Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta by Rail

Your vacation into the incredible hues of the American West begins today at Chicago's historic Union Station. As you arrive, meet the Tour Manager and your travel group, and together, join Amtrak's iconic California Zephyr on its overnight route toward Grand Junction, Colorado.

Settle into your seat and watch as the city's skyscrapers fade into the backdrop as the journey sets underway. Relax as the California Zephyr ventures through western Illinois and into Iowa, and maybe head to the Café Car for hot and cold dining and drink options to enjoy at your seat. Alternatively, you could take your meal up to the Sightseer Lounge, lined with panoramic windows, and admire scenes of the Midwest as the sun sinks beneath the horizon. Overnight train.

*Please note: travelers may elect to travel from San Francisco or points in-between and meet the Tour Manager in Grand Junction.

Waking aboard the California Zephyr, enjoy a relaxing time admiring the ever-changing scenery as we continue westward, or perhaps visit the Dining Car (booking in advance advised)

Climbing up through the Rocky Mountains, surrounded by pine forests and rolling peaks, we cross the continental divide while we're in the six-mile-long Moffat Tunnel. Emerging in skiing country, we pass through Winter Peak, a year-round resort that opened in 1940. From here on, we are in the traditional Old West and follow the route of the Colorado River for most of the way to Grand Junction, on Colorado's Western Slope.

Checking in to our hotel, there's a free evening to rest and enjoy dinner at your leisure tonight. Overnight Grand Junction, CO.

After breakfast, we depart Grand Junction and follow the Colorado River to Moab, Utah. Our morning stop will be at Arches National Park.

On our tour you will discover a landscape of contrasting colors, landforms and textures unlike any other in the world. The park has more than 2,000 natural stone arches in addition to hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive fins, and giant balanced rocks. This Utah wonderland amazes with its unusual red rock formations.

Next, we head into downtown Moab for time to find lunch on your own and free time to explore. After, we ascend by road to the top of the Mesa Verde where we will be spending the night. Tonight, we dine together while looking out over the Four Corners area. Overnight Mesa Verde National Park, CO.

• Breakfast, Dinner

A tour of Mesa Verde National Park follows breakfast as we see some of the cliff dwellings and surface ruins of the ancient Anasazi people.

Mesa Verde offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for more than 700 years, from A.D. 600 to 1300. Today the park protects nearly 5,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. We will begin our tour at the Far View Museum for a look at the artifacts that have been found at this site.

Continuing on what is called the "ruins" road, we have the opportunity to view some of the other sites in the park. After lunch on your own at the Far View cafeteria, we head east to Durango, Colorado, where we spend the next two nights. Your evening is free to enjoy downtown Durango at leisure. Overnight Durango, CO.

• Breakfast

This morning it is all aboard the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad for a nostalgic journey by steam-hauled train.

The scenery is on a grand scale this morning as we follow the Animas River into the Rocky Mountains. There are no roads that follow these rails, so we are in true wilderness most of the way to the mining town of Silverton. Be sure to bring your camera to capture this breathtaking scenery.

The train arrives in Silverton, an old mining town, where you will have time for lunch and to shop and browse the town before we board our motorcoach and return to Durango where the remainder of the evening will be at leisure. Overnight Durango, CO.

• Breakfast

Departing Colorado after breakfast this morning, our journey turns south into the state of New Mexico. The scenery of northern New Mexico is lovely as we head through quaint Spanish towns that were founded in the 1700s and earlier.

Our first stop is the Santuario de Chimayo, where we enjoy a guided tour of the chapels. Built in 1813 near the path of the Old Spanish Trail, this small shrine is one of the most important Catholic pilgrimage sites in the United States, giving rise to the name "the Lourdes of America". Lunch is included nearby, before we continue on our journey.

Today's final stop will be in New Mexico's capital city of Santa Fe. We will spend the night just steps away from the end of the Old Santa Fe Trail and within walking distance of shops, restaurants, and galleries. Overnight Santa Fe, NM.

• Breakfast, Lunch

This morning, we enjoy an informative historical walking tour of Santa Fe. During this exploration, we will hear about the history of the Spanish colonists that helped found this town in 1610 and see the Palace of the Governors, the oldest public building in the United States. We also visit the famed Loretto Chapel, stop at San Miguel, the oldest church, and more.

You are free after our walk to enjoy the museums and galleries around the Plaza and have lunch in one of Santa Fe's local restaurants. Afterward, we will head to Albuquerque. Upon arrival at our hotel, there is time to rest and freshen up before we enjoy an early dinner.

You will want to get a good night's rest tonight. Tomorrow we are up with the birds to enjoy the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Overnight Albuquerque, NM.

• Dinner

Set your alarm for Zero Dark Thirty this morning for a highlight of your vacation - the amazing Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

On arrival at the Balloon Field, we can see if the Dawn Patrol is up in the air, checking the weather conditions. As they light up in the dark, they look like twinkling rainbow lights above your head. Breakfast is included, so you can eat breakfast and watch the Balloons at the same time. You can walk onto the field, talk to the balloonists and take pictures of the balloons as they slowly inflate. There could be as many as 600 balloons in the air this morning! It is an event of a lifetime.

A tour of Albuquerque follows, stopping at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center Museum for a tour and to see ceremonial dances. Later, we watch the Night Glow*, when the balloons stay on the ground and illuminate on the field. Dinner is on your own at one of the food booths, before watching the fireworks show at our hotel. Overnight Albuquerque, NM.

*Please note: the Night Glow won't occur on the September 28, 29 and 30 departures. Instead, we will have a group dinner together.

• Breakfast

After traveling on the California Zephyr to the popular Colorado town of Grand Junction, our adventure took us through the spellbinding Arches and Mesa Verde national parks. A journey on the heritage Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad showcased the wild beauty of the Old West, before we explored the history of Santa Fe. These fantastic excursions paved the way for an unforgettable experience as we marveled at the magical sight of hundreds of balloons illuminating the sky above Albuquerque.

Your vacation concludes today, and this morning is at leisure to pack and get ready for your flight or train home. We also reserve this day as a reserve Balloon Day if needed. A group transfer to Albuquerque Amtrak Station will accommodate trains departing after 11:00 a.m. and a transfer to Albuquerque Airport will accommodate planes departing after 12:00 p.m.

• Breakfast