Journeys: Discover American Canyonlands
8 days, Las Vegas to Las Vegas
Itinerary
Day 1Las Vegas
Arrive at any time.
There are no planned activities today until the evening welcome meeting, so check out the strip or get tickets to a show for this evening.
Arrival Day and Welcome Meeting
The adventure begins tonight. Feel free to explore before your welcome meeting, but make sure you’re back in time to meet the group. Check for the meeting time on the welcome note at the hotel. After introductions, your CEO will review the details of your tour. Please note that normal check-in times apply at our start hotels, but you can usually store your luggage for the day if you arrive early.
Day 2Las Vegas/Zion National Park
Depart early for Zion, Utah's oldest national park, and observe some of the most beautiful canyon country scenes in the United States. Catch the shuttle into the park with our CEO and hike to the Emerald Pools and hanging gardens.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Zion National Park Visit
Admire monumental sandstone cliffs of cream, pink, and red that tower into the sky. Experience diverse plant and animal life, and wade through water in a narrow slot canyon as the park transitions from desert to forest. Gaze at the awe-inspiring beauty of the high plateaus, striking towers, temples, mesas, and the earth's tallest-known sheer sandstone walls.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 3Zion National Park
Enjoy a guided hike to the Narrows in Zion National Park. Splash and wade in the river that cuts through this stunning slot canyon. Witness the awe-inspiring beauty of the high plateaus, towers, temples, mesas, and the earth's tallest-known sheer sandstone walls of pinks and reds.
The canyon is narrow, and the river covers the bottom in many places, which means you will have to wade or swim to proceed. Prepare to get wet but the cool water makes this hike particularly pleasant during the hot summer months. During the cooler months, there are available gear rentals including Gore-Tex dry pants, canyon shoes, and neoprene socks. Hiking poles are available for rent year-round.
Hiking is not permitted when the river is high from runoff or flash flooding. Runoff mostly occurs in April and early May. Late summer thunderstorms can occasionally produce flooding. If the hike is not possible due to weather, it will be replaced with another activity.
This is a moderate level hike of 4 to 5 hours, during which you are wading through water which could be ankle or waist deep, depending on local conditions. As well, the terrain is often rocky and uneven. We recommend bringing water shoes with a hiking tread.
Should you choose to not do the hike, you can stay and relax at the lodge or discuss with your CEO other optional activities that may be available (at additional cost).
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
The Narrows Guided Hike
Take a guided hike to the Narrows in Zion National Park. Splash and wade through the cool river which cuts though this stunning slot canyon. You'll mostly be in up to your ankles and in some spots get waist-deep. The Narrows is one of the most popular hikes in Zion National Park, and is considered one of the world's best slot canyon hikes.
Meals included:
Breakfast | LunchDay 4Zion National Park/Page
This morning, hike through Bryce Canyon National Park, famed for its multi-coloured rock pinnacles called 'hoodoo'. Be sure to have your camera ready to snap shots of these spectacular, natural towers that cover the canyon floor. Continue on to Page, Arizona, home to Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend and the beautiful Lake Powell.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Bryce Canyon National Park Visit
See a sight like no other at this giant forest of stone made up of collection of massive natural amphitheaters. This park contains hundreds of thousands of eroded spires, pinnacles, and other shapes as far as the eye can see.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 5Page/Grand Canyon National Park
Start the day with a visit to the incredible Antelope Canyon with a local Navajo guide. Located on Navajo land and accessible only with an authorized guide, this landmark is considered one of the most visually stunning slot canyon formations in the world. Take a short hike to Horseshoe Bend, then travel to the Grand Canyon and have lunch en route at a local Navajo food truck supported by Planeterra.
Marvel as the Grand Canyon unfolds before you but don't get too close. The land drops almost straight down for more than 1,000m (3,280 ft) into the serpentine canyons below! The gorge is filled with rocky buttes, sheer limestone cliffs, and deep canyons all arrayed in a rainbow of colors. Words defy. This is truly one of the most magnificent sights on earth.
Antelope Canyon Tour
Named for the pronghorn that used to roam the land, Antelope Canyon is a natural sandstone cathedral created by years of flash flooding, wind, and rain. Tour this breathtaking canyon to discover beams of light, flowing rock walls, and spiral arches and soak in the natural beauty of this surreal place.
Book this optional activity on-site with your CEO.
Horseshoe Bend Hike
Take a short hike to this spectacular horseshoe-shaped meander of the Colorado River. Stand atop steep orange-coloured sandstone cliffs and look out at Horseshoe Bend. Peer down more than 300m (1,000 ft) at the emerald river below.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Your G for Good Moment: Native Grill Food Truck Experience
Get off the beaten track for an authentic Navajo meal that gives back to the community at the Native Grill Food Truck. Although the Grand Canyon is one of the most popular destinations to visit in the USA, the Indigenous community living on Navajo land captures less than 7% of the $1.5 billion that this region sees annually. Your meal stop at this family-owned enterprise benefits 50 community members directly, with ripple effects throughout Navajo Nation.
Meals included:
Breakfast | LunchDay 6Grand Canyon National Park
Spend the day exploring the Canyon with an expert from the Grand Canyon Conservancy Field Institute. Enjoy a walk along the South Rim discussing the unique geology and botany of the Canyon, as well as human history here. After, visit the Historic Village District viewing iconic park structures then continue down the Bright Angel Trail below the canyon rim and view two-thousand-year-old rock art and 250-million-year-old fossils. Also visit the historic Kolb Studio, home to photography pioneers Emery and Ellsworth Kolb, who shared with the world the first pictures of the epic Canyon.
Opt to pre-book a Grand Canyon Helicopter tour on the checkout page ahead of time to include this optional on your tour.
Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Grand Canyon Exclusive
As part of a specially designed experience for National Geographic Journeys travellers, spend a day with a researcher from the Grand Canyon Conservancy Field Institute. Begin with a walk with our expert along the South Rim to hear about the unique geology of the canyon and history of Native Americans here. Then visit the Historic Village District for a stroll past a number of iconic park structures including Hopi House, El Tovar Hotel, and Lookout Studio. Continue down the historic Bright Angel Trail to get a real sense of the feel of the canyon below the rim, viewing 2000-year-old rock art and 250-million-year-old fossils. Then, visit Kolb Studio, home to photography pioneers Emery and Ellsworth Kolb, who shared with the world some of the first pictures of the epic canyon in the August 1914 issue of National Geographic Magazine.
Optional Activities - Day 6 HideShow
Grand Canyon IMAX Movie
14USD per personOn a giant six-story movie screen, watch the most viewed IMAX film of all time, "Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets". Escape, fly, and discover the history and beauty of this awe-inspiring landscape.
Grand Canyon Sunset
Head to the rim of the Grand Canyon at sunset. Point your camera in any direction and capture memorable shots as the shifting light plays off the layers of red, yellow, and brown rock. This is truly one of the great wonders. Enjoy the moment.
Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour
The Grand Canyon helicopter ride is a must! Enjoy a bird's-eye view for 45 to 50 minutes as you fly over the canyon, taking in the stark contrast of the blue-green Colorado River against the thousand shades of red rock found in the canyon. From above, you can fully appreciate the greatness of the gorge and see why it is one of the seven natural wonders of the world.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 7Grand Canyon National Park/Las Vegas
This morning, visit Lowell Observatory for a tour of the giant telescopes and to learn about the study of astronomy, as well as a lecture on Mars. Continue back to Las Vegas, but not before getting your kicks on Route 66 in Seligman, Arizona — the birthplace of this famed highway.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Lowell Observatory Experience
Visit the highly renowned Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona for a behind-the-scenes tour of the facility alongside an educator. Established in 1894 (making it one of the oldest observatories in the United States), this centre focuses on educating the general public in astronomical research. Learn about the Clark and Pluto telescopes and enjoy an educational presentation. National Geographic has long supported space research and featured impressive images of our solar system in the pages of National Geographic magazine. As far back as the 1950s, National Geographic has provided funding to astronomers based at the Lowell Observatory to gather important photographic data of Mars.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Seligman (Route 66) Visit
Take a trip back in time to the birthplace of Route 66. Established in the early 1900s as the first transcontinental highways in the U.S, Route 66 has a lot of history on it's original length of almost 2,500 miles. Starting in Chicago, Illinois and travelling through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, before ending at the ocean in Santa Monica California. The creation of the Interstate system bypassed the majority of Route 66, creating ghost towns along it's original route, though there are a few iconic Americana towns still delivering experiences from the past. Check out the historic general store, original motels, and don't forget to get your kicks!
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 8Las Vegas
Depart at any time.
Want to spend more time in Sin City? Ask your GCO or Travel Agent about booking post-tour accommodation in the 'Entertainment Capital of the World'.
Departure Day
Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.