Members Canyon de Chelly Tour with an Authorized Diné Guide

Trip Leaders, Monica Buckle and Richard McGaugh

Thursday, September the 18th – Saturday, September the 20th

$280 Per Person 

Limit of 14 Participants 

Join us for an extraordinary guided tour of Canyon de Chelly National Monument conducted by an authorized Diné guide! Our journey starts at the historic Thunderbird Lodge located in Chinle, Arizona. The lodge is the only hotel located at the Canyon and is Diné owned and operated. 

We will check-in to the lodge the afternoon of Thursday, September the 18th and enjoy a Welcome Dinner together. Due to Canyon de Chelly's remoteness it is required to arrive Thursday afternoon and spend the evening at the lodge.

Our all-day tour of Canyon de Chelly starts early the following morning of Friday, September the 19th. We will meet our Diné guide at the lodge and depart for the Canyon in 6-wheel drive, open-air Pinzgauer vehicles. 

Canyon Tour Itinerary

8:30 am: Meet our guide at the lodge, board the tour vehicles, and depart for Canyon de Chelly. This tour will take us to incredible Ancestral Puebloan sites such as: Kokopelli Cave, Petroglyph Rock, First Ruin, Junction Ruin, Ceremonial Cave, Ledge Ruin, White House Ruin, and Mummy Cave. Mummy Cave is a partially restored Ancestral Puebloan apartment complex constructed under an arching overhang in the weathered sandstone. Our journey also includes a visit to Antelope House Ruin, colored pictographs of antelope created at the beginning of the last century are side-by-side with creations from the Ancestral Puebloans. 

During our Canyon excursion we will enjoy boxed lunches provided by Thunderbird Lodge Restaurant. Please know, lunch is included with the VVAC tour fee. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are available for the boxed lunches. 

4:00pm: Return to the Thunderbird Lodge

6:00pm: Dinner at Thunderbird Lodge Restaurant. The lodge serves Native American dishes, as well as continental and cuisine. 

Additional Information 

The Experience Canyon de Chelly Tour price includes: tour fee, gratuity, tax, park fee, and a boxed lunch. It also includes all-day transportation for the Canyon tour.

The two-night stay at the Thunderbird Lodge is an additional expense. VVAC has a discount group room rate. Single occupany is $113.75 per night, which includes tax and breakfast vouchers. Double occupancy is $133.90 per night, which includes tax and breakfast vouchers. The breakfast vouchers are valid for breakfast items from the lodge's restaurant menu. 

Please note, transportation to travel up to the Thunderbird Lodge and travel back from the lodge is not provided. Also, dinners at the Thunderbird Lodge Restaurant are an additional expense. 

The trip leader is Richard McGaugh who is from a fourth-generation Verde Valley family and has spent his time studying and exploring Central and Northern Arizona. Richard is a VVAC Docent and Volunteer. He is also a VIP Interpretative Ranger at Walnut Canyon National Monument and Wupatki/Sunset Crater National Monuments. Richard also serves as a VIP Docent at the Museum of Northern Arizona.

Address

Thunderbird Lodge 

BIA-7

Chinle, AZ 86503

(928) 674-5842

Due to demand this trip is only available to VVAC members. VVAC is restricted to 14 participants max for this trip.