The Magnificent Eight Escorted tour from Denver (15 Days / 14 Nights)

Day 1 (Saturday) – Denver

Welcome to Denver! Transfer to the hotel on your own. Denver, capital of Colorado and a key gateway to the Rocky Mountains, is a modern metropolis and an important commercial, financial, and transportation hub for the Rocky Mountain region and the Great Plains. The city is famously known as the “Mile High City”, sitting at 1,609 meters above sea level—exactly one mile.

Day 2 (Sunday) – Denver → Rocky Mountain National Park → Cheyenne (221 mi / 355 km)

Continental breakfast. Start with a short city tour of Denver, including the City Hall, the pedestrian area of 16th Street, and historic Larimer Square. Then travel to Rocky Mountain National Park, celebrated for its extraordinary alpine beauty. The scenic Trail Ridge Road takes you up to approximately 3,650 meters—a true “highway to the sky.” Continue to Cheyenne, Wyoming’s capital, packed with Old West icons: cowboys, rodeos, and railroads.

Day 3 (Monday) – Cheyenne → Fort Laramie → Crazy Horse Memorial → Mt. Rushmore → Deadwood (333 mi / 536 km)

Continental breakfast. After a brief stop at the State Capitol (outside visit), depart for historic Fort Laramie, once a major fur-trade post and later a renowned stop for westbound migrants. Enter South Dakota through the Black Hills and stop at the Crazy Horse Memorial, a mountain monument under construction since 1948—set to become the largest sculpture in the world when completed. Nearby, visit the iconic Mount Rushmore National Memorial, honoring four U.S. presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln. Overnight in Deadwood, famous for the Gold Rush and legendary figures such as Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane.

Day 4 (Tuesday) – Deadwood → Devils Tower National Monument → Bighorn National Forest → Cody (392 mi / 630 km)

Continental breakfast. Return to Wyoming and stop at Devils Tower National Monument, a 265-meter monolith rising from the prairie—made famous by the 1977 film Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Continue west through the region of Bighorn National Forest, a Rocky Mountain spur spanning northern Wyoming and southern Montana. Cross the mountains to Cody, named after Colonel William Frederick “Buffalo Bill” Cody.

Day 5 (Wednesday) – Cody → Yellowstone National Park (99 mi / 159 km)

Continental breakfast. Visit the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, a complex of five museums dedicated to the American West (admission included; no guided visit). Later, continue to Yellowstone, America’s first National Park, and spend the rest of the day exploring this extraordinary natural oasis. Expect a variety of attractions including geysers, eagles, and herds of bison roaming the prairie.

Day 6 (Thursday) – Yellowstone → Grand Teton National Park → Jackson Hole (80 mi / 129 km)

Continental breakfast. Early departure to Grand Teton National Park, where jagged granite peaks reflect in a multitude of alpine lakes. The park’s lush forests host antelope, mule deer, squirrels, and kingfishers. Continue to picturesque Jackson Hole, Wyoming—pure Far West atmosphere.

Day 7 (Friday) – Jackson Hole → Antelope Island → Salt Lake City (343 mi / 552 km)

Continental breakfast. Head south, briefly crossing Idaho, then enter Utah to reach Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake. Covering 109 km², it is the largest of the lake’s ten islands and is known for its natural beauty and rich wildlife, including bison introduced here in 1893. Continue to Salt Lake City, host of the Winter Olympics in 2002 and 2034. Overnight in Salt Lake City.

Day 8 (Saturday) – Salt Lake City → Canyonlands National Park → Moab (277 mi / 445 km)

Continental breakfast. Short city tour including the State Capitol (outside visit), Temple Square, and the Tabernacle. Then head south toward Dead Horse Point, a scenic overlook, and continue to Canyonlands National Park, where the Colorado River and its tributaries carved a colorful landscape of canyons, mesas, and buttes. Overnight in Moab.

Day 9 (Sunday) – Moab → Arches National Park → Colorado National Monument → Montrose (184 mi / 296 km)

Continental breakfast. Visit nearby Arches National Park, a “symphony” of shapes and colors created by nature. Continue west into Colorado to explore Colorado National Monument, one of the most intriguing landscapes of the American West. Drive the winding Rim Rock Drive with views of red rock walls and dramatic canyons—and the chance to spot bighorn sheep and eagles. Overnight in Montrose.

Day 10 (Monday) – Montrose → Black Canyon of the Gunnison → Ouray → Box Canyon Falls → Silverton → Durango → Cortez (178 mi / 286 km)

Continental breakfast. Visit Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, named because some parts of the gorge receive only 33 minutes of sunlight per day. Continue along the famous Million Dollar Highway, one of America’s most scenic routes, linking Montrose to Silverton. Stop in charming Ouray, nicknamed the “Switzerland of America,” surrounded by high Rocky peaks. A short walk (about 800 meters each way) leads to Box Canyon Falls, where you’ll admire a spectacular 85-foot waterfall in a narrow gorge. Continue through historic mining town Silverton, then along panoramic roads to Durango, a classic mountain town with a Western feel. Overnight in Cortez.

Day 11 (Tuesday) – Cortez → Mesa Verde National Park → Gallup → Albuquerque (307 mi / 493 km)

Continental breakfast. Depart for Mesa Verde National Park, ancestral home of the Pueblo people and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The archaeological area includes over 600 cliff dwellings carved into sandstone just below the plateau. Continue into New Mexico and stop in Gallup along historic Route 66, home to the famed El Rancho Hotel & Motel, once a base for many movie stars. Continue on Route 66 to Albuquerque for overnight.

Day 12 (Wednesday) – Albuquerque → Petroglyph National Monument → Turquoise Trail → Santa Fe (85 mi / 137 km)

Continental breakfast. Start with a city tour including Old Town Albuquerque. Continue to Petroglyph National Monument, one of the largest petroglyph sites in North America, with symbols carved into volcanic rock by Native Americans and early settlers. Then travel the scenic Turquoise Trail (about 50 miles) connecting Albuquerque to Santa Fe through rolling hills, mountain views, and historic mining villages. Pass through Madrid, transformed from a ghost town into a vibrant artists’ community, and arrive in enchanting Santa Fe.

Day 13 (Thursday) – Santa Fe → Taos → Great Sand Dunes National Park → Pueblo (325 mi / 523 km)

Continental breakfast. Travel north along the Rio Grande Gorge to the Taos region, home to a thriving artists’ community. Visit Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the United States. Re-enter Colorado to visit Great Sand Dunes National Park, a “mini desert” with dunes up to 229 meters high across roughly 78 km². Overnight in Pueblo.

Day 14 (Friday) – Pueblo → Garden of the Gods → Breckenridge → Denver (235 mi / 378 km)

Continental breakfast. Head north to Garden of the Gods, an extraordinary natural oasis with massive red sandstone formations sculpted over millions of years, set against snow-capped peaks. Enjoy the final alpine scenery en route to Breckenridge, a ski resort town with charming Victorian-style buildings. Continue to Denver for your final overnight.

Day 15 (Saturday) – Denver (End of Tour)

Continental breakfast. End of services and individual departures.

MAP Itinerary

Overnight Hotels (or similar)

• Day 1 – Denver: Wingate by Wyndham Denver Airport
• Day 2 – Cheyenne: Fairfield Inn & Suites Cheyenne
• Day 3 – Deadwood: Tru by Hilton Deadwood
• Day 4 – Cody: Comfort Inn Buffalo Bill Village Resort
• Day 5 – Yellowstone: Brandin Iron Inn
• Day 6 – Jackson: 49er Inn and Suites
• Day 7 – Salt Lake City: Crystal Inn and Suites
• Day 8 – Moab: Moab Valley Inn
• Day 9 – Montrose: Hampton Inn or Holiday Inn Express
• Day 10 – Cortez: Baymont Inn and Suites Cortez
• Day 11 – Albuquerque: Best Western Plus Rio Grande Inn
• Day 12 – Santa Fe: Comfort Inn Santa Fe
• Day 13 – Pueblo: Wingate by Wyndham Pueblo
• Day 14 – Denver: Wingate by Wyndham Denver Airport

• Hotel accommodation: 14 nights, taxes included (porterage not included).
• Daily breakfast: our USA Welcome offer includes daily continental breakfast (14 breakfasts), with a complimentary upgrade to American breakfast when available.
• Note: some breakfasts may be to-go or provided via prepaid cards (e.g., Starbucks), depending on the day/location.
• Tour Director & transportation: guided tour by air-conditioned motorcoach throughout the journey (except transfers).
• City tours included: Denver, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque, and Santa Fe.
• Admissions included: Crazy Horse Memorial, Mt. Rushmore National Memorial, Devils Tower National Monument, Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Antelope Island, Colorado National Monument, Box Canyon Falls, Petroglyph National Monument, Taos Pueblo, Garden of the Gods, and all National Parks as described in the itinerary.

• Gratuities ( Recommended for the Guide and for the Driver)
• Everything else not specifically outlined in the "What’s Included"

2026 Departures

Saturday departures:

• June 6, 2026
• July 4, 2026
• September 5, 2026

Important Information 

• Some hotels may be two-story properties (ground floor + second level) and may not have elevators.
• Children’s rates apply to ages 8–16. Children under 8 are not admitted on escorted tours.
• Some breakfasts may be provided to-go. In some cases, breakfast may be offered via prepaid cards to use at Starbucks.

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