National Parks Explorer: San Francisco, Yellowstone, Mojave Desert & More
- Duration
- 15 Days
- Prices From:
- US$ 3,668
MODERATE | ESCORTED COACH TOUR: Visit most of the great national parks, all in one trip. Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, Arches National Parks, Bryce and, of course, the Grand Canyon offer spectacular scenery and material for many dinner conversations. Start in fabulous San Francisco, see Lake Tahoe, Salt Lake City and Flagstaff. Cross the Mojave Desert on your way to the glitz of Las Vegas before traversing the Mojave Desert, dotted with Joshua trees, to arrive in glamorous Los Angeles.
This 15-day American tour takes you from San Francisco to Los Angeles through the western states to explore some of the most beautiful national parks in the US, including Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, and the Grand Canyon. It features moderate accommodations and small group tours.
Your trip through the American West begins in San Francisco, often called the most beautiful city in America, where you’ll spend two nights and have plenty of leisure time to dine on delicious seafood and visit landmarks. A city tour will make sure you see some of the favourite spots, from Union Square to Fisherman’s Wharf, and, of course, the Golden Gate Bridge. Start your journey and pass through Sacramento en route to Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Along the way, you’ll visit Virginia City to get a taste of a 19th century Gold Rush town, before you reach Reno for a night at leisure.
Pass into the Black Rock Desert of Northern Nevada and follow the Oregon Trail along the Humboldt River to reach Elko, a ragtag settlement at the eastern end of the Central Pacific Railroad. Head into Idaho and base yourself in Twin Falls for the night before you cross Snake River and head into the eerie desert landscape of Craters of the Moon, where early astronauts did their lunar training.
Cross over into Wyoming and reach Yellowstone National Park, one of the undeniable highlights of the American West, and the first national park formed in the nation. A tour of the park will showcase some of its popular wonders, including Yellowstone Lake, the famously punctual geyser Old Faithful, and the majestic falls of Yellowstone Canyon, if the season permits. Follow the snow-capped mountains south and pass into Grand Teton National Park, where you’ll see the Snake River Outlook made famous by the photographs of Ansel Adams, and might spot some elk, moose, and bison, if you’re lucky. Pass through Jackson and back into Southern Idaho before crossing into Utah to reach Salt Lake City. Spend a day exploring the capital of the state and the centre of the LDS church. A tour will take you to the State Capitol building as well as Temple Square where the LDS Tabernacle is located. Hit the road again and travel southeast to reach Canyonlands National Park, where the Colorado River cut through the desert landscape to create a sweeping terrain of deep canyons, red rock buttes, and otherworldly colours. Explore the park before heading to Moab for the night. The next day, head into nearby Arches National Park to see some of the 2,000 natural stone arches that dot the landscape. You’ll have the option to join a jet boat float on the Colorado River before you continue to Capitol Reef National Park and Bryce Canyon, where sandstone spires and pinnacles known as hoodoos dazzle everyone who visits. This is also a great spot for stargazing if you get a clear night. Continue your American vacation into Arizona, where you’ll see the crystal-clear waters of Lake Powell and enter Navajo Nation, home to the region’s most famous Indigenous peoples. Cross the Painted Desert to the Grand Canyon, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and one of the most overwhelming landmarks you’re ever likely to visit. Head up to the rim and gaze over the ledge into the deep red canyon below to get a sense of the scale. On the final leg of your journey through the American West, you’ll descend into the Mojave Desert and pass through Seligman, a famously vintage stop along Route 66, en route to Las Vegas, the American capital of all things entertainment. You’ll have a full day at leisure in Las Vegas to hit the Strip, try your luck at the casinos, and take in some of the famous stage shows that attract visitors year-round. After hopefully getting lucky, head west across the Mojave Desert dotted with Joshua trees to Los Angeles, the final stop on your vacation, where you’ll tour Hollywood, the Sunset Strip, and the Beverly Hills before bidding your tour group farewell. At the end of your tour, you’ll head to LAX for onward travels.
- Duration
- 15 Days
- Prices From:
- US$ 3,668
Itinerary View Trip Map
San Francisco
Arrive at San Francisco International Airport and transfer independently your hotel. Depending on your time of arrival, you might be able to explore a little bit of the city by the Bay and there is a briefing with your tour director at the hotel in the evening. San Francisco is a walking city and has great neighborhoods waiting to be explored.
Overnight San Francisco
| Duration | 2 nights |
|---|
San Francisco
Take a city tour which includes Union Square, the Civic Center and Fisherman's Wharf. Standing on a hilltop, watching the fog swirl in through the Golden Gate, it is easy to understand why many consider San Francisco the most beautiful city in America. Enjoy the afternoon and evening at leisure, perhaps a cable car ride to Fisherman's Wharf where one may enjoy a ‘Taste of San Francisco’: local seafood, famous sourdough breads or decadent Ghiradelli's Chocolate. Or take a stroll by Sea Lions' Marina to watch them frolic and play. Be sure to gaze across the bay to Alcatraz Island where ‘America's Most Wanted’ such as Al Capone and ‘Machine Gun‘ Kelly were incarcerated.
Overnight San Francisco
San Francisco - Lake Tahoe - Sierra Nevada Mountains - Reno
Depart for Sacramento, capital of the ‘Golden State’ with a stop in its Old Town, once a bustling center of the Gold Rush and terminus of the Pony Express. Continue to gorgeous Lake Tahoe, nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In the afternoon visit Virginia City, a 19th century mining metropolis where the Old West comes to life. A short drive takes you to Reno and your hotel, where you may be tempted to try your luck in the casino.
Overnight Reno
| Duration | 1 night |
|---|
Reno - Black Rock Desert - Twin Falls
Journey through the Black Rock Desert and across the plains of northern Nevada. Follow the Humboldt River along the route that was once used by early pioneers on the Oregon and California Trails. Visit Elko, the formerly rough and tumble town that sat at the end of the tracks laid from the west by the Central Pacific Railroad. Crossing the state line at Jackpot you enter Twin Falls, located within Idaho's Magic Valley region.
Overnight Twin Falls
| Duration | 1 night |
|---|
Twin Falls - Craters of The Moon - Yellowstone
Leaving Twin Falls, you cross the Snake River, known as ‘The River of No Return’ and visit Craters of the Moon National Monument. This eerie desert landscape so closely resembles lunar conditions that the training for the first men on the moon took place here. Later this afternoon you arrive at Yellowstone National Park, established in 1872 by Ulysses S. Grant as the nation's first National Park.
Overnight Yellowstone
| Duration | 2 nights |
|---|
Yellowstone
Enjoy a comprehensive sightseeing tour of this immense geothermal wonderland. Highlights of your tour include Yellowstone Lake, famous Old Faithful, Mammoth Hot Springs, and Yellowstone Canyon's majestic falls (seasonal).
Overnight Yellowstone
Yellowstone - Grand Tetons - Jackson - Salt Lake City
This morning's journey is through the rugged, snow-capped mountains which welcome you to Grand Teton National Park. Visit the Snake River Outlook and try your eye at capturing the stunning landscape made famous by Ansel Adam's iconic photograph. This prairie land is home to wild buffalo, called Tatanka by the Lakota, moose, and elk. Continue to Jackson Hole, the sophisticated ‘Crown Jewel
of the Rocky Mountains. Travel through southern Idaho to Salt Lake City in the Mormon State of Utah. See the State Capitol building and visit famed Temple Square and the Tabernacle before arriving at the hotel for the evening. May we suggest dinner at the Roof Restaurant for panoramic views of Temple Square? (optional). Overnight Salt Lake City
| Duration | 1 night |
|---|
Salt Lake City - Canyonlands N.P. - Moab
Heading south this morning, pass through Provo, home to Brigham Young University, enroute to Canyonlands National Park. Discover a wilderness of countless canyons and fantastically formed buttes carved by the Colorado River and its tributaries. Rivers divide the park into four districts: the Island in the Sky, the Needles, the Maze, and the rivers themselves. You can visit some of the most scenic spots in the Island in the Sky mesa that rests on sheer sandstone cliffs over 1,000 feet above the surrounding terrain. Continue to Moab for your stay tonight.
Overnight Moab
| Duration | 2 nights |
|---|
Moab - Arches N.P. - Moab
Today you visit Arches National Park, one of Utah's Mighty 5 to discover a landscape of contrasting colours, shapes, and textures unlike any other in the world. With over 2,000 natural stone arches, in addition to hundreds of soaring pinnacles and giant balanced rocks, this red rock wonderland amazes with its formations and inspires with its unique scenery. In the evening enjoy an optional Jet Boat Float trip on the Mighty Colorado River.
Overnight Moab
Moab - Capitol Reef - Bryce Canyon
Visit Capitol Reef National Park, a destination of extraordinary natural beauty, established in 1937 to protect a unique geological feature. Continue to spectacular Bryce Canyon, where a tour through a multi-colored world of sandstone spires and pinnacles, "hoodoos", will dazzle the eye. This evening, weather permitting, be sure to gaze upon the spectacular night sky filled with sparkling stars and brilliant constellations.
Overnight Bryce Canyon area
| Duration | 1 night |
|---|
Bryce Canyon - Lake Powell - Grand Canyon - Flagstaff
Travel to stunning Lake Powell today, where crystal blue water laps against towering red rock canyon walls. After crossing the Colorado, enter the Navajo Indian Reservation and drive through the Painted Desert via Cameron Trading Post. Arrive at the Grand Canyon, one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World. Stop at the rim to closely experience this mile-deep colorful canyon's plunging gorges and rising spires formed by the mighty Colorado River.
Overnight in Flagstaff.
| Duration | 1 night |
|---|
Flagstaff - Seligman/Route 66 - Las Vegas
Descend the high Coconino Plateau into the mesmerizing Mojave Desert. Along the way, pass through Seligman, a town built along the famed Historic Route 66 that looks as if it were frozen in time 60 years ago. From here you travel to Las Vegas, the dazzling ‘Entertainment Capital of the World.’ The remainder of the day is at leisure for you to explore the famous Las Vegas Strip.
Overnight Las Vegas
| Duration | 2 nights |
|---|
Las Vegas
Enjoy a full day Las Vegas style. Walk the famous Strip lined with mega-resorts and flashing neon lights, place a bet at one of the many casino tables, dine in world-class restaurants, catch the latest must-see show, shop designer boutiques, ride a rollercoaster, lay by the pool ... the list goes on. With so much to do, 24 hours in a day hardly seems like enough.
Overnight Las Vegas
Las Vegas - Mojave Desert - Beverly Hills - Los Angeles
Today starts with a stop at the iconic Las Vegas Welcome Sign where you may wish to capture a last photo memory. Travel to Los Angeles through the Mojave Desert where singing sand dunes, cinder cone volcanoes and clusters of unique Joshua trees dot the mountainous landscape. Upon arrival in Los Angeles enjoy a tour including Hollywood, Sunset Strip, and parts of Beverly Hills, before reaching your hotel.
Over night Los Angeles
| Duration | 1 night |
|---|
Los Angeles
Transfer independently to Los Angeles International Airport for your flight home unless you plan to extend your stay in the area.
Other Information
DEPARTURES:
2023 Saturday departures: May 27, July 15, August 19, September 2
PRICE INCLUDES:
- Welcome Reception and meet your fellow travelers
- Deluxe transportation throughout
- Services of a professional Tour Manager throughout
- 2 nights moderate accommodations in San Francisco
- 1 night moderate accommodations in Reno
- 1 night moderate accommodations in Twin Falls
- 2 nights moderate accommodations in Yellowstone
- 1 night moderate accommodations in Salt Lake City
- 2 nights moderate accommodations in Moab
- 1 night moderate accommodations in Bryce Canyon
- 1 night moderate accommodations in Flagstaff
- 2 nights moderate accommodations in Las Vegas
- 1 night moderate accommodations in Los Angeles
- Six complimentary breakfasts. (Complimentary breakfast offered by a hotel may be discontinued at any time with or without notice).
- Sightseeing as specified
- Hotel taxes, service charges and baggage (one suitcase per person)
PRICE EXCLUDES:
- Travel insurance
- International and domestic airfare & airfare taxes
- Entrances fees to sites not explicitly listed as included
- Meals and beverages not mentioned
- Gratuities
- Items of a personal nature
- Visa fees if applicable
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS:
- Take in the sites and sounds of the city by the Bay, San Francisco, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Union Square, and Fisherman’s Wharf
- Discover California’s State Capital, Sacramento, and get a sense of the Golden state’s young but rich history
- Travel along the shores of Lake Tahoe and enjoy picturesque stops enroute
- Stroll the glitzy main street of the ‘Biggest Little City in the World,’ Reno
- Transport yourself to another planet, exploring the Craters of the Moon National Monument
- Discover the limitless natural majesty of the world’s first National Park, Yellowstone
- Witness the stunning rugged peaks of the Grand Teton Mountain Range
- Experience Salt Lake City including Temple Square, home to the Mormon Tabernacle
- Capture the ethereal mountain landscapes of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks
- Explore the unique rock formations of Bryce Canyon National Park
- Gaze at the majestic Grand Canyon
- Traverse historic Route 66, stopping at the iconic roadside town of Seligman
- Enjoy leisure time for shopping, gambling, eating, or all the above in glitzy Las Vegas
- Post an Instagram of yourself at the iconic “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign
- Stroll the Hollywood Walk of Fame and find your favorite celebrity’s star
- Get a glimpse of all the glamour Los Angeles has to offer with stops at its most famous spots
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
Prices are "from" per person based on twin/double share accommodation and for travel in low season. Seasonal surcharges and blackout dates may apply. Limited seat/spaces and all pricing is subject to change and availability. Rates for single or triple travellers are available on request - please inquire.
2 Sep 2023
