Albuquerque  Balloon Fiesta 2009 Departure Date October 2 Day One • Arrive in Albuquerque with included transfers to your hotel • Meet your Tour Manager at 6 p.m. for a welcome dinner Day Two • Breakfast at your hotel • Attend the Balloon Fiesta Opening Ceremonies and “Mass Ascension”at sunrise • Guided tour of Albuquerque with Old Town Day Three • Los Alamos and Bandelier National Monument • Enjoy the Balloon Glow and fireworks display at dusk Day Four • Historic walking tour of Santa Fe including the Governor’s Plaza and Loretto Chapel • Farewell dinner with your Tour Manager Day Five • Transfer to Albuquerque Airport for flights home *****All itineraries are subject to change without notice. 5 Days • 3 Meals What could be more glorious than the sight of hundreds of brilliantly colored hot air balloons set against a blazing Southwestern sunset? Up, Up, and Away! Imagine a blue sky filled with a kaleidoscope of dazzling colors and shapes. That’s what you’ll experience at the world’s largest balloon event, the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. Your spirits will soar as you watch more than 700 balloons from all over the world ascend into the skies during your four nights in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Rise bright and early to witness the Opening Ceremonies, which are followed by a grand “Mass Ascension,” as hundreds of balloons – some vibrant, some whimsical – fill the skies over the grounds. During your visit, you’ll also enjoy the Balloon Glow, a signature Fiesta event that’s guaranteed to set the night sky ablaze. Just before dusk, nearly 500 balloons are tethered over the fiesta grounds. In unison, the pilots set their burners aglow, creating a luminous, magical display, followed by a spectacular fireworks show. It’s a pyrotechnical display you’ll not soon forget. Journey Back in Time at Old Town Albuquerque Established as a colonial farming village in 1706, Albuquerque’s Old Town neighborhood still bears the mark of its Spanish founders. Through narrow brick pathways to Spanish-style plazas and 18th-century adobe architecture, you’ll explore the heritage of Albuquerque’s varied past, guided by a local expert on the region’s history and culture. Bandelier National Monument The ancestors of modern Pueblo people built thriving communities in the area called Bandelier about 600 years ago. Several thousand Ancestral Pueblo dwellings are found among the pink mesas and its sheer-walled canyons. Escape to Santa Fe and Old World Wonders We’ll head north along the picturesque Jemez Mountains to Santa Fe, the oldest capital city in the United States. We enjoy a walking tour of Santa Fe’s historic district and visit Loretto Chapel. Constructed in 1873, this striking gothic chapel houses the Miraculous Staircase, a marvel of architectural ingenuity that some claim was designed and built by St. Joseph himself! For the shoppers, Santa Fe is a dream come true. Governor’s Plaza is home to countless shops and artists studios. Let Your Spirits Soar! Spectacular sights await at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta! Don’t miss this chance to feel the joy and excitement of this internationally renowned event! Want to find out more??

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