We wanted to drop you a “note” to tell you we had a wonderful time on the trip to Italy. Thank you so much for your great work in putting it all together!
Hot Air Balloon Fiesta
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Indigenous Art & Architecture
Immerse yourself in the rich history of art and culture at the heart of Santa Fe, the “city different”
Join us as we dive into the diverse world of art and culture that thrives in the oldest capital city in the United States. As the first designated UNESCO Creative City in US history, it is well-regarded for its wealth of artists – many of whom are deeply influenced by the 23 indigenous tribes of New Mexico. In addition to exploring the Santa Fe area, our group will go into Albuquerque to witness the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in all its picture-perfect glory. We will be treated to guided tours of Georgia O’Keeffe’s Home Studio in Abiquiú and of the Taos Pueblo, the only living Native American community and UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as National Historic Landmark. Between visits to art galleries, delicious meals, cooking classes, and hot air balloons, there will also be free time to explore the areas of Santa Fe that call to you most.
Why You’ll Love This Tour!
Watching hot air balloons take off into the crisp morning sunrise.
Hiking to see well-preserved petroglyphs and indigenous dwellings over 800 years old while also learning about the vibrant modern culture of New Mexico’s sovereign Pueblo Nations.
Being surrounded by the artistic community in this UNESCO Creative City of Santa Fe, the first in the United States.
Relaxing in the soothing waters of Ojo Caliente, one of the oldest health spas in North America.
Click the Tabs to Find Out More
Essential Info
Essential Info
Price
$4500 USD/per person
*A non-refundable deposit of 25% of the tour cost, along with a registration form, are required in order to join the tour. Your space is not guaranteed until both of these are received.
Dates
Oct 4 – 11, 2025
Tour duration
7 nights/ 8 days
Group size
8 – 11 people
Included
- 7 nights accommodations
- 7 Dinners
- 6 Lunches
- 7 Breakfasts
- Transport from airport upon arrival
- Transportation to airport at the end of the trip
- Listed guided tours & workshops
- Transportation & logistics for listed daily activities
Not included
- Airfare
- Travel insurance
What to bring
We recommend bringing as little as possible! If you need any packing tips, please contact us. Please be ready for cold mornings and sunny days; we encourage packing walking shoes, a water bottle, and layers you can easily remove throughout the day’s activities.
Travel insurance is highly recommended for any unexpected emergency expenses.
About your guide
One Tour Leader, Mairead, and additional local guides
Trip Overview
The tour begins with your shuttle from the airport to the houses we will be staying at during our trip. We will meet in the main house over appetizers and then our first group dinner, our first chance to get to know each other. On our first full day we will have an early morning as we head to Albuquerque to view the spectacle of the Mass Ascension of hot air balloons taking off with the sunrise as we dive head-first into the largest balloon event in the world. We will be surrounded by color and artistry as we celebrate the iconic New Mexican landscape with not only the balloon “fiesta”, but also by enjoying time exploring Albuquerque’s chile markets and walking through petroglyphs up to 700 years old.
On day 3, after breakfast at the house, we will settle into Santa Fe with a guided tour of the historic district of the city and a visit to the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum with free time in the afternoon. After viewing her works the day before, on day 4 we will then travel to Abquiú to tour the home studio of O’Keeffe and then picnic and hike through the landscapes that so inspired her – land that also happens to be a world-renowned site for Triassic paleontology. We will start day 5 with a drive to Los Alamos where we will visit the Valles Calderas National Preserve for their Fall Festival, followed by an afternoon hike on a short trail at the Bandelier National Monument to view the protected homes of the Ancestral Pueblo people who lived here as far back as 1150.
On day 6 we will drive out to take a tour of the adobe village of the Taos Pueblo and afterwards will head over to enjoy the healing waters of Ojo Caliente, one of the oldest health spas in North America. On our last full day we will have an exciting morning exploring the Meow Wolf House of Eternal Return, followed by a mountainous picnic lunch, and an afternoon free to wander through the Canyon Road Art Galleries. For our final morning we will wrap up with goodbyes over breakfast and shuttles to airports as we part ways until our next adventure.
This tour is planned to offer intermittent free time so that you can venture out or decompress from your travels. Additionally, some meals will be prepped at the house, some will be packed as picnics, and some will be at local establishments – with the focus always being on providing high quality vegan, organic, and authentic flavors made with local produce.
Rental Houses in Santa Fe
Itinerary
On Day 1, Saturday, we will arrange a shuttle from the airport to our houses where you can settle in until we gather for a welcome dinner. If you are flying into Albuquerque on the 4th or before, we will provide pickups starting at noon at the Albuquerque airport or another pre-agreed location nearby. Anyone with arrival after 4pm will be shuttled into Santa Fe with the airport shuttle and then picked up from there. For those arriving in Santa Fe early, please note that we will be unable to provide entry into the house until 3 or 4 pm due to shuttling new arrivals into town. Once we are all together we will have a nice welcome dinner and prepare for our exciting week.
On Day 2, we will be having what some would call an “alpine start”, getting out to Albuquerque to watch the Mass Ascension of hot air balloons take off with the sunrise. The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is the largest balloon festival in the world and getting there before dawn will allow us to see the glow of the furnaces as they launch as well as the colors of the sunrise – making for a truly majestic morning. We will then enjoy a lunch, soaking up the view of the Sandia Mountains, before heading over to Petroglyph National Monument where we will have the opportunity to hike some or all of an easy trail in which we can see over 400 hundred petroglyphs in under 2 miles. That afternoon we will stop to shop at a local market renowned for their chiles and then return to Santa Fe to enjoy a group dinner.
Meals Included
Day 1: Dinner
Day 2: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
On Day 3, we will have breakfast at the main house and then head out for a morning walking tour of the Santa Fe Historic District. Then we will have lunch before heading to the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum to learn more about one of the most significant artists of the 20th century. This will be followed by free time in which you can continue exploring the beautiful Santa Fe Plaza or rest at the house before our group dinner that evening.
After breakfast at the house on Day 4, we will drive north to visit Georgia O’Keeffe’s home studio where we will take a guided tour to learn more about the landscapes that inspired her stunning works. Afterwards we will have a nice picnic lunch and then head towards Ghost Ranch to learn about Triassic Dinosaur fossils found onsite and walk trails near towering rock walls first made famous by landscapes painted by O’Keeffe herself. We will have some free time that afternoon before our group dinner.
Meals Included
Day 3: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
On Day 5, we will drive to Los Alamos where we will stop into the Pajarito Environmental Education Center and then the Valles Calderas National Preserve to enjoy a morning at their annual Fall Festival featuring artisans and cultural demonstrations. After a picnic lunch we will drive a short way to Bandelier National Monument where we will have the opportunity to walk a short trail where the ancestral Pueblo peoples carved homes out of the ash of massive prehistoric volcanic eruptions. After a full day soaking up the nature of the area we will head back to Santa Fe for group dinner.
Day 6 we will head to the Taos Pueblo where we will take a short guided tour explaining the indigenous history before having free time to explore the deeply significant and longest-lived Pueblo in the US. Both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Historic Landmark, Taos is home to the first significant art colony in the West where you can watch artisans work, take in the adobe architecture, or wander on the periphery absorbing the stunning scenery of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Afterwards we will stop by one of the area’s most jaw-dropping views of the Rio Grande before heading off for an evening of luxurious relaxation in the healing waters of Ojo Caliente, one of the oldest health spas in North America. With Tewa legends harkening back to prehistoric use, humans have been drawn to these waters for time immemorial, and after a long week of travel this will be sure to soothe any aches you may have accumulated.
Meals Included
Day 5: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
For our last full day, day 7, we will venture over to the Meow Wolf House of Eternal Return for a truly immersive and unique experience. Meow Wolf started as a small collective of artists from Santa Fe and has grown to reimagine the possibilities of modern, sustainable, community-driven art. Locals love the mind-bending “gallery” so much that they offer year-long passes for those who wish to keep returning. For lunch we will head up the nearby mountainside to have a picnic in the fall colors of the Aspen trees on Tesuque Peak.
That afternoon we will have free time to explore any parts of Santa Fe that you feel called to. We recommend perusing (and will provide shuttle to) the Canyon Road Art Galleries where over 80 galleries are nestled together within about a half mile of artistry paradise.
We will wrap up our day with our final group dinner and prepare for our departure the next day.
On Day 8, our tour will end with a final breakfast and wishing farewell to each other. We will check out of the houses that morning and arrange for group shuttles back to the Albuquerque / Santa Fe airports that day.
Meals Included
Day 7: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: Breakfast
Good to Know
Please fly into either: the Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) with plans to wait for a Veg Jaunts & Journeys group shuttle (available between noon and 4pm) or utilize the airport shuttle for your transfer into Santa Fe; OR the Santa Fe Regional Airport (SAF) for pick up after 4pm. Please note, if choosing to fly out of Albuquerque we highly recommend flying out after 2 pm to allow time for traffic during such a high tourism weekend.
Please note that access to the houses cannot be guaranteed until the afternoon (4pm) of October 4th.
Please pack layers for warmth on our nights & early mornings. Average temperatures in Santa Fe in early October ranging from 60s during the day and down to the 40s/ high 30s at night.
This tour will include daily walks with an estimated daily mileage of 4-7 miles.
Your tour cost includes lodgings, all meals, all sightseeing and activities mentioned above, all transportation during the trip (excluding personal transportation choices during free time; shuttles will be available at designated drop off & pick up locations).
Previous Guests Praise Veg Jaunts and Journeys
It was a special experience to explore Italy with like-minded, compassionate travelers. We saw the sights, plus we got to explore a cat sanctuary in Rome and a vegan cheesemaking business. This trip was a top 10 life experience.
Thank you Kim and Wendy for such a wonderful trip through Italy. I was so nervous traveling alone overseas but really enjoyed getting to know everyone in the group. Would love to keep in touch with all and maybe see you on another trip.
