Rails and Rails, 9 days

DAY 1 FRIDAY

Salt Lake City

Arrive in Salt Lake City and transfer on your own to the hotel. This city is the capital of the state of Utah and the site of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.

DAY 2 SATURDAY

Salt Lake City National Park > Canyonlands > Moab (277 mi / 445 km)

Continental breakfast. In the morning, we will visit Salt Lake City, including the exterior of the State Capitol, the famous Temple Square, and the Tabernacle. At the end of the tour, we will head south to one of Utah's natural wonders: Canyonlands National Park, preserving a colorful landscape where erosion by the Colorado River and its tributaries has created numerous canyons, plateaus, and hills.

DAY 3 SUNDAY

Moab National Park > Arches > Colorado National Monument > Montrose (184 mi / 296 km)

Continental breakfast. We will continue to the magnificent Arches National Park in the morning, where we'll encounter a symphony of colors and shapes that are a true marvel of nature. Later, we'll head west, returning to Colorado to visit the Colorado National Monument, preserving one of the grandest landscapes of the American West. We'll enjoy the incredible views of Rim Rock Drive, a scenic 23-mile road where we may spot bighorn sheep and different eagles, with red rock canyons in the background. Overnight in the town of Montrose.

DAY 4 MONDAY

Montrose > Black Canyon of the Gunnison > Ouray > Silverton > Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad > Durango > Cortez (178 mi / 286 km)

Continental breakfast. We'll start the day by visiting Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, known for its narrow and deep gorge carved over millions of years by the Gunnison River. The park gets its name because some areas of the canyon receive only 33 minutes of sunlight per day. Next, we'll drive along the famous Million Dollar Highway, one of Colorado's most scenic routes, from Montrose to Silverton. We'll stop in the incredible town of Ouray, nestled among some of the most imposing mountains and canyons of the Rocky Mountains, often referred to as the "Switzerland of America." In the early afternoon, we'll arrive in the mining town of Silverton to board the historic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad to Durango. We'll take a journey back in time on this steam locomotive, traveling along the original tracks dating back to the late 19th century, accessing extraordinary landscapes that can't be reached by car. Upon arriving in Durango, we'll board the bus again to reach Cortez, where we'll spend the night.

DAY 5 TUESDAY

Cortez National Park > Mesa Verde > Gallup > Albuquerque (307 mi / 493 km)

Continental breakfast. Depart from Cortez to visit Mesa Verde National Park, the ancient home of the Ancestral Pueblo Indians. A UNESCO World Heritage site, this park contains over 600 cliff dwellings carved into the cliffs of canyons. We'll continue south into New Mexico, stopping in Gallup, a city located on historic Route 66 and home to the legendary El Rancho Hotel and Motel, which hosted notable cinema stars such as John Wayne, Ronald Reagan, Humphrey Bogart, and many others. In the afternoon, we'll head west on Route 66 towards Albuquerque.

DAY 6 WEDNESDAY

Albuquerque Petroglyph National Monument Turquoise Trail > Santa Fe (85 mi / 137 km)

Continental breakfast. We'll start the morning with a city tour, including Nob Hill and Old Albuquerque. Then, we'll visit Petroglyph National Monument, one of the largest petroglyph sites in North America, with drawings and symbols carved into volcanic rocks by Native Americans and Spanish settlers between 400 and 700 years ago. From here, we'll continue to the Turquoise Trail, a scenic 50-mile-long road that connects Albuquerque and Santa Fe through hills, overlooking mountains, and picturesque mining towns. Following the trail, we'll travel north to Madrid, an old ghost town that has now become a thriving enclave of artists. At the end of the Turquoise Trail, we'll reach the historic city of Santa Fe.

DAY 7 THURSDAY

Santa Fe > Taos > Rio Grande Gorge Bridge > Great Sand Dunes National Park > Pueblo (325 mi / 523 km)

Continental breakfast. We'll head north through the Rio Grande Gorge to the Taos region, a thriving artist community. We'll visit the village of Taos, one of the oldest communities in the United States and a UNESCO World Heritage site. We'll explore its unique way of life that has remained unchanged for almost ten centuries. On the way out, we'll cross the Rio Grande Gorge via the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, the seventh-highest bridge in the country. We'll continue south into Colorado to the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, a fascinating place with 48 square kilometers of sand surrounded by mountain ranges; here we find the tallest dunes in North America, reaching a height of 230 meters. We'll arrive in Pueblo, where we'll spend the night.

DAY 8 FRIDAY

Pueblo Garden of the Gods Park > Breckenridge > Denver (235 mi / 378 km)

Continental breakfast. We'll continue north to enjoy the majestic scenery of the Garden of the Gods Park: a garden of giant rocks and imposing red sandstone formations sculpted by rain and wind over millions of years, with the snow-covered peaks of Pikes Peak as a backdrop. We'll enjoy panoramic mountain views until we reach Breckenridge, a famous ski resort with wonderfully preserved Victorian houses. We'll then head to Denver.

DAY 9 SATURDAY

Denver

Continental breakfast. End of the tour.