14 days option
Tour Starts: Las Vegas, NV
Tour Ends: Las Vegas, NV
8 days option
Tour Starts: Las Vegas, NV
Tour ends: Salt Lake City, UT
All tours are tailored to the client’s desired standard and specifications but all include:
Hotel accommodation and motorcoach transportation. Admissions to attractions, local guides and meals (incl all taxes and fees) as detailed in the itinerary.
Flights (unless specified for domestic connections), driver, guide and tour escort gratuities.
The endless vistas of red rocks, ancient stories of the Navajo tribe, the giant chasm of canyons, thundering waterfalls, a pristine lake and a barren flat of white sands await you all on the Grand Circle of the most popular US National Parks and beyond.
Endless entertainment and add on options await in this city of glitz, neon lights and high stakes gambling. Participate or observe from the sidelines, each at their own desire, Las Vegas is for everyone!
The biggest and most majestic of them all carved by the mighty Colorado. Make sure you stay for sunset and marvel at the many colors that this natural world wonder shows itself at dawn.
Towering spires, fins, arches and mazes ranging in color from deep red to gold to tan and chalky white. They make a stunning contrast with the green forests and blue sky that surround Bryce Canyon.
Arches boasts the world’s largest concentration of natural sandstone arches right next to Canyonlands with its wide open flat top canyon vistas and incredible bio diversity – both a must see!
The largest alpine lake in the U.S. with 72 miles of pristine shoreline , shimmering in myriad ranges from deep blue to a lush emerald green, surrounded by alpine lake mountain ranges
The UNESCO world heritage site has it all: spectacular granite cliffs, giant waterfalls, and towering trees.
The joined sister parks are home to many ancient giant Sequoia redwoods. The famed General Grant tree is the second largest tree in the world.
Las Vegas
Day 1-13-14
Grand Canyon NP
Day 2
Brice Canyon NP
Day 4
Salt Lake City
Day 7
Reno
Day 8-9-10-11-12
Welcome to fabulous Las Vegas! The night is yours to enjoy this city. Just outside your hotel’s doorstep await neon lights or glamorous shows. The choice is yours!
Start your tour with the grandest of all parks in the West — the Grand Canyon! Travel via I-40, cross historic Route 66 before you arrive at the South Rim, the most popular section of the Grand Canyon. Here, Grand Canyon Village is the starting point for exploration of several view points, perhaps a short hike or an informative, educational visit with one of the rangers at the Grand Canyon Visitor’s Center. Groups will have the option to arrange helicopter flights for those guest who wish to add a “once in a lifetime” experience (customization option at additional cost). Overnight in the greater Grand Canyon area.
This morning, head to Monument Valley. Boasting natural sandstone masterpieces that tower to heights up to 1,000 feet, this sacred valley is owned and operated by the Navajo Nation. The rock formations of the Valley are iconic as it served as a back drop not only for “Marlboro Man” commercials but also in countless movies such as Stagecoach, Easy Rider, Forest Gump, just to name a few. Here, you will have the option to add on an off road ground tour aboard 4 wheel drive covered vehicles that is guided by a Navajo (customization option at additional cost). Then, continue to Page at Lake Powell, home to the Glen Canyon Dam, where we will stay overnight.
Depart this morning heading west with a first stop at Zion National Park. Dubbed an “Oasis amidst the Desert” , the park floor is lush with foliage and offers a home to roaming wildlife such as, mule deer, wild turkeys, gray foxes and the occasional porcupine. From here continue to Bryce Canyon. Despite its name, Bryce is not a canyon but a collection of giant natural amphitheaters. Pillars of red, white, and orange cut through bluest skies. Erosion and rain constantly evolve nature’s amphitheater at Bryce and you will at awe in every direction you turn, Take some time for an easy hike and perhaps enjoy sunset before turning to you nearby hotel for the night.
Traveling northeast you will first pass through Capitol Reef National Park, which was named for a line of white domes and cliffs of Navajo Sandstone, each of which looks somewhat like the United States Capitol building, Then head to Moab, the ideal gateway for a visit to both Arches and Canyonlands National Park. For the past 150 million years, the more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches of Arches National Park have been sculpted by the natural erosion of wind, water, sun, and frost — creating an unmistakably unique landscape. You will also explore Canyonlands National Park, an outdoor wonderland of enchanting vistas carved by the Colorado and Green rivers.
Relax during a day of leisurely driving through beautiful mountain ranges on your way to Salt Lake City, Utah’s capital and home of the spectacular Temple and Mormon Tabernacle. Upon arrival you will enjoy an included panoramic tour of the city. Groups arriving on Thursdays can take advantage of the commonly weekly held Choir rehearsals of the world famous Tabernacle Choir, admission is free and open to the public, allowing you a glimpse into the spectacular Tabernacle Hall.
Continue west with a stop at the Great Salt Lake. The largest salt water lake in the western hemisphere, its size and colors varies dramatically by several thousand square miles in different weather conditions. The rosy color of the northern waters is created by pigmented, salt-loving microbes. So much salt is dissolved in the northern part of Utah’s Great Salt Lake that its edges can become encrusted with crystals that sparkle against a treeless landscape and vast sky. Next, admire the Bonneville Salt Flats, a remnant of what was formerly known as Lake Bonneville in the Pleistocene period. This perfectly flat area is covered by a thick salty crust that appears to the naked eye as white sand. It is an ideal environment for land speed record attempts which happen here frequently and were immortalized in the Anthony Hopkins movie “The Last Indian”.
At the stateline of Nevada and California you will find Lake Tahoe, the largest alpine lake in the U.S. with 72 miles of pristine shoreline. Glistening in radiant blues and greens this lake shatters many records. At 62255 ft (1900 meters) high it is not only one of the highest elevation lakes in the US but it is also the second deepest lake. Perhaps enjoy a lake cruise to famed Emerald Bay here (customization option at additional cost) before continuing to historic Virginia City. An original Frontier town from the Silver rush era still sits on a lode of silver called the Comstock. Though the town is a favorite amongst tourists it prides itself on keeping the historic buildings in their original states and attracting craftsman for traditional arts, such millinery, who are showcasing their first class quality products. If you are looking for a great Cowboy hat or silver jewelry, Virginia City is your place. Overnight two nights in nearby Reno.
Entering California, spend most of the day visiting one of the crown jewels in the National Park system: Yosemite. This is a land where history was made—The US’ first land dedicated to recreation and enjoyment. It is here where the idea of National Parks and its protection for future generations was developed. Officially established as National Park in 1890 (after Yellowstone) Yosemite draws four million annual visitors annually. This diverse land, with elevations ranging from 2,000 to over 13,000 feet, abounds with spectacular granite cliffs, giant waterfalls, and towering trees. Almost 95 percent of the park is classified as wilderness. Enjoy nature’s abundance here. Overnight in nearby Fresno.
The joined sister parks of Kings Canyon and Sequoia National are famous for the ancient giant Sequoia trees. . Giant Sequoias are said to be the oldest living trees on earth and grow up to 90 meters tall and weigh up to 1200 metric tons. They can grow to enormity because of their thick bark that is close to 60 cm thick and that protects the tree form all fires or insects. The trees in these parks have survived hundreds of big wild fires. Visit some of the largest trees in the world, in General Grant Grove, with heights above 300 feet and diameters of more than 20 feet! Enjoy vistas of the forest as your coach meanders through Kings Canyon and stop for a picnic break. Overnight in Bakersfield.
Today we head back to Nevada. If temperature permits, you will head through Death Valley, the lowest point of elevation in North America and home to fantastic rock formations. Stark in appearance and haunting in name, Death Valley is a very-much-alive desert set between high, snow-capped mountains. The name doesn’t do justice to the vibrancy of Death Valley—the mysteries of the life sustained in this arid and isolated landscape capture the attention of adventurers.
Note: When the temperature in Death Valley is projected to be over 105 F/40 C in the morning of departure, the tour will have to forego Death Valley for safety measures
After 2 weeks of seeing the best and most iconic of the Western United States, we hope you depart for home with the greatest memories and a desire to return to these United States for more sites to see.