West Texas Tour — Deserts and Mountains:

Balmorhea, Big Bend National Park, and Del Rio

 

8 Days, 7 Nights
Usually from a Saturday to the Second Sunday

Our West Texas Tour - Deserts and Mountains is a great twin tour to our North and Northwest Texas Tour - Plains, Panhandle, and Desert. This is a fun-filled and active vacation of outdoor activities. It includes spelunking, swimming, star gazing, hiking, rafting, horseback riding, and more. We will visit historic cities and ghost towns. This is the west Texas that one often sees in movies. If you like this tour, also look at our North and Northwest Texas Tour that is less active.

  1. Depart from Houston at 7:00 AM on day 1.
  2. Drive approximately 236 miles/380 kilometers to Fredericksburg.
  3. Lunch and briefly tour Fredericksburg between 11:30 - 1:30 PM on day 1.
  4. Drive approximately 118 miles/190 kilometers to Sonora on day 1.
  5. Spelunking on day 1.
  6. See the West Texas desert on day 1.
  7. Drive approximately 195 miles/314 kilometers to Balmorhea on day 1.
  8. Arrive by 8:00 PM and spend the night at Balmorhea on day 1.
  9. Swimming at the Balmorhea oasis on day 2.
  10. Depart Balmorhea at 9:00 AM on day 2.
  11. Drive approximately 50.7 miles/81.6 kilometers on day 2.
  12. Sky gazing at the McDonald Observatory on day 2.
  13. Drive approximately 16.6 miles/26.7 kilometers on day 2.
  14. Tour Fort Davis on day 2.
  15. Option of hiking in the Davis Mountains on day 2.
  16. Drive 21.3 miles/34.3 kilometers to Marfa on day 2.
  17. Lunch in Marfa between 2:00 and 3:30 PM on day 2.
  18. Drive approximately 26.4 miles/42.5 kilometers to Alpine on day 2.
  19. Tour Alpine on day 2.
  20. Drive approximately 79.9 miles/128.6 kilometers to the Study Butte-Terlingua area on day 2.
  21. Arrive by 7:00 PM in the Big Bend area on day 2.
  22. Rafting on the Rio Grande on day 3.
  23. Horseback riding on day 4.
  24. Tour Lajitas, Texas on day 4.
  25. Drive along the River Road, with a possible dinner in Mexico or a short hike on day 4.
  26. Tour Telingua, Texas on day 5.
  27. Series of hikes in the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park on day 5.
  28. Option of more short hikes or one long hike on day 6.
  29. Depart the Study Butte-Terlingua area by 9:00 AM on day 7.
  30. Relax in a natural hot spring on day 7.
  31. Depart Big Bend National Park by 11:30 AM on day 7.
  32. Drive approximately 86.1 miles/138.6 kilometers to Marathon on day 7.
  33. Lunch in Marathon between 1:00 - 2:30 PM on day 7.
  34. Drive approximately 115 miles/185 kilometers to Langtry on day 7.
  35. Tour Langtry, Texas, home of Judge Roy Bean on day 7.
  36. Drive approximately 60.1 miles/96.7 kilometers to Del Rio on day 7.
  37. See the Amistad Reservoir on day 7.
  38. Arrive by 6:30 PM and spend the night in Del Rio on day 7.
  39. Depart Del Rio by 9:00 AM on day 8.
  40. Drive approximately 70.1 miles/112.8 kilometers to Uvalde on day 8.
  41. Tour Uvalde. It was the home of former US Vice President John Nance Garner and TX Governor Dolph Briscoe on day 8.
  42. Drive approximately 83.4 miles/134.2 kilometers to San Antonio on day 8.
  43. Lunch in San Antonio between 1:00 and 2:30 PM on day 8.
  44. Drive approximately 198 miles/319 kilometers to Houston on day 8.
  45. Arrive by 5:30 PM in Houston on day 8.

Summary:

  • 1 night in Balmorhea.
  • 5 nights in Study Butte, Lajitas, and/or Big Bend National Park.
  • 1 night in Del Rio.

Breakfast is included in Del Rio.
Two lunches are included - one on the rafting trip down the Rio Grande and one on the horseback riding trip.

This tour covers over 1,500 miles/2,414 kilometers. This also covers several cities and sites. We have several tours and admissions to pay third party vendors whom we will need to contact to find out the latest prices. Thus, the pricing will need to be calculated. Allow one week for any quotes. Unless stated, all meals are separate.

Notes for 7- and 6-Day Tours

  1. This tour can be shortened by one day to 7 days if one deletes the day 6 activities of more short hikes or one long hike. This will save approximately $60 per person.
  2. This tour can be shortened by two days to 6 days if one deletes the day 6 activities of more short hikes and one long hike and the rafting on day 3. This will save approximately $270.

Prices:

Inquire for prices when making reservations.