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ROUTES OF THE OLD WEST with ALBUQUERQUE BALLOON FIESTA (AUS2010)
A  13-Day tour starting from $2,689

Live, experienced travel consultants available:
1-800-942-3301
Monday-Friday 9AM - 6:30PM Eastern Time
9AM - 2PM Saturdays

Tour Length:    13 Days
Tour Type:    Other Globus Tours
Tour Category:    REGIONAL DISCOVERY
Tour Operator:    Globus Tours
Tour Code:    AUS-2010
About This Tour

Vacation Overview
Begin your trip in the mile-high city of Denver on this Old West vacation. Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Denver then head to Estes Park, gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. Marvel at fantastic alpine scenery as you travel along Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous highway in the United States at an elevation of 12,000 feet. Pass Grand Lake, Colorado’s largest natural lake, and journey to the resort town of Vail, one of the most popular ski resorts and a popular summer vacation destination. Travel to Moab, Utah, and enjoy a wine tasting, an authentic outdoor Western barbecue, and a visit to Arches National Park with its 2,000 natural sandstone arches and unusual rock formations. Your tour then heads back to Colorado and Mesa Verde National Park. In Mesa Verde, marvel at the cliff dwellings and see how the Ancestral Pueblo people lived for over 700 years. More Western history awaits in Durango with a scenic ride through the San Juan National Forest on the Durango–Silverton train. This legendary steam train hugs steep canyon walls and offers breathtaking beauty. Then journey south to Santa Fe and Taos in New Mexico for walking tours in both cities. Cross back into Colorado and take a walk along the Royal Gorge Bridge, the highest suspension bridge in the world. Marvel at the rugged rock walls that plunge more than 1,000 feet down to the Arkansas River. In Colorado Springs, take the cog railway up to the summit of 14,110-foot Pikes Peak for amazing views. The vacation ends back in Denver—a great way to end this spectacular journey through some of the West’s most beautiful areas and Old West charm. On selected departures (9/25 and 10/2), you may alter your itinerary in order to attend the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the largest ballooning event in the world and one of New Mexico’s most dazzling spectacles.Fall Foliage Departures:Enjoy the spectacular fall colors on our special Fall Foliage departures: September 11–October 2 (if Mother Nature permits).

Title
ROUTES OF THE OLD WEST WITH ALBUQUERQUE BALLOON FIESTA
What's Included?

Hotels


Denver
Westin Tabor Center (MD),

Vail
Vail Marriott Mountain Resort (SF),

Moab
Red Cliffs Lodge (F),

Durango
Doubletree Hotel Durango (F),

Santa Fe
Hilton of Santa Fe (SF),

Colorado Springs
Doubletree Colorado Springs (F),

Albuquerque Extension
Albuquerque Marriott (SF)

Meals
American breakfast daily (B); 4 three-course dinners (D), including a Western barbecue in Moab and a farewell dinner in Colorado Springs.
Sightseeing / Highlights

City Highlights


Denver:
Sightseeing tour

Rocky Mountain National Park:
Sightseeing tour

Colorado National Monument:
Sightseeing along Rim Rock Drive

Moab:
Visit Arches National Park; wine tasting

Mesa Verde National Park:
Visit cliff dwellings and museum

Durango:
Ride narrow-gauge train to Silverton

Santa Fe:
Guided walking tour; visit Loretto Chapel

Taos:
Walking tour and visit Pueblo de Taos

Royal Gorge Bridge:
Walk across the span

Colorado Springs:
Ride the cog railroad up Pikes Peak; farewell dinnerNote:Maximum elevation on vacation: 14,110 ft.
Your Itinerary
Day 1:
Arrive in Denver. Welcome to colorful Colorado! At 6 pm, meet your traveling companions for a welcome drink. Your Tour Director will prepare you for your upcoming adventure.

Day 2:
Denver–Rocky Mountain National Park–Vail. Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Denver this morning, then it’s on to the beautiful Colorado mountains. Travel to Estes Park, gateway to ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK. A break at almost 12,000 feet provides fantastic alpine scenery. Continue along scenic Trail Ridge Road, crossing the Continental Divide and passing Grand Lake, Colorado’s largest natural lake. Journey to Vail, one of America’s most popular mountain resorts. (B)

Note: Rocky Mountain National Park is subject to favorable road and weather conditions.

Day 3:
Vail–Colorado National Monument–Moab. Travel through the massive 1,800-foot walls of Glenwood Canyon to the “western slope” of Colorado. Then, visit COLORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT, with sightseeing along panoramic Rim Rock Drive. Admire the majestic beauty of Independence Monument and Balanced Rock. Afterward, continue to Moab, Utah, arriving at Red Cliffs Lodge. Enjoy WINE TASTING at your resort’s winery, then experience an authentic outdoor Western barbecue. (B,D)

Special Feature: Your hotel in Moab is the Red Cliffs Lodge. Offering guests a ranch-like experience amid luxurious Western charm, Red Cliffs Lodge sits high on the banks of the Colorado River surrounded by cliffs and situated where Western favorites such as Wagon Master and Rio Grande were filmed.

Day 4:
Moab. This morning, visit ARCHES NATIONAL PARK, a wonderland of magnificent sandstone formations. Balance of the day is at leisure. Relax, swim, play tennis, visit the winery, or explore the museum with memorabilia from the movies filmed at your resort’s spectacular location. This evening, enjoy the optional Canyonlands by Night riverboat show. (B)

Day 5:
Moab–Mesa Verde National Park–Durango. Head back to Colorado and travel to MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK, a World Heritage Site. Stop at Spruce Tree House, one of the best-preserved cliff dwellings. Also visit the museum that depicts the story of the people who once thrived on this 8,000-foot plateau, and stop at a great vantage point for pictures of Cliff Palace (one of the largest of the 700-year-old Anasazi dwellings). Arrive in Durango, a town born in the Gold Rush and silver-mining era. (B,D)

Day 6:
Durango. Rail Journey to Silverton. Board the narrow-gauge DURANGO-SILVERTON TRAIN this morning for a scenic ride through San Juan National Forest. The legendary steam train hugs steep canyon walls winding its way through Rio de las Animas Canyon with vistas of snowcapped peaks. Free time in Silverton, once a major mining town which owes its name to the bragging statement by an early miner: “We have no gold, but silver by the ton!” Return to Durango. (B)

Day 7:
Durango–Albuquerque. Today, travel to Albuquerque for the world famous Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta! This evening attend the Balloon Fiesta to catch the ever popular BALLOON GLOW and AFTER GLOW FIREWORKS SHOW. (B)

Day 8:
Albuquerque. Today, get ready for this morning’s unforgettable MASS ASCENSION—where hundreds of hot air balloons take off, turning the sky into a virtual rainbow of colors. What began as a gathering of thirteen balloons thirty years ago has since turned into the largest ballooning event in the world. The balance of the day is at leisure. (B)

Day 9:
Albuquerque-Santa Fe. Head to the charming city of Santa Fe, the oldest seat of government in the United States. Experience Santa Fe up close as you embark on a GUIDED WALKING TOUR of the many historic buildings that reveals the town’s Spanish, Indian, and American heritage. Main sights include the San Miguel Mission, the Palace of the Governors, the CATHEDRAL OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, and LORETT O CHAPEL’S “Miracle Stairway.” The remainder of your day is at leisure. (B)

Day 10:
Santa Fe. Excursion to Taos. Today, travel to the adobe town of Taos, seated on the high desert mesa at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. On today’s WALKING TOUR, learn about its 1,100 years of history and art by visiting PUEBLO DE TAOS, a Native American village inhabited for nearly 700 years. Explore the historic town plaza, offering eclectic galleries, and wonderful shops before seeing the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, one of the highest in the U.S. Return to Santa Fe, stopping for dinner at one of New Mexico’s historic restaurants. (B,D)

Day 11:
Santa Fe–Colorado Springs. Leave Santa Fe and drive north to Colorado Springs, Colorado, stopping at the ROYAL GORGE BRIDGE en route. Walk across the world’s highest suspension bridge and marvel at the rugged rock walls that plunge more than 1,000 feet down to the Arkansas River. Continue to Colorado Springs, home to the U.S. Olympic Training Center. (B)

Day 12:
Colorado Springs. Pikes Peak & Cog Railway Excursion. Visit Manitou Springs and take the COG RAILROAD up to the summit of 14,110-foot Pikes Peak, the place that inspired Katharine Lee Bates to write “America the Beautiful.” This evening, your Tour Director hosts a special farewell dinner. Wonderful conversation and cuisine make the perfect finale for your vacation. (B,D)

Day 13:
Colorado Springs–Denver. Head north to reach Denver International Airport for guests with homebound flights. Please schedule flights after Noon. The motorcoach then continues into downtown, where the vacation ends. (B)

Dates & Prices

To speak to one of our live, experienced travel consultants, Call us now at 1-800-942-3301.

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.

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

       
Starting Date
Ending Date
Land Only
Land + Air
9/25/2010
10/7/2010
$2,689
Call (800) 942-3301
10/2/2010
10/14/2010
$2,689
Call (800) 942-3301
Additional Information

Price Details US
Single Room Supplement: $1084Triple Room Reduction per person: $247Extra nights per person in Denver:in single room $165; in twin room $103; in triple room $91

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AU|Routes of the Old West
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Save $700 per couple on the air-inclusive price of select 2011 'Great Adventure Down Under' or 'Exploring Australia' vacations**

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Applicable departures:

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*Book a 2011 Globus South Pacific vacation air-inclusive to receive the $200 per person discount. Booking must be made, under deposit and discount applied between August 25 and October 26, 2010 for travel through December 31, 2011. Offers not valid with any other offer except Journeys Club and applies to new 2011 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.

**Book a select 2011 Globus Great Adventure Down Under or Exploring Australia air-inclusive vacation to receive the $350 per person discount. Booking must be made, under deposit and discount applied between August 25 and October 26, 2010 for vacations departing between January 1 and February 15, 2011 and October 15 and November 15, 2011. Offers not valid with any other offer except Journeys Club and applies to new 2011 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.


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*Book a 2011 Globus Asia vacation air-inclusive to receive the $200 per person discount. Booking must be made, under deposit and discount applied between August 25 and October 26, 2010 for travel through December 31, 2011. Offers not valid with any other offer except Journeys Club and applies to new 2011 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.


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Standard Offers and Specials provided by Globus Tours

Discount for young travelers

Share the pleasure of a Globus vacation with your children and grandchildren and take advantage of a 10-percent discount on the land-only price. For eligibility, children must be under 18 years of age on the departure date and must be accompanied by an adult. On escorted vacations we don’t accept children under eight years old because we have found that they are too young to enjoy these vacations.

Pay less for your second vacation

We charge you vacation price for your first vacation in 2008, but for every additional Globus vacation you take in the same year, you pay US$35 under list. Our vacations are designed and scheduled so you can combine them almost any way you want. It’s fun to play the add-a-vacation game yourself or talk to your travel agent.

Triple room reduction

On most Globus vacations you receive a reduction when three people travel together and share the same accommodations. Triple room reductions, when available, are listed on the itinerary pages. A word of caution: Triple rooms usually are no larger than twin rooms and the third bed, if there is one, is often a rollaway put in a twin-bedded room.

Avoid the single room supplement

We do not take reservations on a “share” basis because we have found that strangers rarely enjoy sharing a room for the duration of their vacation. Avoid the single room supplement by traveling with a friend. It’s less expensive and much more fun!


Important Note:
All prices are per person, double occupancy, subject to availability. These pages are not endorsed or supported by the tour operator in any way. All information presented is based on promotional material provided by the tour operator. All prices, itineraries, accommodations and dates are subject to change without notice and at any time by the tour operators. Availability is limited and must be reconfirmed at time of booking. The prices on this website are not guaranteed. We are not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes in pricing. Please call us toll free at 1-800-942-3301 to confirm availability and pricing.