Mesa Verde Full Day Tour with Cliff Palace and Lunch
Overview
Available languages
8 hours
Mobile ticket
It’s no question that locals and past visitors consider Mesa Verde National Park a must-visit. It allows us a rare opportunity to experience preserved North American history before European contact. Joining a Mild to Wild guide ensures guests will gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of authentic Southwestern culture.
Our Full Day Discovery Tour will show off this outdoor museum with plenty of insight into the ancient indigenous culture, the history of the Park, and more. It’s the best way to get the most out of a day at Mesa Verde.
Our tour vehicles are comfortable, air conditioned, and come with speakers to help you hear your guide's interp throughout the drive.
*Please note that Cliff Palace tickets sell out quickly, we recommend booking at least two weeks in advance to ensure we have tickets.
Additional Info
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
You must bring your own car seats for children who require them. CO Car Seat Law states that children up to 8 years old must be in an appropriate car seat.
Sunglasses, hats, sunscreen, and water are recommended.
Dress in layers. Summer is cool in the morning and hot by the afternoon. Bring a warm coat, hat, and gloves for fall, winter, and spring.
Part of the tour may include climbing 10 ft. ladders made of Tree Trunks. Not all travelers are required to participate in this part but this is required in order to exit Cliff Palace
What To Expect
Mesa Verde National Park
Meet at our Durango Office to shuttle over to Mesa Verde with your guide! The drive is incredibly scenic and takes about 45 minutes while driving past the La Plata Mountains. Once there, you'll visit the top sites along the mesa before your expedition into Cliff Palace. This portion of the tour lasts about 45 minutes, and includes climbing a narrow staircase and series of ladders to reach the dwellings. The rangers will provide some interpretation, while giving you time to wander beneath the largest cliff dwelling in North America. Afterwards we’ll enjoy a delicious lunch at one of the sites or overlooks, before continuing to more ancient villages and sacred kivas to explore. Expect a lot of information along the way! Our guides offer far more insight and knowledge about the sites than visitors going on their own, as posted information and placards are limited throughout the Park. After a stop at a spectacular lookout of the Four Corners Region, we'll shuttle back to Durango!
Options
2026 Schedule
Duration: 8 hours Lunch/Snacks
What‘s Included
Highly Knowledgeable Guide
Bottled water
National Park fees
Lunch
Air-conditioned vehicle
- Skip the long lines
Gratuities
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
305 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Guide makes the tour
deborahh393,Jun 24, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Tim, our guide, was exceptional. Friendly, patient, and ever ready with a story, factoid, or cookie. He kept us engaged and entertained throughout the tour. Our only downside was that everyone on the tour was staying in Mesa Verde, and the Tour establishment would not pick us up in the park.
Very interesting and fun, Only way to see Mesa Verde
Rita M,Jun 22, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Very interesting and very fun. It was amazing. Cannot imagine going into this park without a guide. You would miss 99% of the fabulous points of interest. Truly awesome
Mesa Verde full day cliff palace
Lanita R,Jun 19, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We had an amazing guide who was super knowledgeable. The ruins were amazing! It was as if we stepped back in time. The climb back out of the canyon was strenuous but I am a senior. I made it and was so so glad I went. Would highly recommend it as an exemplar example of early Pueblo culture and history.
A day in Mesa Verde National Park.
Meander44041751045,Jun 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00After much research, we decided to use a tour group to see Mesa Verde. Mild to Wild appeared to be the best choice available. What a day! Our guide was Alex and he was so into the history and geology of the mesa that we came away with an understanding of the park that we could not have gotten going it alone. Can't imagine a better experience than what we had that day. Will use Mild to Wild the next time we are in Durango and recommend you do too!
Unforgettable experience at Mesa Verde National Park
donnawZ8617JX,Jun 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Cat was one of the best guides we have had on a tour. She was very knowledgeable and made every effort to accommodate everyone’s needs. She took videos and pictures and emailed them to us after the tour. We enjoyed a small group with only nine people on the tour. The tour bus was clean and comfortable. This was a great way to enjoy Mesa Verde National Park. Getting to go into Cliffs Palace was unforgettable!
A Great Day Exploring Mesa Verde!
meethjames,Jun 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a wonderful time exploring Mesa Verde! Our guide was knowledgeable, flexible and made the day fun and easy!
Fun and Informative!
karlins2026,Jun 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We could not have had more fun on our tour of one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever visited. Tim was a fantastic guide and really brought our tour group together with jokes, Colorado trivia, and fascinating information about the park and the history of the native people who once called it home. I can’t imagine a better way to tour this historically significant and picturesque park.
A day at Mesa Verde
rufveronica,Jun 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Mild to wild thought out every detail for this experience. From registration, to check in, to the tour route and docent knowledge and of course lunch. We would not have experienced Mesa Verde National Park and its history as fully as we did. Great tour.
Don’t wait 54 years, do it now
SONDRA,Jun 16, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Last visited 54 years ago. Glad we chose to take the 8 hour tour. Beautiful day not too hot and not too busy. Our guide was Cat who was celebrating her birthday (who works on their birthday!). She made the trip interesting without being boring and didn’t seem like 8 hours. Communication after booking was excellent actually spoke to a person not just text or email. Wish we had more time would have loved to have taken another tour. Next time, hopefully sooner than 54 years !!
An Awesome Trip.
CanandaiguaScott,Jun 10, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This is a fantastic tour. The ride to the park and back was pleasant. Our guide Kat pointed out various points of interest along the way. She even knew where a bald eagles nest was. We saw the couple and their chick. Once inside the park Kat took us to various points of interest in addition to telling us the history of the park. The highlight was the Cliff Palace tour. It was amazing. Lunch was good too. So glad we booked this trip. Kat was great.
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