New Mexico in early October is a feast for the senses, and this journey places us in the heart of it. We begin in Albuquerque for the world-famous International Balloon Fiesta, where hundreds of balloons fill the desert sky, then travel north to Santa Fe to discover ancient pueblos, dramatic landscapes, and one of the finest art communities in the country. Every detail has been thoughtfully arranged so that we may simply settle in, share the experience together, and enjoy the Land of Enchantment at its most beautiful.

Our adventure begins at Portland International Airport, where the group comes together before our flight to New Mexico. Guests make their own way to the airport; for those who would like it, transportation to the airport can be arranged at the time of booking.

Depart Portland for Albuquerque by air at 2:18 PM. Arrive Albuquerque (Mountain Time) at 6:00 PM.

Hotel check-in at Drury Inn & Suites Albuquerque North at 7:20 PM.

Welcome dinner at 7:45 PM.

After breakfast at our hotel, we set out to explore the deep cultural roots of the region at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.

Explore the deep cultural roots of the region at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, where the history and living traditions of New Mexico's nineteen Pueblos come to life through art, exhibits, and story.

Make our way into Old Town Albuquerque, the city's historic heart, with its adobe storefronts and centuries-old plaza.

We gather for a relaxed group lunch in Old Town, with time afterward to wander the plaza's galleries, shops, and quiet courtyards at our own pace.

Visit to the Albuquerque Museum, where regional art and Southwestern history deepen our sense of this storied place.

Head to the Balloon Fiesta for the experience that anchors this entire journey. From the comfort of the Chasers Club, enjoy a hosted dinner and a wonderful vantage on the evening's festivities, with the field alive with color and the warm glow of balloons against the desert dusk.

Enjoy a hosted dinner at the Balloon Fiesta Chasers Club with a wonderful vantage on the evening's festivities.

Overnight at Drury Inn & Suites Albuquerque North, Albuquerque.

This morning we rise to one of New Mexico's signature experiences, boarding the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway for a gentle ascent above the city. As we climb more than ten thousand feet, the desert opens beneath us and the views stretch for a hundred miles in every direction.

After a hearty group lunch, we turn to a very different chapter of the region's story at the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History.

A guided visit traces the atomic age from its New Mexico origins through the space race, a thought-provoking counterpoint to the morning's natural splendor.

We then return to the hotel for a welcome chance to rest and freshen up.

In the evening we gather again for a warm group dinner, sharing the day's discoveries over good food and easy conversation before settling in for the night.

Overnight at Drury Inn & Suites Albuquerque North, Albuquerque.

From the Chasers Club we enjoy an early breakfast and then witness the Mass Ascension, when hundreds of balloons lift into the morning sky together in waves of color.

Witness the Mass Ascension, when hundreds of balloons lift into the morning sky together in waves of color. It is a breathtaking sight, and a fitting farewell to the Fiesta on its closing day.

With the balloons behind us, we return to the hotel, gather our belongings, and set out north toward Santa Fe.

Pause for a relaxed group lunch along the way to Santa Fe.

Arriving in the City Different, we settle into our hotel just steps from the historic plaza.

Visit the Palace of the Governors and the New Mexico History Museum to begin acquainting ourselves with four centuries of Santa Fe's layered past.

The evening is yours to enjoy at your own pace — perhaps strolling the plaza, finding a quiet dinner, or simply resting after a full and early day.

After breakfast we journey to the Puye Cliff Dwellings, the ancestral home of the Santa Clara people, set dramatically into the face of a volcanic mesa.

A guided mesa-top tour shares the stories of those who lived here for centuries, with sweeping views across the surrounding plateau.

There is time for lunch at your own pace among the town's galleries and adobe storefronts.

We visit the historic Carson House and Museum.

Step into one of the most remarkable places in the Southwest — Taos Pueblo, a living community and UNESCO World Heritage Site continuously inhabited for more than a thousand years.

Returning to Santa Fe, we come together for a lively group dinner celebrating the flavors of northern New Mexico before retiring for the evening.

Overnight at Drury Plaza Hotel Santa Fe, Santa Fe.

This morning we travel into the wooded mesas above Santa Fe to Los Alamos, the once-secret city where the Manhattan Project took shape. A guided walking tour brings this extraordinary history to life, tracing the people and events that changed the course of the twentieth century.

We return to Santa Fe with a boxed lunch along the way.

At the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, unhurried timed tours bring us face to face with the work of the artist whose vision is forever tied to the landscapes of New Mexico.

For our final evening together, we gather for a memorable group dinner that showcases Santa Fe's renowned cuisine — a fitting close to a week of shared discovery.

Overnight at Drury Plaza Hotel Santa Fe, Santa Fe.

Breakfast and a leisurely morning at the hotel.

Check out and depart Santa Fe at 11:00 AM.

Arrive in Madrid along the historic Turquoise Trail — time to browse galleries and enjoy lunch at your own pace.

Depart for Albuquerque at 2:30 PM.

Time to relax at a lively food hall near the airport at 3:30 PM.

Depart for the Albuquerque Sunport at 4:30 PM.

Depart Albuquerque for Portland by air at 7:10 PM. Arrive Portland International Airport (PDX) at 8:56 PM — tour concludes.