DISCOVER THE
AMERICAN SOUTHWEST
Featuring the Acoma Corn Dance
No
trips are currently scheduled
More Destinations
The
Four Corners area of the American Southwest is one of the most
spectacular regions in the world. It is an enchanting land of
painted deserts, verdant forests and towering mesas, with breathtaking
landscapes visible for miles under the brilliant sunlight. The
ancient Anasazi ruins, Colonial Spanish villages and Native
American pueblos (villages) reflect a proud heritage intimately
in tune with nature and rooted in tradition. Today, this region
is home to many diverse cultures Native-Americans (Hopi, Pueblo,
Apache, Navajo), Hispanic-Americans still speaking Spanish with
an archaic accent from the time of the Conquistadors, and more
recent Anglo and Mexican immigrants.
Far
Horizons proudly presents an 11-day trip that includes spectacular
ruins, magnificent sun-splashed scenery, and an opportunity
to mingle with the local people. Travel with renowned Southwestern
archaeologist, Dr. Stephen Lekson, to magnificent Canyon de
Chelly; Acoma Pueblo for the St. Stephen's Feast Day events;
the spectacular cliff houses of Mesa Verde; and the stunning,
rarely visited pueblo mission ruins at Quarai and Abo.
ITINERARY:
(B)
breakfast, (L) lunch, (D) dinner
DAY
1: Arrive Albuquerque. Overnight for four nights at the Best
Western Rio Grande Inn, located on the edge of "Old Town". Gather
this evening for our gala welcome dinner in one of Albuquerque's
fine restaurants, housed within an elegantly restored 18th century
hacienda. (D)
DAY
2: Our all day trip takes us north to Santa Fe. Settlers were
building their tawny-colored adobe homes here as early as 1609.
The historic character of the village is still preserved in
its winding, narrow streets and 17th-century mud buildings adorned
with colorful flowers and carved wooden doorways. We will learn
about the city's history during a guided walk through the old
section, including the Palace of the Governor, originally constructed
in the early 17th century as Spain's seat of government for
what is today the American Southwest. This adobe structure,
now the state's history museum, was designated a Registered
National Historic Landmark in 1960 and an American Treasure
in 1999. After lunch in one of Santa Fe's renowned restaurants,
go to the School of American Research, established in 1907 as
a center for advanced studies in anthropology and related fields.
Today it houses one of the world's finest collections of Southwest
Indian art, including over 10,000 Native American art objects,
and we will enjoy a specially-arranged private tour of the artifacts.
(L/D)
DAY
3: The role of the missions in the Colonial era of New Mexico's
history will be explored during an all-day excursion to the
Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. Today's exploration
takes us 50 miles south of Albuquerque and will focus on two
of the Salinas missions - Quarai and Abo. Originally known as
La Purisima Concepcion de Cuarac, Quarai was built in 1630.
The surrounding pueblo, consisting of compact apartment complexes
built around kivas, or subterranean ceremonial chambers, dates
to 1300 AD. The magnificent crimson sandstone walls of the mission
church still stand overlooking the village. 
Continue
to Abo, known by Coronado and visited by Oņate. Within a few
years, Abo became the seat of the Mission of San Gregorio with
a monastery, orchards, and gardens. Curiously, there is a kiva
within the courtyard of the church. Apache raids finally forced
the abandonment of the site in the 1670s.Dinner is on our own.
(L)
DAY
4: The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center features exhibits on the
history of New Mexico's 19 Indian pueblos, including a permanent
exhibit of the development of the Pueblo culture from prehistoric
times until present day. After lunch within the center, drive
an hour west to Acoma Pueblo, perched atop a forbidding mesa
rising 400 feet above the valley floor. Known as "Sky City,"
Acoma has been inhabited since the 12th century. Today is the
community's feast day, celebrated by the corn dance, and the
village comes alive with color and ceremony as citizens commemorate
their patron saint's day. Return to Albuquerque for the night.
Dinner is free. (L)
DAY
5: Today will be a long but memorable day as we explore Chaco
Canyon. A recent survey by archaeologists has recorded over
2000 ancient sites within the valley and nearby areas. This
arid, treeless arroyo was the center for the Anasazi culture
a thousand years ago, 
and
magnificent pueblos still stand as mute testimony of its former
grandeur. The area was an important hub for commerce the immense
road system branching out from Chaco Canyon shows the importance
of trade to the area. In complexity of community life, in social
organization and architecture, the Native people of Chaco Canyon
reached heights rarely matched and never surpassed by their
kindred in the Four Corners Region. Continue to Aztec and overnight
at the Step Back Inn. (L/D)
DAY
6: Multi-storied Aztec Ruin lies on the north bank of the Animas
River. This five-hundred-room complex was built almost 1000
years ago and contains a large and beautifully-restored kiva
in the central plaza. Continue into Utah and Edge of Cedars
State Park, the site of a pre-Colombian Pueblo Indian ruin and
a modern museum that is the regional archaeological repository
for southeast Utah. After a picnic lunch, drive to Bluff, Utah,
a tiny artists town nestled among the sandstone cliffs of the
San Juan River. Founded by Mormons in 1880, who built beautiful
stone houses, it was nearly abandoned until discovered by archaeologists,
river rafters and hikers. Overnight in Recapture Lodge. (L/D)
DAY
7: Today, we explore rarely visited Hovenweep, a series of magnificent
ruins straddling the Utah and Colorado border. As we wander
along the trails, we will examine a series of masonry-walled
"castles" built by the Anasazi to guard water sources at the
heads of shallow canyons. These buildings were once part of
larger pueblos built into rock shelters that covered the cliff
faces. After a picnic lunch, drive to Cortez, Colorado and overnight
for two nights. (L/D)
DAY 8: About 600AD a group of Native people chose Mesa Verde
for their home, and for more than 700 years their descendants
lived and flourished here. During the centuries they built elaborate
stone multi-storied "apartment houses" in the sheltered recesses
of the towering canyon walls. Today's all day tour takes us
to Mesa Verde where we explore some of these spectacular cliff
houses and their associated prehistoric farming terraces and
pithouses. (L/D)
DAY 9: An early morning drive takes us south to Canyon de Chelly.
Created by streams slicing through a large mesa, the canyon
is located in a breathtaking natural setting. Narrow arroyos
are framed by sheer red and yellow cliffs and lined with white
sand stream-beds. 
Navajo
families still live in hogans within the lush valley floors.
Above the canyon floor, cliff dwellings and lovely rock paintings
and petroglyphs recall the prehistoric canyon dwellers who called
this magnificent area home. The grandeur of this locale will
be truly appreciated as you ride through the canyons in the
back of a World War II Weapons Carrier (now a tour bus!). In
the afternoon, continue to Gallup in western New Mexico and
check into the El Rancho Hotel. This quaint inn, built in 1937
by the brother of movie magnate D.W. Griffith, attracted many
of Hollywood's stars who came here to make their films. Their
autographed photos adorn the fascinating two-story lobby with
its circular staircase, heavy wooden beams and southwestern
decor. (L/D)
DAY
10: This morning we peruse Gallup's pawn shops to view the fabulous
array of Navajo jewelry found here, and gather at the shop of
Mr. Bill Richardson, whose locked vault safeguards the most
valuable pieces of jewelry for the local Navajo population.
The quantity and quality are truly stunning. Then we travel
to Zuni, the Pueblo village where the Conquest of what is now
the Southwestern United States began in 1538. Stop at the Zuni
Mission Church, first begun in the 17th century. By special
arrangement, meet with Zuni mural artist Alex Seoteywa, who
is in the process of creating the full Kachina cycle on the
walls of the Zuni Pueblo Catholic church. 
Alex
and his sons have been working on this project for over 20 years,
and the fascinating evolution of their style can be seen as
you compare the early works to the complexity of their style
today. Alex will talk about his dreams for completing this series
and the symbolism of each of the figures represented. Return
to Albuquerque. Our festive final dinner party will be held
in one of Albuquerque's fine restaurants. (L/D)
DAY 11: Transfer to the airport for your flight home.
TRIP
LEADER
Dr.
Stephen Lekson received his PhD in 1988 in Anthropology from
the University of New Mexico. He is presently the Curator of
Anthropology and Associate Professor at the University of Colorado,
Boulder. Dr. Lekson has over twenty-five years of experience
in Southwestern archaeology, with field research in Chaco Canyon,
the Mesa Verde region, the Rio Grande, the Mimbres area, and
the Hohokam region of southern Arizona. He has worked for the
National Park Service, the Arizona State Museum, and the Museum
of New Mexico, and from 1992-1995, was the president of the
Crow Canyon Archaeological Center. Steve has written many books
including Intrigue of the Past: Discovering Archaeology in New
Mexico, Chaco Canyon: A Center and Its World, and Great Pueblo
Architecture of Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. And his provocative
and challenging new book, The Chaco Meridian: Centers of Power
in the Ancient Southwest, has created a storm of controversy.
Steve is in the process of finalizing three new books - Rubble,
Toil, and Trouble: Chapters in Pueblo Prehistory, A History
of the Ancient Southwest, and Chaco Architecture. He has been
an invited speaker at many conferences and public lectures,
including the Smithsonian Institution, the Archaeological Institute
of America, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Arts, and was
a featured speaker on Southwest archaeology on several radio
and television specials including National Public Radio, the
Discovery Channel, and the History Channel. Steve is knowledgeable,
personable, and a fascinating teacher.
REGISTRATION
INFORMATION: Register
for this Trip
TRIP
DATES: No
trips currently scheduled
TRIP
COST:
(per person based upon double occupancy) includes all hotels,
all lunches, most dinners (as noted), all ground transportation,
entry fees, and an information book specifically designed for
this trip. The cost does not include airfare to Albuquerque,
laundry, personal tips, meals not listed in the itinerary, alcoholic
beverages and other drinks not on the regular menu, or airport
departure taxes.
SINGLE
SUPPLEMENT:
RESERVATION:
A deposit of $500 payable to Far Horizons and a separate check
for $100.00 payable to the "University of Colorado Museum, Wright
Research Endowment" will reserve your place on this trip. (Your
$100.00 donation check is tax deductible. Please note at the
base of your donation check or on an accompanying letter the
following: To be used wholly and exclusively for excavations,
and not to be used for administration.) Final payment is due
75 days before departure on February 7, 2003. Any cancellation
received in writing at least 75 days before departure will result
in an administration fee of $250. Cancellations received less
than 75 days before the starting date will not receive a refund.
Should you for any reason be unable to complete the tour, FAR
HORIZONS will not reimburse any fees. The purchase of travel
protection
with both trip cancellation and emergency evaluation is strongly
recommended.
Upon
receipt of your deposit and completed registration form, you
will be sent a reading list and a clothing and equipment list.
An information book designed for this trip, including maps of
archaeological sites and articles of pertinent interest, will
be sent upon receipt of final payment.
LIMITED
TO 10 PARTICIPANTS
