Your tour price includes:

• Flight from Salt Lake to Albuquerque included!  ($295.00 p.p. value)
      * Saves over 10 + hours of straight driving!
• Deluxe and First Class accommodations in great locations
  
• Red Cliffs Lodge in Moab
  
• Doubletree by Hilton in Durango
  
• Hilton Santa Fe Historic Plaza
  
• Hampton Inn Albuquerque - just a few miles from the Balloon Fiesta grounds
  
• Fully escorted from Salt Lake City by Brian Judd Tours
• Five Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta events
• Deluxe pre-reserved open-air gondola seats on the Durango-Silverton Train
• Entrance fees to all the National Parks
• 12 Meals: 7 Full Cold/Hot Breakfasts, 2 Lunches and 3 Dinners  (B,L,D)
  
• Deluxe motorcoach transportation- restroom and DVD equipped
• All sightseeing and admissions paid! 
• Santa Fe Sightseeing with local guide
• Historic Santa Fe & Albuquerque
• Top quality and service throughout
• Taxes on all services paid
• Experienced Tour Guides who take very good care of you!

Pricing

All for only * $2995.00 per person, double occupancy.
* Includes return flight home to Salt Lake City ($295.00 pp value)

 $4185.00 single occupancy room. (Limited triple/quad rooms available). 
* Pay by check prices.    Credit cards + 3%

Itinerary

Day One – Sunday, October 8       * SALT LAKE CITY * ARCHES  * MOAB

Depart this morning for your fun filled tour to see all the amazing sights of the “OLD SOUTHWEST”. Get acquainted with your traveling companions today as we travel to Moab where we spend time in spectacular Arches National Park. We will have several photo stops with incredible views and wonderful scenery. Enjoy a nice welcome dinner tonight with the group. Our hotel in Moab is the #1 rated deluxe Red Cliffs Lodge!       (D)

Day Two – Monday, October 9      * MESA VERDE * DURANGO

Today we visit Mesa Verde National Park, a fascinating National Park established by Theodore Roosevelt to “preserve the works of man”. Learn more about the incredible culture of the Pueblo people as we make stops at many of the archaeological sights. We'll also stop at Spruce Tree House, one of the best-preserved cliff dwellings and the amazing Cliff Palace.  Later we travel to Durango, a town born in the Gold Rush and silver-mining era, where we’ll stay for the next two nights at the Hilton DoubleTree hotel, which is perfectly located. You’ll have some free time for shopping and dinner on your own this evening on main street. (B,L)

Note: Mesa Verde National Park has several safety and project related closures in place.  However, the Cliff Palace Loop and the Mesa Top Loop Roads are set to be open during our visit.

Day Three – Tuesday, October 10     * DURANGO  - SILVERTON TRAIN

This morning we board the narrow-gauge Durango-Silverton Train in our pre-reserved Open-Air, Gondola seats for a scenic ride through San Juan National Forest. This legendary steam train winds its way through beautiful Rio De Las Animas Canyon with breathtaking scenery and steep canyon walls. Enjoy free time this afternoon in Silverton, once a major mining town named after the bragging statement by an early miner who said: “We have no gold, but silver-by-the-ton!” Arrive back at Durango around 5:30pm and enjoy free time for dinner and shopping on main street Durango!   (B)          

Day Four – Wednesday, October 11        * DURANGO * SANTA FE

Our journey this morning takes us from Colorado to New Mexico. Enjoy a scenic ride in your deluxe motor coach as we make our way into New Mexico.  After a lunch break on your own at fast food restaurants, we continue our drive into Santa Fe where our Hilton Santa Fe Historic Plaza Hotel is ideally located just a two-block walk from the Santa Fe Plaza Historic Landmark. Before checking into our hotel, we will have a walking orientation tour of the Historic Santa Fe Plaza. Dinner on your own at one of the many restaurants near our hotel, or you might want to enjoy more time in the Plaza.    (B)    

Day Five – Thursday, October 12           * SANTA FE    * ALBUQUERQUE

After breakfast we’ll have a sightseeing tour of Santa Fe with a local guide. See the Modern State Capitol, Loretto Chapel with its beautiful spiral staircase, St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral and the Historic Town Plaza, which marks the end of the Santa Fe Trail. After lunch on your own and time for shopping. Later, we head south to Albuquerque. Tonight, enjoy a delicious Brazilian style dinner at “Tucanos”, before checking into our award-winning, Hampton Inn for the next three nights. Our hotel is located just a couple of miles from the Balloon Fiesta grounds which is the perfect location! Most groups stay further away which means they spend hours in traffic going to and from the events and have to wake up at 3-4:00am to get to the morning events on time. We are only a 10 to 15 minute drive for all our Balloon Fiesta events! (B,D)  

Day Six – Friday, October 13               * BALLOON FIESTA EVENTS

This morning we get our first look at the World-Famous Balloon Fiesta. This year is the 50th anniversary and will be filled with more excitement than ever!  First we’ll see the amazing Special Shape Rodeo. This event is one of the Fiesta’s most popular!  After a rest break at the hotel, we visit Historic Old Town ABQ. This evening we return to the Balloon Fiesta to see the Special Shape Glowdeo and the “AfterGlow” fireworks show with dinner included, right near the launching area for the Balloons at the exclusive Chasers Club. This is the best way to see these fantastic balloons and enjoy a fun included dinner at the Festival.    (B,L,D)                           

Day Seven – Saturday, October 14  * BALLOON FIESTA EVENTS

Enjoy breakfast this morning before we depart for the “Mass Ascension” Balloon Fiesta event. This is one of the main highlight events at the Balloon Fiesta. Over 550 balloons take flight! Enjoy the event and amenities in our special group tent. This afternoon we explore the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is owned and operated by the 19 Indian Pueblos of New Mexico and dedicated to the preservation and perpetuation of Pueblo Indian Culture, History and Art. The center includes a 10,000 sq ft museum of the authentic history and artifacts of traditional Pueblo cultures and their contemporary art. You’ll also see Pueblo Indian Tribal dances. Dinner on your own tonight at one of the many restaurants right next to our hotel.   (B) 

Day Eight – Sunday, October 15     * ABQ * SLC

Enjoy breakfast this morning before transferring to the ABQ airport for our flight home to Salt Lake City. (Other cities available, please call for details). Flying home saves two very long days of driving by bus back to Salt Lake City. Arrive in Salt Lake with many wonderful memories of the “Old Southwest” and the World’s largest Balloon Festival.    (B)

NOTE: In case of inclement weather at the Balloon Fiesta and if an event was cancelled, we have planned extra time in our itinerary so that we can return to the Fiesta on another night and/or morning to ensure the best possible chance of seeing all events planned.  We do it right!

* Questions - Please call Steve Judd at Brian Judd Tours  (801)-288-1100

 
About this tour
We invite you to join us on this outstanding tour and once-in-a-lifetime Southwest experience plus the 51st World Famous Balloon Fiesta. We are excited about this well planned, well organized deluxe itinerary taking you to all the sights and special points of interest in Southern Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. You will appreciate the top quality service, first class hotels, 12 delicious meals and complete sightseeing. The Balloon Fiesta Events are just some of the highlights of this tour to the LAND OF ENCHANTMENT!

Tour Includes:

• Arches National Park
• Moab
• Wilson's Arch
• Mesa Verde National Park
• Durango
• Silverton
• Durango-Silverton Train
• Santa Fe
• Loretto Chapel
• Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi
• San Miguel Mission
• Albuquerque Old Town
  
• 50th Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta
• Special Shapes Ascension
• Mass Ascension
• Afterglow Fireworks Show
• Special Shape "Glowdeo"
• Morning Glow
• Indian Pueblo Cultural Museum
• and More!