Mesa Verde Full Day Tour with Cliff Palace and Lunch
From$189
8 hours
Mesa Verde National Park, USA
About this activity
Get the best of Mesa Verde National Park in one day! Explore Cliff Palace, mesa top villages, sacred kivas and more with a highly knowledgeable guide. A delicious lunch is included!
Highlights
- Witness the largest archaeological preserve and cliff dwelling in the US.
- Explore ancient ruins for a snapshot into North American life 1,500 years ago.
- Experience a National Park that comes with serenity to enjoy without crowds.
- Gain far more insight into the sites with a highly knowledgeable guide.
- Sit back and relax as you shuttle from the best areas in the park.
Full description
Meet at our Durango Office, or the Mancos Chamber of Commerce, to shuttle over to Mesa Verde with your guide! The drive from Durango is incredibly scenic and takes about 45 minutes while driving past the La Plata Mountains. Once there, you'll visit the top sites along the mesa before your expedition into Cliff Palace. This portion of the tour lasts about 45 minutes, and includes climbing a narrow staircase and series of ladders to reach the dwellings. The rangers will provide some interpretation, while giving you time to wander beneath the largest cliff dwelling in North America. Afterwards we’ll enjoy a delicious lunch at one of the sites or overlooks, before continuing to more ancient villages and sacred kivas to explore. Expect a lot of information along the way! Our guides offer far more insight and knowledge about the sites than visitors going on their own, as posted information and placards are limited throughout the Park. After a stop at a spectacular lookout of the Four Corners Region, we'll shuttle back to Durango, or Mancos where we started.
Included / Excluded
- Knowledgeable Mesa Verde guide / driver
- Shuttle to, through and from the park
- Entry pass to Mesa Verde National Park
- Ranger guided tour into Cliff Palace
- Local Deli Lunch and Beverages
- Gratuities
Meeting point
Start Location
Mild to Wild Rafting & Jeep Tours, 50 Animas View Dr, Durango, CO 81301, USA
Important information
Know before you book
- Colorado Car Seat Law states children up to 8 years old must be in an appropriate car seat. Please bring your own.
- Summer is cool in the morning and hot by the afternoon. In fall and spring the weather can fluctuate quite a bit, so bring layers with you just in case!
- Mesa Verde can be prone to afternoon rain showers! Bring some rain gear.
- For the Cliff Palace tour, you’ll be climbing 3 small ladders up to the cliff dwelling. Wear the right shoes for this! If you would like to opt out of the tour, you are welcome to stay with our guide and observe Cliff Palace from a scenic overlook.
- For those who would prefer to meet at the Mancos Chamber of Commerce instead of our Durango office, please notify us when making your reservation.
Know before you go
- WHAT TO WEAR & BRING
- Dress in layers as the temperatures fluctuate.
- Warm jacket (Spring & Fall tours)
- Warm Hat & Gloves (Spring & Fall Tours)
- Sun Hat
- Rain jacket
- Light Hiking Shoes
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Water Bottle – your guides will have water for refills!
- Money for souvenirs
- Camera
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity starts
Up to 24 hours before the beginning of the activity: full refund Less than 24 hours before the beginning of the activity or no-show: no refund
Reviews
Parker Garwick
Aug 20265.0
Awesome experience with the family. Eli was a great guide and made sure everyone had a great time. Amazing way to experience the area.
Craig Tomlinson
Aug 20265.0
Great experience. Our guide Kaya was tremendous.
G. L.
Aug 20265.0
We really enjoyed the half day trip with Paul as our guide. He was knowledgeable about the terrain, the history, and landmarks in the area. Great way to spend an afternoon with family and friends!
