Stunning Landscapes and Arts and Culture

Spectacular Hot Air Balloon Festival

Oil Free Whole Food Plant Based Meals

Endless Blue Skies and Colorful Balloons on this New Mexico Vegan Tour

The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is said to be the most photographed event in the world, and we’ll take in both morning and evening sessions. An hour away lies beautiful and artsy Santa Fe, where we’ll make our home base. Driving through New Mexico to visit other places such as Georgia O’Keeffe’s home and studio in Abiquiu is a pleasure, with endless blue sky and rocky vistas. October is a wonderful time to visit, and our visits to stunning landscapes will be peppered with doses of arts and culture.

Why You’ll Love This Tour!

Be in awe while watching hundreds of hot air balloons ascend at once in the early morning hours, and then seeing them again, tethered, and lit up in the evening

Visit renowned artist Georgia O’Keeffe’s home and studio, and see the spectacular landscapes that inspired her paintings

Meander through Santa Fe Plaza, a National Historic Landmark modeled in the style of a traditional Spanish-American colonial city, surrounded by quaint streets, galleries, and boutiques

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Essential Info

Essential Info

Price

$3800 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

October 1 – October 7th, 2023


Tour duration

6 nights/7 days


Group size

12-15 people


Included

  • 6 nights accommodations
  • 6 breakfasts
  • 6 lunches
  • 6 dinners
  • Sightseeing and activity admissions (except free time)
  • Meditation sessions led by Mark (optional)
  • Whole food, plant based, no oil cooking lessons from Mark (optional)
  • Transportation between activities
  • Shared transportation to and from Albuquerque airport
  • All logistics are taken care of for you

View sample menu here!


Not included

  • Airfare
  • Airport shuttle from Albuquerque to Santa Fe (about $80 roundtrip)
  • Travel insurance

What to bring

Comfortable shoes and/or light hiking boots

Travel insurance is highly recommended for any unexpected emergency expenses.


About your guide

1 tour leader/guide and 2 in-house chefs

Trip Overview

There is a shared van shuttle available from Albuquerque (ABQ) to Santa Fe, and we will send you the link to book it. Arrive anytime the first day. We’ll have some snacks, settle in, and have time to explore around a bit before Mark prepares a tasty welcome dinner!

On our first full day, we’ll have a walking tour of Santa Fe and its many historic sites surrounding the Plaza. We’ll then visit the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. On Day 3, we will depart Santa Fe in the wee morning hours for the morning balloon festival session, then have some free time in the afternoon.

Day 4 will be spent driving through spectacular scenery to Abiquiu for a visit to the Georgia O’Keeffe Home and Studio. Day 5 we will visit Petroglyph National Monument and the hot air balloon night event . We’ll go to the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe on Day 6.

Our final day we will have breakfast together and head to the airport with a packed lunch of leftovers.

All meals are included throughout our trip and all meals are no oil whole food plant based, prepared by Mark, our in-house chef and founder of letseatgreat.com.

2 Private Houses in the Center of Santa Fe, within walking distance of the Plaza

Itinerary


It will most likely be less expensive to fly into Albuquerque (ABQ). Please arrive before 3 pm on the first day. We will make two scheduled airport pickups that day. If your flight arrives later, you can book a shuttle from Albuquerque to Santa Fe, one hour away. We’ll spend out first day settling in and getting to know each other with no scheduled activities on arrival day. There will be a snack available upon arrival at the house, and Mark will whip up a welcome dinner, allowing up plenty of time to settle in and explore our home base for the next week.

Monday, our first full day, begins with time to enjoy breakfast and our serene surroundings. Then we will head out for a walking tour of downtown Santa Fe, where you’ll learn about the rich history of this fascinating city. The tour runs just under two hours. You’ll learn about the Palace of the Governors, the former seat of the 17th century Spanish government; the historic Plaza, a market square that marked the end of the Santa Fe Trail; and the Loretto Chapel and its miraculous staircase, among other places. After a picnic lunch, we’ll explore the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, after which you might want to spend some time shopping for some handmade sterling silver jewelry. We’ll then head back to our house for dinner.

Meals Included
Day 1: Dinner
Day 2: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

This morning we’ll depart our houses well before the crack of dawn, driving about an hour to Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque. We’ll take packed breakfasts with us. At Balloon Fiesta Park we’ll see the magical spectacle of hundreds of hot air balloons being inflated and ascending at once. It’s a scene that will stay with you always! We’ll have lunch back at the house, and the rest of the afternoon will be yours to explore as you wish. You can walk to the downtown Plaza, or ask to be dropped off at Canyon Road’s art galleries. Dinner will be back at our house.

The next day we’ll drive about an hour to Abiquiu, home to Georgia O’Keeffe’s home and studio. We’ll learn about her art and life, and visit inside her house where she lived until her death. The home is a blend of Native American and Spanish Colonial building styles, along with centuries-old regional architectural traditions. The landscapes from whence she drew her inspirations are awe-inspiring. We’ll enjoy a picnic in a beautiful spot, and then dinner will be back at our house. Perhaps it will be a game night?

Meals Included
Day 3: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 4: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

We’ll spend a leisurely morning in Santa Fe, and then we’ll head back to Albuquerque to visit Petroglyph National Monument, one of the largest petroglyph sites in North America. From 400-700 years ago, designs and symbols were carved onto volcanic rocks by Native Americans and Spanish settlers. It’s fun taking a little hike through the monument, seeing how many you can find. The images are spiritually important to contemporary Native Americans, and are an important cultural treasure. We’ll then head to the Balloon Fiesta Park for a night glow session, when the balloons are lit from within, resembling giant holiday ornaments.

Our last full day, Day 6, will take us to the Museum of International Folk Art, the largest collection of international folk art in the world, representing more than 100 countries. We’ll have a picnic lunch about a half hour outside the city at Aspen Vista Picnic Ground, and then enjoy a short beautiful hike on the Aspen Vista Trail, hopefully witnessing the beautiful fall colors of the aspen trees. Our final dinner will be back at our house.

Meals Included
Day 5: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 6: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Our tour will end after breakfast the next day. We need to vacate our houses by 10 am. We will drop you off at the location in Albuquerque for your shuttle to Albuquerque International Sunport Airport.

Meals Included
Day 7: Breakfast and lunch (leftovers to take on the road with you)

Good to Know

Amount of walking: 3 miles per day (approximate)

Please plan to fly into and out of Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ). We will let you know about the shared shuttle service to Santa Fe.

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