EXPLORING SOUTHWEST TEXAS AND SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO Featuring Big Bend & Carlsbad Caverns National Parks
When people think of Texas and New Mexico, it isn’t often that they think of varying animal and plant life, but Big Bend and Carlsbad Caverns National Parks offer that and more.
SEPTEMBER 7-15, 2018 OUR ITINERARY
DAY 1: FLY TO EL PASO, TX (D) Arrive at El Paso International Airport and transfer to our hotel nearby. Tonight enjoy a “Welcome to Texas” dinner in the Cattleman’s Steak House at the working Indian Cliffs Ranch.Overnight El Paso, TX.
DAY 2: MARFA, TEXAS - BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK (B) Heading southeast through west Texas, make a sightseeing stop in picturesque Marfa, home to artists and craftsmen as well as the puzzling "Marfa Lights." Our destination today is the magnificent wilderness of Big Bend National Park. The eighth largest national park in the “lower 48,” it is located along 118 miles of the Rio Grande, where it makes a “big bend” roughly 325 miles southeast of El Paso. We’ll be guests for the next two nights at the park lodge located in the spectacular Chisos Basin. Overnight Big Bend National Park, Texas.
DAY 3: BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK (B, L) As the Park Service puts it, “Here, you can explore one of the last remaining wild corners of the United States, and experience unmatched sights, sounds, and solitude.” Big Bend is a park for hikers, birders, photographers, and for lovers of all things natural. Over 450 bird and numerous desert animal species, plus hardy varieties of cacti, wildflowers and other annual plants inhabit these harsh climes. Our guided tour along Ross Maxwell Drive features the Sam Nall Ranch, Sotol Vista Overlook, historic Castalon, and breathtaking Santa Elena Canyon. Overnight Big Bend National Park, Texas.
DAY 4: FORT DAVIS NATIONAL HISTORICAL SITE - CARLSBAD, NEW MEXICO (B, D) Departing Big Bend, travel north into the Davis Mountains for a visit to fascinating Fort Davis National Historical Site, a major frontier military post established in 1854 to protect travelers, freight, and mail from Comanche raiders along the San Antonio-El Paso Trail. Then, continue to Carlsbad for a 2-night stay. Dinner is included at our hotel this evening. Overnight Carlsbad, New Mexico.
DAY 5: CARLSBAD CAVERNS NATIONAL PARK (B) Today’s featured sightseeing is the splendid Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Above ground in the Chihuahuan Desert see high ancient sea ledges, deep rocky canyons, flowering cactus and desert wildlife. Hidden beneath the surface are more than 119 caves - formed when sulfuric acid dissolved limestone leaving behind caverns of all sizes. Descend by elevator for a self-guided tour of the incredible Big Room. This massive, eight-acre chamber has a 255-foot ceiling and is filled with beautiful, delicate formations, as well as huge columns, stalactites and stalagmites. Overnight Carlsbad, New Mexico.
DAY 6: INTERNATIONAL UFO MUSEUM - RUIDOSO (B,D) Continuing north, a visit to the International UFO Museum and Research Center in Roswell will bring visions of flying saucers and little green men, but our afternoon sightseeing at the Hubbard Museum of the American West in Ruidoso Downs will be much more down to earth. The museum houses western art and western and cowboy artifacts. Many traveling exhibits through the affiliation with the Smithsonian Museum are also displayed. We’ll be guests for the next two nights at the exceptional mountain casino resort “Inn of the Mountain Gods” operated by the Mescalero Apache Tribe in Ruidoso. Dinner is included at the resort this evening. Overnight Ruidoso, New Mexico. DAY 7: BILLY THE KID COUNTRY - VALLEY OF FIRES (B, L) A day for varied interests begins as we travel the Billy the Kid National Scenic Byway to New Mexico’s Lincoln Historic Site, the historic frontier community where Billy killed his guards and escaped from the Lincoln County Courthouse in 1881, only to be shot dead in nearby Fort Sumter by Sheriff Pat Garrett. Big Bend National Park is Next is a visit to the Smokey Bear Historical Park in Capitan to learn the story home to many species of of America’s original symbol of forest fire prevention. Smokey died in 1975 and is buried here. Finally, sightseeing at the Valley of Fires Recreation Area plants, birds, mammals, in Carrizozo showcases the gigantic Malpais Lava Flow. Approximately 5,000 and reptiles. Bound by the years ago, Little Black Peak erupted and flowed 44 miles into the Tularosa Basin, filling the basin with molten rock. The resulting lava flow is four to six Santiago Mountains on the miles wide, 160 feet thick and covers 125 square miles. The lava flow is north and the Rio Grande considered to be one of the youngest lava flows in the continental United States. Overnight Ruidoso, New Mexico. River and Mexico on the southern side, portions of DAY 8: WHITE SANDS NATIONAL MONUMENT - the northern Chihuahuan OLD MESILLA, LAS CRUCES (B, D) Motoring through the Mescalero Apache Reservation, stop to see the historic St. Joseph Mission. St. Joseph Desert lie within the park Apache Mission church sits nestled in the heart of the Sacramento Mountains and the jagged peaks of the where it stands as a tribute to the faith, patriotism and courage of the people of southern New Mexico. This inspiring Romanesque church was built to Chisos Mountains also cut serve the people of the Mescalero Apache Reservation, and has been across the heart of Big Bend dedicated as a memorial to veterans who gave their lives in World War I and II. Through the years St. Joseph Apache Mission has continued to serve the territory. spiritual and communal needs of the Mescalero Apache and surrounding neighbors. A final sightseeing highlight will be our afternoon visit to Carlsbad Caverns National incredible White Sands National Monument, an awesome expanse of Park is in the Chihuahuan snow-white, gypsum sand dunes that cover 275 square miles and rise to a height of 60 feet. We’ll travel the 16-mile Dunes Drive and have an Desert of southern New opportunity to scale convenient dunes along our route. Note: Occasionally Mexico. It features more the road into the monument can close due to missile testing. Overnight accommodations await in Las Cruces, and a delicious farewell dinner will than 100 caves, including be served in nearby Old Mesilla, an historic town rich in history, culture, and the Big Room, a huge heritage. Overnight Las Cruces, New Mexico underground chamber DAY 9: FLY HOME FROM EL PASO (B) Transfer from Las Cruces to El in the cavern. Paso International Airport for your return flights home. Throughout our tour, explore incredible caverns, magical white sands, and unexplained phenomena of America’s desert southwest, while visiting real working ranches, eating West Texas Barbeque, and gazing at stars like you’ve never seen before. PRICE PER PERSON:
$2,999.00 Double Occupancy Travel Protection: $172.00 $3,799.00 Single Occupancy Travel Protection: $242.00 $2,699.00 Triple Occupancy Travel Protection: $172.00
INCLUDED FEATURES:
• Round trip airfare from Ohio to El Paso, Texas • All ground transportation aboard a deluxe highway motor coach • 1 night in El Paso, Texas • 2 nights in Big Bend National Park, Texas • 2 nights in Carlsbad, New Mexico • 2 nights in Ruidoso, New Mexico • 1 night in Las Cruces, New Mexico • 8 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 4 dinners • All entrances to parks, monuments, and museums outlined on itinerary • Guided tour of Big Bend National Park • Visit to Fort Davis National Historic Park • Visit to West of the Pecos Museum • Visit to Carlsbad Caverns National Park including Big Room • Visit to International UFO Museum and Research Center in Roswell • Visit to Hubbard Museum of the American West • Drive the Billy the Kid National Scenic Byway • Visit to Lincoln Historic Site • Visit to Smokey Bear Historical Park • Visit to Valley of Fires Recreation Area • Visit to St. Joseph Mission • Visit to White Sands National Monument • All baggage handling, taxes and gratuities on included items
NOT INCLUDED:
• Meals other than those included on itinerary • Baggage handling fees imposed by airlines • Incidentals at hotels • Items and services of a personal nature • Optional travel protection • Optional transportation to/from your home and Ohio airport ($40 pp)
CONTACT YOUR FREEDOM YEARS TEAM FOR RESERVATIONS & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
Fairfield National Bank • 740.681.8251 • [email protected] First-Knox National Bank • 740.399.5132 • [email protected] Richland Bank • 419.525.8742 • [email protected] United Bank • 419.845.2721 • [email protected] Southern Texas & New Mexico Trip Important Information
Payment: A deposit of $500.00 per person plus the optional travel protection premium, if purchasing, is due at the time of booking. Final payment is due on or before June 7, 2018.
Cancellation Policy: For cancellations prior to June 7, 2018: $100 per person penalty Cancellations made on or after June 7, 2018: All money is non-refundable.
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The schedule of insurance coverage and the other services are listed below. The pre-existing medical condition exclusion will be waived if the protection plan is purchased prior to or with final trip payment for the full non-refundable trip cost, the booking for the trip is the first and only booking for this travel period, and you are not disabled from travel at the time you purchase the travel protection.
Schedule of insurance coverage and other services: • Trip cancellation – trip cost* • Trip interruption** – 150% of trip cost* • Trip delay – 6 hours $750 ($150/day) • Baggage/personal effects – $1,500 • Baggage delay – 24 hours $400 • Accident & sickness medical expense – $50,000 • Emergency evacuation & repatriation – $250,000 • Accidental death & dismemberment – $25,000 • Worldwide emergency assistance services included
*Up to the lesser of the trip cost paid or the limit of coverage for which benefits are requested and the appropriate plan cost has been paid. Maximum limit of $10,000.
**150% of trip cost paid up to a maximum of $10,000 for the unused portion of your trip and the transportation cost to re-join the trip or return home.
Should it become necessary for you to cancel or interrupt your trip due to a covered reason as stated in your certificate of insurance a claim will be filed with Travel Insured International. Note: World of Travel must be contacted for a state-specific certificate of insurance if you reside in: GA, KS, LA, MN, OR, SD, TX, UT or WA.
NOTE: World of Travel will not make any representations about what conditions or occurrences the travel insured policy will cover, which will be provided to each participant. It is the traveler’s responsibility to review the full policy (certificate of insurance). Should you have any questions regarding coverage in the travel insured policy, please call TRAVEL INSURED at 800.243.3174 and reference plan “GROUP DELUXE PROTECTION PLAN # 49517” for clarification.