A continuous panorama of breathtaking scenery unfolds along the entire route through aspen grove, hidden valleys and over the tundra. After lunch on our own in Manitou Springs, we visit the Royal Gorge, spanned by the world's highest suspension bridge 1,053 feet above the roaring Arkansas River. Dinner tonight is at the Canyon Inn at Canyon City where we overnight. Another full breakfast will fuel us for our adventures today beginning with a guided tour of the Great Sand Dunes National Monument where we can experience the eternally shifting 700 foot tall sand dunes for ourselves. Lunch today is on our own in Alamosa, after which we travel to Mesa Verde where we check into our hotel for the night.
Dinner is at the hotel tonight.
Mesa Verde offers an unparalleled opportunity to experience the life and culture of the Anasazi Indians. We'll actually walk in their footsteps through some magnificent cliff dwellings in villages which were inhabited for more than 1,000 years and learn about this ancient Native American civilization. Lunch is on our own in Cortez. This afternoon we visit Four Corners National Monument, the only spot in the United States where four state corners meet perfectly. We spend the night in historic Durango where we have dinner at our hotel.