Itinerary Details
Exploring America's National Parks
Day 1: LAS VEGAS 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.
Day 2: LAS VEGAS–WILLIAMS–GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK Depart the glittering lights of Las Vegas for one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, Grand Canyon National Park. Journey across the old Mohave gold-strike country, passing through Williams on historic Route 66, and Kaibab National Forest. Arrive at the Grand Canyon by mid-afternoon and marvel at the breathtaking views. Accommodations this evening are inside the National Park.
Day 3: GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK–MONUMENT VALLEY–KAYENTA If you miss the sunset over the canyon, sunrise is just as impressive! You can also on an optional helicopter flightseeing excursion for thrilling views of the canyon’s flame-colored walls that plunge 6,093 feet into the Colorado River. Continue across Arizona into the Navajo Nation and Monument Valley. Situated on the Arizona/Utah border, Monument 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. Your knowledgeable Navajo guide will show you some of the valley’s most incredible scenery and share local legends and lore. This evening, join the optional Navajo cookout dinner surrounded by the red-rock canyons of Monument Valley.
Day 4: KAYENTA–MOAB–ARCHES NATIONAL PARK–GRAND JUNCTION We head north for Moab. Visit magnificent Arches National Park, where you’ll discover a landscape of contrasting colors, landforms, and textures unlike anything else in the world. With over 2,000 natural stone arches and hundreds of soaring pinnacles this red-rock wonderland will amaze you. A late arrival into Grand Junction, which is surrounded by awe-inspiring natural beauty and the dramatic red-rock landscape of the Colorado National Monument.
Day 5: GRAND JUNCTION–COLORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT–DENVER AREA This morning, visit Colorado National Monument. Towering monoliths and unique geological formations exist within a vast plateau and canyon panorama. Experience sheer-walled, red-rock canyons along the twists and turns of Rim Rock Drive, where you may spy bighorn sheep, mule deer, and soaring eagles. We then journey east across the Rocky Mountains to the “Mile High City” of Denver.
Day 6: DENVER AREA–CUSTER Today, travel across the windswept landscape of Wyoming and into the Black Hills of South Dakota. Spend the next two nights in Custer, in the heart of the Black Hills National Forest which encompasses over 1.25 million acres and is the gateway to Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, and Crazy Horse Memorial.
Day 7: CUSTER. EXCURSION TO CUSTER STATE PARK, MOUNT RUSHMORE & CRAZY HORSE MEMORIAL At Custer State Park, enjoy a scenic drive along Wildlife Loop Road and watch for wildlife, like the herd of 1,300 bison that roam freely throughout the park. Afterward, visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial, which stands as a shrine to democracy with the stunning granite faces of four great American presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln. Then, visit the Crazy Horse Memorial, a monument carved out of a mountain to honor the great Native American hero, Crazy Horse. Spend time at the Indian Museum of North America there to learn about Native history and life while viewing its large collection of art and artifacts. (CB)
Day 8: CUSTER–DEVILS TOWER–CODY This morning, head through high country, where open-range cattle kings made war on the homesteaders in the 1890s. Stop to get a photo of Devils Tower National Monument, established as America’s first national monument by Teddy Roosevelt in 1906. Then travel through the Big Horn Mountains and overnight in Buffalo Bill’s Western town of Cody. (CB)
Day 9: CODY–YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK This morning, join an optional visit to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, five world-class museums under one roof that celebrate Native American culture and the spirit of the American West. This afternoon, make your way into Yellowstone National Park, established in 1872 as the world’s first national park and known for its unique geothermal features, abundant wildlife, and stunning landscapes. Spend the next two nights inside the park.
NOTES:
Accommodations used by Cosmos in Yellowstone National Park are typically open from late May through mid-September. Departures before or after these opening dates will stay in West Yellowstone. Routing and areas visited in Yellowstone National Park are always subject to favorable weather, gate access, and road conditions; therefore, routings may be adjusted.
Day 10: YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK Spend the day exploring all the wonders of Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone is home to more geysers and hot springs than any other place on earth. See world-famous Old Faithful Geyser, Mammoth Hot Springs, the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, and Fountain Paint Pots. Keep a lookout for some of the park’s diverse wildlife that includes moose, bison, elk, deer, bighorn sheep, wolf, bear, fox, and coyote.
Day 11: YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK–GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK–JACKSON–ALPINE Head south into magnificent Grand Teton National Park, home to massive mountains, pristine lakes and rivers, and abundant wildlife. Its 13,770-foot-high ridges are crested with snow most of the year. Stroll along the shores of beautiful glacier-fed Jenny Lake before arriving in the Wild West town of Jackson with its wooden sidewalks and swinging-door saloons. This afternoon, go with the flow on a fun and scenic optional float trip on the Snake River keeping an eye out for eagles overhead and wildlife along the shore. Overnight in Alpine located on the banks of the Snake River.
Day 12: ALPINE–SALT LAKE CITY Travel to Salt Lake City, Utah’s vibrant capital. Set on the edge of Great Salt Lake Desert and surrounded by the Wasatch and Oquirrh Mountains, Salt Lake City is the capital of Utah and the center of the Mormon religion. An orientation tour offers a glimpse of Temple Square, the Capitol Building, and the downtown area. This evening, join your fellow travelers at an optional dinner at a local restaurant. (CB)
Day 13: SALT LAKE CITY–BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK-BRYCE CANYON CITY Today’s highlight is a visit to unique Bryce Canyon National Park with its 20 miles of sandstone cliffs and scenic viewpoints and its vast collection of hoodoos, distinctive pillars sculpted by nature in shades of red, orange, and pink. Spend the evening right outside the park in Bryce Canyon City. (B)
Day 14: BRYCE CANYON CITY–ZION NATIONAL PARK–LAS VEGAS Spend time today at spectacular Zion National Park with its dramatic landscape carved over millions of years by the rushing waters of the Virgin River. It is renowned for its natural beauty of deep canyons, soaring sandstone cliffs, diverse vegetation. Have time to explore via hiking trails or take the Park’s free shuttles. Depart for a late afternoon arrival in Las Vegas. (B)
Day 15: LAS VEGAS Your vacation ends this morning. You may choose to extend your vacation with extra nights and explore Las Vegas further.
