Discounted

Best of the American West

USA - Trip code VV Discovery
Carbon Footprint Leaf Icon
222Kg of CO²e
Average carbon footprint per person
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Carbon Footprint
You deserve to know everything about your holiday, from what is included, what to expect and every kilogram of CO2 emitted on average per person along the way.

We've partnered with ecollective to measure the carbon footprint of this tour based on an average group size. Find out more about how we calculate this and why we think it's important here.

 

Take a road trip through the lunar landscapes of America's Southwest. Packed with natural wonders, this area is a quintessential road trip destination, and we'll squeeze in six spectacular national parks over eight adventurous days. Get set for awe-inspiring scenery as we travel from vibrant Vegas to the Grand Canyon.

Why we love this trip
  • Six national parks - Starting at Zion, visit all of Utah's 'Big Five' parks before winding up at the Grand Canyon, Arizona
  • Sunrise to sunset - Witness magnificent dawns and dusks through the windows of Arches, over the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon, and at the incomparable Grand Canyon
  • Monument Valley - Discover this Navajo Nation's park, looking out over the iconic sandstone buttes that emerge from the scrub

  • Included meals

    None

  • Trip staff

    Explore Tour Leader

  • Transport

    Maxiwagon

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    Accommodation

    7 nights comfortable hotel

    1 nights premium hotel

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    Trip pace:

    Full on

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    Group Size:

    Trip maximum 13

Itinerary

Day 1 - Land in Las Vegas and drive to Hurricane for Zion National Park

Our trip begins in the 'Neon City' of Las Vegas. We'll meet our tour leader in the lobby of the Strat Hotel, before leaving the bright lights for the wild landscapes of the southwest.

Our minibus will leave the Strat Hotel at 2pm. In order to arrive at the hotel for this time, the latest your flight can arrive is 12pm. We don't provide arrival transfers on this tour, but information on how to reach the hotel will be provided in your final documentation.

We'll travel together as a group to our hotel in the Utah city of Hurricane (a two-hour journey). With its warm weather and close proximity to Zion National Park, Hurricane is the perfect place to start our trip.

If flight times into Las Vegas prevent you from landing at 12pm, or if you want to experience this energetic city before your tour starts, we recommend booking an additional night's accommodation at the Strat Hotel. Alternatively, there are a multitude of hotels on the famous Vegas Strip.

Accommodation:

Sleep Inn & Suites Hurricane (or similar)

Grade: Comfortable Hotel

Single room available

Swimming pool available

Meals Provided: None

Day 2 - Walk on the trails of Zion National Park

We'll have an early start this morning as we head into Zion National Park (a one-hour drive away).

The main area of the national park that we'll visit is Zion Canyon, a 24-kilometre/15-mile rift in the beautiful red and tan Navajo sandstone. We might take a walk along the Watchman's Trail, a moderate hike of approximately two hours that will take us past many of the park's famous geological formations, including the Towers of the Virgin and the Altar of Sacrifice. The very end of the walk brings us to a spectacular overlook of the Watchman, a red rock pinnacle that dominates the skyline. Photographic opportunities are plentiful, with a great contrast between the red of the rocks and the running rivers that we'll pass.

There are so many walking possibilities in Zion, and our tour leader will outline our options from the easy to the strenuous. You might like to walk up to Scout's Lookout, a meandering hike that begins with 21 steep switchbacks, known as Walter's Wiggles, and culminates in one of the most spectacular viewpoints in Zion, a challenging journey of around four hours that rewards you with breath-taking views down across the valley. There are also plenty of easier options for people to enjoy. For those of us who aren't hikers, the park's shuttle bus takes people along the valley floor with regular stops to get out, explore and jump back on the next vehicle. Quite simply, there is something in Zion for everyone.

We'll return to our hotel in Hurricane this evening.

Accommodation:

Sleep Inn & Suites Hurricane (or similar)

Grade: Comfortable Hotel

Single room available

Swimming pool available

Meals Provided: None

Day 3 - Drive to Bryce Canyon; time to explore this natural wonder

This morning, we'll set off early to Bryce Canyon (a 90-minute journey). Bryce is without doubt one of the natural highlights of this journey - a world of surreal kaleidoscopic sandstone forms that are steeped in the tales of the Paiute tribe. Legend has it that the sandstone 'hoodoos' of Bryce are in fact the petrified followers of the Coyote God, turned to stone as they stood listening to his angry tirade. Looking out over these towering pillars that litter the floor of Bryce Canyon's great amphitheatre, you could almost believe that you're facing a crowd of people, all awaiting their judgement.

On arrival, we'll explore the myriad shapes and shades of this fairytale realm, hiking along the Navajo Loop, or taking in the grandeur of the Queen's Garden. Bryce was created as a national park in 1928 and as you look out across the pink, orange and red spires it is easy to sympathise with Ebenezer Bryce, a Mormon farmer who is best remembered for the profound words, 'Well it's a hell of a place to lose a cow!'

Accommodation:

Bryce View Lodge (or similar)

Grade: Comfortable Hotel

Single room available

Swimming pool available

Meals Provided: None

Day 4 - Optional early morning at Sunrise Point; drive to Moab via Capitol Reef National Park; walk to Delicate Arch for sunset

This morning, we can choose (weather dependent) to see Bryce at its most radiant, in the golden hues of sunrise as we drive up to Sunrise Point to watch the dawn break across the landscape. After breakfast, we'll drive west to Moab (a four-hour drive), taking State Highway 24 directly through the most remote and under-visited of Utah's 'Big Five' National Parks: Capitol Reef. The red-rock park encompasses a landscape of coloured sandstone cliffs, twisting canyons, monoliths and spires. We'll stop en route to take in some of the park's many awe-inspiring viewpoints before continuing to Moab.

This evening, we plan to make a sunset visit to Arches National Park. It's a two-hour walk to Delicate Arch, probably one of the most iconic arches in the American Southwest. This natural rock archway is a perfect spot to watch the sunset on this magnificent landscape. After sunset, the lack of light and air pollution in the area should afford us a dazzling display of stars. After our walk, we'll head back to Moab for the evening.

Accommodation:

Big Horn Lodge (or similar)

Grade: Comfortable Hotel

Single room available

Swimming pool available

Meals Provided: None

Day 5 - Hikes in Arches and Canyonlands National Parks

Arches National Park is home to the world's largest concentration of natural sandstone arches. With over 2000 arches, giant sandstone fins, balancing rocks and towering spires, the park provides a unique setting for this morning discovery. We might take in the Devil's Garden, a three-hour hike that takes us through a landscape littered with arches, including one of the world's longest - Landscape Arch. Time-allowing we might also take a more gentle walk around The Windows Loop (approximately 90 minutes), before leaving the park.

In the afternoon, we'll visit Arches' neighbouring park, and the last of Utah's Big Five National Parks, Canyonlands. The park is a wilderness of countless canyons and buttes carved by the Colorado River and its tributaries, which also divide the park into four districts: the Island in the Sky, the Needles, the Maze and the rivers themselves. We plan to head into the Island in the Sky district, where we will take an easy trail to the spectacular Mesa Arch, a natural rock arch on the edge of a cliff that gives us panoramic views of the region.

We'll drive back to Moab this evening.

Accommodation:

Big Horn Lodge (or similar)

Grade: Comfortable Hotel

Single room available

Swimming pool available

Meals Provided: None

Day 6 - Drive through Monument Valley to Page; optional Jeep tour with a Navajo guide

Today, we'll drive to the town of Page via the Navajo Reservation, the biggest in the country, founded in 1888 to provide a protected region for the Navajo people. The Navajo Nation constitutes the largest tribe left in the United States, the last survivors of a people who were decimated by the arrival of the white man and his quest for land and gold.

Monument Valley lies within the heart of this vast tribal area and despite its familiarity through the exposure by Hollywood, nothing can truly prepare you for the sheer grandeur and spectacle of this incredible setting. Isolated monoliths, sandstone pinnacles and towering spires rocket skywards, above the desert floor. Here, you have the chance to take an optional guided jeep tour of the valley with a Navajo guide, affording a closer exploration of this compelling land before we head on to our night stop in Page.

As we continue through native lands towards Page, the warm embrace of the late afternoon glow alters the landscape's appearance as the sun dips towards the horizon. Time permitting, we aim to experience the final dip of the sun at the famous Horseshoe Bend on the Colorado River.

Accommodation:

Courtyard Marriott (or similar)

Grade: Comfortable Hotel

Single room available

Swimming pool available

Meals Provided: None

Day 7 - Chance to discover Antelope Canyon; drive to the Grand Canyon arriving for sunset views

This morning, we'll have the option to visit the famous Antelope Canyon, a beautiful peach-gold canyon formed by the force of flash floods coming from the plains above, or otherwise spend time at the enormous Lake Powell, with its scenic azure waters.

Later, we'll continue our journey towards the southern rim of the Grand Canyon (a three-hour drive), arriving this afternoon. Once described by Theodore Roosevelt as 'the one great sight every American should see', the canyon extends 445 kilometres/283 miles from east to west, from the western edge of the Navajo Reservation to the Nevada border around Lake Mead. Reaching a depth of 1,600 miles/5,249 feet, the canyon's floor is littered with some of the oldest rocks on the planet and as we take in the views from Desert View, we'll gaze out across a land that has taken over 2 billion years to create.

Accommodation:

Red Feather Lodge (or similar)

Grade: Comfortable Hotel

Single room available

Swimming pool available

Meals Provided: None

Day 8 - Explore the rim on foot or walk into the canyon; drive to Las Vegas

This morning, you're free to explore this natural wonder at your own pace. You might like to hike various parts of the rim trail (easy to moderate walking), taking you along the top edge of the canyon with some stunning viewpoints; or perhaps the Bright Angel Trail, a steeper walk that takes you further down below the rim of the canyon. There are a multitude of different walking options available, all of which will offer you some spectacular scenery of this amazing landscape.

This afternoon, we'll leave the Grand Canyon behind us and return to the big city, Las Vegas, arriving in the evening.

Accommodation:

The Strat Hotel (or similar)

Grade: Premium Hotel

Single room available

Swimming pool available

Meals Provided: None

Day 9 - Trip ends in Las Vegas

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Las Vegas.

There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart from Las Vegas at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from Las Vegas International Airport (LAS), which is a 15-minute drive away.

Meals Provided: None

Trip information

Climate and country information

USA

Climate

There are great variations in the altitude and terrain of the areas visited and this is reflected in the temperatures. Desert areas can be extremely hot in the summer months (49°), though temperatures can drop dramatically at night. The mountains are cooler and wetter especially in the north of the Rockies. At the beginning and end of the season there may still be some snow around in the high passes and it can be cold, whereas in mid-summer the day time temperatures can soar.

Time difference to GMT

-9

Plugs

2 Pin Flat

Language

English

Budgeting and packing

Optional activities

The following excursions and/or activities are usually available and may be arranged locally. Estimated costs are provided below for guidance only, are on a per person basis unless shown otherwise, and may depend on the number of participants. Prices quoted are correct as of the date these tour notes were originally issued but may change at any time due to currency fluctuations. Please note: These activities are booked and paid for locally and do not form part of your Explore holiday contract.


There are a number of exciting optional excursions you can do on tour. These activities are booked and paid for direct with the supplier and do not form part of your Explore holiday contract.

Page - Antelope Canyon excursion US$ 45 - $80 (depending on seasonal peak hours and availability)
Monument Valley - Jeep excursion US$45-75 including lunch
Grand Canyon - Helicopter overflight approximately US$ 254-284

Clothing

Pack for hot conditions in summertime. For departures earlier and later in the year, the weather can be cooler, especially at night in the desert so make sure you bring some warmer layers including a fleece. At anytime of year, you should pack a lightweight waterproof jacket, swimwear and a sun hat.

Footwear

Lightweight walking/hiking boots with good ankle support, trainers and/or sandals for travelling.

Luggage

20Kg

Luggage: On tour

Bring only the bare essentials - one main bag plus a small daysack for walking and for personal items. Main luggage cannot be accessed during the day. Soft luggage is more practical as it is stored in the trailer during travel. Bring plastic bags to keep things dry. Laundry facilities are available at various points during the trip.

Equipment

Bring a water bottle (3 litre capacity), high factor sunblock, and sunglasses. You may find a walking pole and insect repellent useful especially in June and July.

Tipping

Explore leader
Tipping isn't compulsory, and we work hard to ensure that our leaders all receive a fair wage. However, you might want to recognise a leader that's done a great job or really added to your trip by giving them a tip. We're often asked about the recommended amount. It's a tricky one, and down to personal preference, but we'd recommend between US$5 to US$10 per person per day as a guideline.

Local crew
In North America tipping 15%-20% is a recognised part of life across the service industry, including restaurants, activity suppliers, taxis and guides. Local staff will look to you for personal recognition of particular services provided.

Unlike other Explore trips, during our trips in North America our Explore leaders will not operate a tips kitty. However, they will be more than happy to provide guidance throughout the trip on who to tip when and to suggest appropriate amounts.

USA

Food and drink

The costs for meals may vary depending upon location, type of restaurant and number of courses eaten and so the prices given are an average guide. Local restaurants located off the beaten track may be less expensive, whereas an upmarket restaurant located in the centre of a major city may charge more.


Lunch price
£15
Dinner price
£21
Beer price
£Varies for different towns, average £4.00
Water price
£1.1
Foreign Exchange
Local currency
US Dollars.
Recommended Currency For Exchange
Bring your money in USD.
Where To Exchange
Banks or 'Forex' offices in main towns/cities. Your tour leader will advise you on arrival.
ATM Availability
Widely available.
Credit Card Acceptance
Widely accepted just about everywhere.
Transport, Accommodation, Food & Drink

Transport Information

Maxiwagon

Accommodation notes

During this tour, we stay in a range of comfortable-grade motels, lodges and hotels, all well-located to make the most of the USA's natural wonders.
Comfortable-grade hotels are usually 3-star properties with single or twin-share en-suite rooms. Rooms generally have air-conditioning and WiFi. Please see your final documents for the confirmed hotels for your departure.
Breakfast is listed as not included on this tour, however, in St George and Page, our hotels do occasionally provide a small, continental offering. For customers who prefer a bigger breakfast, there are plenty of local cafes, diners and bakeries available and our tour leader will give you recommendations or arrange a scenic stop mid-drive for a picnic.

USA

Food and drink

Can you drink the water? 
It is generally possible to drink the local tap water, therefore to reduce the need for single-use plastic bottles we recommend you bring a refillable water bottle with you. Your leader will advise you on refill points each day. 

Essential Information

Government Travel Safety Advice

We strongly recommend that you check your government's travel advisory for up-to-date information and advice about your destination's safety and security, entry requirements, health, local laws and customs. Relevant government website links for UK, US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand citizens are available on our Travel Safety page.

If you'd like some inital information on country-specific entry requirements, such as visas or any health declaration forms, please refer to our Entry Requirements page.  The services and information on this page are provided by a third party, and so we will still recommend that you cross check this against your government website for the latest advice.
 

Under 18 immigration guidance

Please note that some countries require proof of parental consent when travelling overseas with under 18s. Please check requirements with the relevant embassy or consular office well in advance of travel if this applies to your party.

Price Guarantee

Once your booking has been confirmed we guarantee the price will not increase, whatever the circumstances. However, please note that if you voluntarily make any changes to your booking including changing your trip or departure date, any additional costs or charges incurred will not be covered. Before booking please ensure you have read our important tour pricing information.Booking Conditions
 

Visa and Passport Information


USA: You will require either a visa or an ESTA (an evisa). Please read on for more information.

Citizens of the UK, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and passport holders from several EU countries can apply for an ESTA under certain conditions. This applies if you enter the country by sea or by air, and this must be done online via https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov, no later than 72 hours prior to travel. Travellers who have not registered before their trip are likely be refused boarding.

You must have a biometric passport to apply for an ESTA. UK passports which are biometric feature a small gold symbol (camera) at the bottom of the front cover.

If you have visited Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen since 2011 or are dual nationals of these countries, you cannot travel with an ESTA and instead you will need to apply for a visa from the nearest US Embassy or Consulate. If you are unable to provide a valid visa before boarding flights to the US, or entering via another method, you may not be permitted to travel. You should also be aware that if you have travelled to or have been in Cuba since the 12th of January 2021, you will not be eligible for an ESTA visa waiver and will need to apply for a US visa. You should consult the US State Department website to determine which you will need.

Your ESTA application will ask for Point of Contact information. Please note that if you're only transiting through the USA then this is not required. If you're visiting or staying in the USA on an Explore trip, then our USA contact information will be listed on your final documentation which you will receive approximately 3-4 weeks before departure.
Entry requirements for the USA can change regularly, therefore, please ensure you have the most up to date information before you travel by checking the US embassy website. Visa applications - http://london.usembassy.gov/niv/apply.html

ETA - only if transiting via Canada
Citizens of the UK, New Zealand, Australia and passport holders from several EU countries can apply for an ETA here - http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/eta.asp - other nationalities should consult their local embassy or consular office.


If you do require assistance in obtaining a visa then you may be able to apply through Explore's recommended visa service in the UK, Travcour. See www.travcour.com to download the relevant visa application for your trip, if applicable (UK citizens only), along with details of how to apply for your visa through Travcour. The Team at Travcour will be happy to answer specific questions relating to visa applications, please call them directly on 0208 5431846.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of a full passport, with the correct validity for your chosen destination.
 

Booking conditions

Before booking your Explore trip, please ensure that you read both our Essential Information and Booking Conditions.
 

Minimum age restrictions

For our group tours, the minimum age is 16. The minimum age on Family trips varies between 7 and 11 - please check the 'Family information' section of the trip page for more information. 


Your safety and enjoyment on tour

We want everyone to have a safe and enjoyable holiday, so we ask you to confirm when booking this trip that you are fit and able to fully participate in all elements of the itinerary. If you have any concerns about your fitness or ability to complete any of the activities, please get in touch with our Customer Relations team at cr@explore.co.uk as soon as possible. Our tour leaders are trained and experienced in managing differing abilities within a group, but if they have concerns about a group member’s ability to safely participate in any element of the itinerary or believe someone’s presence could affect the safety or enjoyment of the holiday for others, in accordance with our Booking Conditions our tour leaders have the authority to ask an individual to miss an activity or activities. This decision would never be taken lightly, but on the rare occasions our tour leaders ask someone to sit out part of the tour, refunds will not be offered and individuals may be liable for additional costs incurred. 
 

Your Tour Leader

All tours aside from extensions, Galapagos cruises and polar expeditions will be led by one of our experienced Tour Leaders. We believe that our Tour Leaders are the key to the success of our tours; they are local experts who are bursting with first-hand knowledge which they love to share, and their unique insights will bring the destination to life. Your Tour Leader will be on hand throughout your tour to make sure arrangements run smoothly, to organise all the local logistics and to keep you safe. Your Tour Leader should be your first point of contact if you encounter any difficulties or disappointments in country – please raise any concerns, however small, with your Tour Leader as they are best placed to assist you.

Transfers

Find out more about Trip Transfer Terms and Conditions before you book.

Booking a land only package with Explore

Customers who have chosen to book on the ‘Land Only’ arrangements of our tour, please ensure that you have checked your tour specific ‘Joining Instructions’ prior to booking your own travel arrangements. Your joining instructions can be found below in the dates and prices information. 

You may also be eligible for the Free Explore Transfer.


Joining Tour Abroad

Customers booked on the ‘Land Only’ arrangements will receive a Free Transfer, provided you arrive and depart on the tour only itinerary start and end dates. The complimentary transfers will be arranged from the Explore designated airport or train station to your trips joining point, and then back from the ending point to the designated airport or train station. Generally the airport or station that Explore have selected will be the one that is closest to the town or city where the trip starts, or the one nearest to the joining point. It will be either an airport or train station but not both.

The exception to this rule is customers who are booked on a tour where the joining and ending point is at the designated airport or train station.  

Free transfers are not available for Polar customers.

If you are not eligible for the Free Transfer then you will need to make your own way through to the joining and ending point. On a majority of our tours Explore will be able to provide a private transfer at an additional cost. Please ask for a quote at the time of booking.  

For more information regarding the Explore Free Transfer click here

Insurance

It is a condition of booking with Explore that you have adequate valid travel insurance. It is your responsibility to arrange appropriate travel insurance and ensure you have read and understood the full terms and conditions of your travel insurance policy to ensure that you are covered for all activities you intend to undertake whilst on the tour, including all optional activities. Your Insurance Policy must fully cover you for medical expenses and emergency repatriation to your home country. Please ensure your policy includes medical emergency helicopter evacuation in the event of illness or injury and covers the entire duration of your holiday. If you are trekking at altitude please ensure that there is no upper altitude limit which may limit or exclude cover for your trip. The cost of many of our Polar Voyages will exceed the capped amount covered by standard insurance premiums and you will be required to pay an additional premium to cover the full value of your trip. Please ensure that you are covered for the full amount of your holiday cost, as insufficient cover could invalidate a claim under the policy. Medical and repatriation insurance cover is not mandatory for UK residents who are travelling on trips within the United Kingdom.
Read more information about what travel insurance is required.

Flight information

Explore can arrange your flights for you, to make joining and leaving our trips easy. Read more about them here.


Flight Information

You are able to book this tour on a 'land only' basis or as a ‘flight inclusive’ package. Your flight inclusive package will be fully protected by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) ATOL protection scheme.

 

Booking a flight inclusive package with Explore

We have a good selection of flights not only from London but from many regional airports around the UK allowing us to compare fares between scheduled carriers as well as low cost and charter airlines. Our dedicated flights team will match the best flight options to your arrival and departure airport.

On our website we display the price of the tour only. Please call us or select the flight option during the online checkout to receive a quote for a flight inclusive package. To avoid paying supplements or to secure your preferred flight option, we recommend booking as early as possible, especially for peak travel dates.

USA

Vaccinations

Nothing compulsory, we recommend protection against typhoid, tetanus, diphtheria, polio and hepatitis A. Please check the latest requirements with your travel clinic or doctor prior to departure. The above is not an exhaustive list. Information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice can be found by on the NaTHNaC website and from your local healthcare provider. Visa and vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed by you before travelling.

Discovery information
Award Winning Explore Leaders
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Price Guarantee Promise
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Airport Transfers
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Print Trip Notes

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