Crater Lake National Park Featuring Mt. Hood National Scenic Area & The Columbia River Gorge

                                                                     Crater Lake
National Park

                              Featuring the
Mt. Hood National Scenic Area and The Columbia River Gorge

Arrival City:  Portland Oregon

Departure City:  Portland Oregon

Airport: Portland International Airport

Introduction

This 4 day 3-night all-inclusive
luxury tour of the Columbia River Gorge, Crater Lake National
Park, Smith Rock State Park, Mt. Hood, Mt Bachelor, Mt. Adams and the Columbia
River Gorge at the end of the Oregon Trail. 

Culinary Inclusions

9 Gourmet Meals

A big part of travel means tasting
great meals that capture the culture and flavor of the region. Our culinary
inclusions cover all your meals and drinks while on vacation with us. We
utilize fresh local ingredients and every meal is prepared to your liking. Your
flex pass is loaded with money for meals where we dine at the finest local
establishments to truly immerse in the region's culture.

3 breakfasts

3 lunches

3 dinners

In transit refreshments, snacks,
appetizers and specialty cocktails included.

Some meals will be prepared in the
field by your Hospitality Guide. These are custom made to order gourmet meals.
You value spending time in the landscapes viewing the wildlife and wonders. No
need to rush off for reservations or worry about waiting in long lines.

Attractions

Multnomah Falls

Mt. Hood National Scenic Area

Oregon Wine Tasting.

Crater Lake National Park

Deschutes River

Smith Rock State Park

Sherars Falls

Beacon Rock

Columbia River

Crown Point

Lodging

1 night at Timberline Lodge on Mt.
Hood

1 night at Crater Lake Lodge

1 night at the Hood River Inn, Hood
River Oregon

Itinerary

Day 1:  Multnomah
Falls, Hood River & Mt. Hood

Premium Lodging:  Timberline
Lodge

We will continue up the historic
Columbia River Highway with a stop at the 542 foot-tall, two-tiered Multnomah
Falls. A leisurely moderate stroll to the top of Oregon’s most popular trail is
2.2 miles one-way with 700 feet of elevation gain. For those just wanting to
see the falls, it’s only a 5-minute walk to the footbridge at the lower
cascade. Witness the thunderous cascades and enjoy the refreshing mist either
way you go. Our journey will then continue east to Hood River Oregon for lunch.
You’ll have time to explore the Hood River shopping district before we relish
in the famed fruit loop where cherries, pears and grapes are in abundance. We
will then continue into the Mt. Hood National Forest and ascend Mt. Hood (the
highest mountain in Oregon at 11,249 feet) before making our way to the histo,
ric Timberline Lodge which was built as a WPA Project. Down feather beds, giant
timber beams, and creative use of stone makes this historic Lodge a treasure of
Oregon that offers panoramic views in all directions. Tour the lodge and then
the evening is yours to explore the many amenities including wildflower walking
trails, the Magic Mile Chair Lift, an outdoor pool and sauna, and general
relaxation in this one-of-a-kind retreat.

Day 2:  Mt. Bachelor,
Smith Rock State Park & Crater Lake

Premium Lodging: Crater Lake Lodge

Our scenic drive starts at the top of
Mt. Hood and descends into the high desert of Bend Oregon.  The landscape slowly transitions from lush
the lush Evergreen trees of the Mt. Hood National Forest to the arid landscape
of Central Oregon.  The unique smell of
the sage, Ponderosa Pine, and fresh water from the rivers and lakes make this a
truly unique visit.  We will visit Smith
Rock State Park to stretch our legs and take in beauty most people don’t even
know exists. 

Excitement builds as we drive into
the Crater Lake National Park for a visit to the deepest lake in the United
States at 1,943 feet which is also the ninth deepest lake in the world! Options
for your day include a hike and lake boat cruise, fishing, or general
relaxation at our lodge which offers panoramic views and relaxing hiking
options. For those wanting to hike down to the water, we will take a lake
cruise to learn about the history, geology, and cultural significance of the
lake while viewing the natural beauty of the caldera from the boat. The Volcano
Boat Cruises depart from the north side of Crater Lake at Cleetwood Cove.
Guests must make the 1.1-mile hike on Cleetwood Trail to access the lake and
boat dock. This hike can be very strenuous as it drops approximately 700-feet
and may take 30 to 45 minutes to descend the trail.

These cruises offer a fantastic
perspective of the lake and will travel approximately 45-minutes to Wizard
Island where guests are dropped off for 3-hours to hike and explore. When the
boat returns for the pickup, the cruise will take approximately 75-minutes to
complete the counter-clockwise trip around the perimeter of Crater Lake. A
Ranger from the National Park Service will be onboard the boat and on Wizard
Island to offer a cultural and natural history of Crater Lake. Other than the
drop-off at Wizard Island, guests will remain on the boat for the entire tour
making stops at some special points along the way to view the beauty and
formations of Crater Lake, including Wizard Island and Phantom Ship.

Upon returning to the boat dock, it
is time for the 1.1-mile hike out. This hike can take an hour or more, and the
700-foot ascent in elevation is the equivalent of climbing more than 70-flights
of stairs. No fishing license is required for those wanting to cast a line on
the shoreline of Crater Lake. Kokanee Salmon and Rainbow Trout are both found
in Crater Lake, and there is no limit to your day’s catch.

If hiking down to the boat and
fishing are not your style, you have ample options to enjoy any of Crater
Lake’s other 90 miles of hiking trails, ranging from easy to strenuous.
Alternatively, relax under the sun with a book, take an afternoon siesta, or
soak up the azure vista with the feeling that life is good.  Our evening will be at the Crater Lake Lodge
and the crisp, fresh evening air will be a reminder that we are in a place in
the world that is protected from the chaos of life.

Day 3:  Crater Lake,
Bend Oregon and the Columbia River Gorge

Premium Lodging:  Hood River Inn, Hood River Oregon

The morning will be spent relaxing in
the Crater Lake National Park with multiple options for hiking, exploring,
learning and absorbing this peaceful and beautiful National Park.  We will visit the Deschutes Brewery as we
pass through Bend Oregon and then make our way along the Deschutes River and
onto Sherars Falls for a magnificent view of the Deschutes River observe Native
Americans Fishing for salmon and steelhead. 
We will then pass through the Tygh Valley and into The Dalles Oregon which
is the end of the Oregon Trail.  We will
visit the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center for our favorite representation of
Lewis and Clark and the Oregon Trail. 
Just a few minutes down the historic Columbia Gorge Highway and we
arrive in Hood River for a night on the Columbia River.  Downtown exploration of Hood River is
available to those who want to explore.

Day 4: Columbia River Gorge and Beacon Rock

We will depart around 8:00 am and
take the short scenic drive over to the Washington side for a hike up Beacon
Rock.  This 848-foot basalt column once formed the
core, or belly, of an ancient volcano. 
We will start from a developed parking area on the south side of the
highway, the hike heads up immediately -- after all, you have 848 feet to climb
in less than a mile. But the grade is surprisingly gentle, with plenty of
places to catch your breath and enjoy the view. Moss covered boulders line the
wide gravelled path at the base. The trail then curves around to the south side
of the rock, where you encounter handrails and a sturdy boardwalk trail that
switchbacks all the way to the top of the mountain. Along the way, the trail
winds in and out of trees -- surprisingly huge for growing out of a rock
mountainside. You'll enjoy views up- and down-river of the mighty Columbia.
This is the perfect way to complete our trip and once at the bottom we will
complete the journey with a 30 minute scenic drive to the Portland
International Airport.