Self-Drive Colorado and the Rockies

Day 1-2

ARRIVAL IN DENVER
Arrival in Denver the “Mile-High-City” just east of the Rocky Mountains. Explore Larimer Square, the revitalized downtown area with boutiques, restaurants, craft shops and art galleries or visit one of the many museums the city has to offer.
Standard Hotel: Red Lion Hotel
Upgrade Hotel: Adam’s Mark

Day 3

DENVER - ESTES PARK 70 miles
After a short drive through Rocky Mountain National Park you will arrive in Estes Park located in a high mountain valley at the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains National Park. Victorian lights and sidewalk benches add an old-fashioned note to the array of charming shops and restaurants.
Standard Hotel: Holiday Inn
Upgrade Hotel: Holiday Inn

Day 4

ESTES PARK - CHEYENNE 85 miles
After a short drive you will arrive in Cheyenne, a town proud of its cowboy and railroading heritages; most of the major events and attractions revolve around one or both of those themes.
Standard Hotel: Holiday Inn
Upgrade Hotel: Little America

Day 5

CHEYENNE - RAPID CITY 310 miles
Along the way to Rapid City stop at Fort Laramie with more original buildings than any other Wyoming fort, Custer National Park area with one of the world’s largest free-roaming herds of buffalo, Badlands National Park where you can enjoy irregular ravines, fantastic ridges, low hills and cliffs, Mount Rushmore where the colossal heads of several US presidents are carved directly into granite rock or the impressive Crazy Horse Memorial.
Standard Hotel:Rodeway Inn Mount Rushmore
Upgrade Hotel: Alex Johnson

Day 6

RAPID CITY - SHERIDAN 220 miles
Sheridan sits on the edge of the Bighorn Mountains, once the heart of Indian country where many Indian battles were fought. On the way to Sheridan take the detour to Deadwood, a town still in the turn of the century style. Another short detour will bring you to Devil’s Tower National Monument, the core of an ancient volcano that rises up to 264m from a fairly flat surrounding. The main attraction in Sheridan is the Bradford Brinton Memorial Ranch, which recreates early western life.
Standard Hotel: Holiday Inn
Upgrade Hotel: Holiday Inn

Day 7

SHERIDAN - CODY 200 miles
Be sure to visit the scenic Shell Canyon on your way to Cody, named appropriately after its first important visitor “Buffalo Bill” Cody and located in a stunning area of Wyoming. Visit the Buffalo Bill Historical Center which offers the best museum collection of Western artifacts and lore in the world.
Standard Hotel: Buffalo Bill Village
Upgrade Hotel: Holiday Inn Buffalo Bill Village

Day 8-9

CODY - YELLOWSTONE NP 100 miles
After a short drive you will arrive in Yellowstone National Park where you will spend two nights. Enough time to enjoy and explore this amazing park: it preserves the largest concentration of geothermal activity anywhere in the world and it protects enormous herds of bison, elk, and other animals.
Standard Hotel: Stage Coach Inn
Upgrade Hotel: Old Faithful Snow Lodge

Day 10

YELLOWSTONE NP - SALT LAKE CITY 380 miles
After a scenic drive you will reach Salt Lake City - the Mormon capitol. Salt Lake City lies in a spectacular setting at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains and the Great Salt Lake to the northwest. Visit the Temple Square, the symbolic heart of the Mormon religion - see the imposing Mormon Temple, the Tabernacle home of the famous Tabernacle Choir and visit the Family History Library with one of the world’s largest collections of genealogical information.
Standard Hotel:Best Western Garden Inn
Upgrade Hotel: Sheraton City Center

Day 11-12

SALT LAKE CITY - MOAB 230 miles
After a scenic drive and a visit to Natural Bridges Monument with its unique natural bridges you will arrive in Moab where you will spend two nights. At the foot of red mountains Moab is the starting point for excursions into Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. Many tour companies provide hiking, rafting, bicycling, boating, four-wheel drive tours and scenic flights.
Standard Hotel: Super 8 Motel
Upgrade Hotel: River Canyon Lodge

Day 13

MOAB - GRAND JUNCTION 95 mls
After a scenic drive you will reach Grand Junction, Colorado. It is surrounded by diverse, rugged country just waiting to be explored - the stark beauty of Colorado National Monument and the canyon country of the Colorado Plateau.
Standard Hotel: Grand Vista Hotel
Upgrade Hotel: Doubletree

Day 14

GRAND JUNCTION - DENVER 255 mls
Today you will be traveling the highest paved road in the nation. You’ll travel from canyons filled with desert cactus to high alpine tundra sprouting flowers found typically near the Arctic Circle. Continue through Glenwood Canyon, one of the most beautiful in the state of Colorado and visit the famous ski resort town of Vail.
Standard Hotel: Red Lion Hotel
Upgrade Hotel: Loew’s

Day 15

Return your car at the airport on your last day of your tour and board your overnight flight back to the UK.

Day 16

Arrive UK
Arrive back in the UK in the early afternoon at your chosen UK airport.