At a Glance
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Let your inner adventurer soar as you embark on a journey to explore the Land of Enchantment. Discover the rich heritage, culture and high-desert beauty of New Mexico as you spend 6 immersive days traversing every entrancing bit of the region on this Santa Fe & Taos hiking adventure.
Your adventure begins in Santa Fe, where you shuttle to the Dale Ball Trails to hike among pinon pines in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains neighboring Santa Fe. Explore through the diverse landscape at the Bandelier National Monument and see its incredible collection of Ancestral Pueblo ruins. Learn some of the city’s history with a tour of its fascinating museums. Enjoy the panoramic view of Santa Fe at the top of Fort Marcy Park. Marvel at the sights of ...
Trip Highlights
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What's Included
- All meals as specified on itinerary
- All luggage, hotel and airport transfers
- Short orientation in Santa Fe on Day 1
- 5 nights accommodation in premiere hotels on a twin share basis
- Professional guiding: two support vans, 6:1 guest to leader ratio on average
- Hiking and sightseeing as stated in the itinerary
- Park and other entry fees
- Comprehensive travel planner with detailed pre-trip information
- Expertise and services of our experienced Trip Leaders
- Snacks and beverages between meals
- Van shuttles to support a variety of route options
- All gratuities at hotels and restaurants
Itinerary
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TWO HIKING OPTIONS: Rendezvous with your tour leaders at 9 am at Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi, New Mexico. Please ensure you arrive dressed in your hiking clothes, come with a daypack containing your rain gear and anything else you may want for today's hike and also bring your luggage (it will be transported to your room). Welcome to New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment! After our meeting in downtown Santa Fe, we shuttle east briefly into the wilderness of southwestern terrain enclosed in National Forest land, the Dale Ball Trails. This 35 kilometre network of trails is located in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo, and it provides hikes that allow you to get accustomed to the area's elevation range (2130 m - 2740 m). Moving through pinon and juniper forests, we encounter amazing panoramas of the city of Santa Fe and the surrounding mountains. You can choose to keep walking through neighbourhoods of adobe houses to Canyon Road, where the group will meet for lunch. Or, you can get a lift in the shuttle to Canyon Road, giving you more time to explore this thoroughfare with the highest cluster of art galleries in the country. After eating lunch, we go on a walking tour with a local expert as our guide to see how diverse influences have molded the city and discover why its architecture is so unique. After this, you are allowed to wander on your own to check out Santa Fe's shops and galleries or settle into your room at Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi, our home for the next two nights. The Rosewood Inn of Anasazi is a cozy hotel in the heart of the city that celebrates the area's native Anasazi tribe with its name and interior decorations. |
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You’ll stay at the luxury 5-star Rosewood Inn of Anasazi for the next two nights. Located in the heart of Santa Fe, a magical land where the sun casts alluring shadows on mountains, desert, adobe and the scent of piñon lingers in the crisp air. The hotel perfectly embodies the essence of New Mexico. Enjoy a soothing drink at the exquisite bar lounge, cozy up by the fireplace or take a dip in the hot tub before gathering in the night for a welcome reception and dinner at a famed local restaurant, where you'll savour the taste of amazing American Southwest cuisine. |
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THREE HIKING OPTIONS: In the morning, we shuttle to the diversified and picturesque land that is Bandelier National Monument, home to an amazing collection of Ancestral Pueblo ruins carved into the walls of Frijoles Canyon. We explore Bandelier following a centuries-old walking path first used by the Ancestral Pueblo people, where we encounter its rugged and stunning canyon and mesa country. This path leads us beneath the shade of cottonwood trees and through Frijoles Canyon. Here, we will face Bandelier's popular Tyuonyi ruin (a circular pueblo that once stood up to three stories high) and several Ancestral Pueblo cliff dwellings. Following this, climb along the rocky rim trail for awe-inspiring views of the canyon below. Afterward, survey the exceptional talus homes, built into the volcanic tuff, which were, at some point, extended with adobe structures supported by vigas made of ponderosa pines. The next stop is the Alcove House, perched 43 m (140 ft) above the canyon floor. After enjoying a tasty picnic lunch, you have the option of extending any of the morning hiking options by going into the canton to see the 27 m (90 ft) waterfall on Frijoles Creek. Or you could shuttle back to Santa Fe to explore some of the city's captivating museums or even forsake the outdoors for a massage at the hotel. (Massage and aromatherapy treatments are not included in the trip fee. Reservations are advised.) |
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THREE HIKING OPTIONS: Before breakfast, go for a quick stroll to the Cross of the Martyrs nearby Fort Marcy Park by yourself. At an elevated height, a stunning view of Santa Fe awaits you. After drinking the view in, journey back to the hotel as the community awakens. You also have the option of sleeping in; after eating breakfast, we shuttle to Ghost Ranch in "O'Keefe Country." The place was named by the Spanish, based on the belief that it was haunted; it is called El Rancho de Los Brujos (Ranch of Witches). Before enjoying a picnic on the grounds of the ranch, take in the southwestern panorama as we hike calmly up to Chimney Rock or an averagely strenuous hike to Kitchen Mesa, where you'll have to scramble through a small shaft to reach the top. In the afternoon, we shuttle down the path to the Chama River Valley to see Plaza Blanca (The White Place). |
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Following our visit, shuttle North to the high desert town of Taos and El Monte Sagrado, an eco-conscious resort that'll be our home for the next two nights. Seated on 3½ acres of flourishing grounds, a short walk from Taos Plaza is the resort that embodies that environmentalism can go hand in hand with aesthetics. Settle into your room, take a dip in the chlorine-free pool, or you can indulge in a rejuvenating session at the resort's spa. This evening, you have the opportunity to stroll into Taos for dinner on your own. Be delighted by the flavours of Mexican Southwestern dishes.
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TWO HIKING OPTIONS: We eat breakfast at the resort and shuttle eastward into Carson National Forest named for Kit Carson, a 19th-century mountain man whose adventures as a trapper and guide in the West were eternalized in dime-stone novels. Our day's adventure starts with a hike at Palo Flechado Pass, a path often traveled by natives before the arrival of the Spanish. Then, we make our way along the Elliot Barker Trail into a topography of aspen trees, diverse pines and spruces, and wildflowers. When we're high above the Moreno Valley, we are blessed with panoramas of the neighboring mountains, the Eagle Nest Lake, and the Wheeler Peak wilderness. After this, it's lunchtime; you can choose to enjoy lunch along the trail or in a mountain meadow close to a beautiful pond. In the afternoon, we visit the exceptional World Heritage site of Taos Pueblo, which is considered the oldest, constantly inhabited community in the U.S. Taos is the largest and northernmost of New Mexico's pre-Hispanic Pueblo settlements. It comprises adobe houses constructed between 1000 and 1450 A.D. Lately, about 150 Taos Indians live within Pueblo full-time, while 1,900 have regular houses somewhere else on the greater Pueblo lands. We go on a guided tour of the Pueblo and learn the tribal structure that makes this part of the Southwest special. (sometimes, Taos Pueblo closes its doors to visitors, without prior notice, to tend to Pueblo business.) Following that, you get the chance to explore the town of Taos on foot; its shops and galleries are located near the square. Or if you'd prefer to relax, you could do that at the hotel's spa. In the evening, we take a short walk to Lambert's, a Taos classic known for its mouthwatering southwestern and American cuisine. It promises to be an unforgettable dinner. |
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TWO HIKING OPTIONS: After eating a nourishing breakfast at the resort, you are presented with the choice of taking a short shuttle for a hike in the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range. Or you can go downtown by yourself, for a tour of the historic Taos Plaza, which was once the terminal of the 2500 kilometre (1600 miles) Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (King's Highway of the Inland), a trade route from Mexico City. Currently, this section of Taos encompasses over 65 galleries, shops, and restaurants, with seven nearby museums. However, if you aren't a morning person, you can stay behind in the hotel and enjoy its amenities. Subsequently, our hiking route takes us through the stunning conifer forest and amazing stands of aspen. The Southern Boundary Trail shows an assemblage of stunning yellow, gold, and orange foliage when it's at its best in autumn. Go up to Devisadero, a lookout tower once used by the Taos Pueblo Indians to stand guard against the Apaches who would attempt to raid the pueblo. After a lovely lunch in town, we shuttle along the historical High Road to Chimayó, a small village founded after the Spanish reconquest of New Mexico in 1680. This town houses one of the most revered places in the whole of the Southwest; El Santuario, a 19th-century adobe church. You can choose to go further on your own to explore the church whose grounds have been alleged to have healing powers. |
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We retire to the 57 acre, 5-star Four Seasons Rancho Encantado for the night. Established in the Sangre de Cristo Mountain, this resort offers stunning views of the Jemez Mountains. Enjoy a refreshing dip in its picturesque pool before a farewell dinner at the hotel's Terra restaurant and toast to the adventurous week in the Land of Enchantment!
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We hike along a gravel trail that begins at the Four Seasons to kick out the last day of our adventure. The rugged trail rolls through the nearby volcanic tuff towering the Rio Grande river valley, giving you the chance to drink in the vast vistas of the New Mexico sky and the peaks of the Jemez Mountains, and the pleasing aroma of sagebrush. Or you could enjoy a slow-paced and relaxed morning at the resort. After the hike, we enjoy a final lunch together. Then we shuttle to the nearby Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi, which marks the end of our trip. NOTE: This itinerary is provided as an example only – prevailing conditions and local arrangements may cause variation. |
Dates & Prices
Please contact us for private departures and group bookings. Single Supplement is available on request.
More Info
- The departure and finish point is Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Major commercial flights provide convenient access to Santa Fe. The nearest major airport is Santa Fe Municipal Airport which has domestic flights and is 23km (14 miles) from the center of Santa Fe. Another major airport is Los Alamos County Airport which has domestic flights from Los Alamos, New Mexico and is 53km (33 miles) from Santa Fe.
In late spring through early fall, daytime highs in Santa Fe and Taos are usually pleasantly warm; however, evenings and early mornings can be cold, with temperatures sometimes dropping by 30 degrees or more. Expect cooler temperatures at higher elevations, with the possibility of frost in the early morning. Remember that weather conditions in the mountains are very unpredictable, and it could rain—or even hail—at any time, bringing cooler temperatures. It's essential that you come prepared with quality rain gear and plenty of warm clothes for early-morning hikes.
The routes on this trip are rated Levels 1-3.
Level 1, 2-5 hours, 3-8km (2-5 miles), Maximum Elevation Gain 244m (800 ft)
Level 2, 2-4 hours, 6-11km (4-7 miles), Maximum Elevation Gain 396m (1300 ft)
Level 3, 3-5 hours, 8-14km (5-9 miles), Maximum Elevation Gain 610m (2000 ft)
Level 4, 4-6 hours, 10-18km(6-11 miles), Maximum Elevation Gain 914m (3000 ft)
Level 5, 5-7 hours, 11-21+ km (7-13+ miles), Maximum Elevation Gain 1219m (4000+ ft)
Onlyluxe Travel acts as travel agency and work with different tour operators.
Payment Detail
All pricing is in Australian dollars and are quoted on a per person twin share basis. A supplementary price is available (see below). Bookings are not confirmed until full payment and the signed Booking Form has been received by Onlyluxe Travel.
A non-refundable 30% deposit is payable within 7 days of your booking, with the final balance due 120 days prior to departure. If a booking is made 120 days or less before departure, the full payment is payable immediately. Last minute bookings are payable before arrival. Failure to pay on time may result in automatic cancellation of a booking with cancellation penalties payable to Onlyluxe Travel. If you pay by credit card or PayPal a surcharge will be added to the total price.
Single Supplement
All accommodation is twin share. Single guests will share with someone of the same gender. If a single room is demanded, a supplementary price of will apply. The supplementary price refers to our quotation and needs to be stipulated at the time of booking.
General Cancellation Policies
- Outside of 120 days monies will be refunded less 30% of full fee
- Within 120 days prior to arrival all monies will be forfeited
- No refunds will be given in the event of non-arrival, any unused services or unused nights due to flight or weather disruption
- We strongly recommend guests protect themselves with travel insurance and medical insurance
Please Note: Cancellations must be advised in email and will take effect from the date they are received.
Liability
The participant agrees to indemnify Onlyluxe Travel, and its servant, tour operator and agents, in relation to any liability, loss and damage which the tour operator, or its servants and/or agents may incur as a result of the participants, negligence or misconduct during the tour.
Smoking is not permitted on the bus, or in tents or in other accommodation being used by tour operator at the time that a trip is being conducted.
Child Policy
Please consult travel consultant on age limit.
Changes to Itineraries
Local conditions may necessitate changes to sightseeing, walking and driving routes, camping and accommodation locations. While every effort will be made to provide the services and experiences as offered in our brochure, on our website, and in our trip letters, we reserve the right to vary your itinerary. In the event that we are forced to change your arrangements, substitute arrangements of a similar standard will be provided. The tour operator will not be liable where interruptions to itineraries are caused by weather conditions, technical problems to transport used by the tour operator, industrial action, political or civil commotion or other circumstances beyond our control. We refer you to the conditions regarding travel insurance.
Changes in Prices
While we will do its utmost to honour its pricing unforeseen circumstances may mean that prices may be subject to change without notice.
Pre-Existing Medical Conditions and Age Limits
You need to advise Onlyluxe travel and the tour operator on any pre-existing medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability that might reasonably be expected to increase the risk of your requiring medical attention, or that might affect the normal conduct of a trip and the enjoyment of other trip members. Onlyluxe Travel and the tour operator may require an assessment of your medical condition from a qualified medical practitioner. If you fail to adequately notify the tour operator of any pre-existing medical conditions and/or disability, the tour operator reserves the right, at its reasonable discretion, to cancel your participation in a trip at any time, including after the commencement of your trip, with no right of refund if your medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability could be reasonably expected to affect the normal conduct of the trip and the enjoyment of other trip members.
Cancellation by The Tour Operator
The tour operator is at the mercy of nature in all her beauty and all her fury. The tour operator will under no circumstance knowingly place at risk the health and well-being of our guests and guides. In the case of natural threats, acts of God and the like (e.g. bushfires, impassable snow, etc) the tour operator may need to cancel a tour with very little notice. In some cases, this can occur after the tour has commenced. The tour operator reserves the right to cancel any tour up to 60 days prior to departure if the minimum number requirement is unable to meet for a tour. If the tour operator needs to cancel for any reason, the cost of the tour or any other costs associated with travel to the designated pick up point, overnight accommodation, meals, etc will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore we strongly recommend travel insurance be taken out prior to travel.
Force Majeure
'Force Majeure' means (without restriction) any event which Onlyluxe Travel or its third party providers could not, even with due care, foresee or avoid. Force Majeure covers events such as, but not limited to, adverse weather conditions, fire and all similar events beyond our control. In the case of Force Majeure Onlyluxe Travel will not accept liability, and reserves the right to change and cancel trips.
Evacuations
In rare circumstances, due to injury or unforeseen illness, the tour operator may need to evacuate you from a remote part of the walk. Helicopter evacuations are expensive and in most cases will be at a cost to the customer.
For Australian residents, under the Australian Government Medicare Act, it is prohibited for any domestic travel insurance product to provide any financial reimbursement with regard to ambulance or air ambulance services. We therefore strongly advise our customers to take specific ambulance cover through their health insurance provider. Evacuation cost will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore it is also strongly recommended that our customers take out travel insurance to cover (amongst other things) the costs associated with evacuation.
Travel Insurance
In view of the heavy cancellation penalties applied to cancelled reservations in certain circumstances, we strongly recommends suitable travel insurance be purchased at the time the holding deposit is paid. We recommend insurance cover that covers any loss which may be suffered due to cancellation. We also strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance against loss of baggage and medical expenses.