Carlos, Navajo Guide Monument Valley
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Monument Valley is a mystical place, a sacred land, where the pace is slow, the reverence for nature and spirit, palpable. The isolated red mesas and buttes you will find here are the last remaining remnants of the sandstone layers that once covered this region, an area of raw beauty entirely within a Navajo National Tribal Park on the border of Utah and Arizona. Your guide knows these monuments of time intimately and shares legends and lore of the people and fantastically eroded landscapes that are inextricably intertwined with an authentic way of life that reflects an impressive scene of constantly changing color and character.
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as you navigate a raft through rapids that sport names like “Smelter,” “Sawmill,” and “Pinball” on the lower Animas River. Then catch your breath on a drive to Mesa Verde National Park, one of the first national parks set aside to preserve the work of people. Pay tribute to the ancient Puebloans, whose architecturally amazing cliff-top dwellings still rest in “eternal repose” over canyon-studded landscapes, on a visit to the Heritage Center en route to your wilderness lodge. Stillness and silence provide a peaceful backdrop for your two-night stay in the park. Meals BD
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Take a walk on the wild side in cliff-and-canyon landscapes, immerse in the cultural traditions of the ancient cultures who lived off the land and tame the rapids of the lower Animas River.
4. CLIFF DWELLINGS OF MESA VERDE There are some 4,000 known archaeological sites in Mesa Verde, dating from 600 to 1300 AD, vestiges of ancient civilizations that challenged the wilderness – and thrived. Seasonal nomads, these early cultures lived off the land, sharing a communal lifestyle and ceremonial traditions that sustained them through all kinds of weather and hardships. Get an overview of their cultural tenacity at the Mesa Verde Museum, before joining our local guide on a rock-art hunt along dirt paths. Petroglyphs remain etched on sandstone canvasses to paint a telling portrait of its residents. A picnic lunch of Native American foods and a 1/4 mile downhill hike to the Cliff Palace – the largest and most elaborate cliff dwelling in the park is four stories high, with early steep-roofed porches, towers and kivas, (ceremonial rooms) – is just part of your Culturious experience. It really comes to life when a member of the Navajo Nation shares contemporary perspective on Native American culture. Meals BLD
5. A NATURAL MOVIE SET
Be sure to pack your camera for today’s visit to the exact spot where the corners of four U.S. states meet; interstate travel has never been so easy! Impressive, monumental moments continue as we drive to Monument Valley, defying the imagination with standing rock sculptures that break all the rules. Navajo guides know the lay of the land unlike anyone else; explore by jeep with an expert, who not only cooks up an amazing repertoire of fascinating discoveries, but also invites you to a cookout in the heart of the Valley. The height of Culturious discovery continues on our chartered flightseeing plane from Monument Valley over Canyonlands National Park (an included value of $450). Spirits soaring, fly on to Moab, where ranch hands take over to show you a more luxurious side of daily life at a desert resort. Meals BLD
6. TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE Canyonlands sculpted by nature provide the setting for today’s walk on the wild
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