Four organized excursion will be offered for Wednesday afternoon, October 26th. You have the option to sign up for these on the registration web page.




TOUR OPTION # 1:
Santuario de Chimayo with lunch at Rancho de Chimayo

The guests will board their luxury motor coach with their expert guides as they drive through some of the most beautiful scenery Northern New Mexico has to offer. Winding up through the high desert plateau, the guests will get a glimpse into the ancient, villages along the way that were settled by the Spaniards in the mid 1700?s.

> Upon arrival to the town of Chimayo, we will make our first stop at the historic adobe restaurant, Rancho de Chimayo. Known internationally for its unique Mexican cuisine and beautiful atmosphere, the guests will enjoy traditionally prepared dishes using locally grown products and recipes that have been in the Jaramillo family for centuries.

Afterwards, you will enjoy a guided walk through the historic town Plaza and the miraculous santuario. In 1810, a Chimay? friar was performing penances when he saw a light bursting from a hillside. Digging, he found a crucifix, and so a small chapel was built on the site. Then the miraculous healings began.

Believed to be built on sacred earth with miraculous healing powers, the legendary shrine El Santuario de Chimay?, is one of the most visited in the United States. The crucifix which began the original shrine still resides on the chapel alter, but its curative powers have been overshadowed by the "sacred sand pit" from which it sprang. Each year during Holy Week thousands of people make a pilgrimage to Chimay? to visit the Santuario and take away a bit of the sacred dirt.

Also included in the tour will be visits to the famous weaver?s studios of Chimayo for a glimpse at this centuries old art form. This is an exceptional tour that really gives an insider?s view into the culture, history and legends of New Mexico.

Approx. Tour Length: 5 hrs.
Attire: Comfortable walking shoes, layered casual outdoor wear, camera, sunscreen, hat or cap

Per person pricing based on minimum of 50 people: $45.00 Includes: deluxe transportation, expert native guides, entry fees, full three course lunch with various choice of entr?e, iced waters on board coach, all tax and gratuities.


TOUR OPTION # 2:
Bandelier National Monument with Picnic Lunch

Over 10,000 years ago, Pueblo Indians began to migrate south into the canyon and mesa country of the Southwest. They came first following the herds of migratory animals which they hunted for food. Later, after receiving corn in trade from Mesoamerica, they began to search for places to live which would provide them with all of the resources they needed to farm this difficult land.

An abundant water source, trees for use in building and for firewood, and rich volcanic soil were among the reasons these prehistoric Pueblo Indians settled in the area which is now part of Bandelier National Monument. Best known for mesas, sheer-walled canyons, and the ancestral Pueblo dwellings found among them, Bandelier was named for Adolph Bandelier, a 19th-century anthropologist who was brought to the canyon by Native Americans from Cochiti Pueblo in October 1880.

The guests will board their deluxe motor coach which will include coolers of iced waters and as they depart on their adventure, they will be given a very informative, witty talk by their expert, native guides to prepare them for what they will be seeing at the monument.

Upon arrival, the guests will be taken to a private area, alongside a stream where they will enjoy a leisurely, boxed, picnic lunch beneath the cottonwood trees. Afterwards, the guests will be led on a private, guided hike through Frijoles Canyon. Ruins of the ancient village still stand on the floor of this beautiful canyon. On the cliff walls above are the remains of the dwellings which were also home to these extraordinary people. Visitors can glimpse into the cliff dwellings by climbing ladders and actually entering these pre-historic homes, for an unforgettable experience.

The sheer beauty of the canyon and possibility of seeing native wildlife, combined with a streamside, picnic lunch make this trip truly a spectacular experience that may prove to be the highlight of the group?s visit to New Mexico!

Approx. Tour Length: 5 hrs.
Attire: Comfortable walking shoes, layered casual outdoor wear, camera, sunscreen, hat or cap

Per person pricing based on minimum of 50 people: $45.00 Includes: deluxe transportation, expert native guides, entry fees, full three course lunch with various choice of entr?e, iced waters on board coach, all tax and gratuities.


TOUR OPTION # 3:
Walking Tour of Los Alamos, Museums and lunch at Gabriel?s

Los Alamos is located on the Pajarito Plateau at the foot of the majestic Jemez Mountains.? This small Northern New Mexico town offers both spectacular scenery and intriguing history.? From its beginnings as the site of the secret scientific Manhattan Project, it continues as the home of Los Alamos National Laboratory.?

As guests board their deluxe motor coach, they will be enthralled with the informative talk given by their native guides regarding the secretive and interesting history surrounding the Los Alamos National Laboratories. Our first stop will be for a delicious lunch at the renowned restaurant Gabriel?s, located 20 minutes outside of Santa Fe on our way to Los Alamos. Perhaps the best homemade guacamole and margaritas this side of the border, the guests will enjoy a traditional, authentic Mexican lunch.

Upon arrival to Los Alamos, the tour will begin with a short walking tour followed by a guided tour of the Bradbury Museum. Professionally designed exhibits include: videotapes, videodisks, interactive computer programs as well as a Mark 12A warhead, models of Vela and Navistar verification and communication satellites, and an air-launched cruise missile.

Also available to the public are many unclassified exhibits, World War II era documents and photographs tracing the development of the town and the Laboratory. We will also be including a visit to the Los Alamos historical Museum to include the Fuller Lodge, and the Ice house Museum that was originally used to store classified exhibits.

This is truly a fascinating look at American history and science that will be an exciting experience for any visitor to New Mexico.

Approx. Tour Length: 5 hrs.
Attire: Comfortable walking shoes, layered casual outdoor wear, camera, sunscreen, hat or cap

Per person pricing based on minimum of 50 people: $45.00 Includes: deluxe transportation, expert native guides, entry fees, full three-course lunch with various choice of entr?e, iced waters on board coach, all tax and gratuities.


TOUR OPTION # 4:
Guided Hike of Tent Rocks Monument and Picnic Lunch

This tour will give the guests an excellent opportunity to get out into some of our spectacular scenery and hike through amazing rock formations, scientifically known as hoo-doos. Comprised of volcanic tuff, these formations appear as if they were from the moon?s surface and offer the casual hiker a wonderful way to spend a day outside the city of Santa Fe.

Tent Rock Canyon is a narrow slice through some tuff ejected from small volcanoes at the edge of the massive Jemez Volcano. In places the walls of the canyon are 200 feet high. The canyon takes its name from the surrounding weird towers of tuff capped by harder, more erosion-resistant rocks. Two trails wind into this wonderland filled with conical spires roughly shaped like tepees.

After a brief hike into the canyon, the guests will drop into a broad amphitheater surrounded by banded cliffs. The trail follows the base of the cliffs, passing a cave that shows signs of use by ancient Anasazi/Pueblo people.

Our expert guides will accompany the group for the duration of the hike pointing out various petroglyphs, and geological points of interest. After hiking a bit down the trail, the group will stop for a gourmet, boxed picnic lunch.

This tour is a wonderful way to get outdoors and enjoy the crisp blue skies and sunshine while appreciating this incredible geological site located on an existing Native American pueblo.

Approx. Tour Length: 5 hrs.
Attire: Comfortable walking HIKING shoes, layered casual outdoor wear, camera, sunscreen, hat or cap

Per person pricing based on minimum of 50 people: $45.00 Includes: deluxe transportation, expert native guides, entry fees, gourmet picnic boxed lunch, iced waters and soft drinks on board coach, energy bars, all tax and gratuities.