Hiking in the American West National Parks

You arrive in the City of Angels. Sleep well in your hotel outside of the big city. Tomorrow you will see what this city has to show you.

You have a full day to explore Los Angeles, so we've picked the two most iconic locations. Stroll along Hollywood Boulevard, the street that displays the history of cinema and the hand and footprints of the world's most famous actors and actresses, outside the famous Chinese Theater. In the afternoon, walk along the Santa Monica Pier, enjoy the sights and sounds of the Route 66 terminus, and magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean. Sleep well because tomorrow begins your adventure.

Today you will drive through the California Desert to historic Route 66 in California. You'll pass Palm Springs, known for its hot springs, stylish hotels, golf courses, and spas, on your way to Joshua Tree National Park. The park is home to bushes, ocotillos and cacti, as well as the tree of Joshua blossoms. It supports the extreme temperatures which reign there perpetually, being able to live nearly 200 years. After walking through the desert, you continue to cross Route 66 and spend the night in Kingman, Arizona.

Kingman is known for its Route 66 Museum and the Kingman Railroad Museum, which is home to a 1928 steam locomotive. From there you will drive through historic Seligman until you reach the Grand Canyon. There are miles of scenic drive to travel along the southern rim of the canyon. You can do this by car or on foot. If you are physically capable and very adventurous, you can sign up for an optional guided tour to descend over a thousand meters to the bottom of the canyon. This wild trip will take two days, camping at the base. This will require a change to your itinerary, but it is very possible.

Today you'll head west along the Canyon Road for a 3.5-hour trip to Monument Valley. This Navajo Nation-owned park sits on the border of Arizona and Utah. You will see ancient giant rock and sand formations that make Monument Valley an icon in the "American Cowboy" movies. You will have a 4x4 tour of the valley's hidden sites by a local Navajo guide. There are also trails that you can hike on your own. 

Today you have only a two hour drive to Page, Arizona. Here you can enjoy the sights of Lake Powell, which runs through Glen Canyon National Park. You will also have a guided tour of the magnificent Antelope Canyon caves.

Your next stop is Bryce Canyon, one our favorite National Parks in Utah. Discover the incredible red rock formations. There are numerous trails for various levels of hikers. If you are ambitious, you can stay an extra day to make sure you hike as many trails and take advantage of the views.

Zion National Park is one of the most visited parks in the country. You will be staying at a hotel just outside the park and there is a free shuttle that makes many stops around the park so you can choose which hikes you want to do. If you are very ambitious and in good physical shape, you can hike Angel's Landing. The length of the trail is 8 kilometers and its vertical drop is 453 meters. The panorama at the top allows to visualize the valley of the Virgin which flows at the bottom of the deep canyon of Zion.

Enjoy Zion again in the morning, as there are many trails to explore. Then depart for Las Vegas, just two and a half hours away. You will have a fun evening as your luxury hotel is right on the Strip, walking distance to all the sights and sounds of Sin City.

While there is plenty to see and do in Las Vegas, take the time to visit Red Rock Canyon, about 30 minutes west of the Strip. There are plenty of hiking trails, as well as a 34-kilometer loop route for scenic views. Tonight, enjoy the neon lights and maybe a delicious buffet.

Go to the Valley of Death. This park is a real contrast to the deserts of Utah and their red and green colors and is one of the hottest places on our planet with summer temperatures that can exceed 50 ° C. Death Valley is also the lowest place in the Northern Hemisphere with an altitude reaching 100m below sea level. You will explore the yellow sand dunes, contrasting with the colors gloomy surrounding mountains, discover Badwater and its toxic waters, Devil's Golf Course and its salt concretions, as well as Zabriskie Point and its colorful formations.

If you are traveling in the summer months, and Tioga Pass is open, you will drive from Death Valley north to Mono Lake and enter Yosemite National Park from the east. Here you will see some of the largest and oldest trees in the world, the Great Sequoias.  After traversing the park, you will lodge the night in Mariposa, outside the west entrance.

Today you leave the mountains of California to drive to the sea. You can go directly to San Francisco or go first to Monterey and and drive north to San Francisco on the scenic Pacific Highway.  Tonight you stay near historic Union Square in downtown San Francisco.

You have a full day to discover San Francisco. You can discover the city, considered one of the most beautiful in the USA, by foot or bicycle. Visit Union Square, Chinatown, and save Fisherman's Wharf for a sunset dinner. Ride on one of the famous Cable Cars, and, if you choose the option, a boat ride to see the famous Alcatraz Prison "The Rock". 

Departure home.