Colorado and New Mexico Discovery
Colorado and New Mexico Discovery
Colorado and New Mexico Discovery
12 Days Starting in Denver and ending in Santa Fe
Visiting: Denver, Estes Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center, Colorado Springs, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Montrose, Million Dollar Highway, Ouray, Durango, Mesa Verde National Park, Ghost Ranch, Santa Fe, Taos Pueblo, Chimayo, Taos, Bandelier National Monument
Tour operator:
Tour code:
SSKRC
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
1 - 12
Physical rating:
Low
Age range:
15-99 years
Trip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Road trip your way through the mountains of Colorado to the high deserts of New Mexico on this 12-day adventure through the American West. From hiking around Rocky Mountain National Park to exploring Native American cliff dwellings and taking in show-stopping mountain views, this tour includes plenty of highlights and some lesser-known surprises along the way. Drive the iconic Million Dollar Highway, one of the most scenic drives in the USA, and tour the UNESCO World Heritage site of Taos Pueblo with an indigenous guide. Cap it all off with a foodie adventure around Santa Fe on a walking tour that visits some of the best restaurants in town.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Estes Park
Location: Denver, Estes Park
Accommodation: Hotel
Welcome to Colorado! Your adventure begins in Denver, where a meeting will take place at 9am this morning for you to link up with your local leader and fellow travellers. Colorado’s capital has a flourishing food and music scene, but the best way to get to know the city is by admiring its art. After your meeting, head to the River North (RiNo) Arts District, a hub for colour and creativity. Here your leader will introduce you to a vibrant collection of works, from graffiti and murals to fascinating 3D installations, and explain how local artists have brought this beloved neighbourhood back to life. In the early afternoon, leave the rush of the city behind and drive to scenic Estes Park, at the gates of Rocky Mountain National Park. Settle into your hotel and enjoy some time to get to know the area. This evening, you may like to take a spine-tingling tour of the vast Stanley Hotel, famed for being the inspiration for Stephen King’s 1977 horror novel and a hotbed of paranormal activity.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 2: Rocky Mountain National Park
Location: Rocky Mountain National Park
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfastlunch
Rise and shine! It’s time to head into Rocky Mountain National Park, undoubtedly the state’s most scenic spot. Have your camera at the ready for a drive through the park, as spectacular scenes stream past the window. After the drive, hit one of the best-loved trails in the park for a hike to Bear Lake. This 1-kilometre loop will reward you with some truly unforgettable views, including Bear Lake itself, framed by glorious mountains. After a delicious picnic lunch, the rest of the day is free for your own discoveries – your leader will be on hand to offer suggestions, whether you feel like getting active or taking it easy.
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Day 3: Garden Of The Gods / Colorado Springs
Location: Estes Park, Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center, Colorado Springs
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
After breakfast, make tracks from Estes Park to Colorado Springs, stopping along the way at the Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater. This world-famous concert venue is carved into a gigantic rock structure and has played host to many notable musicians since it opened in 1941. Here you’ll have some time to check out the Colorado Music Hall of Fame and grab some lunch. Carry on to Colorado Springs, where you’ll settle into your accommodation before heading out to the Garden of the Gods. Spend the afternoon discovering this remarkable landscape where dramatic sandstone rock formations are silhouetted against a backdrop of snow-capped peaks.
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Day 4: Black Canyon Of The Gunnison / Montrose
Location: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Montrose
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
Settle back and relax on the drive from Colorado Springs to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park where you’ll discover some of the most dramatic canyon spires in North America. Carved out of the rocks by the Gunnison River, this lesser known canyon has steep sides and big views. Stop for lunch en route (own expense) before you embark on the famous South Rim Drive which packs a dozen scenic outlooks into less than 7 miles. Your leader will use their insider knowledge to make sure you stop at all the best ones. From here, it's a quick drive to Montrose and your hotel for the night.
Included Activities:
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Day 5: Million Dollar Highway / Durango
Location: Million Dollar Highway, Ouray, Durango
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfastdinner
Today you’ll explore one of the most scenic roads in Colorado, the famous Million Dollar Highway between Ouray and Silverton. After breakfast, drive to Ouray and go on a guided hike selected by your leader, followed by an enlightening tour of the Ouray Alchemist Museum. Step back in time to the Wild West and learn all about frontier medicine from the museum's curator. After your visit, drive south towards Silverton on the Million Dollar Highway stopping at all the best overlooks. After dinner at a local farm to table restaurant on a ranch outside of Durango, check into your hotel and enjoy a relaxing evening.
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Day 6: Mesa Verde National Park / Durango
Location: Mesa Verde National Park, Durango
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfastlunch
After breakfast, drive to Mesa Verde National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and spend the day taking in a landscape filled with expansive views, vast mesas and canyons. Your leader will decide which walks to do based on the group’s interests and fitness levels. You’ll also join a ranger-led tour for a visit to Cliff House, the largest Native American cliff dwelling in North America. After you’ve explored the trails and enjoyed a tasty picnic lunch, drive back to Durango where you’ll have the rest of the day to explore your way.
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Day 7: Ghost Ranch / Sante Fe
Location: Ghost Ranch, Santa Fe
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
Today you will travel to Santa Fe in New Mexico, making a stop along the way at the 21,000-acre Ghost Ranch. Here you’ll have the chance to stretch your legs with a self-guided walk through the inspiring landscape. Georgia O’Keeffe’s summer home and studio were located in Ghost Ranch, so you may recognise some of the scenes from her paintings. Famed not only for its contributions to the artistic world, the ranch is home to thousands of well-preserved fossils, including skeletons of a small Triassic dinosaur. You'll arrive in Santa Fe late this afternoon and have time to freshen up before joining a group meeting at 6 pm where you'll meet any new travellers joining the tour. The evening is free for your own discoveries – perhaps stroll along gallery-lined Canyon Road or sample some of Santa Fe’s delicious (and often chili-infused) local cuisine.
Included Activities:
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Day 8: Santa Fe
Location: Santa Fe
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch
Today is all about the flavors of New Mexico. First, join your leader on an exploration of the Santa Fe Farmers Market, with tastings of course! You'll want to try the local Hatch chiles, grown and harvested in the Hatch Valley of southern New Mexico. Then join a specialist guide for a food tour taking in some of the city’s best restaurants where you’ll learn about the thriving local food scene and sample tasty New Mexican inspired foods paired with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. After the tour, you’ll have time to explore Santa Fe your way. If visual art is your passion, check out fellow B-Corp business Meow Wolf, which creates fantastical, immersive experiences.
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Day 9: Santa Fe
Location: Santa Fe
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
This morning you’ll visit the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum for a tour with an expert guide. One of the country’s most significant artists of the 20th century, O’Keefe was captivated by the stark landscape and Native American cultures of the region and used her art to capture its untamed beauty. On this intimate guided tour, you’ll see many of her most famous paintings as well as personal items such as clothing and painting equipment. After the museum tour, you’ll have the rest of the day to further explore Santa Fe. Maybe check out the Loretto Chapel, Museum of Contemporary Native Art, Museum of Indian Arts & Culture or San Miguel Mission. This evening, you may like to head out to dinner with your group (own expense).
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Day 10: Taos Pueblo
Location: Taos Pueblo
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
Visit the only living Native American community with joint designation as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and a National Historic Landmark for a special guided tour on your way to Taos. The multi-storey adobe buildings at Taos Pueblo have been continuously inhabited for more than 1000 years. Today, the tribal members welcome visitors to their village to learn more about their home and way of life. After your visit to Taos Pueblo, continue north to the historic town of Taos, where you’ll spend the next 2 nights.
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Optional Activities:
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Day 11: Chimayo / Taos
Location: Chimayo, Taos
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
Your morning is free to explore Taos at your own pace. Cruise riverside in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument through wine and apple country. Make a pit stop at the quirky Classical Gas Museum before visiting the historic town of Chimayo to learn traditional rug weaving and make your own pilgrimage for holy dirt at the El Sanctuario de Chimayo. Re-group after lunch and head to Chimayo for a rug-weaving demonstration and a visit to a tapestry gallery that specialises in handwoven wool products using natural dyes and traditional weaving styles. The gallery is owned by award-winning weavers whose work has been shown in museums around the world, including the Smithsonian.
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Optional Activities:
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Day 12: Bandelier National Monument / Santa Fe
Location: Bandelier National Monument, Santa Fe
Meals Included: breaksfast
Today you will travel back to Santa Fe, making a stop along the way at the Bandelier National Monument. Discover some of the most unusual ancient ruins in the Southwest, including petroglyphs, pictographs and cave dwellings tucked away in the cliffside. If you’re feeling brave, climb the ladders to these alcoves, high above the canyon floor. You can expect to arrive back in Santa Fe around 5 pm, at which point your New Mexico Discovery comes to an end.
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What's Included
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Accommodation
Hotel (11 nights) -
Meals
11 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 1 dinners -
Denver – Art Tour
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Rocky Mountain National Park – Scenic Drive
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Rocky Mountain National Park - Hike
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Colorado Springs - Garden of the Gods
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Morrison - Red Rocks Park & Amphitheater
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Ouray - Hike
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Montrose - Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
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Ouray - Million Dollar Highway
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Ouray - Alchemy Museum
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Mesa Verde National Park
Transport
- Private vehicle
Accommodation
- The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.
- Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.
Check out our Q&As
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Is this trip right for you
There are many opportunities for easy/intermediate hikes, and sturdy footwear is recommended.
This trip is new to our range this year. And while we have thoroughly researched every detail of the logistics, new destinations and working with new partners can sometimes throw us some unexpected surprises. More often than not, it’ll be a great surprise. But every now and again there might be a hiccup. We like to think that’s what puts the ‘adventure’ in ‘adventure travel’.
No matter how fit you are, altitude sickness can still affect you. Our leaders are trained to spot the symptoms, but it is very important that you make yourself aware of the cause and effects of travelling at altitude, monitor your health and seek assistance accordingly. You can find our guide here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/us/altitude-sickness -
What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers around the world for over 30 years
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Since 2002, The Intrepid Foundation has supported over 130 organisations across the world. We’re creating positive impact through the joy of travel, community and connection.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Over 50% of traveller travel solo with Intrepid. You can choose to share a room with another solo travelle of the same sex for no additional charge, or choose to pay a single supplement if you’d like your own room. Please request this when booking, and we will secure you a single supplement wherever possible. Please note, if you are booking a last-minute trip, it may be harder for us to secure a single room
Reviews of this Operator
Book with Confidence
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Free Date Changes
Intrepid Travel allows you to make 10 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 56 days before the start of the tour.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Intrepid Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform intrepid travel, 56 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Intrepid Travel requires a minimum deposit of 200 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of intrepid travel charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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COVID Protection
Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards
From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19.
However, we continue to strongly recommend that all travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and other Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.
This policy excludes all Polar trips and select adventure cruises, where testing and vaccination remains a requirement. Please refer to the Essential Trip Information of your chosen tour for more details.