The American Southwest

Overview

Itinerary at a Glance

• 1 Arrive Las Vegas
• 2 Seligman, and Grand Canyon
• 3 Grand Canyon, Lake Powell
• 4 Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley
• 5 Arches National Park
• 6 Canyonlands National Park and Capitol Reef National Park
• 7 Anasazi Indian State Park, Bryce Canyon National Park
• 8 Zion National Park
• 9 Zion National Park, Depart Las Vegas

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Las Vegas

• Upon arrival into Las Vegas transfer to your hotel
• Welcome orientation at 6:00pm

Golden Nugget Las Vegas

Full Day Itinerary

Viva Las Vegas! Transfer to your hotel, and later meet your fellow adventures for a brief orientation. Enjoy your hotel or see a show in Las Vegas before your journey begins. 

Day 2 Seligman, and Grand Canyon

• Visit Seligman, birthplace of Historic Route 66
• Admire the mighty Grand Canyon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Grand Canyon Plaza Hotel or similar Breakfast & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

After breakfast, meet your guide and fellow travelers and head for Arizona. Step back in time as you visit the town of Seligman, Arizona, the birthplace of historic Route 66. Learn how transportation systems influenced the development of the American West and the creation of this historic route. 

Continue to the Grand Canyon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and take in the awe-inspiring views of the canyon, which runs 277 miles long and 18 miles wide, with a depth of over a mile. Enjoy a sunset stroll along the scenic overlooks and feel the wonders of the majestic canyon and Colorado River below, an unforgettable memory. 

Check into your hotel, followed by a welcome dinner with your fellow travelers. 

Note: Sunset walks along the rim are available during the spring and summer months

Activity: 1 hours/1 miles hiking (multiple trails - longest 1 mile)

Day 3 Grand Canyon, Lake Powell

• Catch the sunrise over the Grand Canyon
• Take part in a guided geology walk at the rim of The Grand Canyon
• Visit Cameron Trading Post
• Admire the stunning views of Lake Powell National Recreation Area

Courtyard by Marriott Page at Lake Powell Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

For the early risers, take a short drive out to a viewpoint to watch the sunrise over the magnificent canyon. Return to your hotel and join your fellow travelers for breakfast.  After breakfast, take a guided geology walk around the Grand Canyon Village area, stopping at the breathtaking vantage points along the rim.

Continue to Cameron Trading Post, an area specializing in Native American crafts, home to a Native American art gallery and a restaurant offering traditional Native American cuisine and Mexican and American favorites. Later this afternoon, arrive at Lake Powell National Recreation Area. Lake Powell, one of the largest man-made reservoirs in the United States, is surrounded by scenic cliffs and water that twists and turns through the canyons. 

Check in, relax, and enjoy an evening on your own. 

Activity: 2 hours/1-2 miles hiking (multiple trails - longest 1 mile)

Day 4 Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley

• Hike Horseshoe Bend Trail to the overlook point
• Take a guided trek through Antelope Canyon, the most famous slot canyon of the Southwest
• Journey through Navajo Tribal Park, in Monument Valley, in a 4x4 with a local Navajo guide

Red Cliffs Lodge, Moab, Element Moab by Westin or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

After an early breakfast, make your way to one of the most magnificent creations of the Colorado River, Horseshoe Bend, where the river has carved a horseshoe-shaped entrenched meander forming this magnificent site. The 1.5-mile loop trail will take you to the lookout point of one of the most splendid views of the Colorado River. 

Later, take a guided trek through Antelope Canyon, one of the most spectacular, most photographed, and most visited slot canyons in the American Southwest. Formed by erosion of Navajo Sandstone, the canyon is your first glimpse into the Navajo Nation. With the canyon's entrance regulated by the Navajo tribe, the 0.6-mile path takes you through the corkscrew loops, offering up some of the most impressive views in the area. While the hike is not long, it is a slot canyon, be prepared to pass through tight spaces. In addition, the hike is on the sand and will require going up and down stairs. 
 
After lunch, cross over into Utah to Monument Valley and explore the sacred site of the Dineh, Navajo people, the keepers of Monument Valley. Meet your local Navajo guide and take a memorable 4x4 tour to see the valley's arches, buttes, and iconic formations. You will also learn about Navajo weaving and wool spinning.

Continue to Moab, check into your hotel, your home for the next two nights.  Enjoy the evening at leisure.

Activity: 2-3 hours/2-3 miles hiking (multiple trails - longest 1.5 miles)  

September 18, 2023 departure will stay at Element Moab by Westin

 

Day 5 Arches National Park

• Hike out to see The Windows, Balance Rock, or Park Avenue at Arches National Park
• Enjoy the afternoon in Moab to explore on your own

Element Moab by Westin, Red Cliffs Lodge, Moab or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

Rise early to Arches National Park for a short 0.7-mile hike to The Windows for an up-close-and-personal look at an arch. Later, if time permits take a short, 0.3-mile walk up to Balance Rock, followed by a one-way 0.8-mile self-guided hike down Park Avenue, a memorable trek with striking views of the canyons.

Spend the afternoon at your leisure.

 

Enjoy dinner on your own. 

Activity: 3-4 hours/3-4 miles hiking (multiple trails - longest 2 miles) 

 

September 18, 2023 departure will stay at Element Moab by Westin

Day 6 Canyonlands National Park and Capitol Reef National Park

• Enjoy a short hike into Canyonlands National Park
• Scenic drive through Capitol Reef National Park, part of The Mighty 5
• Explore the Gifford Homestead
• Visit Rock Art

Red Sands Hotel and Spa or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

Start the day with a short hike into Canyonlands National Park to explore the canyons and buttes carved by the Colorado River and its tributaries. Your journey will take you out to the Island of the Sky district, where you will hike the 0.7-mile loop trail to see Mesa Arch, a stunning stone arch at the cliff edge, offering vast views of the canyon's rock spires and the La Sal Mountains. 

Later, visit the rugged Capitol Reef National Park, the heart of red rock country, with sandstone cliffs, domes, soaring monoliths, and most notable, Waterpocked Fold, a bulge in the earth’s surface. Explore the Gifford Homestead, a unique oasis within Capitol Reef National Park, home to settlement remains, and the most significant historic orchard in the National Park System preserved and protected as a Rural Historic Landscape. Don’t miss the locally baked fruit pies, homemade ice cream, preserves, and other homemade crafty goods!

Before arriving at your hotel, learn about stories told in stone at Torrey Petroglyphs, followed by check-in and an evening on your own.

Activity: 2-3 hours/2-4 miles hiking (multiple trails - longest 2 miles) 

Day 7 Anasazi Indian State Park, Bryce Canyon National Park

• Visit the ruins of the ancient Ancestral Puebloans at Anasazi Indian State Park
• A memorable scenic drive over Route 12 and through Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
• Walk the rim at Bryce Canyon National Park and marvel at the “hoodoos”, part of The Mighty 5
• Enjoy an evening with your fellow travelers over dinner with wine

Hampton Inn & Suites Springdale/Zion National Park, Holiday Inn Express or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

After breakfast, enjoy an interpretive walk through Anasazi Indian State Park to explore the past lives of the Ancestral Puebloans' dwellings and artifacts at the excavated sites.

Ascend 10,000 feet over the petrified canyons and drive along the winding dunes of Scenic Highway 12 through Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument en route to Bryce Canyon National Park. Enjoy breathtaking views as you walk along the rim of Bryce Canyon to see "hoodoos," geological features that began as rock deposits lifted by plate tectonics and later sculpted by weather and erosion, 50 million years in the making. The rim walk is roughly 1.5 miles, and at 8,5000 feet above sea level, we will make stops along the way. Continue your journey to Springdale, Utah, home to the renowned Zion National Park, with stunning trails and narrow slot canyons, completing your quest to visit Utah's Mighty 5.

Check in to your hotel, your home for the next two nights. Enjoy an evening at leisure. 

 Activity: 2-3 hours/2-3 miles hiking (multiple trails - longest 1.5 miles) 

Day 8 Zion National Park

• Hike to Lower Emerald Pools at Zion National Park, part of The Mighty Five
• Enjoy the afternoon at Zion National Park to explore on your own, or enjoy the lovely town of Springdale

Hampton Inn & Suites Springdale/Zion National Park, Holiday Inn Express or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

After an early breakfast, take the shuttle into Zion National Park, Utah’s first National Park and home to a collection of sandstone cliffs and slot canyons. Start at the Lower Emerald Pool Trail, a 1.4-mile hike filled with breathtaking scenery and incredible views. Later, if time permits take the Riverside walkout to view The Narrows, the narrowest section of Zion National Park.  

Enjoy a picnic lunch inside Zion National Park. Spend the afternoon at Zion National Park to explore on your own, or enjoy the lovely town of Springdale.

Enjoy dinner with your fellow companions.

 Activity: 3 - 4 hours/3-4 miles hiking (multiple trails - longest 2 miles) 

Day 9 Zion National Park, Depart Las Vegas

• Option to rise early for one last hike in Zion
• Late morning transfer to the airport in Las Vegas

Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

Today you can rise early and take one more hike in Zion or have the opportunity to relax at the hotel before departing for Las Vegas to catch afternoon homebound flights. Arrive at Las Vegas airport at 1:00 pm. Depart Las Vegas after 3:00 pm and board your flight back home.

Hotels

Golden Nugget Las Vegas

First Class

Golden Nugget is conveniently located on Fremont street in the heart of downtown Las Vegas. It was built in 1946 and was the first structure designed from the ground up to be a casino. Its convenient location is just steps away from the Fremont Street Experience and an open-air mall filled with shops, cafes, restaurant's, and live entertainment.

More information

Grand Canyon Plaza Hotel

Tourist Class

The Grand Canyon Plaza Hotel is located in the town of Tusayan Arizona, 1 mile from the south entrance to Grand Canyon National Park. One of the original properties in the area, the hotel is family owned and operated, offering a more personal service for the guests.  Explore the surrounding area, take a canyon hike, visit the IMAX theater in town, or just relax by the pool or indoor spa.

More information

Courtyard by Marriott Page at Lake Powell

Tourist Class

Courtyard by Marriott Lake Powell in Page, on a mesa overlooking Arizona's breathtaking Glen Canyon and Lake Powell. Page is the center of Grand Circle historical sites, the gateway to the scenic American West, including wonderous places such as Lake Powell, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Antelope Canyon, and Horseshoe Bend.

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Red Cliffs Lodge, Moab

Tourist Class

Red Cliffs Lodge is conveniently located on the edge of the town of Moab, on the banks of the Colorado River surrounded by 2000-foot cliffs. Red Cliffs Lodge is just a short drive away from the mighty Arches National Park. 

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Element Moab by Westin

Tourist Class

Element Moab opened in March 2021 and is conveniently located 3 miles away from the entrance to Arches National Park. Element Moab offers a sleek and modern design, a refreshing refuge from the outside terrain. 

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Red Sands Hotel and Spa

Tourist Class

The Red Sands Hotel and Spa in convenience located in Torrey Utah, just a short drive to Capitol Reef National Park, one of the the most beautiful national parks in southern Utah. Red Sands Hotel offers a unique country feel offering a perfect blend with its natural environment. Enjoy a local hike in Red Rock country, or sit back and gaze at the stars by the outdoor fire pits. 

More information

Hampton Inn & Suites Springdale/Zion National Park

Tourist Class

The Hampton Inn & Suites Springdale/Zion National Park, UT, is located amidst the towering red rock cliffs of Zion National Park.  You can walk to the local restaurants, art galleries, and boutique shopping, or take the town shuttle for a 5 min drive to the park entrance or town. 

More information

Holiday Inn Express

Tourist Class

The Holiday Inn Express is tucked among the towering red rock cliffs of Zion Canyon, 1.2-miles from the South entrance of Zion National Park and just a few steps away from local dining and shops in Springdale. The Holiday Inn Express features stunning views and well-groomed lawns. Renovated in 2015, the Holiday Inn Express is designed to echo the natural elegance of Zion National Park. Enjoy the relaxing year-round hot tub, or sit back and gaze at the stars by the outdoor fire pits.

More information

In the unlikely event that a particular hotel is not available, a similar or better hotel may be substituted.

Reviews & Photos

Trip Details

• What should I know before I go? We've compiled a comprehensive checklist, including information on how to pay your balance due, flights & transfers, packing & luggage, and more.
• Do I need a visa or other documents? Are there any entry requirements? Please review the visa & entry requirements.
• Can I make changes to my trip? Have something a little different in mind? Just ask!
• Can I bring my kids? Are there any age restrictions? To book this package, you must be 18 or older. Your traveling companions must be 8 or older at time of travel.
• Should I purchase travel insurance? Yes! We recommend you purchase travel insurance to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. For your convenience, we offer a plan provided by Travelex Insurance Services.
• What's the fine print? Review the terms & conditions for this package.
• What should I know about the United States? Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.