The Garden of the Gods' red rock formations were created during a geological upheaval along a natural fault line millions of years ago. Archaeological evidence shows that prehistoric people visited Garden of the Gods about 1330 BC. At about 250 BC, Native American people camped in the park; they are believed to have been attracted to wildlife and plant life in the area and used overhangs created by the rocks for shelter. Many native peoples have reported a connection to Garden of the Gods, including Apache, Cheyenne, Comanche, Kiowa, Lakota, Pawnee, Shoshone, and Ute people.
Pikes Peak is the highest summit of the southern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, in North America. The ultra-prominent 14,115-foot (4,302.31 m) fourteener is located in Pike National Forest, 12 miles (19 km) west of downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado. The mountain is named in honor of American explorer Zebulon Pike (though he was unable to reach the summit). The summit is higher than any point in the United States east of its longitude.
Manitou Springs is a resort city in Colorado, just outside Colorado Springs. It’s known for its mineral springs and mountain landscapes, dominated by soaring Pikes Peak. The Manitou Cliff Dwellings are a group of reassembled ancient cliff structures. Hundreds of steps lead up a steep slope on the Manitou Incline Trail. Manitou Avenue is home to art galleries and specialty boutiques.
In 2020, Colorado Springs ranked #13 on the New York Times 52 Places to Go list and #10 in TripAdvisor's Top 25 Trending Destinations.
Parker B9yce was our driver. He is a pretty cool, respectful and friendly guy, who took good care of us, answered all our questions elocuently, and was attentive to all our needs and security. He talked to us about a variety of subjects, and seemed well- informed about interesting and entertaining facts about Colorado, and about the sites we visited. I would love to travel with him again!
Had a great time!!!! Tour guide was awesome and knowledgeable!!!
Robert was a great tour guide. Highly recommend this tour for touring Pikes Peak
David was incredibly knowledgeable about the history of Denver and the surrounding areas, and I learned a great deal during the drive. He was also very flexible and accommodating to the needs of the travelers, which made the experience even more enjoyable. Both sites we visited were fascinating. I would definitely recommend this tour with Explorer Tour.
Mark, our Explorers tours guide, picked us up at our air bnb. He returned us safely at the end of the tour. Mark asked what we wanted to see and made accommodations for our group of five, all who had mobility issues. We stopped to pick up lunches for a picnic and headed into Pikes Peak Park. Mark provided excellent information about the park. He was a very safe driver. When we reached the top of the Peak, we were dropped right off at the visitor center. Mark checked on us several times during the stay. He took our group pictures. We stopped at the visitor center for a picnic then proceeded down the mountain. We enjoyed the Garden of the Gods park and were given ample time to see everything we wanted I highly recommend Explorer Tours and Mark.
Pick up went very smooth. Travel was safe and the guide was well informed. Very knowledgeable about general history and the points of interest on the trip. Guide ensured maximum amount of time at each site and was able to recommend the best photo spots and hiking trails with levels of difficulty. Travel back was equally safe a great experience.
The trip was fantastic. Our guide was knowledgeable and was very accommodating. Be prepared for the change in temp between Garden of gods and Pikes. We should have brought heavier jackets.
We were picked up by Brian at our hotel in Downtown Denver. He was very friendly and professional. He started by giving us a tour of the downtown area and showing us the various stadiums and places of interest. He is very knowledgeable about the history of Denver, Pikes Peak and The Garden of the Gods. On our way to Pikes Peak he stopped for us to pick up lunch and to take pictures. He decided to take us to Pikes Peak first since the weather was a bit unpredictable that day. It was the best decision. The ride up to the summit was nothing short of amazing. The spectacular views were stunning and he was very diligent about giving us minute details of mountain. It was very interesting how the weather changed as we ascended to the summit. After taking pictures we headed back to the picnic area and had lunch. After lunch he stopped again for us to take pictures of the mountain. We then proceeded to the Garden of the Gods which was another wonder. The rock formations were beautiful. Brian gave us another history lesson on the formation of the rocks and the how it was discovered. After that we stopped for even more pictures at the Balanced Rock. On our way down we were very lucky to see some horned sheep. They were huge!! We then headed back to our hotel. Brian is an excellent guide.
Pike’s Peak and the Garden of the Gods tour is a once in a lifetime experience. We made it to the summit with the expert and superb guidance of our tour guide Brian. It was really a commendable experience. Brian is a topnotch tour guide and driver.
Our trip had to be cancelled due to weather and this organization cheerfully and quickly refunded our money and were excellent to work with. Thank you!!!
at least spend two hours in Pikes Peak yo have enough time to explore and have proper lunch great tour guide big sandwich
Denver was the last stop of our 10-day tour of the different national parks in Arizona, Utah and Colorado. We could not head for home without visiting Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods. So we booked a private tour and requested to be picked up from our hotel at 8:00 am. Michelle was such an incredible guide. She was very knowledgeable, pleasant and although it was almost zero visibility going up to the summit of Pikes Peak at some point, we felt very safe with her. What a way to end our most unforgettable adventure!
Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak Amazing and priceless memories with friends and classmates. Jim was a great tour guide and driver.
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