A Tauck Tour had been on my bucket list for many years. These tours are pricey because they stay in the best hotel or resort in each location. Just once, I thought I would like to try it and so I did. I chose the 8-day New Mexico: Land of Enchantment tour. The tour focused on Albuquerque, Taos, Santa Fe and surrounding areas.
Hyatt Regency Tamaya, NM
We stayed in the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort. Nestled on 550 acres of the Native American Santa Ana Pueblo between the Sandia Mountains and the Rio Grande River, Tamaya is steeped in over one thousand years of rich history and culture.
The Hyatt Regency Tamaya is dedicated to preserving the traditions of the Pueblo of Santa Ana by educating travelers from throughout the world about its customs and traditions. The resort provides an opportunity for history buffs and families alike to better understand Native American culture. Here we were able to learn about the ancient lands of the Tamayame people.
There is so much to see at this resort: art, sculptures, pottery and more. It was an upscale establishment with beautiful grounds.
Albuquerque
Albuquerque, New Mexico’s largest city, sits in the high desert. Its modern Downtown core contrasts with Old Town Albuquerque, dating to the city’s 1706 founding as a Spanish colony. Old Town is filled with historic adobe buildings, such as San Felipe de Neri Church, 5 museums and shops selling Native American handicrafts. Nearby, The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center traces the area’s tribal history.
Albuquerque is one of the cultural centers of the Southwest. There are many museums to visit, including the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, National Atomic Museum, Albuquerque Museum, University of New Mexico Fine Art Museum, Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, and the New Mexico Museum of Natural History.
We visited the National Atomic Museum now known as the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History.
National Museum of Nuclear Science and History, Albuquerque
This was a high point for me due to my interest in the Manhattan Project. Read about it in detail in my post entitled: “Women, the Atomic Bomb & Secrets of the Manhattan Project”.
San Felyse de Neri Church, Albuquerque
This is the oldest church in Albuquerque. It has continuously served the community without interruption since 1706.
El Monte Sacrado Resort and Spa, Taos, NM
El Monte Sagrado, situated in the mountains of Northern New Mexico, offers a serene setting surrounded by waterfalls, ponds, and towering cottonwood trees. The perfectly manicured grounds make this mountain retreat an oasis only a few blocks away from the town of Taos’s historic plaza and 20 miles away from world-class skiing at Taos Ski Valley.
El Monte Sagrado, situated in the mountains of Northern New Mexico, offers a serene setting surrounded by waterfalls, ponds, and towering cottonwood trees. The perfectly manicured grounds make this mountain retreat an oasis only a few blocks away from the town of Taos’s historic plaza. It is also only 20 miles away from world-class skiing at Taos Ski Valley.
Taos
Taos, New Mexico, (about a 70-mile drive northeast of Santa Fe) Taos is a town in northern New Mexico’s high desert. It is known for historic adobe buildings such as Taos Pueblo, a multi-story adobe complex inhabited by Native Americans for centuries. Taos is a longtime artist colony. It offers many galleries and museums showcasing regional artwork, including the Harwood Museum of Art and the Taos Art Museum.
Taos is also home to a world-class ski resort (Taos Ski Valley), a World Heritage Site (Taos Pueblo), one of the most photographed and iconic churches (St. Francisco de Asis), and a majestic landscape encompassing the Rocky Mountains and the Rio Grande Gorge and Bridge.
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.
Read about the adobe structures and pueblos in my post entitled “The Pueblos of New Mexico – An Awesome & Surprising Experience”.
Taos Historic District Visit
Kit Carson House & Museum
The Kit Carson House & Museum is located in the preserved Spanish colonial-style home of the frontier expedition leader. It was built in 1825.
Purchased by Kit Carson for his bride Josefa in 1843, this 3-room adobe home displays artifacts, antique firearms, Kit Carson memorabilia and an exhaustive supply of books about New Mexico.
Taos Day School Visit
Taos Day School (TDS) is located on the Taos Pueblo Indian Reservation in Northern New Mexico 3 miles north of the town of Taos. The school serves 170 students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade.
52% of TDS students live in households below the poverty level. All students are Native Americans. The majority of the students are a mixture of Native American tribes, Hispanic or Anglo. 24% are full-blooded Taos. 14% are from another tribe altogether.
The mission of Taos Day School is to provide an equal opportunity for all students which will adequately prepare them to function in a multicultural and increasingly technological society while maintaining their unique cultural heritage and identity.
The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge
The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, locally known as the “Gorge Bridge” or the “High Bridge” is a steel deck arch bridge across the Rio Grande Gorge 10 miles northwest of Taos, New Mexico. Roughly 600 feet above the Rio Grande, it is the tenth highest bridge in the United States.
Finally…
It was on my list to try a Tauck Tour and I did. Although the hotels are fabulous, very little time is actually spent at the resorts since we were touring most of the day. The additional cost of a Tauck tour goes largely toward these accommodations. Because of this, it is unlikely I will do further Tauck Tours. Then again, who knows!
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