The Best of the National Parks — Natural Splendour — Travelsphere America & Canada 2008 online holiday brochure

Natural Splendour The Best of The National Parks NATURE AT ITS MOST DRAMATIC 15 days from �1199 Fly from Gatwick, Manchester, or Birmingham Highlights include Mount Rushmore Badlands Yellowstone Grand Teton Salt Lake City Arches Mesa Verde Grand Canyon Bryce Canyon Zion Canyon Monument Valley In 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant signed a new law ordering `the tract of land lying near the headwaters of the Yellowstone River to be set apart as a public park'. Thus Yellowstone became the first national park in the USA and indeed the world. Since that time, great care has been taken to protect the stunning beauty and extraordinary workings of man and nature which abound in such remarkably differing forms within the USA. Gaze in awe at the vastness of the Grand Canyon; the geysers, hot springs and fabulous wildlife of Yellowstone; the unique natural architecture of Bryce and Zion Canyons; and the ancient Indian dwellings of the Mesa Verde. Marvel at Mount Rushmore, with its carved heads of former US presidents, the rugged grandeur of the Rockies, and the uncanny stillness of Monument Valley. All this, and so much more, is featured in this unique tour across FIVE STATES and EIGHT NATIONAL PARKS, including the largest, most famous and most breathtakingly beautiful. YOUR ITINERARY AY 1 - Depart on your scheduled flight to Rapid City in South Dakota. Transfer on arrival to your hotel for a two night stay. DAY 2 - The first state you visit is the relatively unknown but beautiful South Dakota. To the west, the famous Black Hills rise out of the prairies, and the delightful countryside is reminiscent of Europe's Alpine foothills. This morning you drive into the Black Hills to see Mount Rushmore with its famous granite sculptures of Presidents Roosevelt, Lincoln, Washington and Jefferson. The faces are 60ft high and are as grand and enduring as the contributions of the men they represent. A visit will also be made to Crazy Horse Memorial, an even larger sculpture currently being carved in honour of the famous Indian leader. In the afternoon you tour the Badlands National Park. It is a strange and beautiful landscape of deep gorges, saw-edged spires and grassy-topped buttes; an eerie world carved out of the prairies by 35 million years of wind and water erosion. The park was also the location for the film `Dances with Wolves'. DAY 3 - Today you enjoy a fascinating drive through former `wild west' territory. The first stop will be at Deadwood, famed as the home of Calamity Jane and scene of the legendary Wild Bill Hickok's murder. Continue into Wyoming through countryside much fought over by General Custer and the Sioux Indians. Arrive at Cody, founded by and named after Buffalo Bill, for What's Included Vegas Transfers between airport and hotel All other transportation as detailed Thirteen nights' room only accommodation Services of a Travelsphere Tour Manager Entrance to all National Parks and historic sites as detailed Walking tour of Temple Square in Salt Lake City All hotel baggage handling for one piece of luggage per person All State and local taxes All UK and overseas airport taxes and security charges Your Hotels You will stay in hotels such as the Quality Inn in Rapid City, the Buffalo Bill Hotel in Cody, the Stage Coach Inn in West Yellowstone, the Painted Buffalo Inn in Jackson, the Best Western Hotel in Salt Lake City, the Comfort Inn in Cortez, the Quality Inn in the Grand Canyon National Park area, the Parry Lodge in Kanab and the Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas. All rooms feature private facilities, air-conditioning where appropriate, TV and telephone. There is a restaurant and bar in most locations and often extra facilities, such as swimming pool and shop. The Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas features its own cabaret, casino, restaurants, bars, shops and its `Top of the World' restaurant 800ft above the Strip. HOLIDAY REF: UNP Dates, Prices & Flight Information page 82 To view dates & prices click here 20 To book click here

Natural Splendour (8 pages)… The Best of the National Parks