Spectacular Canyons and National Parks
Overview
Itinerary
Home to dazzling casinos, glitzy wedding chapels and incredible dining experiences, there's no better way to kick off your US national parks value tour than in Sin City! Meet up with your Travel Director for a glimpse of what's to come, then, get right into the bright lights and fun-filled streets however you choose, with a walk through Downtown, head to 'The Strip'...or both! Vegas is your ultimate playground.
Whether you're a lover of great scenery or classic roadside attractions, iconic Route 66 has got you covered. Today's destination? The Grand Canyon, one of the world's seven natural wonders of the world and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Take in all the epic vistas of this 2-billion-year-old marvel of nature. Want to make your visit extra special? Why not treat yourself to a once in a lifetime helicopter ride over the North and South Rim? Awestruck, you'll then visit the Grand Canyon Village before arriving in Flagstaff, a laid-back outpost on Route 66.
How to kick off a day of adventure on your US national parks value tour? With an Iconic Breakfast at Charly's Pub & Grill located in one of the oldest hotels in Flagstaff.
Next up: Monument Valley, a symbol of the wild west with its rusty red spindles and buttes reaching 36 meters into the air. Dive into the local history and geology teaming up with a local Navajo guide for a Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park Guided Tour, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience.
Ahhh, Zion. Famous for its red and white cliffs, canyons and wildflower meadows, buttes, mesas and natural arches. Walk the many hiking trails, take in the sights of the Virgin River and have your camera ready to capture the unique geological formations. Enjoy lunch at Zion Park Lodge before heading out to Bryce Canyon. Choose to join a chuckwagon dinner at Ebenezer's dinner and show or rest up anticipating adventures in this stunning national park tomorrow.
Multicoloured 'hoodoos' and large amphitheatres, this can only be Bryce Canyon National Park. Stand in awe at the open areas whipped into shape by centuries of wind and rain. Walk along one of the juniper lined trails to the rim of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. From colourful scenery to colourful cities, Salt Lake City is your next stop on your US national parks value tour. With an evening full of possibilities, why not head to the downtown area for a stop in one of its tempting restaurants, coffeehouses and laidback bars?
This morning in Utah's small town feeling capital city, drive by Temple Square, the city's most famous sight. Hey, Wyoming! Where snow-covered mountain ranges seem to rise and fall before your eyes. Arrive in the city of Alpine where three rivers converge against the backdrop of the Tetons. Settle into your hotel this evening situated along the banks of Snake River. Play a round of tennis, stretch out in the indoor heated swimming pool, or enjoy the scenic mountain views of Alpine.
Today on your US national parks tour, you won't be able to take your eyes away from the window as you follow the Snake River through the forest and mountains before arriving at Grand Teton National Park. A stroll around Jackson Town Square gets you a lay of the land and admiring the famous elk antlers that signal the gateway to the park.
Hot springs, bubbling mud pots, vast canyons and lush forests as far as the eye can see are yours to behold at Yellowstone National Park. Wildlife seekers, get ready for a treat! Grizzly bears, wolves, bison and elk all roam free here. Take your time exploring as you tick off the key sites including the biggest crowd pleaser of them all, Old Faithful, named for its dependable eruption every 44 to 125 minutes.
One day at Yellowstone surely isn't enough, and this morning on your US national parks value tour will take you to Mammoth Hot Springs. Said to look like a cave turned inside out, the soft limestone of this area needs to be seen to be believed. Be dazzled by the gradation of colours and levels before you tick off another hot spot: Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. This 19-mile-long canyon bedazzles in shades of yellow, red, white and pink. You'll then head on to the frontier town of Cody, a lively place with saloons that will keep the high energy of the day going into the night.
Big mountains, big lakes and big stretches of uninterrupted skyline... it's no wonder Montana has earned the nickname ‘Big Sky Country.' On a free morning in Wyoming, discover the area your way with a Choice Experience visit to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.
Next stop, Little Bighorn Battlefield, the site of the 1876 battle between the US Army's 7th Cavalry and the Lakota and Cheyenne warriors. In Buffalo, your evening is free to explore the city your way.
The Black Hills region is a mix of canyons and peaks that bridge the Wyoming and South Dakota border. See how it got its nickname from the dark ponderosa pines that cover the hillsides on your way to Crazy Horse monument which has been under construction for over 70 years. Discover more Native American history on your US national parks value tour by paying a visit to the nearby Indian Museum of North America.
Tonight, choose to get your first glimpse of Mount Rushmore, learning more about the nation's patriotic past, present and future with a National Park ranger.
Sure to be a highlight: Mount Rushmore. As the largest statue-monument in the world, the stony faces of four of America's presidents carved 18 meters tall into the granite hillside loom large - bigger and more detailed than you could have imagined. Don't miss you chance to join Badlands National Park Sightseeing, learning about the 99,000 hectares that make up the unique geology.
As your tour of the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Park - not to mention Las Vegas, Monument Valley, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Grand Teton and Mount Rushmore - comes to an end today, you'll no doubt be reflecting on the phenomenal sights and experiences you've had over the past fortnight.
Trip Inclusions
- Bryce Canyon National Park - Marvel at the multi-coloured hoodoos
- Crazy Horse Memorial - Witness the towering memorial for all Native American tribes
- Flagstaff - Iconic Breakfast at Charly's Pub and Grill which welcomed many famous people and presidents
- Grand Canyon - Experience this amazing UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Grand Teton National Park - Explore this popular destination for hiking, camping and fishing
- Jackson - Walk among the giant elk antler arches
- Lake Powell - See the second largest man-made lake in the U.S.
- Monument Valley - Explore in an open-air vehicle tour with a Navajo Local Guide
- Mount Rushmore - Gaze at the faces of four U.S. presidents
- Yellowstone National Park - Visit the first U. S National Park
- Zion National Park - See gorgeous canyon country
- Las Vegas: Route 66, home to many Americana landmarks, museums and icons from the bygone days. On your journey along this historic route, stop at Kingman and Seligman - noteworthy towns on Route 66. Learn how although it only existed between 1926 and 1985, Route 66 has become a symbol of the American dream of adventurers and migrants who sought opportunities out west.
- Grand Canyon National Park: One of the seven natural wonders of the world and the second most visited national park in the United States. Explore the Visitor Center and get familiar with the history of the Grand Canyon, grab a coffee at a local cafe and take a walk along the Rim Trail. Keep your camera on-hand as you explore some of the 278 miles of the Colorado River and adjacent canyonlands at one of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world with unmatched vistas along its rim.
- Monument Valley: Immerse yourself in the landscape of the Navajo people journeying through the desert to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. Get a feel for the land and its people climbing aboard an open-air, all-terrain vehicle to explore the valley with your Navajo guide as you pass its towering sandstone buttes and mesas, many of which have been featured in prominent Western films including John Wayne's ‘Stagecoach'. Your exclusive Navajo Tribal Park tour with a Navajo guide helps preserve the integrity of the land and culture. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities.
- Zion National Park: Follow hiking trails beside the Virgin River or venture into The Narrows, where canyon walls rise high above the water. Capture Zion's towering rock formations on camera and take in the scale of Zion Canyon as you explore more of its namesake National Park.
- Bryce Canyon National Park: In Bryce Canyon National Park, you follow juniper-lined trails towards viewpoints along the rim of the Paunsaugunt Plateau, where rose, orange and cream hoodoos spill across vast natural amphitheatres below. Shaped by millions of years of freezing and thawing, slender spires, scalloped ridges and shadowed folds of rock stretch away through the canyon.
- Yellowstone National Park: Experience Yellowstone National Park, a place of dramatic landscapes, wildlife and geothermal activity. As you travel through the park, look out for bison, elk and hot springs, all part of the world's first national park.
- Black Hills: Unlock the history of Crazy Horse Memorial. Learn how construction began in 1948 after Henry Standing Bear, a Lakota elder, commissioned Korczak Ziolkowski, who worked on construction of Mount Rushmore. While the original idea was to carve a face into rock like Mount Rushmore, the monument will ultimately have a full body and horse. There is no completion date yet, but the face of Crazy Horse was completed in 1998 at 87 feet 6 inches (26.7 m) high.
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- Many meals included
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries
- City orientation tours
- Extensive variety of Choice Experiences (Additional Cost)
- On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilised.
- 10 Breakfasts (B)
- 1 Lunch (L)
- Itinerary and inclusions are subject to change
- Price is for land, cruise and internal flights as specified. Flights not specified are not included
You’ll enjoy the icons and hidden gems with a Local Specialist by your side. Read more
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Trafalgar The Americas (2027-28)
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