Two Graces Taos: Taos History Tours “Off the Beaten Track and Hidden in Plain Sight"

See for yourself why Taos is much more than a Day Trip!

I thank the people who have gone on tours with me and have been recommending my tours to others, it has been a pleasure. Some folks have said I talk too fast, there's much to cover and I love Taos wanting to get as much in as possible in a short time frame.

At this point my thinking is to offer tours of the Sacred Site/Broken Wagon Wheel Site, an O'Keeffe in Taos Tour which will be a special 100th anniversary edition in 2029!, a Petroglyph Tour and a High Road Tour that would be more special than just a drive which you could do on your own.

In mid July 2022 the International D.H. Lawrence Conference will take place in Taos, NM for the 100th Anniversary of Lawrence arriving in Taos. As part of this I will be offering private and group tours of everything DH Lawrence.

In order to best be aware of upcoming events such as special 'pop-up tours, please friend and follow me on Facebook (Robert Cafazzo) and Instagram @TwoGracesTaos which is where I'll be advertising notices for them.

Thank you.

$150. (per person) Half Day 4-5 hours morning or afternoon

$250. (per person) Full Day 7-8 hours

$35. per hour, 2 hour minimum (per person)

All tours are self driving (transportation is not included), I will guide you to a number of locations unless arrangements are otherwise required.

Bring bottled water, camera or cell phone, camera or cell phone charging device, comfortable shoes and a hat. Do Not Bring a Computer Laptop or Tablet device.

Full Day Tours include time for a lunch break at a local restaurant, meals are not included in the price of the tour.

Please note: Tours include driving to various destinations and walking to specific places. If handicap accessibility is required, written notice of this is needed before any tour can be arranged. We can make some accommodation for special needs, understandably we do not control access to certain venues.
contact info: Robert Cafazzo 575-770-5580cell or r2c2graces@gmail.com

Petroglyphs of Taos County Tour

This tour includes 2 to 4 Petroglyph sites within Taos County, imagery we will be viewing include many of these: Solstice Solar Marker, Calendar Marker, Elk, Deer, Big Horn Sheep, Snakes, Owl, Water Birds, Humanoid Figures, Kiva Emergence. Various Petroglyphs emerge during changing and shifting light patterns, not all images can be seen during any particular time of day. You will be awe inspired and impressed at just how many petroglyphs there are right here in Taos.

“…look deep inside of what we are - deep into the recesses of our existence, of our prehistory… These images are memories of long-forgotten dreams. Is this their heartbeat, or ours? Will we ever be able to understand the vision of the artists across such an abyss of time?” Werner Herzog director of ‘Cave of Forgotten Dreams’ 2010.

100 Year Anniversary of Taos Society of Artists Tour

A tour of 100 years of art in Taos, visits will include Fresco Murals in Taos, Historic Art Collections, Homes of artists including a tour of the Couse-Sharp Studios, locations of where the artists painted, and the hidden location of the “Broken Wagon Wheel".

It is recommended that you take the time to visit local Museums on your own time before or after this particular tour.

“I think the colony in Taos is doing much for American art.” 1927, Oscar Berninghaus founding member of the Taos Society of Artists.

Scenic Taos Photo Op Tour

This tour includes the wide variation of landscape in Northern New Mexico, Adobe Structures, Churches, Flora & Fauna. There is a great deal to see and photograph here in Taos besides the primary attractions, we will take you to the next level of what is here down back roads and side roads. Wildlife viewing is best done at sunrise.

"I became interested in photographing some of the last vestiges of what was the frontier in America. Black clouds over the hills beyond Mabel's house which means rain somewhere--but down toward Ranchos that blue New Mexican sky with puffs of white clouds, over toward your beloved Hondo there is a grayness behind more white clouds--and a breeze blowing across the afternoon." Paul Strand of photographing in Taos, New Mexico 1931/32

Spirituality Tour (Full Day Only)

Visits to places of Worship including Capillas, Penitente Moradas, Churches, Sanctuaries, along with Hot Springs, a Kiva style Pit House. Part of this route will include the Northern section of the “High Road”. Healing Herbal Flora of Northern New Mexico will also be a part of this experience.

“See… they are always seeking something. What are they seeking? …we do not understand them. They say, they think with their heads.” stated Ochwiay Biano (Antonio Mirabal)

“Why of course, what do you think with?” replied Jung

“We think here.” indicating his heart.

“The idea… that a ritual act can magically affect the sun is… no less irrational than like every religion is permeated by the idea that special acts or a special kind of action can influence God (for example) through certain rites or prayers.” From “Memories, Dreams and Reflections” Carl Jung on a 2 week visit to Taos Pueblo in 1925.

DH Lawrence Taos Literary Tour (Full Day Only)

A visit to the Kiowa (Flying Heart) Ranch, the Lawrence “Forbidden” paintings and locations Lawrence was known to visit and write about, this includes Hot Springs and other sites.

“We find Taos very pleasant again, very beautiful… I must say I am very glad to be out here in the Southwest of America, there is the pristine something, unbroken, unbreakable, and not to be got under even by us awful whites with our machines, for which I thank whatever Gods there be.” D.H. Lawrence on his second trip to Taos 1924.

Georgia O’Keeffe in Taos Tour (Half Day Only)

Places O’Keeffe painted and places she stayed at. O’Keeffe visited Taos for the first time in 1929, walk where she walked, see what she saw right here.

Please Note: Currently there are no original O’Keeffe paintings in Taos on view to the public. A visit to the O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe is highly recommended.

“Wonderful. Well! Well! Well! This is wonderful. No one told me it was like this. I am having a wonderful time… I feel like myself, and I like it… It’s just unbelievable, one perfect day after another…” Georgia O’Keeffe on her first visit to Taos in 1929.

Taos Artists Studio Tour

Meet Taos Artists in their own studios, hear about their techniques and inspiration. This tour is designed specifically to your own taste. It is dependant on artist availability at any given time, therefore it requires 48 hours notice to make arrangements.

“The country outside of Taos is simply too beautiful, I have never seen anything so lovely in my life. It is not the kind of thing I thought I would see… these long chains of blue grey mountains, and the miles of sagebrush plains in front of them, with here and there rising out of the sage in the distance, clear blue hills standing alone.. and the most beautiful arroyos… and over all this acres of Blue sky. Well, I give you my word, I have never seen anything lovelier in my life. Taos is all that it’s name implies, ‘richness’, it is beautiful, and there was never a more beautiful single mountain than Taos Mountain.” Marsden Hartley on his first visit to Taos in 1918.

Hodge Podge Mix & Match

An itinerary for travelers who would like a little of everything, or perhaps just a few things. Some suggestions are: Mines/Mineral Deposits, Dennis Hopper, Dinosaur Tracks, Descansos, Torreon, Wheat Mills, Commune, Mushroom Hunting (late summer only), Shopping/Antiquing, along with any selections from any of the other ‘set’ tours.

Please allow 48 hours for planning.

“In about 3 minutes, you’re out of town, looking at the scenery. I love driving around, I never get tired of the great scenery. Blue. Well you know, I think it’s the sky. It’s so Blue, isn’t it? Here in Taos, the sky. Blue is my favorite color.” Agnes Martin on Taos 2001

RELEASE OF LIABILITY

Two Graces, as a tourist trip planning service, may offer restaurant services and other services from various independent suppliers that, as independent contractors, are not subject to the control or fees of Two Graces.

Two Graces is not liable for any negligent or willful acts of any third party. In addition, and without limitation, Two Graces shall not be responsible or liable in any way for any loss, death, injury or damage to Customer’s person or property suffered or incurred by Customer or any person in connection to the Services provided by Two Graces or any portion of it. Expenses or costs or losses caused by delays or other causes of independent contractors of contracted Services shall be the responsibility of the Customer.

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other, this is the responsibility of Customer. Two Graces will not be held liable for injuries incurred through vehicle accidents nor endangerment of or by wildlife Nor shall Two Graces or its agent be liable for poor road or trail conditions and or lack of handicap accessibility. This Agreement shall be governed by, construed, and enforced in

accordance with the laws and decisions of the State of New Mexico, and the sole forum in which any action may be

brought by either party in relation to this Agreement is in New Mexico. Customer submits to the jurisdiction of the

State of New Mexico for these purposes. Any notice provided for or concerning this Agreement shall be in writing

and be deemed sufficiently given when signed by each party. In the event Two Graces is prevented from or interrupted in performing Services by reason of any governmental law, regulation or ordinance, executive order or decree, court order or decree, act of God or public enemy, acts of terrorism, accident, strike or other labor controversy, riot or civil disturbance, delay of a common carrier, inability without fault to obtain any commodity essential to the conduct of its business, or any other cause of any similar nature or act of nature, or if the Services are interrupted or postponed by reason of any such cause, or the death or incapacity of a principal of Two Graces, payment under this Agreement will be reduced by that pro-rata portion of the Services not provided, but only in the event Two Graces is unable to provide a reasonable substitution through reasonable efforts.

By registering for a Two Graces Tour, the participant(s) acknowledge their full awareness and understanding of what has been stated above and participant agrees to the Terms & Conditions and the Release of Liability and accepts them.

I have been actively listening, reading and writing about the History of Taos since 1991. My knowledge of Taos is quite broad and I have been granted access to many of Taos’ best kept secrets, which I share with visitors on tours of this historic culturally rich place.

You will want to take photographs during your tour, although we do not provide photo “workshops”, we do bring you to some of the most photogenic places in Northern New Mexico. My philosophy is to show you something just around the bend, to point out things others would never notice, to show you how to look and perhaps to filter a bit too. The major attractions such as the many Museums, the Rio Grand del Norte Gorge Bridge, & Taos Pueblo are easy and convenient to visit on your own and should not be missed. Our tours are designed specifically to show you how much more than this Taos has to offer, it truly is much more than a day trip from Santa Fe.

Trend Magazine, Taos.org Magazine & New Mexico Magazine have published my photographs in print and online. In 2013/14 I was hired to create specific itinerary tours to travel writers visiting Taos. A few of the writers have included Reuters, National Geographic, New Mexico Magazine, HIHO Magazine (Japan), Girl Gone Travel, Whiskey Sisters, Curve Magazine and Bay Area Reporter.

Reservations are recommended; a deposit of 1/3 is required. Deposit is non refundable if cancellation is within 24 hours, except due to inclement weather.