Scenic Parks Explorer 2012

Dining Highlights
Welcome Reception with your Tour Director in Las Vegas.13 full breakfasts.4 three-course dinners.Highlight Dinner with wine in Jackson.Be My Guest Cowboy Dinner in Billings.Farewell Dinner with wine at the Grand Cayon.

First Class Travel Highlights
Includes all First Class features.Airport transfers are provided on Day 1 and Day 14.Capture treasured memories of your trip with a complimentary group photo taken at a landmark location.

Day 1: ARRIVE LAS VEGAS
Welcome to Las Vegas! A complimentary transfer is provided to the tour hotel. Your Tour Director is available at the hotel this afternoon to greet you and answer your questions. At 6 p.m., gather at the hotel with your Tour Director and fellow travellers for a Welcome Reception.

Day 2: LAS VEGAS - ZION - BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARKS
Depart Las Vegas for the graceful slot canyons and towering cliffs of Zion National Park. Then it’s onward to Bryce Canyon, home to the world’s largest concentration of hoodoos—tall limestone spires that rise majestically from the desert floor.(Full Breakfast / Dinner)

Day 3: BRYCE - SALT LAKE CITY
Leave the red rock canyons and travel north to Utah’s capital. See the famed Temple Square, headquarters to the Mormon church and home to the renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir. This evening, perhaps enjoy an optional visit to Brigham Young’s former home, followed by dinner at the Lion House, featuring pioneer-style ambiance and cuisine.(Full Breakfast)

Day 4: SALT LAKE CITY - JACKSON
Get a glimpse of the route of the pioneers as you cross the Oregon Trail and enter Wyoming. Scenic Jackson stands in the shadows of the icy peaks of the Grand Tetons. This evening, join your Tour Director and travelling companions for a Highlight Dinner.(Full Breakfast / Highlight Dinner)

Day 5: JACKSON - GRAND TETON - YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARKS (2 NIGHTS)
Perhaps rise early for an optional guided raft trip to spot wildlife on the Snake River (seasonal). Then traverse Grand Teton National Park on the way to Yellowstone, established in 1872 as the world’s first national park. Join a local expert to explore the spouting geysers, bubbling hot springs and mud paint pots. (When the South Entrance is closed due to weather conditions, the tour will travel west from Jackson via Idaho and enter Yellowstone National Park through the West Entrance.)(Full Breakfast / Dinner)

Day 6: YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK SIGHTSEEING
Explore the impressive Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone with its stunning waterfalls and a chance to see bison and elks. Watch in wonder as Old Faithful’s waters arc nearly 130 feet into the air. This evening, relax under the great basin of stars.(Full Breakfast)

Day 7: YELLOWSTONE - CODY - BILLINGS
Head north to the town of Cody, named for its most famous native son, Buffalo Bill. Get a glimpse into its lively history at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. Then it’s on to Big Sky Country for a unique Be My Guest Cowboy Dinner. As you dine on down-home cooking, a cowboy entertainer regales you with tales and songs of life in the saddle. Maybe take a quick harmonica lesson, toss some horseshoes, or even don some traditional cowboy duds.(Full Breakfast / Be My Guest dinner)

Day 8: BILLINGS - LITTLE BIGHORN - RAPID CITY (2 NIGHTS)
Today begins with a visit to Little Big Horn, where Custer led his 263 men against several thousand Sioux and Cheyenne warriors. Then travel east through the Black Hills to Rapid City.(Full Breakfast)

Day 9: BLACK HILLS EXCURSION
Discover the natural and manmade wonders of the Black Hills with a drive through stunning scenery on your way to visit to Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial, a mountain carving of the famed war chief of the Oglala people. Return to Rapid City this afternoon for some leisure time.(Full Breakfast)

Day 10: RAPID CITY - DENVER
Cross some of the West’s most beautiful terrain today as you travel through the expansive grasslands of Wyoming on your way to Denver, the Mile High City. This evening, join your travelling companions for dinner.(Full Breakfast / Dinner)

Day 11: DENVER - VAIL - ARCHES NATIONAL PARK - MOAB
Ascend into the Rockies and stretch your legs in Vail before descending to magnificent Arches National Park. Here, the wind and rain have eroded the sandstone into more than 2,000 natural arches. End your day’s journey at your riverside lodge. Tonight is at your leisure – perhaps opt for taking in the sunset over the red cliffs and a western barbecue dinner right at your ranch-style lodge. Or if you’re in the mood for more excitement, opt for a thrilling jetboat ride along the mighty Colorado, with a Cowboy Barbecue dinner all included as well.(Full Breakfast)

Day 12: MOAB - MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK - KAYENTA
Between AD 600 and 1300, the Ancestral Puebloan people carved houses and entire cities out of the sandstone of the canyon walls at Mesa Verde National Park, now a UNESCO site. Explore some of the cliff-top buildings and look down at the massive Cliff House, the largest cliff dwelling in the world. Stay the night in the tiny Navajo town of Kayenta.(Full Breakfast / Dinner)

Day 13: KAYENTA - MONUMENT VALLEY - GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
Marvel at Monument Valley’s landscape of towering sandstone buttes in special open-air vehicles accompanied by a local guide. Visit the home of the Navajo people, stopping at historic Cameron Trading Post. Breathtaking views along Scenic Desert View Drive just hint at the most spectacular of all vistas – the vast panorama of the Grand Canyon unfolding before you. Meet with a local expert who will enlighten you about the more than two billion years of geology revealed in the canyon. Then gather with your fellow travellers to watch the sunset, the fading light gilding the canyon and casting enchanting shadows. Tonight, toast your grand adventure and your new life-long memories at a Farewell Dinner inside the park.(Full Breakfast / Farewell Dinner)

Day 14: GRAND CANYON - DEPART LAS VEGAS
If you like, take an optional helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft flightseeing trip to see the canyon from the sky. Hit the road again, stopping in Seligman and Kingman, Route 66 hotspots that have kept the old Mother Road’s culture alive. End your journey back in Las Vegas where a complimentary transfer is provided to Las Vegas International Airport or to the hotel in Las Vegas.(Full Breakfast)

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Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
5/13/2012 - 5/26/2012	$2,999
5/14/2012 - 5/27/2012	$2,999
5/15/2012 - 5/28/2012	$2,999
5/16/2012 - 5/29/2012	$2,999
5/17/2012 - 5/30/2012	$2,999
5/20/2012 - 6/2/2012	$2,999
5/21/2012 - 6/3/2012	$2,999
5/22/2012 - 6/4/2012	$2,999
5/23/2012 - 6/5/2012	$2,999
5/24/2012 - 6/6/2012	$2,999
5/27/2012 - 6/9/2012	$2,999
5/28/2012 - 6/10/2012	$2,999
5/29/2012 - 6/11/2012	$2,999
5/30/2012 - 6/12/2012	$2,999
5/31/2012 - 6/13/2012	$2,999
6/3/2012 - 6/16/2012	$3,050
6/4/2012 - 6/17/2012	$3,050
6/5/2012 - 6/18/2012	$3,050
6/6/2012 - 6/19/2012	$3,050
6/7/2012 - 6/20/2012	$3,050
6/10/2012 - 6/23/2012	$3,050
6/11/2012 - 6/24/2012	$3,050
6/12/2012 - 6/25/2012	$3,050
6/13/2012 - 6/26/2012	$3,050
6/14/2012 - 6/27/2012	$3,050
6/17/2012 - 6/30/2012	$3,050
6/18/2012 - 7/1/2012	$3,050
6/19/2012 - 7/2/2012	$3,050
6/20/2012 - 7/3/2012	$3,050
6/21/2012 - 7/4/2012	$3,050
6/24/2012 - 7/7/2012	$3,050
6/25/2012 - 7/8/2012	$3,050
6/26/2012 - 7/9/2012	$3,050
6/27/2012 - 7/10/2012	$3,050
6/28/2012 - 7/11/2012	$3,050
7/1/2012 - 7/14/2012	$3,050
7/2/2012 - 7/15/2012	$3,050
7/3/2012 - 7/16/2012	$3,050
7/4/2012 - 7/17/2012	$3,050
7/5/2012 - 7/18/2012	$3,050
7/8/2012 - 7/21/2012	$3,050
7/9/2012 - 7/22/2012	$3,050
7/10/2012 - 7/23/2012	$3,050
7/11/2012 - 7/24/2012	$3,050
7/12/2012 - 7/25/2012	$3,050
7/15/2012 - 7/28/2012	$3,050
7/16/2012 - 7/29/2012	$3,050
7/17/2012 - 7/30/2012	$3,050
7/18/2012 - 7/31/2012	$3,050
7/19/2012 - 8/1/2012	$3,050
7/22/2012 - 8/4/2012	$3,050
7/23/2012 - 8/5/2012	$3,050
7/24/2012 - 8/6/2012	$3,050
7/25/2012 - 8/7/2012	$3,050
7/26/2012 - 8/8/2012	$3,050
7/29/2012 - 8/11/2012	$3,050
7/30/2012 - 8/12/2012	$3,050
8/5/2012 - 8/18/2012	$3,050
8/6/2012 - 8/19/2012	$3,050
8/7/2012 - 8/20/2012	$3,050
8/8/2012 - 8/21/2012	$3,050
8/9/2012 - 8/22/2012	$3,050
8/12/2012 - 8/25/2012	$3,050
8/13/2012 - 8/26/2012	$3,050
8/14/2012 - 8/27/2012	$3,050
8/15/2012 - 8/28/2012	$3,050
8/16/2012 - 8/29/2012	$3,050
8/19/2012 - 9/1/2012	$3,050
8/20/2012 - 9/2/2012	$3,050
8/21/2012 - 9/3/2012	$3,050
8/22/2012 - 9/4/2012	$3,050
8/23/2012 - 9/5/2012	$3,050
8/26/2012 - 9/8/2012	$3,050
8/27/2012 - 9/9/2012	$3,050
8/28/2012 - 9/10/2012	$3,050
8/29/2012 - 9/11/2012	$3,050
8/30/2012 - 9/12/2012	$3,050
9/2/2012 - 9/15/2012	$3,099
9/3/2012 - 9/16/2012	$3,099
9/4/2012 - 9/17/2012	$3,099
9/5/2012 - 9/18/2012	$3,099
9/6/2012 - 9/19/2012	$3,099
9/9/2012 - 9/22/2012	$3,099
9/10/2012 - 9/23/2012	$3,099
9/11/2012 - 9/24/2012	$3,099
9/12/2012 - 9/25/2012	$3,099
9/13/2012 - 9/26/2012	$3,099
9/16/2012 - 9/29/2012	$3,050
9/17/2012 - 9/30/2012	$3,050
9/18/2012 - 10/1/2012	$3,050
9/19/2012 - 10/2/2012	$3,050
9/20/2012 - 10/3/2012	$3,050
9/23/2012 - 10/6/2012	$3,050
9/24/2012 - 10/7/2012	$3,050
9/25/2012 - 10/8/2012	$3,050
9/26/2012 - 10/9/2012	$3,050
9/27/2012 - 10/10/2012	$3,050
9/30/2012 - 10/13/2012	$3,050
10/1/2012 - 10/14/2012	$2,999
10/2/2012 - 10/15/2012	$2,999
10/3/2012 - 10/16/2012	$2,999
10/4/2012 - 10/17/2012	$2,999
Note: Departures appearing above in green are guaranteed to operate by the tour operator.
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

Sightseeing Highlights
Zion National Park Discover Zion Canyon's dramatic towering cliffs.Bryce Canyon National Park View the colourful and whimsical hoodoos.Salt Lake City Enjoy an orientation tour including Temple Square.Jackson Overnight in this authentic Old-West town.Grand Teton National Park View soaring peaks and abundant wildlife.Yellowstone National Park Strollaround the boardwalks to view the geysers, mud pots and bubbling pools in America's first national park.Cody Visit the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.Little Bighorn Battlefield See the site of Custer's Last Stand.Black Hills View Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial.Denver Stay in the heart of America's Mile High City.Vail Stretch your legs in this charming alpine village.Arches National Park View amazing natural rock formations.Mesa Verde National Park Explore ancient Pueblo cliff dwellings.Monument Valley Board an open-air vehicle to tour these iconic buttes and mesas.Grand Canyon National Park Marvel at the sights from the South Rim.Audio Headsets For all guided visits and included sightseeing.

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Ratings & Reviews:

This tour's average rating:

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(4.25 out of 5, Based on 4 ratings) Write a review.

 

The most recent reviews for this tour:

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Roaslie rated this tour a 5 on 2/8/2012 3:39:55 PM and says:

"We were coming from far away and wanted to choose a tour that visited various National Parks in the United States. This tour was perfect. Its hard to say what we enjoyed the most, but Bryce Canyon was magnificent. Our tour director surprised us with a visit to Fairyland Point which is a hidden treasure not everyone knows about. It was unbeleiveable. In Billings Montana we got a taste of western life with an authentic bbq style dinner hosted by a cowboy. The entertainment and food were great. "

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Tony rated this tour a 5 on 11/23/2011 12:40:57 PM and says:

"We had a marvellous time on the tour and it was everything that we expected and more and more! Accommodation was excellent and the facilities offered were good. Small wonder that this tour is the most popular on the West Coast. A very comfortable pace that suited all in our party and we never had any late runners. MAJOR TIP - carry a plastic teaspoon in your pocket or purse as they are a very scarce commodity in Western U.S.A. With staff like TD Greg Martin and Driver Jose Reynaga Trafalgar will always enjoy an edge over all competition. Nothing was too much trouble for them with every detail being well organised as they worked so well as a team. 3800 miles, 1500 photographs, 20 tee-shirts and 20 fridge magnets later, not to mention the goodies we collected for family and friends, you could say that we did pretty well. Also I didn't mention the weather too much in the Tale as it was so fine everywhere except for showers at Denver and an overnight shower at the Grand Canyon. In each instance it did not effect any sightseeing. Our group was a very happy lot and we have made friends that I am sure we will keep in touch with for many years. I mentioned Bags IN/OUT especially as it seemed to be a problem for some on the Bulletin Board and also Breakfast start times. This didn't mean that you had to be there at that time rather work in with your projected departure. Bag times were important though as staff had to collect these and present same at the coach for Jose to check them on board. Safe travelling all - may your skies be blue and your photos everything that you want them to be!"

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Jean rated this tour a 3 on 8/15/2011 12:36:11 PM and says:

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What a great time we had as we toured through the National Parks. Everything was just perfect and Bruce Hall has to be the very best tour director in the whole world. We enjoyed every minute of this tour---and there was never a dull moment. What fun! There was really not one thing that I would change. We had seen the whole world but never our own country here in the USA. The Scenic Parks tour included a little bit of everythng---mountains, prairies, deserts, canyons....list too long to even think about. Accommodations were great! Food was great! Bus was great! People on the bus were great! All the scenery and exciting adventures were great! We are certainly two very satisfied travelers.  

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Brad rated this tour a 4 on 8/8/2011 2:24:11 PM and says:

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Hotels in Grand Canyon and Yellowstone were ok.  There are not a lot to choose from.  The included meals were good.  We saw some fabulous nature and scenery, but the tour guide was what really made the trip. He was amazing, informative and entertaining.  It's a fast pace covering about 3,500 miles and 9 states in 2 weeks. We will travel with Trafalgar again.

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