USA UTAH National Park
Canyonlands National Park
Monument Valley Four Corners ARIZONA (4,300 ft.) Moab
Animas Forks (12,000 ft.) Silverton
Durango (6,500 ft.)
Durango & Silverton Railroad
Mesa Verde National Park (8,200 ft.)
NEW MEXICO Maximum Elevation:12,000 ft. Arches Junction Grand
Four Corners, Southwest USA 8 Days / 7 Nights from $3,890 plus airfare
COLORADO
1. ARRIVE DURANGO Tour begins: 4:00 PM at the Strater Hotel. We’ll pick you up at the Durango Airport for a drive back in time to the handsome Strater Hotel, resplendent in Victorian-era hospitality. Stretch your legs and your love of history on a walk along streets paved with memories of railcars teeming with precious metals and lined with old-time saloons, stone churches and turn- of-the-last-century homes. Culturious takes you to places that are off-the-beaten path and not available on your own, like dinner at a private home in the mountains. Tonight, dine on organic, healthy food from the farm, paired with Colorado’s finest wines. Crisp air, an incredible setting and a hearty welcome make this a night to savor and a barbecue dinner that will long be remembered. Meals D
2. THE RAILROAD & GHOST TOWNS All aboard! Ride the rails from Durango through the scenic San Juan Mountains to Silverton aboard a vintage steam-powered locomotive to experience one of the most scenic rail journeys. Anywhere. The world over. The narrow gauge tracks have been in continuous use for 127 years – the historic locomotives are still coal-fired, steam-operated and in vintage condition. Old West towns grew up and prospered thanks to the natural riches of the surrounding mountains. Have lunch in Silverton, a study in
STORIES BY Ken Burns
Tauck on-tour Exclusive! Filmed narratives by Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan share personal stories of the men and women who worked for the preservation of Mesa Verde, who sought to protect the ancient ruins with “love and respect (for) those emblems of antiquity.” Tauck takes you behind-the-scenes with commentary by the creators of “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.”
“gold rush” prosperity and railroad lore. While the shine may have come off the silver that was mined here, the head-turning natural beauty of this place continues to dazzle. Hop aboard a four-wheel-drive vehicle as we climb higher up into the mountains; ghost towns, like Animas Forks, share their legacies – and views – along the way. Drive back to Durango on the “Million Dollar Highway” before dinner. Meals B
3. ANASAZI HERITAGE Spend the morning exploring Durango as you wish or join us for a visit to the Railroad Museum, enlivened by fascinating insights from one of the curators who, in addition to
Call your travel agent or Culturious at 800-788-7885
loving trains, really knows a lot about their history in the glory days of the American West. After lunch, we’ll drive to your lodge in Mesa Verde National Park, one of the first national parks set aside to preserve the work of the people. Learn about life here when a member of the Navajo Nation shares a contemporary perspective on Native American culture. Meals BD
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.
www.culturious.com 43
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48