JavaScript must be enabled

Page will not work without JavaScript enabled

Arizona

Hopi Mesas & Navajo Lands of Canyon de Chelly & Monument Valley

Program No. 18591RJ

Gain a deeper understanding of Hopi and Navajo cultures as you visit their reservations to experience the landscapes, artifacts and traditions that have shaped their ancient story.

Watch Video Wishlist

Start

Program

At a Glance

Duration

7 days

Program Begins

Flagstaff, AZ

Program Concludes

Flagstaff, AZ

Group Type

Small Group

Meals

17 ( 6B, 5L, 6D )

Activity Level

Stay on both the Navajo and Hopi reservations and immerse yourself in these cultures with exposure to native speakers and artisans who share insights into their life ways. Visit one of the oldest Hopi villages atop a windswept mesa. At Canyon de Chelly, field trips visit both North and South rims and the inner Canyon. Experience Monument Valley’s iconic formations and sweeping vistas.

Best of all, you'll...

Enjoy two Navajo-/Diné-led 4x4 adventures to see ruins, petroglyphs and natural beauty.
Enjoy a docent-led field trip to the Museum of Northern Arizona and learn about the region's past, present and future.
Visit Hubble Trading Post and hear from Navajo/Diné and Hopi speakers about their cultures and challenges.

View Full Itinerary

Stewart Lasseter

Stewart Lasseter completed studies in geo-science, natural history and Spanish at the University of Arizona. He then studied as the protégé of a Native American healer, learning from her practices of wholeness, kinesiology, mind-body medicine, and dyslexia correction. He has years of experience bringing groups in touch with the natural world and has completed post-graduate studies in health sciences at Prescott College.

Please Note:

This expert may not be available for every date of the program

View All Experts

Dorothy Ami

Dorothy Ami is a well-respected Hopi potter. Her demonstrations detail the pottery making process — from gathering the clay to tempering, coiling a piece, making the paints from nature, painting with a yucca brush and firing.

James Bilagody

James Bilagody has been entertaining Road Scholar participants with his stories, wit, and music for many years. He has twice been nominated for the Native American Music Awards, as well as having received consideration for a Grammy Award. Skilled in both percussion and guitar, James is able to fuse traditional Navajo storytelling and culture into a modern perspective and sound.

Eric Kee

Eric Kee was born and raised on the Navajo Reservation in Tuba, City, Ariz. In addition to sharing his Navajo culture, Eric enjoys spending his spare time building Native American flutes, working with silver and enjoys hiking, kayaking, camping with his family. He met his wife in Florence, Italy during his three years teaching English and working Italian camps for kids. He, along with his wife and three children, currently reside in Tuba City, Arizona.

Robert Sanford

Buck Sanford graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in natural resources and spent several years working in Costa Rica as a freelance tropical biologist and research station manager. After a Ph.D. at UC Berkeley, he held positions at Stanford, NC State, and Colorado State. He was a biology professor at Denver University for several decades. Following a stint as a program director at the National Science Foundation, Buck worked as a professor and an administrator at Northern Arizona University, retiring in 2021.

Sandra Kehs

Sandy Kehs, a native of Pennsylvania, chose Arizona as her home after completing her master's degree in Spanish at Penn State. She has monitored archaeological sites for the state of Arizona as a site steward in addition to working for the Elden Pueblo Project in Flagstaff, providing hands-on learning to young students about the ancient Sinaguan Native American culture in the Flagstaff area. Her other interests include hiking, bird watching, observing the night sky, and traveling with her husband Dan, and their dog Chuy.

Activity Level

Keep the Pace

Walking up to one mile daily over varied terrain. Optional longer hike at Canyon de Chelly to Ancestral Puebloan ruins. Elevations up to 7,300 feet.

Small Group (13 to 24)

Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Suggested Reading List

View Full List (9 Books)

You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?

We can help. Give us a call, and we can answer all of your questions!

Call 800-454-5768

Start Enrolling

Enroll with Confidence

Peace of Mind

We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. That’s why we go to the ends of the earth to give you peace of mind, from the moment you enroll until the day you return home.

Assurance Plan

Road Scholar's continued commitment to our participants and their well-being is exemplified whether participating on a program in the United States or on one of our International programs, every Road Scholar participant receives coverage under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan.

Want to Protect Your Investment?

Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.

Sustainable Travel

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.

Peace of Mind

We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. That’s why we go to the ends of the earth to give you peace of mind, from the moment you enroll until the day you return home.
Assurance Plan

Road Scholar's continued commitment to our participants and their well-being is exemplified whether participating on a program in the United States or on one of our International programs, every Road Scholar participant receives coverage under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan.
Want to Protect Your Investment?

Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.
Sustainable Travel

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.