Travel Document Requirements – Red Rocks & Painted Canyons begins and ends in the U.S.
If you are a citizen of another country traveling to the U.S., you should contact an embassy or consulate of the U.S. to determine what travel documentation is necessary. You may also log on to the U.S. State Department’s Internet website by clicking here.
If you are traveling by air to join and/or depart from this tour within the U.S., please read the section entitled Airline Security Measures in the Additional Information section above to determine what travel documentation is required.
If you are a citizen of the U.S. or Canada who travels frequently between the two countries, you may benefit from the NEXUS program, which is a joint initiative between the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency and the Canada Border Services Agency that allows pre-screened and approved travelers faster processing at designated highway lanes in high-volume border crossing locations, at a NEXUS kiosk at several airports, and at certain marine reporting locations in the Great Lakes and Seattle regions. For further information, you may log on to the Nexus Internet website by clicking here. Please note that longer stays abroad for any purpose may require additional travel documentation.
We recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.
Travel with Children -
Age Recommendations– Children 3 years of age or older at the time of travel are welcome on this Tauck Bridges journey. Based upon our experience with family travelers, for each itinerary we have a minimum recommended age to encourage comfort and enjoyment for all of our guests. We recommend that children be 8 years of age or older to fully participate in all activities planned for this tour. Please note that the raft trip is restricted to children who are 4 years of age or older and all children 11 years of age or younger must wear a life preserver while on the float trip. Also, children must be 7 years of age or older for the trail ride in Bryce Canyon. All children must be accompanied on activities by a parent or guardian. At least one guest in the traveling party must be 21 years of age or older in order to make a reservation.
Babysitting ― Our journeys are designed for adults and children to share the wonder of discovery together. If you require babysitting services, your Tauck Director will put you in contact with the appropriate hotel staff with whom you may make babysitting arrangements. There is usually an additional fee for these services. Many hotels do offer on-site babysitting services; however, babysitting services may not be available at all of our hotels. Please note that our Tauck Directors are not responsible for providing babysitting services.
Safety and Welfare Responsibility ― We welcome the participation of child travelers on our exciting excursions. If you are traveling with a child on a Tauck journey, you have the sole responsibility for ensuring that the child with whom you are traveling follows all rules of safety throughout the tour. By traveling with us, you release Tauck, Inc. and our partners of all liability for any risks and/or injuries to the child with whom you are traveling.
Special Travel Documentation for Children Authorization for Travel
If you travel into or out of the U.S. with children under the age of 18, you should be aware of the following: because of increasing incidents of child abductions in disputed custody cases and because children are at risk as possible victims of child pornography, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that unless the child is accompanied by both parents, you should have a notarized note from the child's other parent (or, in the case of a child traveling with grandparents, uncles or aunts, sisters or brothers, or friends, a note signed by both parents) stating that the parent(s) not traveling acknowledge that the parent(s), family members, etc. who are traveling into or out of the U.S. with the child have permission to do so. While CBP may not ask to see this documentation, if they do ask, and you do not have it, you may be detained until the circumstances of the child traveling without both parents can be fully assessed.
If there is no second parent with legal claims to the child (parent deceased, sole custody, etc.), other relevant paperwork, such as a court decision, birth certificate naming only one parent, or a death certificate, will be useful.
Authorization for Emergency Medical Treatment
In the unlikely event of a medical emergency, a medical facility will require permission from the child’s parents to provide treatment. Therefore, we strongly suggest that you bring along a letter from both parents (including other pertinent documents as cited above) authorizing emergency medical treatment for their child.
We are not responsible for the disruption of travel caused by the improper documentation of any guest, including children traveling without both parents. While there is no definitive format or standard, click here to view a sample letter for guardians or one parent traveling with a child.
Air Conditioning – Most of the hotels on this itinerary are air-conditioned with the exception of The Lodge at Bryce Canyon, which, however, does provide heat on cooler nights due to its high elevation. The motor coaches used on this tour are air-conditioned except for the bus used for the ride through the Navajo Tribal Park on the optional Monument Valley excursion.
ATM and Credit Cards - We recommend that you contact your bank in advance of departing on this tour to determine whether you will be able to use your ATM and credit cards while traveling. When contacting your bank, notify them of your travel dates so that they will anticipate charges being made outside of your hometown and do not suspend your cards for what may appear to them to be "suspicious" charges. We also recommend that you make a photocopy of the front and back sides of your ATM and credit cards to leave behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your cards are misplaced, lost or stolen.
ATMs are located at the Four Seasons Scottsdale Resort at Troon North, Grand Canyon Village (location of Kachina Lodge), the Lake Powell Lodge Resorts & Marinas, and Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas.
Clothing and Packing – Your journey is designed with leisure in mind. The weather you will encounter on this journey ranges from hot and dry in Arizona and Nevada to cool and dry at the higher elevations in the national parks. Dress for comfort and convenience with a wardrobe that is flexible and allows for layering. Casual, cotton clothing is recommended. A sweater and a light jacket will provide warmth on a chilly early morning walk or a late night stroll.
The national park lodges do not have televisions or phones, so bring along a good book to read!
We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor’s prescription (or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you), a list of the generic names of your medication, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed.
Following is a list of recommended items to pack for your journey through Red Rocks & Painted Canyons:
- Casual daytime wear - shorts, slacks, short and long-sleeved shirts
- Light sweater or jacket
- Windbreaker for the raft trip
- Comfortable yet sturdy walking shoes that have already been broken-in
- Raincoat and rain hat
- Collapsible umbrella
- Swimwear
- Gym wear
- Binoculars
- Battery-operated travel alarm clock
- Zipper-lock bags
- Sunglasses, sunscreen and sun hat
- Insect repellent
- Camera, lenses, batteries, memory cards and/or plenty of film
- Telephoto lens
- Daypack for camera equipment
- Sundries and toiletries that may be difficult to find en route
- Tauck Bridges backpack
- Copies of your travel documents that should be secured in the safe in your room while traveling
Children may want to consider bringing along pocket toys and games with a “sound off” button or portable radio/CD players with headphones for use on longer coach rides. Journals, binoculars and cameras are also great things for children to have with them to make the most of their adventure.
Each child 17 and under will be sent a complimentary backpack from Tauck Bridges! If the child resides in the continental United States, the backpack will be sent to his or her home approximately two weeks prior to the tour departure date. If the child resides outside of the continental U.S., including Hawaii and Alaska, the backpack will be waiting on arrival at the first hotel on your itinerary.
Elevation - The overnight elevations on this tour range from 1,400 feet (427 meters) in Scottsdale to 8,300 feet (2,530 meters) at The Lodge at Bryce Canyon.
Health – The very active Red Rocks & Painted Canyons journey across 866 miles (1,393 km) leads you from the southwestern U.S. high desert to the mountain heights of the U.S. national parks. You should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances over uneven terrain, as some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. However, for the most part, the amount of walking you do at the various sites and towns is at your discretion.
Some of the excursions on this tour are:
- A flight-seeing adventure to Rainbow Bridge (and another optional adventure to Monument Valley) in an 18-seater twin-Otter aircraft or single engine 4-or 5-seater Cessna. The planes are not pressurized and there is no oxygen on board. Since they fly at less than 10,000 feet (3,048 meters), most guests experience no problem.
- A choice between a 90 minute boat trip on Lake Powell or a 2 hour open-air off road vehicle ride and hike in Antelope Canyon.
- A 2½ hour float trip on the Colorado River using a 22 feet (6.7 meter) pontoon raft that carries 15 passengers over 15 miles.
- A morning trail ride on a horse or mule through Bryce Canyon.
The hotels in Las Vegas and Phoenix have elevators; however, the lodges in the national parks, which generally have two floors, do not. While none of the planned activities are especially strenuous or difficult, we urge caution when engaging in activities at high elevations. If you have a heart condition or lung ailment, please consult your physician before you book your trip.
Although the hotels and lodges do have rooms that are handicap accessible, if you are traveling with a wheelchair or portable oxygen, we strongly recommends that you consult with your physician to determine whether this tour is appropriate for you.
We regret that we cannot provide you with individual assistance for walking, dining or other personal needs. If you need such assistance, you must be accompanied by an able companion who will help you.
Please check with your health insurance provider to determine whether you are covered while traveling. If you will not be covered under your current policy, we strongly suggest that you arrange for adequate coverage while on tour.
Please advise your Tauck Director on tour if you or the children traveling with you have any serious allergies. Also, adults may want to bring along children's aspirin or medicines as a precaution, as access to these may be limited.
If you have a medical condition that might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify us as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.
Please check with your health insurance provider to determine whether you are covered while traveling. If you will not be covered under your current policy, we strongly suggest that you arrange for adequate coverage while on tour.
If you are a resident of another country traveling to or within the U.S., no vaccinations are currently required for travel to the U.S. For complete vaccination and inoculation information, contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. The Travelers' Health Section of the CDC operates a 24-hour "Travelers' Health Hotline" at 800-232-4636 (toll-free in the U.S.). You may also log on to the CDC website by clicking here.
Luggage Restrictions-
Checked Luggage – General
While it is common for airlines to allow passengers to check more than one piece of luggage per person, space constraints during your Tauck journey make it difficult to accommodate extra luggage. We ask that you limit your checked luggage to one average size suitcase per person.
Recently, airlines have adopted policies enforcing strict number, size and weight limits. Luggage exceeding maximum restrictions may require expensive overage fees, frustrating and hurried re-packing at the ticket counter, or even risk being left behind.
Many carriers require that checked luggage not exceed a weight of 50 lbs (22.7 kg) per piece. Airlines revise luggage policies frequently and often without notice; therefore, we cannot be held liable for the accuracy of the weight limit listed above. We urge you to check with your airline before traveling to determine current number, weight and size restrictions. It is also important to note that restrictions for luggage number, weight and size may vary with the same airline based on the class of service you select. First and Business Class ticket holders may have different restrictions than Coach Class travelers. You may wish to consult the website, luggagelimits.com, by clicking here.
We cannot be held liable for additional fees or inconveniences imposed by the airline due to luggage number, weight and size policies.
Please be sure to attach your Tauck luggage tag to your suitcase before leaving home!
Carry-on Luggage - General
Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel or for many on-tour flights. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.
For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and that you bring only those items you need handy during the day such as make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or on the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may be inaccessible during daytime travel.