Day 1
FLIGHT TO PHOENIX • SEDONA:
Today, we are greeted by our Christian Tours Tour Director and are transported to the Charlotte Douglas Airport for our flight to Phoenix. We travel to Sedona for a two-night stay.
Day 2
VERDE CANYON RAILROAD • DINNER AT BLAZIN' M RANCH:
The
Verde Canyon is often called Arizona's other Grand Canyon, with spectacular canyon scenery. The remote wilderness
of the Verde Canyon, located west of Sedona, is renowned for its towering red
rock pinnacles and clean, green waters. The Verde Canyon Train, a four-hour ride,
rolls past Indian ruins, through a 680-foot
manmade tunnel and over old-fashioned
trestles. This picturesque setting is further enhanced by the variety of indige-
nous flora and fauna and the many migrating waterfowl. When the dinner
bell rings you are treated to a chuckwagon
supper. After supper, sit back and enjoy the harmonic sounds of the famous Blazin' M Cowboys. The show includes delightful cowboy music, storytelling, comedy and some surprises. (D)
Day 3
SEDONA • OAK CREEK CANYON • GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK • DINNER AT CAMERON TRADING POST:
Today, the splendor of the Red Rocks in Sedona await us. You'll marvel at the breathtaking beauty. Next, we make our way through the Coconino National Forest into Oak Creek Canyon. Our stop
at Oak Creek Canyon Vista allows you to see what awaits you down the road. We travel through spectacular red cliffs,
stands of aspen, cedar and oak, and abundant wildflowers to reach the South
Rim of the Grand Canyon. The canyon is 7000 feet above sea level. One of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world, Grand Canyon is unmatched in the incomparable vistas
it offers to visitors on the rim. Enjoy the
sights of this natural wonder with its
exceptional views and photo opportunities! We check into our hotel in Kayenta
following dinner at Cameron Trading Post. (D)
Day 4
MONUMENT VALLEY • FOUR CORNERS • MESA VERDE NATIONAL
PARK • DURANGO:
This morning we
pass through Monument Valley. This
area provides perhaps the most enduring
and definitive images of the American West. The isolated red mesas and buttes
surrounded by empty, sandy desert have
been filmed and photographed countless
times over the years for movies, advertisements & holiday brochures. Because
of this, the area may seem quite familiar.
The Four Corners is a unique place. It's the only place in America where you can
stand in four states at the same time. Located within the Navajo Indian Reser-
vation, this is the exact place where Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico
come together. Mesa Verde, sure to be
one of the highlights of our tour, awaits
us today. Mesa Verde, Spanish for “green
table,” is a large plateau towering 2,000 feet above the surrounding valleys, and is famous for the well-preserved, pre-Columbian cliff dwellings in the shallow alcoves of its many canyon walls. We'll stop to explore these dwellings before making our way to Durango, Colorado, for the night.
Day 5
DURANGO & SILVERTON NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD • OURAY • GUNNISON:
The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, located in Southwestern Colorado, is as rich in history as it is scenery. This railroad, established in 1881, has continuously operated coal-fired, steam-powered
locomotives through the remote wilderness
and high-mountain landscape of
the San Juan National Forest. Here in
Durango, we board the historic train for
an exciting journey. We leave the train
in Silverton where you have lunch on
your own in this former frontier town.
We travel through Ouray, a rich 19th
Century mining town surrounded by
spectacular mountain scenery on our
way to Gunnison and our hotel.
Day 6
ROYAL GORGE RAILROAD • LAMAR:
There are so many beautiful areas
to see in Colorado. Today we travel to
the Royal Gorge Railroad for a spectacular
rail journey. Experience a memorable
train ride through the Colorado Rockies
following the winding Arkansas River
deep within the 1,000-foot granite cliffs.
We travel to Lamar for our night's lodging.
Day 7
DODGE CITY • LUNCH •
BARTLESVILLE:
Today we leave
Colorado and travel across the state of
Kansas. We stop in Dodge City, often
called “Cowboy Capital of The World.”
We have an included lunch in this historic
town. This afternoon we travel into
Oklahoma checking in to our hotel in
Bartlesville. (L)
Day 8
BRANSON • DINNER • SHOW:
We
arrive in Branson early afternoon
for shopping and exploring the sights
of this town. We check into our Branson
hotel and following a fabulous dinner we
take our seats at a great Branson Show.
Monument Valley / Chao Yen
Mesa Verde National Park - Cliff Dwellings
There are so many to choose from, and
we want to make sure this will be one of
your favorites! (D)
Day 9
DINNER AT PATTI'S 1880'S
SETTLEMENT • CLARKSVILLE:
We
travel from Branson taking in the scenery
along the way as we enter Kentucky. In
Grand Rivers, we stop at Patti's 1880's
Settlement. Here the restaurant, known
for their Southern hospitality and mouthwatering
food, has become famous for
a 2” thick pork chop, mile-high meringue
pie, and flowerpot bread. They have
received awards from Southern Living
magazine, the State of Kentucky, and
the National Small Business Administration.
We spend our last night in
Clarksville, TN. (D)
Day 10
HOME:
If ever there was a tour
on which to take pictures and
more pictures, this has been it! Planes,
trains and automobiles - this trip has it
all. We arrive home this evening.
