Manhattan Project Tour
We are excited to announce our new Manhattan Project Tour to New Mexico. Join our Small Group Tour as we unlock the secrets of the Atomic Age . . .
Tour Highlights:
• Overnight in wonderful hotels throughout the beautiful State of New Mexico
• Manhattan Project Tour of the old Los Alamos lab with rustic Fuller Lodge
• Private visit and reception at the Los Alamos Historical Museum in Los Alamos
• See Project Scientific Director, Dr. Oppenheimer's house on old "Bathtub Row"
• Experience a hike through the enchanting Bandelier National Monument
• Visit White Sands Missile National Monument, Museum and Missile Park
• Tour of the former Roswell Army Air Field and see Roswell UFO Incident sites
• Explore the Trinity Site, where the world's first atomic test took place!
Tour Dates:
April 1 - 9, 2025 - 24 spots open
October 14 - 22, 2025 - 25 spots open
Tour Rates:
USD 3,590 pp in Double Room
USD 4,090 pp in Single Room
Tour Rates do not include Airfare.
Manhattan Project Tour
Alpventures Manhattan Project Tour is a one-of-a-kind, extraordinary opportunity to discover the origins of the atomic age and to experience some of the most breathtaking scenery in America.
On July 13, 1945, in an isolated corner of the New Mexico desert, a group of the country's top scientists delivered the world's first plutonium core device to Trinity site. The final bomb device was assembled under the 100-foot tower that it was to be placed upon for the test, which was scheduled for the early morning of July 16th. For Manhattan Project Scientific Director, Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer, the moment of truth had finally come. What happened next, would change the world forever. The Manhattan Project began as a small research program in 1939, which eventually employed more than 130,000 people and cost nearly $2 billion at the time. Formally designated as the Manhattan Engineering District (MED), it referred specifically to the period of the project from 1942 - 1946 under the control of the US Army Corps of Engineers and General Leslie R. Groves. Join our small group tour to New Mexico, as we unlock the secrets of the Land of Enchantment - including Manhattan Project sites in Los Alamos, Santa Fe and Trinity Site, where the world's first atomic device was detonated on July 16, 1945. Discover where Manhattan Project scientists developed the secret atomic bomb high atop a mesa in Los Alamos, and visit where they blew it up in a remote corner of the New Mexico desert. Join our Manhattan Project Tour to experience Los Alamos and learn about the 1945 atomic Trinity test, Nazi rockets and other experimental aircraft at Fort Bliss and White Sands Proving Ground, the 1947 Roswell UFO Incident and much more!
What's Included
• 8 Nights in 3 and 4-Star Hotels • 5 Dinners and daily Breakfasts • Transfers by deluxe Motor Coach • All entrance fees and local taxes • Overnight in a 3- and 4-Star Hotels • Local Expert Guides at some sites • Enjoy Historic Santa Fe and Lamy • Walking Tour of Los Alamos sites • Experience rustic Fuller Lodge • Los Alamos Historical Museum • See Oppie's house on Bathtub Row • Bradbury Science Museum (LANL) • Visit Ghost Ranch near Abiqui, NM • Explore 'Oppenheimer' movie sites • Discover the famous Trinity Site • Tour former Roswell Army Air Field • See Roswell UFO Incident sites • Visit International UFO Center • White Sands Missile Range Museum • White Sands National Monument • War Eagles Air and Auto Museum • Pre-Tour Travel Packets and more! |
Day-by-Day Tour Itinerary
About the Trinity Site
Trinity Site is where the first atomic bomb was tested at 5:29:45 a.m. Mountain War Time on July 16, 1945. The 19-kiloton explosion not only led to a quick end to the war in the Pacific, but also ushered the world into the atomic age. Because the site is located inside the White Sands Missile Range, it can only be visited on the annual open houses - which are conducted in April and October because it is generally very hot on the Jornada del Muerto in summer.
DAY 1: IN FLIGHT - to Albuquerque, NM (ABQ)
DAY 2: LOS ALAMOS - Beginning of the Atomic Age
Pick-up this morning at Albuquerque International Airport, and transfer north to Santa Fe for lunch at Santa Fe Plaza, the heart and soul of the city. Photo stop at Lamy Station and see the place where scientists and other Manhattan Project personnel checked in at 109 E. Palace Avenue. Browse local Native American arts and crafts; and see the famous Palace of Governors, which has been in public use longer than any other building in the United States. Check in at our hotel and explore the Plaza area before our welcome dinner. Overnight Santa Fe, NM. (D)
DAY 3: LOS ALAMOS - Manhattan Project to the Atomic City
Breakfast. This morning we continue with a short drive to Los Alamos, with a photo stop along the way. Morning Walking Tour of the Atomic City, including stops at the historic Fuller Lodge, Bathtub Row, Ashley Pond and the Ice House Memorial. Travel back to the days of World War II and hear the story of the top-secret Manhattan Project, as you see J. Robert Oppenheimer's former home and discover where he and other top atomic scientists worked and relaxed. Lunch and free time to visit the Bradbury Science Museum (operated by Los Alamos National Laboratory) in Los Alamos. Afternoon excursion to Ghost Ranch / Abiquiu to see the movie set from the hit-film, Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer". Return to Santa Fe. Overnight Santa Fe. (B)
DAY 4: BANDELIER - Ancestral Pueblo People
Breakfast and hotel check-out this morning. Drive to nearby Frijoles Canyon; located in Bandelier National Monument. Learn about the ancestral Pueblo people at the Visitor Center, and enjoy the educational exhibits, introductory video and Western National Parks Association bookstore. The highlight of our visit is the Main Loop Trail hike, where you will see the ruins of Tyuonyi village, original cliff dwellings and hundreds of ancient petroglyphs. Continue with a drive to nearby White Rock overlook to take in the panoramic view of the Rio Grande River (weather permitting). Arrival in Albuquerque for lunch and visit the Museum of Nuclear Science and History. Transfer to our hotel in Socorro and check-in before dinner. Overnight Socorro. (B, D)
DAY 5: TRINITY SITE - Birthplace of the Atomic Age
Breakfast. This morning we check-out of our hotel and continue our journey south via Socorro to the north gate (Stallion Gate) of White Sands Missile Range. Continue on-post through the security checkpoint to the Trinity Site, where the world's first atomic bomb was detonated at 5:29:45 a.m. Mountain War Time on July 16, 1945. The Trinity Site National Historic Landmark is only open to the public two days every year, as it is located inside the White Sands Missile Range (formerly White Sands Proving Ground). Tour of Ground Zero and the Schmidt/McDonald Ranch house. Lunch. Transfer to Roswell for hotel check-in and dinner. Overnight Roswell. (B, D)
DAY 6: ROSWELL - The 509th Bomb Group at Roswell
Breakfast. Morning Walking Tour of downtown Roswell, where we will re-trace the events of early July 1947, known today as the "Roswell Incident." Visit the sites as they relate to the key people in the incident at Roswell, and hear the fascinating stories unfold at the exact locations where the events happened. See the former KGFL and KSWS Radio Stations, and see former locations of the Roswell Daily Record and Roswell Morning Dispatch newspapers and much more. See where the 509th Composite Bomb Group was based at the former Roswell Army Air Field (RAAF), and learn the role they played in the Roswell Incident. Remainder of the afternoon at leisure and dinner on your own. Overnight Roswell. (B)
DAY 7: WHITE SANDS - Bombs, Missiles, and Spaceships
Breakfast and hotel check-out. This morning we transfer via Alamogordo to White Sands National Monument, in the heart of the Tularosa Basin. On our way down the mountain, hear the history of the national monument, and the surrounding White Sands Missile Range. Experience the heart of the world's largest gypsum dune field; as we follow the Dunes Drive. Lunch. Continue to the White Sands Missile Range entrance gate. After a thorough security check to enter the post, we will visit the White Sands Missile Range Museum. See the V-2 exhibit and over 50 different missiles and rockets that have been tested at White Sands. Afternoon transfer to El Paso for hotel check-in and dinner. Overnight El Paso, TX. (B, D)
DAY 8: EL PASO - War Eagles Air Museum and Fort Bliss
Breakfast. Morning Tour of the War Eagles Air Museum in Santa Teresa (New Mexico), the premier military aircraft museum in the southwest - with 40 aircraft from warbirds of the World War II era to jet fighters used through the Cold War era conflicts. A P-51 Mustang, P-40 Warhawk, P-38 Lightning, A-26 twin-engine invader bomber and Fiesler-Storch are among the highlights. Lunch. Afternoon visit to the 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss Museum, located on the U.S. Army base at Fort Bliss (Texas). The WWII and Cold War exhibit gallery includes the story of Operation Paperclip, the Army Ordnance project to develop and test the German V2 rocket on Fort Bliss and White Sands. Farewell Dinner tonight. Overnight El Paso. (B, D)
DAY 9: IN FLIGHT - from El Paso, TX (ELP)
More Details
How to Book:
It's easy to book and safely pay your refundable $400 Tour deposit with PayPal. You can also book by phone with a credit card, or you can print the forms, send a check by mail.
What to Know:
This Tour begins at Albuquerue International Airport (ABQ) and ends at El Paso International Airpoprt (ELP). Tour rate does not include roundtrip airfare. You can plan to arrive in Albuquerque a few days early, and you can also add time to the end of your Tour. Although airfare is not included, your first night hotel in Albuquerque on April 1-2 / October 14-15 is included in the tour rate. (The Tour begins at the Albuquerque Airport in the morning on April 2 / Oct. 15 (09:00 AM local time).
The Fine Print
Reservation Policy:
A completed and signed Tour Reservation Form and a refundable $400 deposit (per person) are required to book our Tours. To book online: scroll to the top of this page and click the "Book Tour Now" button. You can adjust the quantity of people on our secure payment pages with PayPal. Payments are made to: ALPVENTURES. Payment in full is due 90 days prior to departure, and must be paid in USD by check / credit card.
Cancellation Policy:
Although Tour cancellations are not anticipated, Alpventures® reserves the right to cancel Tours for any reason, prior to Tour departure date, in which case the entire payment will be refunded without further obligation on Alpventures® part. In the case of Tour Participant cancellation, a full refund will be granted up to 30 days prior to Tour departure. A cancellation fee of 20% of the Tour price will be charged for cancelling between 30 and 20 days prior to departure date and 40% between 20 and 10 days prior to departure. No refunds honored within 10 days of the Tour departure date.
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"Thanks again for exceeding my expectations with this fantastic Tour. You held my interest every step of the way, as usual - and inspired me to continue researching this fascinating and important topic..." - Matthew P.