This tour is 6 days on the road and is one of the most comprehensive Indian Country tours available.  If you want a total American Indian experience, plus some of the most vast and breathtaking scenery in the world, this is it.

Day 1:   Starting out in the valley of the Sun, we first go to Meteor Crater, a huge crater spanning over a mile in diameter, caused by a meteor impact only 50,000 years ago.  As you stand on its edge, you can envision the result of such an impact if it were to occur in the modern age.  From Meteor Crater we travel to our first day’s destination, Second Mesa on the Hopi Reservation.  Overnight at the Hopi Cultural Center, 2^nd, Mesa.
 

Day 2:  Initially developed at the bases of the three mesas and later moved to the tops to avoid aggressive invaders of the thirteenth century, these areas are the heart of the Hopi people and culture today. Our native guide will show us around the village of Walpi, and speak of their rich heritage and culture. For history and anthropology buffs, we will also visit Old Oraibi, the oldest continuously inhabited village in North America.  From there we will take a Hopi guided tour of Tawa Park, a cliff face covered with approximately 10,000 petroglyphs dating back to the archaic period of Indian history and progressing forward to modern Hopi times.  We will move on to Chinle for the evening.  Overnight Canyon de Chelly Holiday Inn.

Day 3:  Canyon de Chelly.  In the morning, a half day Navajo guided jeep tour will take us through one of the most spectacular canyons of Arizona, referred to by some as more spectacular than the Grand Canyon in its splendor. Cut into the ground seemingly from out of nowhere, the depth and beauty of this canyon defies description, with colors and shapes of rock, sand, water and vegetation found nowhere else.  This canyon is rich in the history and pre-history of this region and is still home to many Navajo families, some farming and tending sheep as they have for generations.  Ruins of cliff houses hint of earlier inhabitants the Anasazi, and stand as mute tribute to the complexity of the area's human past.  The afternoon will be spent horseback riding in the canyon with Navajo guides.  For those not wishing to ride, a van will be going to the Hubble Trading Post National Monument,  the oldest continuously operated trading post on the Navajo reservation.  To Navajo rug collectors, this is the closest thing to heaven.  Early evening will be spent at Spider Rock overlook for late light photo opportunities.  Overnight Canyon de Chelly Holiday Inn.

Day 4:  Following a full breakfast, we journey to Four Corners, where you can stand on the corners of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado at the same time.  This is the only place in the United states where the corners of four states come together.  Then it’s on to Monument Valley, where erosion and volcanism combine to form some of the most impressive geological formations in the world.  Rock spires rise from nowhere with shapes which defy logic.  Our group of hearty adventurers will take a Navajo guided jeep tour through this spectacular scenery, to marvel at and be astounded by geological features which rewrote the science as we know it.  We will then be treated to a Navajo cookout in the heart of Monument Valley.  We will go to Page following the cookout and stay at the Wahweep resort on the shore of the lake.


Day: 5:  On this day we take a fabulous photo tour of the famous and spectacular Antelope Canyon, one of the most beautiful and awe inspiring slot canyons in the southwest.  We will spend the rest of the day sightseeing and shopping and then take a scenic sunset dinner cruise on Lake Powell.  From Lake Powell we will go to the Cameron Trading Post, the largest trading post on the Navajo reservation, where we will spend the night.

 Day 6:  Our entry into the Grand Canyon will be from the east so we get morning light.  The first stop will be at Desert View, the easternmost Grand Canyon overlook.  The famous Desert View Watch Tower is a national treasure and features Hopi designs throughout.  One must make the climb to the top to get the spectacular views afforded there.  From here you can see the Painted Desert, up into Utah, Navajo Mountain, the Vermillion Cliffs and much of the Grand Canyon.  We then venture to the Yavapai overlook from which you can see the river, the foot bridge over the river, Phantom Ranch and the trail to the north rim.  Out next stop is the South Rim.  We can often see the reintroduced California condor while visiting this most famous overlook.  After lunch we will head back to the valley and home.

Air Travelers:
For travelers flying into and back out of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, hotel accommodations have been arranged for at the Airport Sleep Inn.  Rates for lodging will be $78 per night.  We will pick you up at the hotel on the morning of departure.  For those staying with friends and family, you are on your own to get to the pickup point.  Transportation is available at the hotel and arrangements will be made to have you picked up and dropped off.  We will need your flight schedule.

Preparations:
1.  Attendees should be aware we will be traveling above 6,000 feet elevation for the duration of the seminar.  Bring light jackets or sweaters for the evenings.
2.  We will have water on the vans.  If you want anything else, you may bring it.  We will have coolers with ice on board and you can add other beverages as room allows.  No glass containers are allowed on the vans, on federal lands or on Indian lands.
3.  In the east, the term Native American is acceptable.  In the west it is generally unacceptable.  The protocol on this is American Indian as a general term, Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, etc. as a specific tribal term, their name being your ultimate goal. 
4.  Pictures of scenery are generally not restricted.  Taking pictures of Hogan’s (the 8 sided traditional homes of the Navajo) is discouraged and you must get their permission before taking the picture of any individual.  Do not take it personally if they refuse.  On Hopi lands, pictures are absolutely forbidden, with the exception of Tawa Park. 
5.  The Hopi and Navajo will not generally initiate a conversation, but are usually friendly if you do.  If they do not want to talk to you, don't press it.  Their handshakes are limp because they feel a firm handshake is too personal with someone you don't know.  They will not look you in the eye as they view that as being aggressive.
6.  The Navajo are generally a very peaceful and quiet people, so conduct yourselves accordingly.  A respectful and quiet demeanor is expected among elders.  The Hopi are very peaceful, but also very secretive about their society and will not answer questions about their ceremonies
7.  We will be traveling in the ancestral homeland of the Navajo and Hopi.  To the uninitiated it may seem barren, harsh and cruel, but there are areas of the reservations which are as beautiful as anything you will find in the US.  In fact they believe their reservations to be the most beautiful places on Earth.  We happen to agree with that as we love the Colorado Plateau and it is our goal to try to get you to see the beauty of an area which will be as foreign to you as the moon.
8.  The climate is extremely arid and there is little humidity.  Sun screen and sun glasses are mandatory.  Hats are advised.  Well supported shoes are highly recommended.  Sandals and open toed shoes are discouraged.  If we get rain, canyons and dry washes can be treacherous.  We may avoid areas subject to flash flooding.  Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
9. When dealing directly with the Indians, it is important to prepare yourself to deal with Indian Time (Indian time means we will get it done, whenever we get it done).  There is a schedule, but it is loose and flexible. Everything on the reservation happens on Indian time, not white man time.
10. A Liability Waiver must be filled out and submitted prior to the tour. 

Click here for  Reservations.