American Beauty Itinerary

Day 1  Australia - Las Vegas
Yee-ha! Welcome to the wild west of America! On arrival at Las Vegas Airport we will be met and transferred to our hotel. Tonight enjoy a welcome dinner to get to know your fellow travellers [D]

Day 2  Las Vegas
Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of America with its many mega hotels and casinos. Today we enjoy an orientation tour of this amazing place and there is an opportunity for you to try out Lady Luck in one of the casinos. [B]

Day 3  Las Vegas - Grand Canyon
We leave the bright lights of Vegas and travel into the desert to the magnificent Grand Canyon National Park. On the way we enjoy spectacular desert scenery. As we draw closer to the canyon the scenery changes to rolling hills covered with Ponderosa Pines. [B]

Day 4  Grand Canyon
After breakfast we visit the IMAX Theatre. Here we watch an interesting movie on how the canyon was formed and how it was discovered and has been explored over the centuries. This afternoon we get to explore the real thing – the great Grand Canyon! The views will leave you breathless as we enjoy some of its panoramic outlooks and walk along some of the trails around the rim. [B]

Day 5  Grand Canyon - Durango
Today we leave the Grand Canyon behind and travel through the Painted Desert to Kayenta and Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. Much of the scenery during today’s journey may feel familiar as it has been the backdrop to many western movies. Here there is an option to explore the region with a local Navajo guide, taking in the striking and dramatic landscapes of sandstone buttes, mesas and spires. In the afternoon we continue on into the Colorado Mountains to the frontier town of Durango. [B]

Day 6  Durango
An insightful day as we visit the Mesa Verde National Park which is a UNESCO World Heritage site  and covers 81.4 square miles. The park features numerous ruins of homes and villages built by the ancient Pueblo people, also known as the Anasazi, who once lived here. The Spanish term Mesa Verde means ‘green tableland’.  [B]

Day 7  Durango
Today we enjoy a train journey on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad on a vintage steam-powered locomotive. This is one of the most scenic rail journeys in the world. [B]

Day 8  Durango - Moab
This morning we leave the Colorado Rocky Mountains behind as we head into Utah to the town of Moab where we visit the Arches National Park. The Park preserves more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches as well as many other unusual rock formations. [B]

Day 9  Moab - Salt Lake City
Today we travel to Utah’s capital, Salt Lake City, which is the home of the Mormon faith. Here we take   a fascinating tour including historic Temple Square, the Brigham Young Monument, the Lion House, the Beehive House, Eaglegate and the Mormon Pioneer Memorial Monuments. [B]

Day 10 Salt Lake City - Jackson
Today we travel north to the state of Wyoming, one of the least populated but most scenic of all the states in America. Our destination is the frontier cowboy town of Jackson, a gateway town to Yellowstone National Park. Jackson is a unique town, as it still has wooden footpaths in front of its shops and a traditional town square where every day there is an re-enactment of a cowboy shoot-out, complete with stage coaches and horses. Your afternoon is at leisure to mingle with the locals. [B]

Day 11  Jackson - Yellowstone NP
Today we visit the Grand Teton National Park which is nature at its best. Its three massive mountains are surrounded by lakes and lush forests. We then continue on to Yellowstone, which was the first national park in the world and is home to more geysers and volcanic springs than any other place on earth. [B]

Day 12  Yellowstone National Park
The day is spent exploring Yellowstone National Park, where one of the highlights is the Yellowstone Grand Canyon with its great views of the Upper and Lower Falls. The park is home to a large variety of wildlife including grizzly bears, moose, elks, bison and wolves. [B]

Day 13  Yellowstone NP - Kalispell
Today’s drive takes us through the stunning scenery of Montana which is also known as big sky country, due to its open spaces and crystal-clear vistas. [B]

Day 14  Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park is one of the most remote and rugged national parks in North America. Today we explore this vast reserve with its pristine ecosystems, meadows, lakes, snow-capped mountains and many glaciers. [B]

Day 15  Kalispell - Calgary
Today we enter Canada and visit Kootenay National Park in the Canadian Rockies before driving on to the lively cowboy city of Calgary. Cosmopolitan Calgary is one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada due the recent oil boom. [B,D]

Day 16  Calgary
Enjoy some free time for relaxation or last-minute shopping before we transfer to the airport to begin our journey home. [B]

Day 17  In transit

Day 18  Arrive in Australia

American Beauty

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