Enchanted New Mexico

Welcome to Albuquerque! At 6 pm, meet your travel companions for a welcome drink. TOUR HIGHLIGHT CULTURE & TRADITION Exquisite desert landscapes, soaring snowcapped mountains, steamy hot springs, and enthralling national monuments make New Mexico a land of wonders. Add the enticing cultural richness of its Native American and Mexican heritage, and you'll soon see why this stunning state is called the "Land of Enchantment."

The Land of Enchantment This morning, tour Albuquerque's Old Town before visiting the Indian Pueblo Cultural centre. Then enjoy [LF] lunch at the Indian Pueblo Kitchen for an unforgettable Indigenous dining experience. Tonight, your Tour Director will have dining suggestions for your evening in Old Town at leisure. (B,L) LOCAL FAVOURITE TASTES & TRADITIONS Experience the spice of life inside Albuquerque's Indian Pueblo Cultural centre where lunch is served at the renowned Indian Pueblo Kitchen. Experience an unforgettable Indigenous dining experience with traditional and creative Native American culinary artistry served with a warm and welcoming Pueblo hospitality. TOUR HIGHLIGHT HISTORY & HERITAGE Visit Albuquerque's enthralling Indian Pueblo Cultural centre for a fascinating look at its museum and crafts market, collectively run by the 19 New Mexico pueblos (villages). Here, you'll learn about the history, background, and life of the 19 pueblos of New Mexico. Top off your visit with a lunch at the Indian Pueblo Kitchen to enjoy indigenous dishes loved through generations.

High Desert Dreams Travel through the New Mexico high desert to Jemez Pueblo, one of the remaining 19 pueblos of New Mexico. On an interpretive tour, learn of the Towa culture and ancestral traditions. Then, meet with a [LF] local artist for a demonstration. Then travel to historic Taos, long known as a bona-fide art colony and home to hundreds of years of rich culture from Spanish explorers to Native Americans to American immigrants making it a diverse and welcoming community. Visit the Taos Art Museum in the historic home of Russian artist Nicolai Fechin. After free time on the historic plaza, continue to your hotel for a free evening. (B) LOCAL FAVOURITE CULTURE & TRADITIONS Visit Jemez Pueblo (Walatowa) between red rocks and mesa tops graced by cedar, cottonwood and aspen trees that blanket the enchanting mountains where fragrant juniper and white pine trees grow. Nestled just below the mountains is the village of Walatowa. The people of Walatowa take pride in the preservation of an ancient native language where over 90% of its people speak the Tanoan language of Towa.

Missions & Masterpieces Visit the San Francisco de Asis, a great example of a Spanish Colonial Mission Church and a modern art icon made famous by Ansel Adams and Georgia O'Keeffe. Continue to Santa Fe for a a captivating glimpse into the diversity of folk art from around the world at The Museum of International Folk Art. Discover a vast collection of traditional textiles, ceramics, paintings and other unique treasures that showcase the rich cultural heritage of different regions and communities. Later, visit the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum for a guided tour to view her spectacular works of art. The rest of the day is free - visit one of the many restaurants, art galleries, or shops on the historic plaza. (B) TOUR HIGHLIGHT CULTURAL GEM Explore the age-old dwellings of Bandelier National Monument. Envision a way of life long since passed to gaze at mesas, sheer-walled canyons, and several thousand ancestral Pueblo dwellings sharing 33,000 acres of designated wilderness. Bandelier's human history is traced to over 11,000 years ago when nomadic hunter-gatherers followed migrating wildlife across the land. By 1150 AD Ancestral Pueblo people began to build more permanent settlements. This incredible site is inspiring as the Pueblo blessing: "Hold on to what is good, even if it is a handful of earth."

Missions & Masterpieces This morning, join a guided trolley tour that includes San Miguel Mission, Palace of the Governors, Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, and the famed Loretto Chapel. Later, visit the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum for a guided tour to view her spectacular works of art. Then enjoy a tasty farewell dinner while learning how to cook with southwestern flair at [LF] Santa Fe School of Cooking. (B,D) LOCAL FAVOURITE LOCAL TASTES Santa Fe is a rich culture of cherished traditions of the Native Southwest. A food-lover's paradise, this vibrant culinary scene preserves the heritage of the pre-Columbian peoples, the influence of the Hispanic culture (both recent and hundreds of years old), and the contemporary elements of delicious eating for which this desert destination is known. Right in the heart of beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico, the Santa Fe School of Cooking is an internationally acclaimed, recreational culinary school and market specialising in foods of the American Southwest. Up your chef game with a cooking class to learn the art of southwestern cooking with traditional recipes and techniques.

Safe travels until we meet again! This morning, return to Albuquerque where your holiday ends at Albuquerque International Sunport Airport. Schedule departing flights after 11 am. (B)