Wild West Encompassed - 11 days

Las Vegas - Zion National Park. Our tour begins with pick up from the Palms Casino coach loading curb in Las Vegas (address in Trip Notes) unless otherwise specified in your tour documentation.

We head to Zion National Park, Utah’s finest, featuring towering canyon walls and red sandstone cliffs that rise towards a brilliant blue sky. We can take it easy exploring the pristine Emerald Pools or, if the weather allows, enjoy a river hike deep into the Narrows. Then its on to our accommodation for the night.

Please note: This tour has a flexible itinerary, and the below is a general guide of what you can expect on tour. Your tour guide may alter certain night stops to maximize your enjoyment; maybe you opt to visit a local event or stay longer in a certain place. The beauty of a small group tour is that the itinerary can also be adapted to suit the group’s preference! We encourage you to relax and go with the flow!

Zion National Park - Bryce Canyon National Park. Today we make our way to another of Utah's Mighty Five national parks, Bryce Canyon. The drive here takes us up to an elevation of 8,000 feet.

In Bryce Canyon National Park, we can take a leisurely hike along the rim and admire the unique sandstone spires known as "hoodoos" that rise dramatically from the natural amphitheatre. For a closer look, we’ll hike down into the hoodoos and fully immerse ourselves in this fascinating landscape. We stay at a hotel in the Bryce Canyon City area.

Bryce Canyon National Park - Canyonlands National Park - Arches National Park. On day 3 we depart Bryce Canyon National Park, heading towards Canyonlands National Park. There are two optional excursions here: you can discover this breathtaking landscape on a guided sunset Hummer tour or dare to hang from a sandstone cliff during one of our thrilling canyoneering adventures.

The rest of today and day 4 are flexible, but we will spend them exploring Canyonlands and nearby Arches National Park, two more of Utah's Mighty Five. In Canyonlands, we'll enjoy exhilarating walks to see where the Green River meets the Colorado River amidst some of the most breathtaking scenery the Southwest has to offer. We will also be able to enrich our history of the Southwest with tales of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid who used the canyons to hide from the law in the late 1800s. We can also visit the local town of Moab and take in all that Utah's adventure capital has to offer.

Arches National Park is renowned for its stunning natural arches and rock formations. The park features over 2,000 natural stone arches, as well as impressive rock spires, pinnacles, and balanced rocks. We have the opportunity to hike to Delicate Arch. Its distinctive, freestanding structure against the backdrop of the surrounding landscape stands as one of the most famous landscapes of the American Southwest.

Arches National Park - Monument Valley. After breakfast we head south from Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. We will experience the US Southwest's stunning landscapes as we journey to one of the most iconic destinations on the planet. Monument Valley's famous scenery has been used in many Western movies and is home to the Navajo Indians.

We enjoy an included guided 4x4 Jeep safari into this incredible landscape, led by a local Navajo guide, and spend the night at a hotel in the area.

Monument Valley - Antelope Canyon - The Grand Canyon. Today after breakfast, we travel from Monument Valley to Antelope Canyon, where there is an optional visit to the world's most famous slot canyon. This canyon does not require climbing to get to the entrance as it can be found on the ground floor and it is home to spectacular rock formations. Later, we visit Horseshoe Bend to admire the scenic views of the famous bend in the Colorado River.

Next, we make a stop at a Navajo trading post, offering a variety of goods, including handmade Navajo crafts such as jewellery, textiles, pottery, and other traditional arts. These trading posts served as central hubs for trade, providing essential supplies and goods to both Navajo people and visitors in history.

Then it's on to the Grand Canyon. We’ll trace the mighty Colorado River through the Painted Desert to one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World! We can experience breathtaking views with an optional helicopter ride, stroll along the rim at sunset, embark on a hike into one of the deepest and most diverse canyons on Earth, or simply relax in a rim café, soaking up the stunning vistas.

Grand Canyon National Park - Las Vegas. Today we head back to Las Vegas, stopping along the way at one of the towns on historic Route 66. Arriving back in Sin City, we head to our accommodation for the night. There's free time to relax by the pool or head out and explore the famous Strip!

Please note: Some members of the group may be leaving the tour in Las Vegas, and others may join. Your guide and vehicle may also change for the second part of our trip.

Las Vegas - Death Valley National Park - Bishop. We head north-east, crossing from Nevada into California. Our first stop is Death Valley National Park, the hottest and driest place in North America. In 1913, Furnace Creek in Death Valley recorded a temperature of 134°F (56.7°C), which is the highest air temperature ever recorded. We will make a series of photo stops and short walks at highlights of the national park, including Zabriskie Point, Artist’s Palette, Badwater Basin Salt flats, Furnace Creek Visitor Center, Devil’s Golf Course and the Mesquite Sand Dunes.

After a picnic lunch in the park, we continue north to the historic Gold Rush city of Bishop.

Bishop - Yosemite National Park. Today we head for Yosemite National Park. It's an incredibly scenic drive as we cross the Tioga Pass, driving via highlights such as Olmsted Point, Lake Tenaya and the Tuolumne Meadows. On arrival at Yosemite, we will visit the Valley Visitor Center and enjoy a short orientation tour with our guide, ahead of a full day of exploration tomorrow. We'll be staying in the Yosemite National Park area.

Please note: In the event that the Tioga Pass is closed due to weather, this tour will reroute through Lake Isabella instead of Bishop.

Today is spent exploring Yosemite National Park. There are group walks led by our tour guide and you will have free time to strike off on your own too. Take in highlights like the Bridalveil Falls and Lower Yosemite Falls, and enjoy wonderful views of Half Dome and El Capitan. Keep your eyes open for deer, marmots bobcats and black bears (there are no grizzlies in Yosemite) as you explore.

Yosemite National Park - San Francisco. Today we leave Yosemite and make the approximately 3.5 hour drive west across California to reach the City by the Bay, San Francisco. Our tour is ending in the city, but we've got time for an included sightseeing tour first. Discover the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39 and the historic hippie district of Haight Ashbury. Our tour comes to an end at around 5pm, with drop off in the centre of the city (address in Trip Notes).