Albuquerque

New Mexico

Behind Adobe Walls

Five days, four nights

Because many travelers have been to these towns before, on this particular tour we emphasize private access to places and people your members would not be able to see on your own, a special opportunity to go “behind adobe walls.” You will tour private residences, dine with artists and chefs in their own homes, meet with gallery owners in their studios, have a piece of your own turquoise jewelry appraised!

Ride into the clouds on the SANDIA AERIAL TRAMWAY to the top of Sandia Peak, where we will dine “with a view” at the High Finance Restaurant overlooking Albuquerque.
Shop at OLD TOWN, the picturesque oldest part of town, where modern artisans and colonial history reside side by side. Enter the quiet, ancient San Felipe de Neri Church for some restful moments of reflection.
Visit the TURQUOISE MUSEUM where the Curator will appraise turquoise jewelry brought by our travelers. Our turquoise version of Antiques Road Show!
Tour the INDIAN PUEBLO CULTURAL CENTER, where we will be able to watch ceremonial dances and learn about the centuries old Native American lifestyle from tribe members. A private tour will explain the culture of the 19 New Mexico Pueblo Indian nations.
Walk the PETROGLYPH NATIONAL MONUMENT, where we will view the world’s largest collection of prehistoric rock art. A Park Ranger will explain it to us in our private tour.

Santa Fe

Spend two nights at the revered LA FONDA HOTEL on the Plaza, where travelers have relaxed in Southwestern luxury for many decades. The number one historical hotel in the city! Includes two breakfasts.
Enjoy the FREE TIME scheduled so you can visit the museums and galleries of your choice. There is so much to choose from that we wanted you to be able to go where you wanted for a half day.
A RARE TREAT – Our Behind Adobe Walls Tour that will take you to several PRIVATE RESIDENCES to see first hand quintessential examples of the Santa Fe Style. Our hosts will be the homeowners themselves!

Taos

We will show you the complete sweep of the centuries of history in Taos, from the world-famous TAOS PUEBLO, through the Western heritage of the 1800s, up to the modern art colony, all in the company of experts who will explain it to you from the local point of view. Includes the amazing, jaw-dropping GORGE OF THE RIO GRANDE, with its 700 high sheer cliffs carved by the River. You will long remember the private conversations with the gallery owners! We will spend time at the MILLICENT ROGERS MUSEUM, which houses top quality examples of all kinds of Southwestern art, from silver to turquoise, to paintings and carvings, jewelry to furniture.

Tour Highlights

Two incredible private dinners that you will always remember:

Dinner at the home of CHEF LOIS ELLEN FRANK of the Navajo tribe who will serve a fantastic dinner from her demo kitchen while educating us about Native American cuisine. Chef Frank, a well known culinary expert, author, and photographer, will discuss the cuisine of the native Americans, the continent’s first great cooks, who used fresh, simple, seasonal ingredients long before modern chefs revolutionized culinary standards employing the same values.
Dinner at the home of EVELYNE BOREN, a prominent Santa Fe artist located in the quarry that provided the stone for St. Francis Cathedral. The home itself is a work of art, not to mention the paintings and furnishings found within, in a setting overlooking Santa Fe and the Rio Grande Valley. Ms.Boren is called a virtuoso both in watercolor and oil mediums, and her landscapes of Santa Fe, Provence, Tuscany, Spain and Mexico have been described as “windows that penetrate the walls on which they hang.”

Tour Includes

Scenic and Historic Drives

We will take you along New Mexico’s most picturesque and colorful routes:

The Turquoise Trail – The scenic and historic route from Albuquerque to Santa Fe. Along the way we will stop to see some oddities that will surprise you and some ghost towns that will impress you.
The High Road to Taos – The mountainous road from Santa Fe to Taos that will include a stop at the famous church at CHIMAYO, where pilgrims claim to have been healed by its sacred earth.
The River Road from Taos to Santa Fe – Ride along the churning Rio Grande River as it flows from Northern New Mexico to the broad valley between Santa Fe and Albuquerque.