Trail of the Ancients

We will begin the morning with a visit to the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. You will have the opportunity to learn about the culture and some of the traditions of the Pueblo People who have inhabited this area for thousands of years.

Once finished you will depart Albuquerque, New Mexico and travel to the Sky City Cultural Center and Haak'u Museum. Explore this before enjoying a guided tour of the Acoma Pueblo. Experience and learn why this pueblo is named Sky City. Walk through the village, interact with the people who still call this place home, and enjoy the opportunity to purchase authentic artwork direct from the artists themselves.

Lunch will be served at the Cultural Center. Once finished you will enjoy a scenic drive to explore the Zuni Pueblo before traveling to Gallup for the evening.

Lodging: Hilton Garden Inn, Gallup, NM

Enjoy the morning exploring and learning the history of Canyon De Chelly. This site has history with the Ancestral Pueblo Indians and Navajo Indians. Learn about the unique geology that makes this site desirable to inhabit for both groups and other items as we drive along the rims and overlook this site. Once finished, travel north to Monument Valley and enjoy a tour inside the valley. Visit the Mittens, and other viewpoints made famous by countless films throughout the years. Also, learn about the history of the Navajo Indians, prospectors, and settlers that have dwelt here for thousands of years. Experience the hospitality of the Navajo Indians and learn about their culture as we stop at one of their Hogans, their traditional dwellings for hundreds of years.

Lodging: Desert Rose, Bluff, UT

This morning you will explore Valley of the Gods and the historic Moki Dugway enroute to Natural Bridges National Monument. Here you will explore three of the ten largest natural bridges in the world located within one small area. After a picnic lunch, you will travel to Hovenweep National Monument to explore and learn about the ruins of the Ancestral Pueblo people and culture that inhabited this region over 1000 years ago.

Lodging: Holiday Inn Express, Cortez, CO

Mesa Verde National Park offers the opportunity to explore fantastic cliff dwellings situated throughout the park and also one of the largest exhibits of pit houses and row houses in the region. This will enable you to learn about the culture and history of the people prior to their dwelling in Cliff Houses and Pueblo dwellings most prominent throughout the region. After exploring the park, you will travel to Aztec, NM and finish the day exploring Aztec National Monument pueblo site. This site offers you the opportunity to see fantastically preserved Pueblo Dwellings and a large Kiva that has been restored as best of possible. Along with this Kiva, you also will get to explore inside the ruins and explore the unique construction techniques for these large pueblos, along with other unique things found particular to this site.

Lodging: Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, Farmington, NM

Today you will travel south to Chaco Canyon New Mexico and explore the ruins found within this canyon. Chetro Ketl, Plaza Bonito, New Alto, and other areas are all available. These areas offer you the opportunity to see the Ancestral Pueblo dwellings at the height of their civilization. These massive cities create the cultural center of the Ancestral Pueblo communities in the regions you have visited throughout the week. Roads and other things complete the connections of this site to the surrounding communities. Afterwards, you will travel to Santa Fe, New Mexico for the rest of the evening. You will lodge in the downtown area and will have the evening free to explore the town on your own.

Lodging: La Fonda on the Plaza, Santa Fe, NM

This morning you will enjoy a walking and driving tour of Santa Fe. Explore and experience the historic buildings, plaza’s, chapels, and other unique areas within this downtown area. This city played an important roll with the influx of European Settlers into this region starting in the late 1500’s. While here, you will have the opportunity to visit the unique buildings and locations in town that played a role in the settlement of this region. After lunch with your group the afternoon will be free to enjoy the afternoon as you see fit. Explore the downtown area further, relax at the hotel, or enjoy some optional visits to other areas around the Santa Fe area.

Lodging: La Fonda on the Plaza, Santa Fe, NM

On the way to Albuquerque, New Mexico, you will stop at one last spot, Bandelier National Monument. Bandelier NM is another of the region's unique Ancestral Pueblo dwelling sites. Carved out of the rocks, this site offers you the opportunity to explore an alternative dwelling to the other Pueblo, Mesa Top, and Cliff Dwellings that were found in this region. Once finished with this site, you will continue into Albuquerque, NM to catch lunch at El Pinto, a fantastic restaurant in this area. Enjoy the afternoon on a tour of Albuquerque before dropping off at your hotel for the evening.

Lodging: Fairfield Inn & Suites Albuquerque Airport, Albuquerque

Transfer to the Albuquerque Airport on your own by hotel shuttle. Thank you for traveling with us and best wishes for a safe trip home!