The Best of the National Parks

Day 1: UK/Denver
Depart on your scheduled flight to Denver Colorado for a two-night stay.

Day 2: Denver
Surrounded by the majestic peaks of the Rocky Mountains and known as the ‘Mile High City’ because of its altitude, Denver itself is surprisingly flat. An intriguing combination of western town and modern city, you will uncover its highlights this morning on an included city tour. Visit elegant Larimer Square, meander through beautiful parks and join the bustle on 17th Street, the financial heart of the city. Architectural gems include the State Capitol with its gold dome, the United States Mint and the glass tilecovered Denver Art Museum.

During the afternoon, you are free to explore for yourself, perhaps visiting a few of the microbreweries the city is famous for to sample a tipple or two. Alternatively, join your Tour Manager on an optional excursion to Red Rocks Park and Bear Creek Canyon. Set in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Red Rocks Park is named after the incredible red sandstone monoliths that rise like skyscrapers from the ground. Stopping at the natural amphitheatre to take photos and admire the view, you can’t help but marvel at the wonders of nature. It’s then on to the tranquil mountain communities of Bear Creek Canyon. Keep your eyes peeled and your camera ready, you may spot elk, deer, buffalo and other wildlife. Return to Denver via Lookout Mountain, where you’ll find fantastic views and visit the grave site of Buffalo Bill Cody.

Day 3: Cody
Today will be a long travelling day crossing from Colorado into Wyoming. Sit back, relax and take in the stunning scenery. Arrive at the traditional wild west town of Cody for your overnight stay.

Day 4: Yellowstone National Park
America’s – and the world’s – first national park, Yellowstone is a wonderland of spouting geysers, terraced hot springs, boiling pools and bubbling mud pots. You will see the extraordinary Grand Canyon of Yellowstone with its waterfall twice the height of Niagara, the Fountain Paint Pots and, of course, ‘Old Faithful’, which erupts roughly every 93 minutes (depending on local conditions). The park is also a wildlife sanctuary with bears, elk and herds of buffalo all roaming freely. There will be plenty of stops to give you the opportunity to admire the scenery and the wildlife, taking as many photos as you can to show friends and family when you get home. You’ll stay overnight in West Yellowstone.

Day 5: Jackson
Spend a little more time in Yellowstone National Park before driving through the neighbouring Grand Teton National Park. Admire the soaring peaks, glittering lakes and icy glaciers. The lively wild west town of Jackson, renowned as a ski resort in winter, is your overnight destination.

Day 6: Salt Lake City
Driving south through the rich cattle lands of Wyoming, you will pass Bear Lake and journey through Logan Canyon before arriving in the thriving and beautiful Salt Lake City, where you’ll stay for the next two nights. Founded by the Mormon leader Brigham Young, who famously declared ‘This is the place’, the city is an elegant monument to those early settlers. A guided walking tour is included, which will introduce you to Temple Square, with its famous Mormon Tabernacle.

Day 7: Salt Lake City
Your day is free to relax and explore this charming city. Or why not join your Tour Manager on an optional excursion to the Great Salt Lake, the second saltiest body of water on the planet, and Park City, an atmospheric old silver mining town.

Day 8: Arches National Park
Watch as the scenery dramatically changes before your eyes as you travel through the vast multi-coloured Canyonlands of Utah. Pay a visit to Arches National Park, where giant windows and graceful arches shaped from primeval red rock gleam in the sun. Some of these natural arches, formed by the elements over millennia, are so delicate, you’ll wonder how they are holding themselves up. Your journey continues into Colorado, to Cortez, where you will stay for the next two nights.

Day 9: Mesa Verde National Park
Your destination today is Mesa Verde National Park, the only one of America’s national parks to be dedicated to archaeological remains. Native Americans lived and farmed the Mesa Verde until the 1300s, when they seemed to vanish. They left behind an incredible legacy of cliff dwellings, around 50 of which can still be seen, including the Spruce Tree House. Carved into the rock face, many of these dwellings are hidden from view until you reach them – they truly are a sight to behold.

Day 10: Monument Valley
Four Corners is the point where the four states of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona meet. The monument is the perfect place to have your photo taken! Travel on to the surprisingly familiar landscape of Monument Valley. Used as the backdrop to countless westerns, the spectacular sandstone buttes tower over the valley floor. There will be an optional narrated four wheel drive tour available. Then this afternoon, catch your first glimpse of the Grand Canyon. Tonight you will stay in Tusayan.

Day 11: Grand Canyon
For 277 miles, the Grand Canyon is an unsurpassed panorama of strange rock forms and brilliant, constantly changing colours – surely the greatest natural wonder of the world. You’ll stop at the South Rim, where the most spectacular views can be enjoyed. For a breathtaking panorama, why not join an optional plane or helicopter flight over the Canyon. Leaving the Grand Canyon behind, you’ll drive through the Painted Desert and the huge Navajo Reservation to beautiful Lake Powell where there will be an opportunity to enjoy an optional boat cruise on the lake. Overnight in Page.

Day 12: Bryce Canyon
One of America’s most remarkable national parks, Bryce Canyon is an immense amphitheatre of cream and pink-tinted pinnacles, pillars and delicate spires. Watch as the changing light throughout the day creates an evervarying perspective of shape and colour – it truly has to be seen to be believed. After exploring the park, you’ll stay overnight in Bryce Canyon City.

Day 13: Zion National Park
It’s time to discover your last national park today, as you admire the sheer cliffs, deep chasms and bizarre rock shapes of Zion National Park. And to mark the end of this holiday’s superb collection of natural wonders, tonight you’ll revel in a man-made wonderland as you stay overnight in the entertainment capital of the world – Las Vegas.

Day 14: Las Vegas/UK
Your adventure comes to an end today as you take your flight back home to the UK.

Day 15: UK
Arrive in the UK.

Please note
At certain times of year Yellowstone may experience snow which may mean that we will need to use a different route.

We want you to get the most from your holiday with us so please be advised that this tour is not suitable for anyone with limited mobility.

Accommodation throughout is in hotels of a comfortable standard, typical of the hotels you will stay in are:

Holiday Inn Select Denver Cherry Creek in Denver
The Cody in Cody
Brandin Iron Inn in West Yellowstone
Painted Buffalo Inn in Jackson
Crystal Inn Hotel and Suites in Salt Lake City
Baymont Inn and Suites in Cortez
Canyon Plaza Resort in Tusayan
Courtyard by Marriott in Page
Bryce View Lodge in Bryce Canyon City
Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas
All rooms feature en suite facilities, air-conditioning where appropriate, TV and telephone. There is a restaurant and bar in most hotels and often extra facilities, such as swimming pool and shop. The Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas features its own cabaret, casino, restaurants, bars, shops and its ‘Top of the World’ restaurant 800ft above the Strip.

Hotels will be confirmed in your final documentation.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Included excursions and visits

Denver city tour
Yellowstone National Park
Drive through Grand Teton National Park
Guided walking tour of Temple Square, Salt Lake City
Arches National Park
Mesa Verde National Park
Monument Valley
The Grand Canyon
Bryce Canyon
Zion National Park

Optional excursions

Red Rocks Park & Bear Creek Canyon
Lake Powell boat ride
Great Salt Lake
Four wheel drive tour of Monument Valley
Plane/Helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon
Las Vegas by Night tour

Your holiday includes

Scheduled flights
Overseas transfers and other transportation
13 nights’ accommodation including 4 breakfasts
The services of a Travelsphere Tour Manager and Local Guides
Hotel porterage (one bag per person)
All airport taxes and security charges
UK Airline Passenger Duty
All state and local taxes

With 50 years’ experience in arranging escorted tours to exciting destinations across the globe, Travelsphere have built an excellent reputation founded on quality and value.

By choosing a Travelsphere escorted holiday you can travel with confidence, knowing that every aspect of your holiday has been carefully planned and arranged from start to finish. Further to this they are ATOL bonded and members of ABTA.

Travelsphere’s thorough planning of travel arrangements, itineraries and accommodation combined with the unique insight of their knowledgeable Tour Managers and Local Guides will enable you to experience the culture, traditions and hidden away places less accessible to other travellers.

Our Opinion
“Travelsphere are one of the biggest names in the Escorted Tour market. Finely tuned over the last 50 years their tours have been tried, tested and refined by thousands of customers.”