 |
(USA) 406 646 1118 x 12 • Email •
| |
Tour Calendar
|
|
| S |
M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
| 8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
| 15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
| 22 |
23 |
24 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
28 |
| 29 |
30 |
31 |
|
Tour doesn't run this month.
| |
New York Grand Canyon Tour, Plus Las Vegas, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Salt Lake City Eight Days
 Price |
$1995.00 per person
All prices are in US currency. |
| Highlights | Extend your stay at any or all of the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Yellowstone, Bryce Canyon and Page!
The bright lights of Las Vegas
Old Faithful and the animals and mysteries of Yellowstone
A lot of exposure to the Navajo (Indian) people and their culture
Options of taking a Grand Canyon helicopter tour, a Colorado River raft trip, an ATV trip at Bryce Canyon
Navajo led off road tours at Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon
The hoodoos at Bryce
Hike to Horseshoe Bend
The Grand Canyon... and much more!
Scroll down for the tour itinerary, or click here.
|
| Similar Tours | You may also enjoy the following similar tours...
New York's Best Grand Canyon And More Tour!
New York Grand Canyon tour plus Las Vegas, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Salt Lake and more seven days
New York To San Francisco Grand Canyon tour, plus Las Vegas, Monument Valley, Death Valley, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Yosemite, Antelope Canyon: Six Days
|
Itinerary
Day 1 - Flight from New York to Las Vegas - 5.5 to 8.5 hours
| | Pick ups for this tour take place at hotels in the tourist parts of New York City, and anywhere else within about half an hour of the airport. You will be shuttled from your hotel for the flight to Las Vegas, for your Grand Canyon tour from New York. As you will see, however, there is so much more than just the Grand Canyon!.
We try and use an airline that does not charge a checked baggage fee. If this is not possible, you will need to pay the fee. Please note that if you book this tour within three weeks of the tour departure date, the price of this flight may increase. If it does, there may be a surcharge which we will let you know about beforehand. Unless you tell us otherwise, we will try and book a morning flight for you. Our price is based on a one stop flight but we may give you the option of upgrading to a non stop. You will fly out of one of the three main New York airports.
On landing in Vegas you will be picked up and shuttled to your hotel, which will be at least a three star property, on the famous Strip. Please be aware that Vegas hotel prices are a lot higher on weekends, public holidays and when large conventions are on. This may result in a higher price being passed on to you, but we will once again let you know beforehand if this is the case.
After checking in, you are on your own to explore Sin City! You will find that you are surrounded by mega casinos and hotels, with so much to see and do! Today is an unescorted part of the tour. What this means is that you do not have a tour guide with you. |
Day 2
Day 2 - Las Vegas to Hoover Dam - 33 mi / 53.1 km - About 45 minutes
Map | We'll leave the bright lights of Vegas in the rear view mirror as we depart town. The route to the Grand Canyon takes us past both Lake Mead and Hoover Dam. A bridge has been built over the Colorado River, and this road bypasses Hoover Dam. Because of this, some tours that go out to the Grand Canyon may no longer stop there for a photo opportunity. |
Day 2 - Hoover Dam to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon - 244 mi / 392.6 km - About 3.5 hours
Map | Leaving Hoover Dam we travel through the desert, before arriving in the small Arizona town of Kingman, where we pick up the freeway towards the Grand Canyon. At Williams, Arizona, we head north for about 50 miles (80 kilometres), towards the South Rim. |
Day 2 - Grand Canyon - 277 mi / 445.69 km - About half an hour
| | A tiny town called Tusayan borders the Grand Canyon, and the small local airport is just to the south of Tusayan. We will stop there to allow those of you who want to take an optional helicopter tour to do so.
Although expensive, a helicopter is a great way to see as much of the Grand Canyon as possible, in a short period of time. You fly over the deepest and widest parts of the Grand Canyon, through the Dragon Corridor, and on to the North Rim, where you can view the geological differences between the two rims. On the way back to the South Rim you will take in breathtaking views of temples, shrines and other rock formations. The tour must be ordered ahead of time, preferably when you order the main tour itself.
There are times when adverse weather conditions prevent the tour from taking place. Should this happen, you will get a full refund. If you choose not to do the helicopter tour, your guide will generally take you into the Grand Canyon earlier, although this does depend on traffic and weather conditions. |
Day 2 - Grand Canyon to Page - 139 mi / 223.65 km
Map | At the Grand Canyon we will take you to several of the main viewpoints, including Mather Point and Bright Angel. Your skilled guide will give you an overview of the layout of the South Rim, and then leave you on your own to explore for a while. You can stroll around the Canyon, take pictures, admire the views, buy souvenirs, or get something to eat. |
Day 2 - Spend more time at the Grand Canyon!
| | You can now extend your stay at the Grand Canyon. Instead of leaving the Canyon now and continuing your tour, you can spend as many extra nights there as you like. When you order the tour, you will see an option to add extra time at the Grand Canyon. Simply add as many additional nights as you want to stay there.
The way it works is that you will be taken out to the Grand Canyon, be shown some of the sights, and you will then check into your hotel. We always try and reserve a room at Bright Angel Lodge, which is at the rim. Depending on how late you book, this is often not possible, and we may book you at either Maswik Lodge, which is about a quarter mile (0.4 km) from the rim, or Yavapai Lodge, which is less than half a mile (0.75 km) from the rim, on the free shuttle route.
You will be at liberty to explore the Canyon on your own for the extra time that you choose. Please note that there will not be a tour guide with you for the extra night. The extended Grand Canyon stay is subject to lodging availability in the park. We will check this once the order has been placed.
The rest of the group will continue on their way through the Canyon to Page. If you extend, you will be picked up by one of our guides after your extended stay. The tour carries on as detailed below for those who are not spending a night or two at the Grand Canyon.Grand View Point And The East Side Of The South Rim |
| | The route we take out of the Grand Canyon travels along the less visited east part of the South Rim. There are several photo opportunities along the road. On the way we will stop at the Desert View Watchtower, a unique building designed by the legendary architect, Mary Colter, using rocks brought up from the bottom of the Canyon. The inside of the tower is full of artwork by Hopi (Indian) artists. Desert View Watchtower |
| | We will start dropping down from the South Rim, to the desert that is Navajo Nation land below. On the way we pass the Cameron Trading Post, one of the best purveyors of southwestern souvenirs and native American art and jewelry. If there is time we will stop here briefly.
Climbing up to a plateau once again, we start to approach Page, on the shores of Lake Powell. In the summer months, after checking in at your hotel we invite you to join our guide for a hike to Horseshoe Bend. When there is less daylight we may do Horseshoe Bend some other time.
Horseshoe Bend is one of the west's best kept secrets. The hike there is about 20 minutes each way, up and down a hill, and at times the ground below is made up of loose sand. The views of the Colorado River far below, seen through the precipitous canyon walls, are spectacular.Horseshoe Bend: Optional hike |
Day 3 - Colorado River float trip
| | The Colorado River flows from Lake Powell out of Glen Canyon Dam, towards Lee's Ferry, the official starting point of raft trips through the Grand Canyon. This morning you have the option of taking a float trip down the river. If you choose not to do so, you can sleep in, laze at the pool, or explore Page.
The adventure begins with an unusual ride down the two mile long Glen Canyon Dam access tunnel. At river level, with the dam soaring almost 600 feet above you, you will board a comfortable, motorized pontoon raft for your journey downstream.
For the next fifteen miles, you will experience one of the most dramatic stretches of river in the western United States. Your experienced guide will tell the story of the area’s soaring sandstone cliffs, crystal blue-green waters, abundant wildlife, exploration by Major John Wesley Powell (after whom Lake Powell is named) and others, and the river's modern role in the Southwest’s water and power delivery system.
A stop to view an impressive set of ancient petroglyphs will offer you a chance to stretch your legs while bearing witness to the area’s former inhabitance by ancient native cultures. If you choose, you may also refresh yourself by wading in the cold, clear river.
The river portion of your trip ends at historic Lees Ferry, gateway to the Grand Canyon, from where you will be taken back to Page. |
| | The Colorado River rafting is available from May through September. Outside those months it will not be possible to go rafting. We take a much longer tour at Monument Valley instead. |
Day 3 - Page to Monument Valley - 132 mi / 212.39 km - About 2 1/4 hours
Map | Leaving Page we head east, across the Navajo Reservation. Every now and again you will see small Indian dwellings scattered across the harsh landscape.
As we approach the tiny Navajo town of Kayenta, the mesas and buttes for which the area is so well known start coming into view. Soon you can just about picture yourself in a scene from an old Western movie as we travel towards Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, as it is officially known. |
Day 3 - Monument Valley tour - About two hours
| | Up next is a two hour tour of Monument Valley, conducted by a Navajo guide, in an off road vehicle. Visitors love to see the buttes, mesas and other sandstone formations that are so prevalent in the Monument Valley area. Monument Valley is actually not really a valley at all, but a relatively flat plain surrounded by red cliffs, with the buttes, as well as the remnants of ancient volcanoes, towering from the earth.
For fans of old western movies, Monument Valley is the epicenter of the west, with many great cowboys and Indians films having been shot in the area. The familiar rock shapes can be seen from many miles away, with the really great scenery to be seen on the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, which straddles the Utah/Arizona border.
Amongst the sites that your tour will likely take in are movie locations, 1000 foot monoliths, rug weaving, and, of course, the famous monuments are visited.John Ford Point at Monument Valley |
Day 3 - Monument Valley to Page - 132 mi / 212.39 km - About 2 1/4 hours
Map | We leave Monument Valley, going through the small settlement of Kayenta, before heading west over the Navajo Reservation, to Page. |
Day 4 - Antelope Canyon tour - About 1 1/2 hours
| | You will be touring Antelope Canyon, in a specially converted off road vehicle, led by a Navajo guide.
Antelope Canyon is one of the most striking slot canyons known to man. A slot canyon is a narrow canyon sliced through a mesa by the forces of nature. Some canyons measure less than a yard across at the top, but drop a hundred feet or more from the rim to the bottom. Slots are cut and scoured by water and wind, with the striations of the sandstone becoming almost incandescent. |
Day 4 - Antelope Canyon
| | From within you will see a palette of colors transmuted by light filtering down from above and bouncing from wall to wall. Antelope Canyon can only be visited using the services of an authorized Navajo Nation guide. |
Day 4 - Spend extra nights at Page/Lake Powell!
| | You can extend your stay in Page by a night or two, at the Quality Inn. Please order that option when you check out, and note that it is subject to availability.
If you don't want to spend more time in Page, you will continue with the tour as detailed below. |
Day 4 - Page to Bryce Canyon - 154 mi / 247.79 km - About three hours
Map | Leaving Page we will drive over the Glen Canyon Dam Wall. A short distance up the road is a little known trail which leads to spectacular views over Lake Powell. Time permitting, we will drive up there to take a very brief look at the spectacular golden canyons partially submerged under the blue waters of Lake Powell.
The road to the small town of Kanab leads past Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. Kanab itself has been the setting for many western movies. From Kanab we will travel along a picturesque Utah back road, through some tiny towns, before arriving at Bryce Canyon. |
Day 4 - Bryce Canyon - About 3 1/2 hours
| | Many who have seen both Bryce Canyon and the Grand Canyon tell us that Bryce is far more spectacular. You will marvel at the weirdly shaped hoodoos, in an amazing array of colorful hues. Bryce is not really a canyon, but a large amphitheater carved out of a variety of rock types. You will be taken to the three main overlooks, and will have time to walk around and explore these. |
| | At Bryce you have a choice of spending additional time in the park or heading out for an ATV (all terrain vehicle) ride, which takes about an hour. If you choose an ATV ride, you will first get a few pointers from an experienced guide, and then hop onto your ATV, to go chasing over 14 miles (22 kilometres) of dirt road through the Dixie National Forest surrounding Bryce Canyon. Please note that you will get dusty!
Please be aware that this ride is not available in the winter months. The ATV tour needs to be reserved ahead of time, preferably when you book the tour itself. The prices can be seen elsewhere on this page, and you will have the option of booking it on checkout. |
Day 4 - Spend additional time at Bryce Canyon!
| | Feel free to spend an extra night or two just outside Bryce Canyon, at Bryce View Lodge. Please order this option when you check out, and note that it is subject to availability.
There is a free shuttle that runs from a location that is a couple of hundred yards from Bryce View Lodge, into the park and around much of Bryce. Please be aware that this is a seasonal shuttle, which generally runs from the second week of May to the end of the first week in October, although this is subject to change. We do not recommend extending at Bryce if the free shuttle is not running, as it will be difficult to get around.
You will continue on with the scheduled tour if you do not want to stay a little longer at Bryce. |
Day 4 - Bryce Canyon through Zion - 88 mi / 141.59 km - About 2 3/4 hours
| | We will take a particularly scenic Utah back road, following first the Sevier River and then the Virgin River, towards Zion National Park. Zion's story is one of rock and water, with plenty of both to be seen. The relatively soft and porous Navajo Sandstone is often layered over impregnable Kayenta Shale, and the interaction of this rock with the water has created myriad amazing shapes and patterns.
We will enter Zion at the less used east entrance, and take in the striking rock formations, with trees actually growing in the rocks. You will see how massive sand dunes have been cemented into rock over the millennia. After traveling through an amazing tunnel that was blasted into the Navajo sandstone almost a century ago, we descend down a precipitous switchback road, to discover the Great Arch of Zion, a gigantic work in progress. |
Day 4 - Zion to St. George - 41 mi / 65.97 km
Map | From Zion we will wind our way to Interstate 15 and the main road back to Vegas, which goes through St. George. |
Day 4 - St. George to Las Vegas - 123 mi / 197.91 km - About two hours
Map | Leaving St. George, we travel down the picturesque Virgin River Gorge. We will pass through Mesquite, a casino town on the Arizona Nevada border, before driving across the desert and back to the bright lights of Las Vegas. |
Day 4 - Flight from Vegas to Salt Lake City
| | If you did not travel directly from Bryce Canyon to Salt Lake earlier today, you will now be dropped off at the Las Vegas airport for the short flight to Salt Lake. After you land, a shuttle will take you to the downtown Crystal Inn, which is our preferred property. They have a good free, hot breakfast buffet tomorrow morning.
We will tell you your exact schedule beforehand. Please note that if you book this tour within three weeks of the tour departure date, the price of this flight may increase. If it does, there may be a surcharge which we will let you know about beforehand. |
Day 5 - Salt Lake City to West Yellowstone - 321 mi / 516.49 km - Between 5.25 hours and 6.75 hours
Map | You will take a shuttle through northern Utah, into Idaho, and eventually Montana, before arriving in West Yellowstone. There are stops at several towns along the way. The vehicle is generally a mini bus.
Please note that today is an unescorted part of the tour. What this means is that although you obviously have a bus driver with you at all times, there is no tour guide providing a running commentary the way there is when you are in Yellowstone. |
| | You will be dropped off at our pizzeria/Internet cafe, which is the closest building to Yellowstone! |
| | We will take you to Al's Westward Ho, the motel at which you are staying. This is right next to our Cafe. After checking in you can explore the town, take a walk through the forest into Yellowstone, go to the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center (a must see) or check out a movie at the IMAX.
Supper at the Cafe is included in the tour price. |
Day 6
Day 6 - Yellowstone upper loop tour
Map | The route that the tour takes will depend on possible road closures in the park, as well as the time of year, but it will be something like the following ... |
Map | There is going to be a lot to see and do. We'll head out of West Yellowstone towards Madison Junction, where the Firehole and Gibbon Rivers meet to form the Madision River. Turning left (north) we'll make for Norris Geyser Basin. Along the way we'll stop briefly at Gibbon Falls.
Although not as well known as the other geyser basins, Norris is the most thermally active part of Yellowstone. It is divided into two separate areas: Porcelain Basin and Back Basin. |
Map | The next stop is Mammoth Hot Springs, headquarters of the park, and home to a fascinating array of weird rock shapes, bright colors and sizzling hot springs. Elk are generally plentiful in this area, wandering around the old park buildings, and, if you're lucky, you might even see a whole herd.
You can stroll through the ever changing terraces at Mammoth, admiring the travertine creations and hot springs. |
Map | Leaving Mammoth we will travel towards Tower Roosevelt, which is where the road to the park's north east entrance, through the Lamar Valley, is. There is almost always wildlife to be seen in this area, even bears! |
| | At Tower Junction we will branch off the main upper loop road, and head through the Lamar Valley, towards the north east entrance to Yellowstone. This is a particularly beautiful part of the park, and where the keen wolf watchers are generally to be found. |
| | Everyone wants to see a bear in the wild at Yellowstone, and the trip from Tower Junction to Tower Falls is one of the best places to do so. The spring can be a great time to go looking for bears, as you have the opportunity of seeing mothers with their new born cubs. Tower Falls is an impressive water fall. |
Map | Assuming that it is open, the road from Tower Falls to Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone towers up into the sky as it crosses the Dunraven Pass at almost 9000 feet. We then drop down to Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is normally visited on our Lower Yellowstone Loop tour, and not this tour. Depending on the number of people on this tour who have not seen it, and how late it is, we may take the opportunity of checking out the area. The Yellowstone River has carved an impressive canyon through the rocks, over which two falls drop. The Lower Falls is over twice the size of Niagara Falls! It is in this area that you can catch a glimpse of the yellowish tinge to the rocks, from which the Yellowstone River got its name, but at a different location. We'll check out the canyon and falls from a number of different locations. You get so close to the Upper Falls that you almost feel like you can reach out and touch the thundering water. Don't!
If there is time, other areas along the route that we may visit include Obsidian Cliff, Virginia Cascade and Undine Falls.
After a long, fun-filled day, it is time to return to West Yellowstone. |
Day 7
Day 7 - Yellowstone lower loop tour
Map | The roads running through Yellowstone make up a massive figure of eight. The lower loop of the figure of eight comprises most of the thermal features that are to be seen in Yellowstone, including, of course, Old Faithful!
From West Yellowstone we'll follow the Madison River to Madison Junction, where we'll turn right, or south. Depending on the time of the year, this area is often teeming with wildlife. With any luck you will see bison, elk, Trumpeter Swans and other animals and birds. A special treat in the spring is the baby bison calves. |
Map | At Madison Junction we will turn right, or south, and follow the Firehole River which runs through the thermal areas of Yellowstone northward. The Firehole is famous amongst anglers for its pristine beauty and selection of brown, brook and rainbow trout.
The first main thermal area we will be visiting is the Lower Geyser Basin, and Fountain Paint Pots. There is a boardwalk system running around and through the Fountain Paint Pots area, and it is a great place to go for a stroll, if the bison haven't got there first! Apart from the paint pots, there is also a selection of other thermal features in the area, including a number of geysers, one or other of which almost always seems to be erupting. |
| | The next stop is the Midway Geyser Basin, home to Grand Prismatic Spring - one of the largest anywhere in the world - as well as Excelsior Geyser, now dormant, but discharging thousands of gallons of water every minute. |
Map | It is a short drive to the Upper Geyser Basin, home of Old Faithful, the world's best known and most reliable gusher. There is also so much more to the area than just Old Faithful. Old Faithful Inn, a wonderful old building - recently renovated - is located there - and a system of boardwalks will take you around the various other geysers in the area. Old Faithful erupting! |
Map | The road from Old Faithful passes over the Continental Divide twice, on its way to West Thumb, a geyser basin right on the shores of the incredibly blue Yellowstone Lake. |
Map | Yellowstone Lake is off to the east as we make the trip up to Fishing Bridge. From there we head through the Hayden Valley, following the Yellowstone River, up to Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. On the way we will pass Mud Volcano.
The Hayden Valley is known for its wildlife, particularly large herds of bison at certain times of the year. It is also an excellent location to look for grizzly bears, especially in the spring and early summer when they may be preying on newborn bison and elk cubs. |
| | The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is an unexpected treat amongst the thermal wonders. The Yellowstone River has carved an impressive canyon through the rocks, over which two falls drop. The Lower Falls is over twice the size of Niagara Falls! It is in this area that you can catch a glimpse of the yellowish tinge to the rocks, from which the Yellowstone River got its name, but at a different location. We'll check out the canyon and falls from a number of different locations. You get so close to the Upper Falls that you almost feel like you can reach out and touch the thundering water. Don't! |
| | It is now time to go back to West Yellowstone. |
Day 8 - West Yellowstone to Salt Lake City - 321 mi / 516.49 km - About 6 2/3 hours
Map | The ride back to Salt Lake City is on a shuttle which makes several stops along the way. You will drive through Montana, before crossing into Idaho, and then eventually on to Utah. Please note that today is an unescorted part of the tour. What this means is that although you obviously have a bus driver with you at all times, there is no tour guide providing a running commentary the way there was when you were in Yellowstone. |
| Available Options | Grand Canyon helicopter tour: +$265
Colorado River flat water float trip: +$95
Bryce Canyon ATV (quad bike) rides: +$63
|
| Extend Your Stay | You have the option of extending your stay at certain locations during the tour.
Grand Canyon: +$125.00 per guest, per night
Page: +$65.00 per guest, per night
Bryce Canyon: +$100.00 per guest, per night
West Yellowstone: +$150.00 per guest, per night
|
| Tour ID | 1238 |
Please note the following...- This tour is subject to a 3.00% per person fuel surcharge.
- The days and dates this tour operates can be seen in the calendar at the top right of this page.
- The entry fees to all parks are included.
- The off road tours at Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon are included.
- Seven nights' accommodation are included: One in Vegas at a minimum three star Strip property (upgrades are available. Please let us know if you are between 18 and 20, and not traveling with someone who is 21 or older, as only a few properties in Vegas accept people that age); two nights at the Quality Inn or similar, in Page; one night in Salt Lake City's downtown Crystal Inn; three nights at Al's Westward Ho in West Yellowstone. If the night in Vegas falls over a weekend, convention or holiday period, a higher price may apply. Flights may also be more expensive over holiday periods. We will advise ahead of time. There are no taxes.
- Prices are based on double occupancy. Single, triple and quad options are available, and can be seen on check out. There are no taxes.
- After ordering this tour please wait to receive a confirmation email from us before making any plans that are dependent on this tour.
- The price includes the services of a guide/driver and transportation.
- Vehicles are mini buses or executive vans, which are vans with individual, high back, reclining seats.
- If you extend your tour by staying a night at the Grand Canyon, there are times when you will be taken out to the Grand Canyon in a large coach. The next day you will continue the tour in a small group vehicle. If you are taken out to the Canyon in a coach, and you are staying at Yavapai Lodge or Maswik Lodge, you will need to take the free shuttle from the drop off location at Bright Angel to the hotel. The shuttles run approximately every 15 minutes. You will be picked up from your hotel the next day.
- Three breakfasts are included, as are one dinner and two sack lunches.
- Portions of this tour may be subcontracted to other reputable vendors.
- A minimum of two people may be required for a tour to depart. That is not two in your group, but a total of two. You may also need to book several weeks out to ensure availability.
- This tour picks up as detailed above.
- The tour drops off at the Salt Lake City airport and at a central downtown Salt Lake location.
- All times are approximate. We are not responsible for the consequences of any delays, and this itinerary may change without notice.
- Please note that in the winter months snow or other bad weather may result in tour itineraries being changed without notice, or even tours being canceled in extreme weather. Should a cancellation occur the only amount we will refund is the cost of the portion of the tour that is canceled, or a refund of the entire tour price if the tour itself is canceled.
- Payment And Cancellation Details: This tour has at least one air leg. An amount equivalent to the cost of the flight(s) will be charged to your card at the time we make the air booking(s). Half the remaining balance will be charged 45 days from the tour date, and the other half will be charged 10 or fewer days from the tour date. Once the air leg has been booked we will not under any circumstances accept a cancellation. Please consider purchasing trip insurance as our cancellation policy is strictly enforced, irrespective of the reason for canceling.
TOP
Please call us at (USA) 406 646 1118 x 12, or mail us for additional information.
|
