7. Mesa Verde National Park Tour with Archaeology Guide
Come take a look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo peoples who made Mesa Verde their home for over 700 years, from 600 C.E. to 1300 C.E.! Experience some of the most notable and best-preserved cliff-dwelling ruins in the United States. Mesa Verde encompasses over 80 square miles and protects over 5,000 archaeological sites, including the famous Cliff Palace and nearly 600 cliff dwellings, some of which are more than 800 years old. When you book this tour you’ll sit back and relax while your experienced, knowledgeable archaeologist-trained guide takes you around the park. With their knowledge, you will be able to ask questions, read literature, and listen to your own tour of the park. Your first stop is the Mesa Verde visitor center where you can explore attractions on Chapin Mesa to include any combination of the following: -Park Point for a spectacular scenic view of the Four Corners landscape. See Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado in a 360 view -Close up exploration of 12th and 13th-century mesa top sites at the Far View Village complex including Coyote Village and the Far View Great House -Museum area to view Spruce Tree House (3rd largest cliff dwelling in the park) from the Spruce Canyon trail overlooks -Driving tour of selected sites on the Mesa Top Loop to include short walks to the mesa top sites and canyon overlooks for views of the major cliff dwellings in the park including Cliff Palace and “downtown” Mesa Verde -Optional last stop at Far View Terrace for a refreshment break and souvenirs -NOTE: We do NOT go inside a cliff dwelling on this tour Why a Private Tour? For starters, we are the only company offering tours with archaeologist-trained guides. Preparation for your guided tour begins long before the tour starts. There are a lot of behind-the-scenes initiatives and activities carried out by the tour guide. Your guide is an archaeologist-trained subject matter expert requiring considerable training, education, research, and content knowledge on multiple topics with the ability to effectively communicate it to the guest. Along with intimate knowledge of the sites and resources, your guide possesses the communication skills, public speaking, and storytelling abilities to provide an enjoyable and memorable experience. The uniqueness of the Private Tour: Most aspects of the tour are customizable! Exclusivity – just your group; no one else Customized itinerary based on priority preferences – sightseeing, photos, education, etc. Flexibility in start time and tour length (up to 7.5 hours) example: start at 9:00 am vs 8:00 am Pick up at your location (within a 5-mile radius) Flexibility in last-minute changes. If your heart is set on entering a Cliff Dwelling this tour has that as an option, if discussed in advance. Step House will be open from May 1st to October Concierge-type role with recommendations for local restaurants and other attractions/activities