Cosmos: Highlights of the Canyonlands

Welcome to exciting Las Vegas, also known as “Sin City!” Your Tour Director is on hand from 3-6:00 p.m. to answer any questions.

Once you get settled, perhaps head out and start exploring this desert oasis known for its resorts, casinos, shopping, dining, and vibrant nightlife.

Cross the desert and the old Mojave gold-strike country, passing through Williams on historic Route 66, and Kaibab National Forest, to arrive in the Grand Canyon by mid-afternoon. Marvel at one of the Natural Wonders of the World as you experience breathtaking views of Grand Canyon National Park. Accommodations this evening are inside the park.

If you miss the sunset over the canyon, sunrise is just as impressive! See the canyon from the sky aboard an optional helicopter flightseeing excursion (at additional cost) for thrilling views of the canyon’s flame-colored walls that plunge 6,093 feet into the Colorado River. After spending additional time at the Canyon, head to Page stopping along the way at Cameron Trading Post, a site over 100 years old where Navajo & Hopi locals used to barter. Here, you can see Native American handmade jewelry, Indian baskets, Pueblo pottery and more. Arrive in Page and have the chance to join an expert Navajo guide on an optional excursion through Antelope Canyon, a captivating natural wonder carved by water and wind over thousands of years. The canyon’s unique wave-like structure has an almost surreal effect when sunlight illuminates the orange and gold sandstone walls.

This morning, visit Navajo National Monument. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the monument was established to preserve three cliff dwellings of villages built by prehistoric Ancestral Puebloans that date from 1250 to 1300 AD. Afterward, journey across the Navajo Nation to Monument Valley to experience the American West as it was immortalized on the silver screen. Situated on the Arizona/Utah border, the valley’s scenic desert vistas and iconic buttes have appeared in countless classic Western films. See the massive formations on a memorable 4-wheel-drive tour with a knowledgeable Navajo guide. It’s an experience you won’t soon forget! Later, enjoy culturally inspired food and entertainment including colorful powwow dancing and live music at the optional Red Heritage Indigenous Show & Dinner.

This morning, see Glen Canyon Dam, holding back the waters of the Colorado River in Lake Powell, the country’s second-largest man-made lake before travelling into Utah along the Grand Staircase to Bryce Canyon National Park. Bryce is famous for its unique geology as erosion has created bizarre shapes, including slot canyons, windows, fins, and spires called “hoodoos.” Tinted with numerous colors, these rocks create a wondrous landscape.

“Zion” is an ancient Hebrew word meaning a place of refuge or sanctuary. Once a refuge for Mormon pioneers, Zion National Park’s striking landscapes of steep canyons and stone towers carved out by rushing streams over millions of years will mesmerize you. You’ll have free time to take a leisurely hike or board the narrated park shuttle and hop on and off to enjoy the views and take pictures. Depart Zion and head to St. George, where you’ll enjoy an orientation tour of this important Mormon community in southern Utah.

Travel back to Las Vegas, with a stop at Harry Reid International Airport for those with homebound flights. Please schedule departing flights after 12 noon. The trip ends at the Sahara Las Vegas hotel.

Your flight departs later this evening, but if you wish to extend your time in Las Vegas, speak to your travel expert who can assist with accommodation and excursions for the remainder of your stay.