Wild West Wayfarer

Make your own way to your downtown Denver hotel and having checked in, spend the rest of the day exploring Colorado’s capital city.

A full day at leisure in Denver, where walking is easy to sights such as the State Capitol Building and Red Rock Amphitheatre, as well as the shops and restaurants of 16th Street Pedestrian Mall.

Cross the border into Wyoming and head for the state capital of Cheyenne, considered the nation’s railroad capital and well-known for its rodeos. Visit Big Boy, the world's largest steam locomotive.

Head towards the dramatic landscape of Badlands National Park, the striking geologic deposits of which contain one of the world’s richest fossil beds. Keep an eye out for bison, bighorn sheep and prairie dogs running wild.

Today, visit the Black Hills including the Crazy Horse Memorial, Custer State Park and Mount Rushmore National Memorial, where 60-feet high granite faces depict four past US Presidents.

Cody is known as the “Rodeo Capital of the World”, so you should try to take in one of the shows or visit the five museums of the Buffalo Bill Centre of the West for a true cowboy experience.

Drive out to Yellowstone, containing more than two million crystalline lakes, thundering waterfalls, panoramic views and steaming geysers, headed up by Old Faithful.

Before leaving Yellowstone, you might wish to take a guided tour, go buffalo spotting or even take a boat trip on Yellowstone Lake. Then it’s off to Jackson, famed for its winter sports but great to visit any time of year.

With over 200 miles of trails, Snake River float trips and the serenity of the pristine lakes and alpine terrain, Grand Teton is a favourite holiday spot for all visitors.

On arrival into Utah’s capital city, explore Temple Square, with almost 20 attractions relating to the Mormon church, among them Salt Lake Temple and the Mormon Tabernacle.

Allow plenty of time to stop at one of Utah’s most visited national parks, Arches, with more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches towering over the desert landscape.

A full day will allow you to explore Canyonlands National Park, with its colourful canyons, mesas and buttes, before returning to Moab – white-water rafting capital of the world.

Today’s drive will take you through the ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – exhibiting ancient Native American culture, archaeological sites and petroglyph rock carvings.

Head for the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, which trundles through the stunning San Juan National Forest.

Stop at Great Sand Dunes National Park, known for its huge, towering dunes, before travelling on to Colorado Springs, where you should witness 300 million years of geological history at the Garden of the Gods.

Before leaving Colorado Springs, it’s worth visiting the US Air Force Academy, so you may consider staying an extra night in Denver before returning home or continuing with your travel arrangements.