Best New Mexico's Hot Air Balloon Festival

Enjoy the New Mexico of yesterday and today at the friendliest time of the year. Tour the oldest continuously inhabited site in the United States at Acoma Pueblo, perched atop a high mesa. Enjoy the extravaganza of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the most spectacular hot air balloon event in the world. You will also visit Bandelier National Monument, whose 32,000 acres of wilderness shelters thousand-year-old Anasazi cliff dwellings. Click Here For Itinerary

Highlights:

• Round-trip transfers between airport & hotel on
  Sept. 30, 2005 & Oct. 3, 2005
• Four nights lodging at Sheraton Uptown in Albuquerque
• Admission to two Albuquerque International Balloon Festival events
• Admission to Turquoise Museum
• Guided tour of Acoma "Sky City" Pueblo
• Explore Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
• Ride the Sandia Peak Aerial Tram
• Journey up the Turquoise Trail
• Walking tour of Santa Fe Plaza
• Visit Bandelier National Monument

Brennan Value:

• 4 nights accommodation in first-class or deluxe hotels
• 4 breakfasts, 2 box lunches and 2 dinner including a Welcome Dinner as indicated
• Services of a professional Brennan Tour Director
• Private deluxe air-conditioned motor coach
• All Admissions as outlined in the itinerary
• Gratuity for baggage handling & hotel personnel; all local taxes
• Bottled water and soda refreshment on coach
• Brennan Documentation Package

5 Days/4 Nights from $1359*
*Rates are land only and are per person,
based on double occupancy. Please inquire about
airfare at the time of booking.

Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive Albuquerque, NM
Welcome to the Land of Enchantment! You will be met by your Brennan Tour Director who will assist you with your transfer to the hotel. This evening you will gather in the lobby of the hotel before dinner, to meet the others on your adventure. A great Welcome Dinner starts the tour off at 6:00 p.m. Please plan arrival by 5:00 p.m. Welcome Dinner included. Overnight at Sheraton Uptown Hotel

Day 2
Acoma Pueblo, Turquoise Museum
Following breakfast at the hotel, we will set out to see the oldest continuously inhabited village in the United States, Acoma Pueblo. Acoma, located west of Albuquerque, is commonly called “Sky City” because of its location high atop a mesa. Your Acoma Guide will take you on a walking tour of the village. This afternoon, we will visit the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. You can take time to enjoy the museum or, if you wish, there will be Native American dancers performing in the courtyard. We will then take a driving tour of this growing metropolis and along historic Route 66. Before returning to the hotel we will visit the Turquoise Museum. This evening you are at leisure. There are many great restaurants in the vicinity of your hotel. Breakfast and Box Lunch included. Overnight at Sheraton Uptown Hotel.

Day 3
Balloon Fiesta and Sandia Peak Tram
This morning we up and out bright and early to get to the opening day of the 2004 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. This is the largest hot air balloon event in the world. Each October, pilots and their crews gather in Albuquerque for nine days of flying, friends and fun. A typical ballooning breakfast of burritos will be part of your morning. This afternoon enjoy an excursion to Old Town, where there are shops, restaurants, galleries and vendors. Old Town is home to three museums; the Albuquerque Museum of Art & History, the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science and the National Atomic Museum. This evening we head for the Majestic Sandia Mountains and the Sandia Peak Tram. The tram is the world's longest free span cable tram, and offers magnificent views 2.7 miles above deep canyons, you will marvel at the 11,000 square miles of breathtaking scenery. Enjoy dinner at High Finance Restaurant, where every seat has a view. Breakfast and Dinner included. Overnight at Sheraton Uptown Hotel.

Day 4
Bandelier National Monument
This morning you depart for a visit to Bandelier National Monument. You will be free to explore Bandelier, which has over 32,000 acres of wilderness crisscrossed by 60 miles of maintained trails. It is a hiker's dream. Frijoles Canyon is well known for the extensive Anasazi cliff dwellings that date back to about 1100 AD. The Anasazi farmed in this valley for over 400 years and lived in multi-storied stone and mud structures or caves carved out of the volcanic cliffs. Even if you're not an archaeological enthusiast, you will have a great time climbing the ladders into the caves and kivas. We will then travel to Santa Fe where you will take a walking tour of the historic Santa Fe Plaza area. Santa Fe is the cultural heart and soul of the Southwest. You will see St. Francis Cathedral, Loretto Chapel, with its famous spiral staircase, San Miguel Mission, (if anyone wishes to take the extra walk to it) and the Historic Plaza. You will have time to shop and explore. We depart Santa Fe in time to return to Albuquerque for tonight’s Balloon Fiesta event, the Balloon Glow and Fireworks. Many balloons will be tethered to the ground across the field. Pilots will be available to answer questions, and when the gas is lit you get a little warmth. Enjoy dinner from one of the vendor stands, the barbecue is always a good choice. The fireworks show will close out a busy, yet wonderful, day in the Land of Enchantment. Breakfast and Box Lunch included. Overnight at Sheraton Uptown Hotel.

Day 5
Transfer to Airport / Home
Bid farewell to New Mexico, as you cherish your memories of a spectacular travel experience. Transfer to Airport at your leisure (last shuttle is at 3:00 p.m.). Breakfast included. Back to Top