El Camino Real

Day # 1 – Arrivals
Welcome to El Camino Real. Arriving passengers will be met at El Paso International Airport as we begin our adventure along the Rio Grande. We’ll begin with a visit to the Magoffin Home, an1875 territorial-style adobe built by Joseph Magoffin, a founder of El Paso whose family and descendants lived there for 111 years. We’ll enjoy a wine-tasting and welcome dinner in one of New Mexico’s finest wineries before checking into our home for the next three nights in Las Cruces. Overnight: Hotel Encanto, Las Cruces, NM. (D)

Day # 2 – Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum/ White Sands National Monument
This morning we will visit the outstanding Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, which will give us a good background on El Camino Real and the colonial period that it produced. Next it’s on to the amazing White Sands National Monument, a desert area which provided a major challenge to Don Juan de Oñate and his entrada 400 years ago. The park encompasses the largest gypsum dunefield in the world. Overnight: Hotel Encanto, Las Cruces, NM. (B)

Day # 3 – Farmers & Crafts Market /   Old Mesilla
A real treat is in store this morning: a visit to Las Cruces’ Farmers & Crafts Market. The distinctly New Mexican event lines four blocks with booths featuring Southwestern foods, hand-made arts and crafts, clothing and much more. We’ll have time to sample the local salsa and browse the homemade wares for bargains while mingling with the Native shoppers. No visit to southern New Mexico would be complete without a visit to Old Mesilla, the original Mexican community located across the Rio Grande from Las Cruces. We’ll have time to explore the hacienda-style plaza featuring shops specializing in high-end ladies apparel, authentic Mexican furniture and home decor, before enjoying an authentic dinner at a one of the town’s finest restaurants. Overnight: Hotel Encanto, Las Cruces, NM. (B, D)

Day # 4 – Fort Selden / El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro Trail Association
As we head north today along the original route of El Camino Real, we’ll visit Fort Selden, established in 1865 to protect settlers in the valley from Apache attacks and desperados. Now a state park, it was also once the home of the buffalo soldiers and Gen. Douglas MacArthur. A highlight of our journey is the El Camino Read International Heritage Center, located near Socorro. Built in 2005 to provide interpretation of this pivotal historic roadway, it is also the home of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro Trail Association. Here we’ll be treated to a special interpretive tour. Before we’ll call it day, we’ll also visit the San Miguel Pueblo, an important trade center before and after the Spanish entrada. Overnight: Holiday Inn Express, Socorro, NM. (B, L)

Day # 5 – Indian Pueblo Cultural Center / Albuquerque's Old Town / Casa San Ysidro
Today we proceed northward to New Mexico’s largest metropolis, Albuquerque, home of the world-famous Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. We’ll have time to explore the city’s famous Old Town and enjoy a very special tour of historic Casa San Ysidro, which sits literally on El Camino Real. Dating to the 1870's, this authentic colonial style home showcases household goods, farm equipment and carretas (carts) which settlers used on the trail and after settling along El Camino Real. Overnight: Clubhouse Inn, Albuquerque, NM. (CB,D)

Day # 6 – Albuquerque Museum / National Hispanic Cultural Center / Santa Fe
This morning we’ll visit the outstanding Albuquerque Museum and the National Hispanic Cultural Center which will provide a better understanding of El Camino Real and its impact on the region. The trail ended just north of the location which would become Santa Fe (1610), but Oñate’s San Gabriel didn’t succeed, despite his herculean efforts. We’ll take time to explore the storied plaza and shops of New Mexico’s capitol city before returning to Albuquerque for our festive farewell dinner at one of the city’s most famous restaurants: El Pinto. Overnight: Clubhouse Inn, Albuquerque, NM. (B,D)

Day # 7 – Departures
Sadly we bid a fond farewell to our Camino Real adventure and the memories we made here as we head to the airport for departures home. Airport transfers provided. (B)