Itinerary | Details | Pricing | Dates | Weather
Grand Circle National Park Tour
Our longest running and most successful tour of the American Southwest. This is an opportunity to spend quality time in seven National Parks (Zion, Bryce, Capital Reef, Arches, Canyonlands, Mesa Verde, and the Grand Canyon) plus Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon. The tour involves driving over 1,000 miles of beautiful mountains, deserts and mountain valleys and includes two of the most scenic highways in all of America.
We begin and end the tour in Las Vegas and visit the states of Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado as well as passing through three Native American reservations. You'll receive an overview of the history, geology, plant life, and culture of the West. The owner, Ron, is a distant relative of Butch Cassidy (a native of Utah) and you will hear several stories about "Uncle Butch" as we conduct our tour. Our guides are the best in the area, and have a great love and appreciation for the places we visit.
There will be ample opportunities to take walks in the parks we're visiting. Some of the trails can be strenuous and for those who want, we will suggest trails to explore and accompany you when possible. If walking is not for you, we can easily accommodate your needs as well because there are optional activities that you can do while others are out walking.
We tour during the spring, summer, and fall and will experience different temperatures, so please dress accordingly. If you plan to do some walking, please have shoes or boots that are suitable and designed for dirt and rock trails.
This is an eight night, nine day tour and offers 8 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners, the IMAX Movie, the Silverton Railroad ticket, a Lake Powell boat ride, the Navajo Village and Bar M experiences, and the Navajo-led Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon tour. Lodging is in 3-star (or better!) hotels, and small deluxe motor coaches, vans or Suburbans are used for transportation.
We look forward to touring with you!!!
Itinerary
Day One: Las Vegas, St. George, and Zion National Park
We'll meet you in Las Vegas at the Stratosphere Hotel for an 8:00 AM departure to begin your Grand Circle National Park Adventure. We'll go directly to Zion National Park, a short three-hour drive away.
Zion National Park is one of nature's greatest wonders. Gigantic red and white rock monoliths tower around you like a skyscraper city of stone, concealing pockets of abundant flora and fauna. See the Great White Throne, Angel's Landing, the Court of the Patriarchs, and the Narrows where the Virgin River has carved out a narrow canyon with 2,000 foot cliffs on each side.
In the late afternoon, we will see the IMAX giant screen production Treasure of the Gods. We will check into our motel (one of Springdale's finest), and then have a welcome-and-get-acquainted dinner. D
Day Two: Grand Canyon
After breakfast, we will drive from the depths of the canyon up the switchbacks, climbing 3,000 feet in just three miles, to the Zion Tunnel. Once through this mile-long tunnel, we emerge into a fascinating world of rock and sand formations. We like to take early morning walks to an area with a number of excellent Anasazi petroglyphs. From there, we depart for the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
This drive is truly amazing. The North Rim is a thousand feet higher than the more popular South Rim, less crowded and, for many of us, more beautiful.
Words cannot describe and even pictures cannot capture the awesome spectacle of this majestic site. The Grand Canyon has always been considered one of the eight wonders of the world and we heartily agree . We visit the most spectacular sites, pausing frequently to get out, walk along the rim, and enjoy the beauty. A delicious picnic lunch is served at one of the sites overlooking the Canyon.
In the afternoon, we check into one of the cabins near the world-famous Grand Canyon Lodge which sits majestically on the edge of the canyon. There are some local trails to take and tremendous scenery to enjoy. One of our favorite things to do is to sit back in the rocking chairs in one of the Lodge's indoor and outdoor sun porches and take in the grandeur of all that surrounds us. A gift shop is located nearby for souvenirs.
Later, seeing the sun go down in the Grand Canyon will be a once in a life time experience. Dinner is on your own in the lodge or the fast food cafeteria next door. B L
Day Three: Vermilion Cliffs National Monument and Lake Powell
For those of you who are early risers, seeing the sun come up in the Canyon will be a real highlight of the tour and is something we highly recommend. After breakfast, we continue our journey, passing through the pristine and remote Rock House Valley, the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument (watch for the recently released California Condors), then stopping briefly at Lee's Ferry for an up-close look at the Colorado River.
Lee's Ferry is where boats are put into the river for those taking a whitewater trip through the Grand Canyon and is one of the few places you can actually walk up to the Colorado River and put your "toes in the water."
After arriving in Page, Arizona, we head for nearby Lake Powell. This beautiful reservoir/lake is over 200 miles long and the contrast between the red rock formations and blue water is stunning. We explore the Glen Canyon Dam and have lunch in the Wahweap Marina.
In the afternoon we'll take a cruise on the lake and enjoy the outstanding Navajo Tapestry markings on the nearby red cliffs.
After checking into our lodgings we'll go to a Navajo Indian Village for an evening performance and dinner. Our hosts will tell us about their culture and history, sing and dance in their native regalia, and demonstrate how they craft their beautiful rugs and jewelry before inviting us to share a traditional Navajo dinner. B D
Day Four: Antelope Slot Canyon and Monument Valley
After breakfast we'll head to nearby Antelope Canyon for a guided tour. This is truly one of the most beautiful slot canyons in all of America. This is a morning experience you will never forget. After the tour, we drive to Monument Valley near Kayenta, Arizona. Once there, Navajo guides will escort us into this beautiful and historic valley in the backs of their pickups. (The road is bumpy and there is some jostling around so for those with bad backs or other physical restrictions, you will need to let us know if you participate in this activity.)
The guides will show us famous landmarks as well as areas where John Ford and John Wayne made many of their well-known movies. They also take us into the seldom-visited back country for a look at some fantastic rock formations and then serve us a barbeque lunch.
We will return to Kayenta for dinner and lodging. B L
Day Five: Four Corners and Mesa Verde National Park
After breakfast, we continue our drive through the Navajo Indian Reservation, stopping briefly at the famous Four Corners landmark where four states come together, the only place of its kind in the United States. You can literally put your hands and feet in four different states at once. Local shops selling many kinds of handicrafts and jewelry are nearby for souvenir shopping.
As we head for Colorado, we pass through the Ute Indian Reservation and soon find ourselves in Mesa Verde National Park. After lunch we'll head for the renowned Anasazi "cliff dwellings." We will see several of the better ruins, walk down to the Spruce House to explore the ruins there as well as enter a kiva once used by the Anazasi.
After exploring we'll stop at the museum, which has a wonderful array of ancient crafts, pottery, and artifacts from the Anasazi culture. You can have lunch at a nearby cafeteria and then we'll head for Durango, Colorado. We'll check into our hotel and then you can explore the many restaurants and shops located in Durango. B
Day Six: Colorado Rockies and the Durango & Silverton Railroad
After breakfast we'll take the Durango & Silverton Railroad to Silverton. Built in 1881 to carry gold and passengers, this old-time narrow-gauge railroad experience offers a very fun and scenic view of the San Juan Mountains and the Animas River. This is a breathtaking experience.
Once the train arrives in Silverton, we take a drive on one of the most beautiful mountain highways in America. We see and experience the Million Dollar Highway with its stunning views and scary drop-offs. This highway is always in the top ten roads to see in the whole USA. Some call this part of Colorado little Switzerland as there are a number of 14,000-foot peaks in the area that offer some of the best scenery in all of Colorado.
We'll stop in Ouray, a quaint old mining town, for lunch and shopping. Then we'll see the nearby Box Canyon Falls for a look at how water can carve beautiful stone canyons. We drive to Moab, Utah and check into our hotel, which is located in the middle of downtown Moab near to a number of restaurants and shops. Have fun exploring!
Then get ready for some great food and entertainment at the Bar M Chuck Wagon. This includes a cowboy Bar-B-Q dinner, a gunfight, toe-tapping music and a whole lot of fun. This is one of our favorite parts of the tour! B D
Day Seven: Moab, Arches National Park, and Dead Horse Point
We'll have an early morning tour of Arches National Park, one of Utah's most famous parks: it has over a thousand natural arches. We'll see the the park from different vistas and, for those who want to get out and enjoy the early morning beauty, take some short walks.
Later we drive to Dead Horse Point for a spectacular overlook of the Colorado River, one of our favorite places to visit in the entire Southwest. Then we'll return to Moab.
The rest of the day is yours to have some fun in Utah's playground. There are jet boat rides on the nearby Colorado River, jeep and Hummer tours of the surrounding areas, great shopping downtown, world-famous bicycle trails and too many other activities to list. B
Day Eight: Capitol Reef National Park, Highway 12, and Bryce National Park
After breakfast we'll make our way to Capitol Reef National Park, stopping to see the Fremont Indian petroglyphs. Then we'll drive famous Highway 12, recently named an "All American Highway" and one of the most scenic highways in America.
Lunch will be in Boulder, Utah, one of the most remote and picturesque towns in the US. You will love the homemade fries and Cajun Pecan Blue Berry pie: both are outstanding. We'll arrive at Bryce National Park in mid to late afternoon.
We'll visit several of the prettiest areas while the light holds and then check into the famous Ruby's Inn for the evening. There is a restaurant and coffee shop located in the complex that are handy for dinner. For those who are interested, there may be a rodeo in the evening depending upon the time of year. Ruby's offers an excellent shopping opportunity for all kinds of Southwest treasures: books, clothing, jewelry, crafts, etc. B L
Day Nine: Bryce, Kolob, and Las Vegas
For those who want to get up early and see the sunrise at Bryce, you are in for a real treat. The early morning sun lights up the pink cliffs and hoodoos, offering an ethereal and stunning sight.
We'll leave Bryce via the scenic Cedar Mountain route, which offers a great view of Zion National Park from a distance as well as several high alpine meadows. We'll stop briefly at Kolob, a seldom-visited part of Zion that many locals consider the best scenery around. We'll take a brief lunch break and have a last minute shopping opportunity at a local jewelry store that has incredible buys on Indian jewelry. We arrive in Las Vegas around 2:30 pm. B
Details
This tour provides a great opportunity to see and experience the outstanding national parks in the American Southwest. Our cost to you is $1899.00 per person, plus tax, double occupancy. Single occupancy is $2199.00 plus tax. This includes lodging, meals as indicated (B breakfast; L lunch; and D dinner); park entrance fees; water and snacks, transportation and assistance with luggage for those that need it. The lodging we stay in is usually the best available in the area (AAA approved, minimum 3-star) and the restaurants are also better than average.
Our groups usually number 8 to 18, so were able to be flexible in the amount of time we spend at various sites, etc. We reserve the right to change the scheduled destination at our discretion. We have infrequently experienced forest fires, flooding, droughts and any number of situations that have required us to make last minute changes. We will do our best to substitute a quality experience if changes are required, and will always provide you with a tour that meets and hopefully exceeds your expectations.
We require a 20% deposit at the time of the reservation and payment in full 30 days before the tour departs. We accept Visa and Mastercard. We accept American Express with the addition of a 2% handling fee.
We encourage you to bring one suitcase per person plus one small carry-on. We use different kinds of quality vehicles from large motor coaches to vans and Suburbans, depending upon the size of the group. We may tow a trailer if the luggage and group size required it.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Pricing
$2,199 per person - Double occupancy
$2,599 per person - Single occupancy
We reserve the right to cancel or change tours and schedules without prior notice as weather and other conditions may dictate.
A 20% deposit is required at the time of registration; 40% is due 60 days prior to the date of departure; and the remaining 40% is due 30 days prior to the date of departure.
2008 Tour Dates
- April 14-22
- May 12-20
- June 16-24
- July 14-22
- August 11-19
- September 15-23
- October 13-21
Note: departure and pick-up are from the Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas, NV, or at the Best Western Abbey Inn in St. George, Utah.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
TOURS ARE SUBJECT TO MINIMUM PASSENGER REQUIREMENTS. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CANCEL OR CHANGE TOURS, SCHEDULES, OR PRICES WITOUT NOTICE. TRIP INSURANCE IS AVAILABLE FOR TRIP CANCELLATION OR INTERRUPTIONS.
Weather information by month (degrees Fahrenheit)
April: 45-80 in and around the St. George area and 25 to 55 in the Bryce area.
May: 54-85 in and around the St. George area and 30-60 in the Bryce area
June: 63-95 in and around the St. George area and 38-74 in the Bryce area
July: 71-102 in and around the St. George area and 46-80 in the Bryce area
August: 69-99 in and around the St. George area and 46-80 in the Bryce area
September: 62-92 in and around the St. George area and 36-71 in the Bryce area
October: 51-80 in and around the St. George area and 27-60 in the Bryce area
November: 40 to 70 in and around St. George area and 15 to 50 in Bryce area.
