Day 1 - Our tour begins with an early am departure from Phoenix as we climb through the Sonoran desert on our way to the red rock country of Sedona, the home to many western movie classics. Sedona's sandstone sculptures represent the spectacularly eroded southern edge of the massive Colorado Plateau. We proceed upward through Oak Creek Canyon to the top of the Colorado Plateau. As we pass historic Flagstaff , Arizona , the San Francisco Peaks come into view. These volcanic peaks represent the highest point in Arizona at 12,633 feet and are the home of the Hopi Kachinas.  Your guide will help you explore the south rim of Grand Canyon National Park today with the best viewpoints and offer additional activities at the Canyon, perhaps a helicopter ride over the Canyon or walking along the rim. Overnight stay is at Grand Canyon tonight.

Day 2 - The tour departs Grand Canyon village this morning to travel the scenic East Rim Drive on our way to Desert View. Our Grand Canyon experience is a well timed teaser for Hillerman fans, as the newest novel, The Skeleton Man , is set here in the national park. The final scenes of The Skeleton Man take place about 4800 feet below our spectacular viewpoint. We descend Gray Mountain to the 100 mile vistas of the Navajo nation. We are welcomed to the Navajo Nation by a Navajo elder who's name appears in The Wailing Wind.  James Peshlakai is a silversmith and a traditional Navajo who even spent some time as a Navajo Tribal Police officer. James is a personal friend of Mr. Hillerman, and will share stories and insights to the Navajo way of life. His presence is a perfect introduction for our tour and a once in a lifetime experience.  From the Peshlakai home in Cameron, the tour makes its way to the Hopi Mesas. High above the desert floor in ancient villages, we will visit one of the oldest continuously occupied settlements in America , Old Oraibi. We leave the Hopi Mesas with peace in our hearts and cross the desert to Canyon De Chelly. Our visit to Canyon de Chelly includes a Navajo-Guided jeep tour of part of the 30 mile long sandstone canyon system. On our way, we visit a Roman Catholic church built as a large Hogan, where we can witness and experience the merging of two religions. We greet the setting sun overlooking Spider Rock. Overnight is in Chinle tonight.


Day 3 -  This morning features Canyon de Chelly from the canyon floor with Navajo guides and their stories of life in this sacred place. As we bid farewell to Canyon de Chelly, we pass near the spot where Hillerman's story, The Fallen Man, has it's surprise ending. Teec Nos Pos and Mexican Water are featured in many Hillerman novels and are near our route. Ship Rock pinnacle is on the horizon, where we will see the place where The Fallen Man got his name. Overnight accommodations in Farmington , New Mexico.

Day 4 - Today we are surrounded by the scenery of the "empty lands" that act as a character themselves in Hillerman's writings. On our way to Chaco Culture National Historic Park, commonly known as 'Chaco Canyon,' we pass Nageezi and Blanco, trading posts featured in A Thief Of Time. Chaco Canyon was a place of commerce, a spiritual-religious center, temporary living quarters and perhaps a gathering place for early astronomers. A real treasure of the Southwest, Chaco Canyon contains one of the largest excavated prehistoric ruins in North America. Chaco Culture features towering, 6 story structures and kivas from an era long past. This mystic place is visited in A Thief of Time, Coyote Waits, and Sacred Clowns. We leave Chaco Canyon with all of it's secrets and journey to Crown Point, a location often mentioned in our novel series. Next we drive past Standing Rock, from People Of Darkness and Sacred Clowns and through Coyote Canyon on our way to Gallup, New Mexico for our overnight stay.

Day 5 - With an early departure from Gallup , we make our way to Zuni. Zuni pueblo is a site from Tony's thriller, Dance Hall of the Dead, and today's feature location. The pueblo is referred to as the "Sistine Chapel of the West." This 1629 Catholic mission is adorned with the Zuni Kachina and Shalako, life size images painted by Zuni artists Alex and Ken Seowtewa. These larger than life images represent the seasonal lifestyles and overall history of the Zuni people. This pueblo can be considered the focal point of Zuni culture and an amazing overview of an enduring society. When standing in front of it, you will know that you are witnessing something truly special. We arrive back in Phoenix tonight at approximately 7:00pm.

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