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A camping ride with vehicle support starting from the Valley of Gods and riding into the breathtaking Monument Valley. You can join us for week one, week two, or for the complete 2 week ride. Overnights are in comfortable tent camps with showers on several nights. Explore the Kane Gulch Primitive Area and ride along ancient trails and through the impressive Valley of Gods. Many great spots for pictures and long stretches of cantering in between those rock formations will make this an unforgettable adventure. Then we ride along the San Juan towards Mexican Hat and across the river into Monument Valley where we will meet our native guides.
You probably have seen Monument Valley hundreds of times, but as you ride through it, you will see the real Monument Valley, perhaps for the first time. And somehow Monument Valley doesn't look like Monument Valley. It is rather overwhelming. One night the Navajos will perform some traditional dances for us and prepare a typical Navajo farewell dinner.
Rates include overnight in comfortable tent camps,
sleeping kots, all meals, last night in hotel
Week 1.
Five riding days
Week 2. Six
riding days
 RTUT06
Week 1:
Valley of Gods Ride:
8 days/ 7 nights
08/24-08/31 09/14-09/21
2009 Dates $ 1,680
05/03-05/10
05/24-05/31
08/23-08/30 09/13-09/20
availability
& reservation
RTAZ01
Week 2: Monument Valley Ride:
9 days/ 8 nights
08/30-09/07 09/20-09/28
2009 Dates
$ 1,890
05/09-05/17
05/30-06/07
08/29-09/06 09/19-09/27
availability
& reservation
RTAZ01-2
Trails of the Ancient
- 2 weeks:
15 days/ 14 nights
08/24-09/07 09/14-09/28
2009 Dates $ 2,890
05/03-05/17
05/24-06/07
08/23-09/06 09/13-09/27
availability
& reservation
Meeting: Blanding
Airport: Cortez, CO
at 4:00 PM for Week 1
and
at 6:30 PM for Week 2
Transfer: Included
Tack:
Western, Hackamore
Horses:
Arabians, Quarter Horse mix,
Missouri Foxtrotters
Pace : Moderate with some trots and
canters, 6-8 hours in the saddle
Single if requested:
$200 for 1 week - $300 for 2 weeks
Gratuities: 10-15% suggested
Level: Good intermediate
Min/Max: 5-10 riders
Notes: you ride about 20 miles per day. Camping ride; overnights in comfortable tent camps with
solar shower, table, chairs.
Itinerary Week 1 - Valley of Gods
Day 1 Sun. Pick up in Cortez around 4 PMand
transfer to the camp for dinner and overnight.
Day 2 Everyone gets acquainted with their horse for the trail on a short
ride to ancient dwelling sites in a hidden canyon below an impressive
stone arch as well as other hidden settlements, tombs and lookout
towers. A tasty meal in camp for dinner.
Day 3 Another day ride into the ancient canyon dwelling and spectacular
views of Utah Navajo country in and through Recapture Canyon (Historic
site where Native Americans where recaptured after escaping from their
Spanish conquerors).
Steep climbs into the canyons and lots of archeological evidence of
early Anasazi settlements along the way makes this a very interesting
ride.
Day 4 We ride from Mustang Mesa across sage covered plains into the
north end of Comb Ridge near Arch Canyon for more breathtaking scenery
of rock cliffs and canyons where you visit more ruins, still very much
natural and unmolested by modern man.
Day 5 A long ride south along the towering ochre colored cliffs of Comb
Ridge to a camp site at an old “round up” Corral is the day’s adventure.
Long stretches of trotting and cantering on this sandy stretch will add
a feeling of being one of the first explorers of the area. We will
finish the day camping under a beautiful star-lit sky - overnight in
roomy tents.
Day 6 Another long day ride into the
spectacular and beautiful “Valley of the Gods” (famed as the miniature
Monument Valley - professed by some to be blessed with more breathtaking
colors, rock formations, and natural sculptures in sandstone). The endless
sand dunes between these spectacular red rock towers invite for a fast and
interesting ride. Camp is back at Comb Ridge corrals.
Day 7 We transfer you
back to Cortez around noon and check into a hotel
for overnight (dinner on your own). Those of you
staying will relax in camp or go for a swim while
transfers are taking place. The evening will see the
arrival of the new guests in time for dinner under a
wondrous sky. Day 8 Hotel shuttle to the
airport and departure.
Itinerary Week 2
- Monument Valley
Day 1 Sat. Pick up at the airport in Cortez, CO around
6:00 PM and transfer to the camp. Dinner and gazing at the wondrous sky ends the day.
Day 2 Sun. We head south along the San Juan River into Mexican Hat. Along the way you will see how this old town got its name. The upside down sombrero made of red sand stone can be seen from a distance in contrast to the natural, colorful painted hill sides of the San Juan. We will camp for the night in the area.
Day 3 Mon. With hour Navajo guide we start south from Mexican Hat toward Copper Canyon, again keeping the San Juan River in view and riding near Monument Valley Navajo Park boundaries. Our camp site tonight is on a mesa overlooking the canyon to the west, Oljeto to the south, and Monument Valley to the east. Dinner with a view of the spectacular sunset over true Indian country.
Day 4 Tues. This day will see us being guided through Copper Canyon, seeing some shear rock walls and stately spires rising up out of the earth. You may also see the Navajo tending their sheep herds just as they've done for centuries. We return to camp on the Mesa for another relaxing night under a majestic sky.
Day 5 Wed. Today we head in the direction of the Oljeto trading post toward Monument Valley, still surrounded by the splendor of Butts, Mesas, Spires and vastness of the desert canyons.
Day 6 Thurs. We are in Monument Valley today and will see all the grandeur of the valley made famous by Western Movie Star John Wayne. " Stagecoach", "the hand", "the three sisters" and other famous sites from movies and TV will accompany us along the way. We are in for a treat of authentic Navajo meal , pow-wow and dances , along with a chance to take up residence for the night in a traditional Hogan.
Day 7 Fri. Our guide will take us out of the Monument into Mystery Valley for more spectacular sights and scenery where we will camp for our final night together under the Navajo sky.
Day 8
We transfer you back to Cortez
around noon and check into a hotel for overnight
(dinner on your own).
Day 9 Hotel shuttle to the airport and
departure |
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