Day 1

Today is our arrival day in beautiful Albuquerque, New Mexico, one of the nation's oldest inland communities. Known as "The Land of Enchantment" this area is the heart of Indian pueblo country and is the home of the oldest farming civilization in North America. Today is a fantastic time to start meeting all of the other trip members; chances are we'll have individuals from all over the United States signed up for this trip. After some initial ice-breakers and get-to-know-you games our group will learn how to set up tents and prepare a delicious dinner before settling into our campsite for the evening. More than likely today has been a full day of travel for most individuals, and getting a good night's sleep will sound pretty appealing.

Days 2-5

On first full day together we’ll visit the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center as well as the Acoma Pueblo and learn more about this fascinating culture. The Acoma Pueblo is known to many as Sky City since it was strategically built on top of a 357-foot sandstone mesa in an effort to defend against raiders. Our first service project will take us to the Santa Fe Community Farm, which raises fruits and vegetable for distribution to local charities and provides a venue for education and community development programs. Over the next days we'll contributed our much-needed help to plant, water, harvest and distribute food from this wonderful community organization.

Day 6

Finishing our community service work at the Santa Fe Community Farm, we will travel towards Tent Rocks National Monument where we will explore this remarkable geological region of volcanic rock that has eroded over millions of years into surreal, tent-like formations. This area provides perhaps the most enduring and definitive images of the American West. The isolated red mesas and buttes surrounded by empty, sandy desert have been filmed and photographed countless times over the years for movies. Because of this, the area may seem quite familiar, even on a first visit, but it is soon evident that the natural colors really are as bright and deep as those in all the pictures.

Days 7-9

Continuing our service work, we'll roll up our sleeves and working towards the completion of several necessary projects in the Navajo community. Our local Navajo representatives will provide direction and support as we help restore a medicine woman's home, assist with the renovation of a WWII Code Talkers house or improve the construction of an existing ceremonial sweat lodge. The projects will vary, but we will have direct contact with people from the Navajo Nation as we help improve this community. We will work side-by-side with local youth from the community forming bonds of friendship that span geographical distances. We will learn first hand about the culture - whether it be baking flat bread, listening to stories, attempting to create fire using traditional means or engaging in a timeless Navajo ceremony. We will work hard during the day, but after four days of efforts we'll be able to see the difference that we've made!

Days 10-12

The next portion of our trip takes us to Bandalier National Monument, northwest of Santa Fe. Bandelier covers 33,000 acres with amazing views of sloped mesas, walled canyons, and numerous archeological sites with ancient petroglyphs. During our time in Bandalier we will get the chance to explore these ruins, while participating in our next service project. Working alongside rangers from Bandalier National Monument we will aid in much needed trail restoration projects.

Days 13-14

We'll celebrate the end of our adventure with our newfound friends during a whitewater rafting adventure on one of the desert rivers that the southwest is so famous for. Under the careful instruction and guidance of expert local guides, we'll work together to navigate thrilling whitewater. This is sure to be a wonderful culminating event for everyone in the group.  We'll dry off and head towards Santa Fe, the capital city of New Mexico.  That night, we'll gather for a magnificent feast at our final group banquet.  One last time to laugh and relive all of our fantastic adventures, for the following morning it is time to bid farewell.  Although it's always hard to say goodbye, at least you'll never have to let go of your wonderful memories and all of the new friends you've made.

 

Please Note: This is a sample day to day itinerary based on service projects we have done in past years. Our service projects are put together carefully each year working with the local communities to find projects that will provide the greatest assistance for those in need. In order to be sure we are working on projects that will be both meaningful and substantive, the exact projects for each year are decided in late spring. Due to the dynamic nature of the needs of the communities, last minute changes are always possible, but they will be replaced with comparable ones.