Full-Day Mesa Verde Discovery Tour

Overview

It’s no question that locals and past visitors consider Mesa Verde National Park a must-visit. It allows us a rare opportunity to experience preserved North American history before European contact. Joining a Mild to Wild guide ensures guests will gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of authentic Southwestern culture.

Our Full Day Discovery Tour will show off this outdoor museum with plenty of insight into the ancient indigenous culture, the history of the Park, and more. It’s the best way to get the most out of a day at Mesa Verde.

Our tour vehicles are comfortable, air conditioned, and come with speakers to help you hear your guide's interp throughout the drive.

*Please note that Cliff Palace tickets sell out quickly, we recommend booking at least two weeks in advance to ensure we have tickets.

City: Durango

Wed 04 Feb

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $206.01

Make a reservation

Wed 04 Feb

Starting at $206.01

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Highly Knowledgeable Guide

Bottled water

National Park fees

Lunch

Air-conditioned vehicle

- Skip the long lines

Additional Info

Suitable for all physical fitness levels
You must bring your own car seats for children who require them. CO Car Seat Law states that children up to 8 years old must be in an appropriate car seat.
Sunglasses, hats, sunscreen, and water are recommended.
Dress in layers. Summer is cool in the morning and hot by the afternoon. Bring a warm coat, hat, and gloves for fall, winter, and spring.
Part of the tour may include climbing 10 ft. ladders made of Tree Trunks. Not all travelers are required to participate in this part but this is required in order to exit Cliff Palace

What To Expect

Mesa Verde National Park

Meet at our Durango Office to shuttle over to Mesa Verde with your guide! The drive 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!

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (180)

William G

Sep 2019

We booked a full day trip with Mild 2 Wild tours. After doing so we were sorry we had committed to a full day tour. Miles was our guide and was very informative, kind and friendly. We enjoyed the tour immensely and would highly recommend this tour to everyone. He stopped at sites along the way, pointed out other ruins, and gave us lots of interesting information about the ancient pueblo people.

Response from Host

Sep 2019

Hi William, Thanks for choosing Mild to Wild. We loved sharing this adventure are happy to hear it was the highlight. If you are intrested in anymore adventures or tours, feel free to request Miles as your guide again. P.S. he is also a raft guide for us in the summer(maybe your next summer adventure!?)

Edrie_M

Sep 2019

This was a wonderful tour conducted by our very knowledgeable guide. In addition to visiting many sites all with explanation of culture, we also got to tour the cliff house. While you can drive yourself around the park, I think you would miss out on a lot of the history.

Jason T

Sep 2019

If you want a unique and entertaining way to visit the Mesa Verde National Park, I highly recommend that you contact Mild-To-Wild and book a tour with Jay, the resident expert on Mesa Verde and the Ancient Pueblo cultures. This colorful character has a wealth of knowledge on the region and witty sense of humor that will dazzle your curious mind for a full-day trip to the famous canyon of the ancient Cliff Dwellers. Jay has a pulse on the people and their history, and your experience at this spiritual and historic place will no doubt benefit from his expertise. He knows as much (if not more) about the famous dwellings, the ancient peoples, and the region than do some of the park rangers.