Day 1: We leave Kansas and drive into the Rockies for our first-night stay in beautiful Colorado.

Day 2: Today you can stand in 4 states at once at the 4 Corners Monument. For lunch, we feast on authentic southwestern and Navajo flavors while overlooking stunning views of Monument Valley. To get the full effect of Monument Valley, we board 4x4 vehicles for a guided tour of the valley. View natural monuments on the nation’s largest Indian Reservation. Afterward, we make our way to Cameron Trading Post for our overnight stay the next 2 nights. (B, L, D)

Day 3: This is our day to see “The Big One,” the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon! Following a stop at the visitors’ center, we start our adventure at one of the Grand Canyon Lodges. The rest of the day you are free to enjoy the area, ride the shuttle, and view this magnificent canyon from different vantage points. (B)

Day 4: Today we cross the Colorado River at the Navajo Bridge Interpretive Center. View displays about the historic and modern bridges and walk across the bridge to take in the sights of the river below. Then it’s on to the Carl Hayden Visitor Center located at the Glen Canyon Dam. Our lunch venue overlooks the waters of Lake Powell. This afternoon we board our boat for a narrated cruise on Lake Powell which takes us into Navajo Canyon. For the next 2 nights, we stay at Ruby’s Inn in Bryce Canyon City. (B, L)

Day 5: This morning we make our way into Zion National Park. We enter the park through a narrow tunnel on our way to Zion History Museum to view a film about the amazing park. We take a guided tour in an open-air tram through this unbelievable, stately, granite area. After a few picture stops, we return to our hotel. Tonight we are entertained at Ebenezer’s Barn & Grill by The Bryce Canyon Wranglers for an unforgettable evening of live music and a delicious BBQ dinner. (B, D)

Day 6: A step-on guide joins us at Bryce Canyon, where it appears that God draped frosting over the tops of the peaks as they stand tall in the morning sun. Minerals in the soil give white, red, yellow, brown, and lavender tints to these amazing pillars. This afternoon we stop at the Escalante Visitor Center before reaching Torrey UT for the night. (B, D)

Day 7: Today we visit Capitol Reef National Park with stops at the Gifford House & Museum, the historic orchards, and the Petroglyphs etched in rock walls. Next, it’s on to Moab, UT, for dinner and a Sound & Light Show Boat Ride down the calm Colorado River. Once darkness settles in, 40,000 watts of natural light illuminates the canyon wall. Lights, shadows, music, and narration make the stories of the canyon’s formation, creation, and history come to life on the walls above the river. We stay in Moab for the next 2 nights. (B, D)

Day 8: Today we visit 3 parks with a local step-on guide. First, we experience Arches National Park to see up-close the dynamic landforms that gradually change over time. Next, we head to Dead Horse Point State Park, located at the end of a mesa 2,000 feet above a gooseneck in the Colorado River. Finally, we visit Canyonlands National Park with its wilderness of countless canyons and buttes carved by the Colorado River. After a full day in the parks, we return to Moab for the night. (B, L)

Day 9: The Colorado National Monument is our morning destination. The Historic Rimrock Drive is one of the most spectacular drives in the U.S. Then we start for home, following the Colorado River on I-70 through Glenwood Canyon, where we once again witness the sheer canyon walls. Overnight is in the Denver area. (B)

Day 10: Out of the valleys, out of the canyons, and out of the mountains, we sense security in the familiar flatlands that we love. (B)