America's Canyonlands (8 Days) 

     Take a private transfer from the airport to your luxury resort in Scottsdale, Arizona, and enjoy the pool, tennis, or golf in the afternoon. Your Zion, Bryce Canyon and the incomparable Grand Canyon tour begins at the hotel at 5:30 PM. Meet your travel companions at the welcome reception and dinner tonight at your five-star, Spanish Colonial-styled resort. (D)

     Kick off your Grand Canyon tour with the ancient cliff dwellings at Montezuma Castle National Monument. Journey to Sedona, surrounded by red rock formations, for a guided tour that takes a look at the early settlers, cowboys, artists and Hollywood celebrities who shaped this legendary town. Wind through Oak Creek Canyon to Flagstaff. Arrive at your lodge near the Grand Canyon, carved over millions of years by the Colorado River a mile below the rim and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Learn about the geology and wildlife of the region from geology expert Canyon Dave during your stay. (B,D)

     No Grand Canyon tour would be complete without exploring the canyon rim and Canyon Village, witnessing the rugged landscape’s vast grandeur and changing colors as the sun climbs in the sky. Travel through the Navajo Reservation en route to the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Lake Powell. (B, D)

     See remote corners of 186-mile-long Lake Powell from a variety of perspectives. First take an included early morning, 30-minute flight to see the unusual red rock formations reflecting in the lake. View Rainbow Bridge, the world’s largest natural arch. Back on land, choose either a Lake Powell boat trip, or a four-wheel-drive jeep adventure to hidden Antelope Canyon. You have an option (at an additional cost of $180) to take a four-hour excursion to Monument Valley; combine aerial sightseeing with a land tour by a Navajo guide through rock buttes and spires - ask at time of booking. (B,D)

     Take a float trip down the Colorado River, admiring Glen Canyon’s sandstone walls before traveling to Utah’s Bryce Canyon National Park. En route, have lunch in the town of Kanab, complemented by an ecological RAVEN-series lecture. Arrive in Bryce National Park, where you'll immediately be awed by towering rock pinnacles, strangely sculptured hoodoos and immense semi-circular rock amphitheatres. Keep an eye out for elk, coyotes, marmots, and prairie dogs while driving the canyon rim road. Overnight at a lodge listed on the National Historic Register. (B,L,D)

     During your free morning, perhaps hike on Bryce Canyon trails to seek out more dramatic views, wildflowers, birds and wildlife. America's Canyonlands began with a Grand Canyon tour, followed by Bryce Canyon - and continues next to Zion National Park, featuring steep canyon walls, odd geologic formations, and a complex ecological system ranging from desert plants to lush greenery. (B,L,D)

     Spend the morning exploring the color-splashed canyons of Zion National Park. Travel through the northeastern Mojave Desert to the glamour and glittering lights of Las Vegas, Nevada, highlighted by themed casinos, headline entertainers, and other attractions. A farewell reception and dinner gives one last chance to share travel memories with new friends. (B,L,D)

     Tour ends in Las Vegas, Nevada. Flight departure times vary, but the hotel checkout time is 12:00 PM. Note: an airport transfer is not included. (B)