people and wildlife is part of what makes each AAT Kings experience unique, and is why we work with partners who share our vision for making travel matter, now and in the future. When you travel with AAT Kings and any of our sister brands you can be assured that you are choosing to travel with a company that puts sustainability and the planet at the core of everything we do.
TreadRight
The TreadRight Foundation was founded over a decade ago as a joint initiative between The Travel Corporation’s (TTC) family of brands with a mission to ensure our trips have a positive impact, and AAT Kings is proud to be a founding member.
People
Community support and cultural preservation by targeting overtourism through the inclusion of new MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experiences, the creation of a standalone strategy to encourage greater diversity and inclusion at AAT Kings, and our global give-back efforts.
Planet
Sustainability and conservation by targeting climate change, sustainable food production and responsible consumption through carbon management, renewable energy, the food cycle, waste reduction, and the elimination of single-use plastics.
Wildlife
Conservation and protection by targeting animal welfare and conservation, and ethical wildlife experiences through our Animal Welfare Policy.
AAT Kings supports the following projects
In partnership with the TreadRight Foundation, we have supported more than 55 sustainable tourism projects worldwide which seek to protect wildlife and marine life and have a positive impact on the people and communities we visit. Each tourism project we support is assessed based on its impact on each of the TreadRight pillars of people, planet and wildlife, underpinned by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which combine to form the basis for our five-year sustainability strategy, How We Tread Right (HWTR).
Kiwi Conservation with the National Kiwi Hatchery
Since 1995 Rainbow Springs Nature Park in Rotorua on New Zealand’s North Island has provided vital support to vulnerable populations of the flightless Kiwi bird, a beloved national species. The species is under threat from predators and their ground nests lack adequate protection, causing their population to decline each year. To date the National Kiwi Hatchery at Rainbow Springs has hatched more than 2,000 eggs, providing a safe environment for birds to hatch, releasing them into ideal habitats in the wild so that they can continue to reproduce. You can visit the Hatchery to learn more about the vital work they are doing to ensure the survival of the species, with less than 70,000 kiwis left in the wild.
Save the Tasmanian Devil
In some areas, more than 80% of the Tasmanian Devil population has been wiped out by Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) which continue to spread through wild populations in Tasmania. In conjunction with the TreadRight Foundation, AAT Kings support the work done at the University of Tasmania to develop a vaccine to ensure the population of Tasmanian devils can thrive disease-free in the wild. Guests travelling on selected Tasmanian tours can spend time observing the nocturnal behaviour of the Tasmanian Devil and learn more about these fascinating creatures with our Devils After Dark experience.
Animal Welfare Policy
AAT Kings is committed to only offering ethical wildlife experiences on our trips guided by TreadRight’s Animal Welfare Policy to support a tourism industry free of animal cruelty. The policy is based on the Five Domains of Animal Welfare.
How We Tread Right (HWTR)
Launched in 2020, How We Tread Right (HWTR) is AAT Kings’ five-year sustainability strategy. It is the sustainability blueprint for us and our sister brands under our parent company The Travel Corporation (TTC).
Our strategy consists of 11 sustainability goals anchored to the United Nations’ Global Goals, which guide the way we are addressing climate change, sustainable food production, waste reduction, travel experiences, diversity and inclusion, and wildlife: the six main issues that we are currently focused on as a business.
Goal 1: Climate Change
Reach net zero GHG emissions across the value chain by 2050 from a 2019 baseline year
Goal 2: Climate Change
Source 50% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2025
Goal 3: Sustainable Food Production
Reduce food waste by 50% across
Goal 4: Sustainable Food Production
Increase use of local & organic food products by our supply chain by 2025
Goal 5: Responsible Consumption
Reduce printed brochures by 50% by 2025
Goal 6: Responsible Consumption
Eliminate as many unnecessary single-use plastics from our operations and itineraries
Goal 7: Overtourism
Include at least 1 Make Travel Matter Experience on 50% of TTC itineraries by 2025
Goal 8: Overtourism
Achieve a 20% increase of itineraries visiting developing regions for select specialist brands by 2025
Goal 9: Our Culture
Increase employee and market sentiment regarding diversity and inclusion across our brands
Goal 10: Our Culture
Complete 30,000 volunteer hours by 2025
Goal 11: Animal Welfare
Ensure all wildlife experiences across TTC brands adhere to our animal welfare policy
At AAT Kings we've assembled a range of fun, passionate, quirky, knowledgeable and talented people to help make your holiday great and one you’ll remember forever. Our team will bring your holiday to life and they’ll share their passion and knowledge for Australia and New Zealand in ways beyond expected.
Travel Directors
At AAT Kings we pride ourselves on having some of the most experienced and insightful Travel Directors in the world. They’ll provide the commentary, stories and local insights behind each destination to allow you to truly get a feel for the places you visit. They’ll share advice, provide personal recommendations and reveal some ‘Hidden Gems’ along the way that you simply couldn't experience if travelling on your own.
Driver Guides
We personally train all our Driver Guides to provide exceptional service every step of the way. Each and every Driver Guide has extensive on road experience and driver training with a safe driving track record. Along with passion and local insight these genuine Aussie characters will enhance your AAT Kings experience and make sure you have a holiday you won’t forget. If you’re travelling on a Short Break you may be joined by a different Driver Guide each day so you can benefit from the breadth of their combined knowledge and years of experience for a more independent style of travel.
Local Guides
We’ll also be joined by a number of Local Guides at various destinations on selected Day Tours and Short Breaks. These Local Guides have specialist knowledge of their hometown and local traditions. They’ll take your sightseeing experience to a whole new level as they share their passion and stories in an engaging and entertaining way.
Travel Solo, Not Alone
Travelling solo doesn’t mean that you have to travel alone. Travelling solo on an AAT Kings Guided Holiday connects you with other like-minded travellers to experience the best Australia and New Zealand have to offer on a worry-free adventure.
Your Solo Traveller Options
Solo Traveller Room Share
On nearly all of our itineraries you can choose to be matched with a same gender traveller and only pay the twin share price
Enjoy A Room Just For You
We offer single room supplements across our tours if you want to enjoy a room all to yourself. Simply choose your tour and select your room preference in the booking process.
What to expect when travelling solo in Australia and New Zealand with AAT Kings
On an AAT Kings Guided Holiday you’ll be joining a tour with travellers who have one thing in common. A desire to uncover the true beating heart of Australia and New Zealand in ways that you never imagined possible. Getting under the skin of a destination, learning from local experts, and travelling worry-free, you’ll experience places more beautiful than any guidebook can describe.
Drink in the view, discover wild tastes to feed your soul and immerse yourself in stories that live and breathe, safe in the knowledge that every detail of your trip will be taken care of. You’ll enjoy the benefits of travelling in a group, with all of the essentials like accommodation and exclusive experiences all seamlessly sorted ‘behind the scenes’.
You don’t need to be single to travel solo. Perhaps you want to travel to parts of Australia and New Zealand your partner is not keen to visit, or you want to challenge yourself to travel solo for the first time. Our First Choice and Best Buys Guided Holidays give you the flexibility to choose a fully curated experience with plenty of local connections or a flexible itinerary with more time for you.
About AAT Kings
A century ago, the Australian outback was but a twinkle in most travellers’ eyes. But thanks to visionaries like the Pyke family and Bill King, the way we explore the Land Down Under was about to change in unimaginable ways. Over the coming decades, maps were unfolded, desert cruisers and coaches were customised, and guides were trained. From humble beginnings, the company now known as AAT Kings was going places few had gone before, pioneering new paths across Australia and New Zealand and taking intrepid domestic and international travellers on a wild and wonderful ride.
We’ve spent the last century perfecting a Holy Grail of life-changing moments around Australia and across New Zealand – ones you likely never knew even existed, and that you won’t find in a guidebook or listed on any website. Our DNA has never changed – we are, and always have been pioneers committed to worry-free and sustainable travel, revealing these majestic countries in a way that you never imagined possible.
About AAT Kings
A century ago, the Australian outback was but a twinkle in most travellers’ eyes. But thanks to visionaries like the Pyke family and Bill King, the way we explore the Land Down Under was about to change in unimaginable ways. Over the coming decades, maps were unfolded, desert cruisers and coaches were customised, and guides were trained. From humble beginnings, the company now known as AAT Kings was going places few had gone before, pioneering new paths across Australia and New Zealand and taking intrepid domestic and international travellers on a wild and wonderful ride.
We’ve spent the last century perfecting a Holy Grail of life-changing moments around Australia and across New Zealand – ones you likely never knew even existed, and that you won’t find in a guidebook or listed on any website. Our DNA has never changed – we are, and always have been pioneers committed to worry-free and sustainable travel, revealing these majestic countries in a way that you never imagined possible.
