CITO - Welsh's Coach Holidays

subalpine and alpine world. At the West Entrance we stop at the Town of Grand Lake
to visit the 60 shops, restaurants and galleries on the historic western boardwalk,
before returning to Denver.
DAY 4 (B, D): Our first train journey is on the famous California Zephyr which travels
almost 2,500 miles from Chicago to San Francisco. We join it for the 273 mile
section from Denver through the Rocky Mountains to Grand Junction. The climbing
starts as soon as we leave the city and snake our way through a succession of
tunnels to reach over 9,000 feet in the Moffat Tunnel. By late morning we reach the
beautiful Colorado canyons and ride through the Fraser, Gore and Glenwood
Canyons during the afternoon. Our destination is Grand Junction where we leave the
Zephyr here and transfer to our hotel for a two night stay. Dinner in the hotel.
DAY 5 (B, D): Today we travel through the spectacular landscape of the Colorado
National Monument on one of the grandest scenic drives in the American West, the
23-mile Rim Rock Drive which offers red rock canyons, crisp blue skies, and glorious
views along the way. The Colorado National Monument boasts a rugged land of
determination and toughness. Today we shall be driving among rock layers that are
nearly two billion years old. Extraordinary forces of erosion and time carved these
layers. Plants and animals have adapted to this challenging environment by
preserving moisture within their bodies in a variety of ways. We see pinyon pine and
juniper trees and may spy Hopi chipmunks, rock squirrels, golden eagles and desert
bighorn sheep. We then continue to Colorado Wine Country. Colorado wines are
making a big splash, and the heart of the Colorado wine industry is right here in
Grand Junction. The Grand Valley region produces wonderful, high-quality wines in a
spectacular setting. A tour of a winery is followed by a winemaker’s dinner before
returning to our hotel in Grand Junction.
DAY 6 (B): This morning we head south through Montrose and climb high into the
mountains before descending to the old mining town of Silverton. The place has a
distinctive Wild West atmosphere and we have time to look around and have lunch.
It is also the terminus of the famous Durango and Silverton Railroad which was built
to carry gold and silver away from the San Juan Mountains. It is part of the former
Denver and Rio Grande narrow gauge railway and its trains are still hauled by steam
locomotives. All aboard for wonderful scenery on our 3.5 hour journey through the
mountains and gorges to the town of Durango where our coach will meet us and
transfer to our hotel. Dinner is not included this evening but our hotel is in the town
Photo ©The Colorado Tourism Office, courtesy of Matthew Inden
centre and there are several restaurants and diners close by.
DAY 7 (B, D): Today we visit the Mesa Verde National Park by coach. Mesa Verde is
Spanish for green table and is a plateau at over 8,000 feet. It offers a spectacular
look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over
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. After our visit we return to
Durango. This evening we enjoy a traditional cowboy dinner with local
entertainment.
DAY 8 (B, L, D): Back to the trains! We drive to Chama, just across the border in New
Mexico for a spectacular full day trip on the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad, another
section of the Denver and Rio Grande. It is ‘America's Highest & Longest Coal-Fired,
Steam-Operated, Narrow-Gauge Railroad’. Enjoy the stunning scenery as we climb
to the top of the Cumbres Pass which, at 10,000 feet, is the highest mountain pass
reached by rail in the United States. We stop at Osier Station for lunch (included)
and then continue along a ledge on the side of the Toltec Gorge. We reach the plains
before the terminus at Antonito where our coach will meet us and continue to our
overnight hotel in Alamosa. Dinner in the hotel.
DAY 9 (B, D): After breakfast we transfer to Alamosa station to join the Rio Grande
Scenic Railroad. Still with steam but this time on standard gauge. We ride for over
three hours, initially across the plain but then up into the mountains to cross the La
Veta Pass. Splendid scenery all the way to the town of La Veta where we leave the
train and have time for lunch. Then we rejoin the coach and drive to Colorado
Springs for our final two nights.
DAY 10 (B, D): Today we visit the historic town of Cripple Creek which sits on the
southwest slopes of the majestic Pikes Peak in the Colorado Rockies. More than 100
years ago, this charming community attracted tens of thousands of gold-seekers to
its hillsides in search of their fortunes. The Gold Rush is part of Cripple Creek’s
colorful history, and today, visitors can choose from a variety of heritage-rich
experiences. We will be descending 1,000 feet underground on a gold mine tour of
Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine! Then it’s onto the Garden of the Gods Park which is a
registered National Natural Landmark. Imagine dramatic views, 300' towering
sandstone rock formations against a backdrop of snow-capped Pikes Peak and
brilliant blue skies. This world class Visitor & Nature Centre is the most visited
attraction in the region with a new, exciting, 14 minute, HD show: "How Did Those
Red Rocks Get There?”. Delight in one of Colorado's most photographed views while
eating in the glassed in cafe or from the terrace overlooking Pikes Peak and Garden
of the Gods. A local native guide will come onboard for a 45 minute tour of the
Park. Back to our hotel for a farewell dinner.
DAY 11 (B): Our last day in the US but we have saved one of the highlights until
today. Yesterday we saw Pikes Peak from a distance but now we can go to the
summit on the incredible Pikes Peak Railway. This rack (or cog) railway climbs for 8.9
miles from Manitou Springs to reach the top of the mountain at over 14,000 feet. It
is the highest railway in North America and the highest rack railway in the world.
The Swiss built trains climb through the forest and then above the trees into the
barren alpine landscape. We have a short time at the top before the descent and
then, after a break for lunch, drive back to Denver Airport to check in for our
overnight flight to London.
DAY 12: We are due into Heathrow shortly after 1200 noon and our Door to Door
transport will be waiting for the journey back home.
Long Haul
15