Page 16 - AAA Now! – AAA Central Penn – January/February 2020

A AA
merica’s Southwest is a stark,
beautiful landscape, painted in hues of dusty red and orange. Cacti, adobe houses and rugged rock formations serve as a perfect backdrop to grand and glorious displays of Mother Nature – rushing rivers, vast craters, towering mountains, hot springs, geysers and roaming wildlife.
In Arizona and Utah, a motor coach tour of regional national parks and lakes offers a wonderful in-depth exploration of the Southwest’s natural wonders, Native American culture and history. Enjoy these naturally scenic lands on a guided tour expertly arranged by AAA Travel and Insight Vacations and experience for yourself the magnificent Southwest.
Begin your journey with an
introduction to Scottsdale, Arizona,
a striking desert oasis that became a
playground in the 1950s and 1960s
for Hollywood greats attempting
to escape the paparazzi. The next
day, explore bohemian Sedona with its shops and galleries before heading to Grand Canyon National Park, perhaps the most staggering geological formation in the world. This national park, which
is now celebrating its 100th anniversary, dazzles visitors with an array of green and orange hues, sunlight and shadows casting upon its immense canyon, which was slowly carved out over the eons by the Colorado River.
During your stay on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, learn about the area’s geological history, as well as its natural flora and fauna, and where you might be able to spot elk, mule deer, coyotes, grey foxes, bobcats, and mountain lions.
On the following day, travel through striking crimson landscapes to the historic Cameron Trading Post where you can familiarize yourself with Native American arts and crafts. Journey on through the barren beauty of the desert to Monument Valley, characterized by a cluster of vast sandstone buttes reaching as high as 1,000 feet above the valley floor. Located on the Arizona-Utah border, the valley lies within the territory of the Navajo Nation. Here you will have the opportunity to visit Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, where you will board all-terrain vehicles to explore the valley with your Navajo guide and learn about the heritage of the Navajo.
Then it’s onward to Glen Canyon Dam for a unique tour of the dam and a visit to Lake Powell, a large and picturesque reservoir on the Colorado River. At Lake Powell, you may wish to take a float trip down the scenic Colorado River, and later in the day a serene cruise through the narrow sandstone turns of Antelope Canyon. At the end of the day, enjoy a spectacular sunset from your lake view hotel room.
Expect to encounter red rock pillars and pine
TRAVEL AGENCY
TM
The Southwest Experience
By Judie Karhan
trees the next day at Bryce Canyon National Park,
a photographer’s delight for its amazing limestone and mineral rock formations. In this scenic park, you’ll take a leisurely walk along Sunset Point to view to view the great amphitheaters of the odd-shaped monoliths known as hoodoos. Then travel through more incredible scenery
to the lush cliff-and-
canyon landscapes of Zion
National Park.
Zion National Park, Utah’s first national park,
is known for its sleek, ingrained walls of reddish and tan-colored Navajo Sandstone and its curving, narrow canyons sculpted by the serpentine Virgin River. This is a beautiful wilderness area which
has a variety of life zones allowing for a unique array of plants and animals.
For an up-close look, board a private Zion Canyon shuttle with live commentary that will guide you through the scenic highlights.
It will then be time to say goodbye to starlit wilderness realms and hello to the bright lights of Las Vegas, a glittery oasis in the desert where the entertainment never
stops. In the past two decades this city has been transformed into a sensational multi-dimensional resort destination – a world in itself – with an array of shopping malls, live shows and dining opportunities. Enjoy your stay at the ritzy Caesars Palace on the famous Las Vegas Strip.
ENCHANTING CANYONLANDS May 21-27, 2020 • $3,649* per person, double occupancy
HIGHLIGHTS:
• Sedona, Arizona
• Grand Canyon
• Monument Valley Navajo
Tribal Park
• Glen Canyon Dam
• Bryce Canyon National Park
• Zion National Park
• Las Vegas
For more information and to make reservations, call 888-743-2844
INCLUDED FEATURES:
• Free parking with round-trip transfers to Philadelphia International Airport • Round-trip airfare – Philadelphia, PA to Phoenix, AZ/Las Vegas, NV
• Round-trip transfers – airport/hotel
• Six nights hotel accommodations
• Sightseeing as stated in itinerary by luxury coach
• Services of professional Insight Vacations Travel Director
• Meals: 6 breakfasts, 3 dinners
• Welcome dinner
• All local taxes, hotel service charges and porterage for one suitcase per person • Services of a Discoveries Journey Manager
*Rates are subject to availability at time of booking and include taxes, fees and fuel surcharges which are subject to change. All pricing and included features are based on a minimum of 25 passengers. All non-members must add $60 to the above rate.
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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020
Now!