Discover, Plan & Go!

DAY 1: Madera Canyon

Nestled in the Santa Rita Mountains, Madera Canyon is renowned for its scenic beauty and diverse plant and animal species • A spring fed stream and high canyon walls provide a moist, cool, and shady environment where water-loving plants such as sycamores and cottonwoods line the banks of Madera Creek • Today’s hike along the “Super” and “Old Baldy” trails provide commanding views of the Sonoran Desert and ample opportunity to see a number of the over 200 species of birds and wildlife in this area • As evening comes to a close, a relaxing shuttle takes us to the artisan village of Tubac for tonight’s dinner and comfortable accommodations

DAY 2: Anza Trail / Tumacácori National Historical Park / Tubac Culinary School

As the morning sun peaks over the nearby mountains it will find us trekking along the verdant riparian area of the Santa Cruz River • While we wade through the shallow, sandy creek bed, we often surprise deer and other small mammals • Maybe they are particularly skittish here since this is the northernmost haunt of the Central American Jaguar! • Like the Spanish explorers that traveled this same route before us, we will pop out of the lush vegetation into the back courtyard of the Tumacácori Mission • An historian awaits to give you a private tour of the oldest Mission in the Southwest • After lunch, slip out of your sandals, pull on your bike shoes, and get ready to hear the dry desert air whistle through your helmet as we bike south along scenic country back roads • Optional golf and horse back riding are available this afternoon • This evening, you will be treated to a private art gallery showing • Afterwards, you will have an opportunity to enhance your culinary and wine pairing skills at the newly established Tubac Culinary School

DAY 3: Vineyards Cycling and Tombstone

Stretched across high rolling grasslands and surrounded by spectacular mountains and canyons, the Sonoita area features some of Arizona's most beautiful weather and landscapes • While bicycling along the smooth, rolling, country roads the charming atmosphere and natural beauty of expansive vineyards remind us of the Napa Valley area • During our ride, we have the opportunity to see wildlife such as mule deer and pronghorn antelope as well as multitudes of wildflowers that line the roads • After a wine tour and tasting, you can relax and enjoy the scenery while having a picnic lunch on the patio of award-winning Sonoita Vineyards • In the afternoon, we take a step back in time to Tombstone – and a time when the area was notorious for saloons, mining camps, shootouts and gambling houses • You might see Doc Holiday step through the swinging doors of Big Nose Kate’s Saloon or the clash of Wyatt Earp and the McLaury Brothers at the O.K. Corral • Reminders of days gone by continue as we transfer to the old mining town of Bisbee for tonight’s stay at newly refurbished Letson Loft Hotel

DAY 4: Chiricahua National Monument

This morning, we will travel to Chiricahua National Monument and hike along the Echo Canyon Loop and Inspiration Point trails • These trails wind through spectacular rock formations, spires and pinnacles that are unique to this area • You will also trek through densely wooded areas and have opportunities to view animals and birds not seen outside the desert southwest • Located at the intersection of the Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts, and the southern Rocky Mountains and northern Sierra Madre in Mexico, Chiricahua plants and animals represent one of the premier areas for biological diversity in the northern hemisphere • Tonight we return to the comfort of the Letson Loft Hotel • Dinner is on your own with time to stroll the shops and galleries of Bisbee

DAY 5: Ramsey Canyon and Kartchner Caverns

Each season in Ramsey Canyon offers its own brand of beauty; Spring displays brilliantly blooming plants, Summer brings the deep green of the rainy season, and Fall shows off magnificent colors • During today’s hike along the Nature Conservancy’s Preserve / Hamburg Trail, we have the opportunity to see more than a dozen different species of hummingbirds, wild turkey, deer, and black bear • After our morning hike, we travel the short distance to tour Kartchner Caverns • Still virtually pristine, this massive limestone cave has 13,000 feet of passages and two multi-colored and stalactite filled rooms as long as football fields • After our tour, we will travel back to Tucson where we will have a final night celebration dinner at Hacienda del Sol

DAY 6: Catalina State Park

Up to today, you have visited areas and relived the history of the Old West • After an early breakfast, bring along your imagination and travel back even further in time as you meander through the ruins of a Hohokam Indian village • Imagine the daily life of the prehistoric Native Americans as we catch glimpses of the remaining stone structures, two ball courts used for recreation, and their abundant food sources of small rabbits, mule deer, and javelina • As we hike deeper into the mountains, we become surrounded by an amazing array of unique plants native to this lower Sonoran life zone • When we ascend to the head of the canyon, we find ourselves hiking along an exceptionally beautiful ridgeline • The trail continues and winds its way through the rocks until we drop down to the stream crossing at the Romero Pool where we will stop for a swim and trail-side lunch • After some relaxing by the pools, we conclude the day’s activities with our return to Tucson. Expect to arrive back at our host hotel at about 2:00 p.m., where we will provide shuttle service to the airport