Spirit of the American Southwest

Day 3: Santa Fe – Bandelier National Monument – Santa Fe
April 7, 2027 / Breakfast
Venture to Bandelier National Monument, a landscape of canyons and mesas that exists as part of a volcanic complex. It was in this sculpted landscape that Ancestral Puebloans lived between 1150 and 1550 CE, and today, the monument protects numerous cliff dwellings and village ruins. Explore this fascinating site your way because it’s your choice! Hike into the Frijoles Canyon with a local guide -OR- walk along a paved path with a local guide for an up-close look at the cliff dwellings and ruins. Return to Sante Fe for lunch on your own before a free afternoon and evening in the city. Enjoy Sante Fe however you wish, soaking in the small-town feel of the oldest capital city in the United States.

Day 4: Sante Fe – Chinle, Arizona
April 8, 2027 / Breakfast
This morning, depart Santa Fe and make your way to the Sky City Cultural Center and the Acoma Pueblo — the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in North America. Perched atop a mesa, the village known as “Sky City” remains home to a vibrant community of Acoma people. Take a shuttle to the pueblo, where an Acoma community member will guide your tour. Wind through narrow streets lined with homes and ancient structures that tell the story of the Acoma Pueblo. Visit the Spanish mission church, the oldest surviving European church in New Mexico. At the Cultural Center, you’ll have the chance to browse intricate Acoma pottery sold by artisans. After your visit, continue to Chinle for an evening on your own.

Day 5: Chinle – Monument Valley, Arizona
April 9, 2027 / Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Wake up in Chinle, a town encompassed within the Navajo Nation, the largest Native American reservation in the United States. Set off to explore Canyon de Chelly National Monument, where dramatic canyon walls and red sandstone cliffs frame a current-day community of Navajo families and the remains of ancient cliff dwellings. Embark on a guided Jeep tour led by a local Navajo guide, taking in the canyon that has been continuously inhabited for over 5,000 years as your guide shares Navajo history and stories. This afternoon, continue your journey through the Navajo Nation as you make your way to Monument Valley, another beautiful desert landscape with deep cultural, spiritual, and historical importance.

Day 6: Monument Valley
April 10, 2027 / Breakfast & Dinner
This morning, you may choose to join a local guide on an optional sunrise hike, watching as the landscape’s colors transform in the first light of day. Later, head into Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park for a guided tour of one of the most photographed places on Earth. The site’s natural wonder comes not from canyons, but from towering red rock formations that stand like giants above the vast desert, rising 400 to 1,000 feet above the valley floor. Take in this ancient, sacred land that is still inhabited today. End your day with a BBQ dinner set against a backdrop of red sandstone, as Navajo musicians fill the air with music.