This morning head to Old Town Albuquerque for a walking tour and to explore the historic Plaza, with lots of time to relax, dine or shop. Afterward, visit the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center where the 19 pueblos of New Mexico tell their stories in a permanent exhibit (a pueblo, according to the museum, is a synonym for a tribal nation). The Center is both a museum and a cultural center, so you can educate yourself and buy Native American art. The New Mexican Native Americans are known for their pottery. Each pueblo has its own unique style of the ceramic arts. For example, the Acoma Pueblo produces orange, black, and white pottery with striking geometric shapes. The most famous might be the San Ildefonso Pueblo and its inky black-on-black designs. Tonight, head out to the tall Cottonwood trees of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque for dinner at Campo featuring the most purely crafted field-to-fork menu in the Southwest. The Rio Grande Valley Cuisine highlights seasonal, organic ingredients harvested from their own or other local farms. HOTEL ANDALUZ.

Depart Albuquerque and drive north to Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, with its multi-colored, cone-shaped tent rock formations. As you climb in elevation and travel thru verdant forests on the High Road, you arrive in Taos, a small arts town and ski center with a friendly community of only about 5,500 people. Long one of America’s foremost, bona fide Art Colonies, Taos has a majestic landscape encompassing the Rocky Mountains and the Rio Grande Gorge. Drawn by clean air and mythical light, visitors come to New Mexico’s Soul of the Southwest to experience rich spiritual traditions, fine art, distinctive cuisine, a thriving music scene and of course, the raw, natural beauty of the landscape. After lunch on our own by the Historic Plaza, you will enjoy a walking tour with free time to explore the Taos Plaza shops. Dinner tonight is at the Love Apple, featuring the best in local produce and wine. HOTEL EL MONTE SAGRADO LIVING RESORT & SPA.

This morning, take a guided tour of the Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO Heritage site with a thousand-year heritage. Appreciate and learn about the longevity of Native American people and culture at Taos Pueblo, the only living Native American community that is designated as both a World Heritage Site and a National Historic Landmark. See multi-storied adobe dwellings which have been continuously inhabited for over 1000 years. Enjoy lunch at Antonio’s, The Taste of Mexico and then you are free to shop the art galleries, hike, or relax in Taos. HOTEL EL MONTE SAGRADO LIVING RESORT & SPA.

Take the scenic Low Road to Santa Fe, winding through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Upon arrival, enjoy an orientation tour of Santa Fe’s most well-known sights including the Palace of the Governors, the Plaza, and other iconic buildings. A guided tour will acquaint you with the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, a 19th-century church in the center of Santa Fe. See its statues and brightly colored stained-glass windows, admire the French-influenced design of the cathedral which was built from yellow limestone blocks and marvel at the statues of St. Francis of Assisi and Saint Kateri, the first American Indian to be beatified. Step into the Loretto Chapel next to the cathedral to learn about its mysterious staircase and what an engineering marvel it is. After a group lunch by the Plaza, you are free to explore the area and visit the Canyon Road, a street dedicated to the country’s finest art, or have the afternoon to relax. INN & SPA LORETTO IN SANTA FE.

Today you will visit three amazing museums and have one incredible dining experience. Your first visit is at Georgia O’Keeffe’s Museum, located in downtown Santa Fe, dedicated to her artistic life. The museum houses the single largest collection of the artist’s work in the world. Born in 1887, Georgia O’Keeffe was an American artist who painted nature in a way that showed how it made her feel. She is best known for her paintings of flowers and desert landscapes. After an independent lunch, head to the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture sharing the stories about the people and art of the Southwest, from prehistoric through contemporary times. The collection includes some of New Mexico’s oldest works of art: pottery vessels, fine stone and silver jewelry, intricate textiles, and other arts and crafts created by Pueblo, Navajo, and Apache artisans. Your last stop is at the Museum of International Folk Art which holds the largest collection of international folk art in the world, numbering more than 130,000 objects from over 100 countries. Return to your hotel to freshen up before your farewell dinner at The Compound. INN & SPA LORETTO IN SANTA FE.

This is your last morning in Santa Fe before transferring to the Albuquerque Airport for your return flight home, having experienced the vivid landscapes and culture of the southwest.

Continue your dive into the offerings of the Southwest by getting up close to the natural world, from the birder’s paradise found in Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, to the varied wildlife and the dunes of White Sands National Park. Onto the rocky peaks, narrow canyons, and open woodlands ranges of Organ Mountains, and the Chiricahua National Monument with its extensive hoodoos and balancing rocks. End in Tucson for visits to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum and the iconic Mission San Xavier del Bac. Cities, deserts, glades, sands, and more await you on this perfect post-extension to this land of enchantment.