There are few words to describe the private tour experience we had recently in Sonoita, AZ. We started our adventure on the circle drive of an iconic Guest Ranch Resort and we were greeted by Peter Hughes, a gracious and knowledgeable guide with a fully equipped luxury SUV. Peter started out by giving us our itinerary verbally, a health and wellness check and finally introduced us to several observational tools such as maps, wildlife guides and field glasses. The Vehicle was immaculately clean inside and out with ample room for all six passengers. Organic and Healthy snacks were provided as well as icy cool water and electrolyte-rich coconut water. We left the Resort precisely on time and were out of Tucson and into the rugged wilderness within no time. We were able to observe the gradual change in flora as our elevation increased. We left the Sonora Desert replete with the iconic Saguaro, Cholla and other lower elevation species and found ourselves surrounded by Sinaloan thorn-scrub and oak forests. We were able to stop several times to observe geological and ecological phenomena as well discover things off the beaten path. We found ourselves visiting the vast Empire Ranch Foundation, a working cattle ranch which has occupied the National Register of Historic Places since 1976. The buildings were carefully maintained and restored with well-preserved historical items brought to life through thorough explanations of context and use, provided by the foundation. Peter was well-informed and filled in the gaps when we sought more detailed information, which really brought the history to life. We stopped at the Nature Conservancy's Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve (established February 1966). We were awe-struck by the immense size of the thirsty cottonwoods, which drink heavily from the moist riparian environment. Lush verdant meadows surrounded a bubbling creek, creating a stark contrast to the high desert we left only a few moments ago. Patagonia provided us a glimpse into the mining past, with an historic courthouse filled with gritty stories (some with fanciful embellishments) describing the hardships and life-lessons surrounding mining and the communities of which it occupied. Speaking of communities, we were also greeted with historic hospitality, stopping at the historic Stage Stop Inn. Next on the itinerary was Sonoita Wine Country. We stopped at Kief-Joshua Vineyards, which featured a wide open sky and even a few historic cars. We then stopped at Arizona Hops and Vines and quickly fell in love with the eclectic and sometimes edgy and suggestive art as well as the engaging owners. The wine pairings were clever and tasty. We finished off the wine tour with a visit to Dos Cabezas Wineworks. We were able to gain access to the entire facility and had a private tasting with Todd Bostock, a consummate wine professional. We enjoyed some early tastings of some fantastic wines which will bring us back in a few years when they are mature. We left with quite the bounty of delicious blends featuring the unique and favorable terrior of Sonoita. Our last stop was Box Canyon. We were again impressed with Peter's enthusiasm and knowledge of the region. The dusty dirt roads made the last leg of the journey truly memorable as we watched the dust settle behind our safari style vehicle. We got to appreciate the mechanical soundness of the vehicle as Peter expertly navigated the rugged road, pointing out several landmarks in the impressive Santa Rita Mountains. As we made our way back to Tucson, I marveled at all of the beauty and history I got to enjoy with Peter. It was a unanimous vote that this was something that should be on ANYONE'S bucket list. Even had we been given the most detailed itinerary and literature, we would not have been able to truly soak in all of the natural history, anthropology, geology, botany, any of the ologies without Peter there to customize the lesson plan and adjust to each individuals learning style and knowledge base. I was personally left with a deeper understanding and respect of the history of the region and have been given a great foundation to build upon with self-guided learning. However, I can tell you that I look forward to my next adventure with Southwest Odyssey Tours, because there is no book or documentary that will ever be able to personalize my adventure and make it come to life like our recent Safari in Sonoita and Patagonia. I would recommend Southwest Odyssey Tours to ANYONE. Beginners will not feel intimidated and will gain the necessary skills to truly enjoy and understand the natural world around them. World-Traveled Experts should seek out Peter to continue their learning journey and put the Great North American Southwest on their bucketlist with Southwest Odyssey Tours. This is the real deal and expertly outfitted. Expect to have a full belly, a full head of knowledge and a full camera of memories.

On a recent visit to Tucson, Patrick, Concierge at the Hacienda del Sol, recommended Southwest Odyssey as a tour operator. At first I was surprised by the rates, which were far more than your average Grayline Tour, but soon discovered this was not your typical day tour. Peter Hughes came highly recommended and I will share with you why he made this tour one to remember. The tour was customized for me and we set off from the resort at 7 am for a full day of activity. Peter was well prepared for the Arizona Desert, packing his vehicle with lots of water, fruit, granola bars, first aid kit, hats, walking sticks, etc. He thought of everything! Moreover he checked my water bottle every half hour to ensure I was hydrated. We drove down to Tombstone (my choice) and then took the scenic route on our return through Senoita, Patagonia and wineries and other scenic byways that I had no idea existed. His knowledge of the flora and fauna helped me understand and appreciate the changing landscape of the Sonoran Desert. I wanted to spend time at the University of Arizona and coincidentally Peter had in depth knowledge of the University due to his expertise in architecture and photography. We had a picnic with the U of A stadium in the background. Next we went off to the Desert Museum where I enjoyed the animals, hummingbirds and desert landscape all in bloom. It was a wonderful day and great way to explore Southern Arizona. With expeditions in New Mexico and Honduras and other Latin American destinations to his credit, Peter Hughes and Southwest Odyssey Tours is highly recommended!

Me and my wife recently took a private tour and its was a amazing day. We had to adjust the morning of the tour due to snow so we did wonder what we missed. But what we saw was still really cool. Our tour guide Mark Swazo-Hinds took us all over NM. We went to indian villages, saw amazing art and also beautiful scenery. Mark had really great stories and kept the vibe up for the whole 7 ish hours. We were able to get the personal treatment you can not get from a big group tour. Ron

Odyssey Trails and Master Guide Mark Swazo-Hinds were fabulous. A true adventure that is not a 'canned' tour. Mark was a full of knowledge, sensitve to our needs and willing to be flexible to our unique interests in the area. We had a sense of being off trail and what it must feel like to be a local; if only for a day. Excellent and worth every dime!!!

FABULOUS! Wow, what a fantastic day we had with Mark Swazo and Peter Hughes. It was an excursion like no other we had ever experienced. From the time these two men picked us up from our hotel we had non-stop running narratives of pueblo culture and arts. We experienced petroglyphs scribed by human hands hundreds to thousands of years ago, toured Carson National Forest, walked the bridge over the Rio Grande Gorge, tasted magnificent hot Fry Bread in the Pueblos, enjoyed an excellent lunch in Taos, and took a peek into Earthships. The entire tour was not only fun, highly entertaining, but extremely informative. Mark and Peter set the pace for the day but we never felt rushed or on a tight schedule even though we had a tremendous amount of area to cover. Mark and Peter were able to share and show us so many fascinating sites of the culture of the Ancient People and the arts of Northern New Mexico. Because of Mark's Indian Heritage, he was able to provide us with an up close and very personable experience with many of the Pueblo people. By the end of the day we had come to the conclusion that there is not anyone in the Santa Fe area that does not know Mark. These men are not the typical tour company for tourist. We not only gained a tremendous amount of knowledge from these two men, but we gained two new friends! Thanks to the both of you for our memorable experience!