Utah & Arizona National Parks: Small Group 7-Day Tour

Ziua 1 · Salt Lake City, Goblin Valley, Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point and Moab

1. 1

   Goblin Valley State Park

   2 ore Intrarea inclusă

   Your adventure will begin around 9 AM when your tour guide picks you up, either from the Salt Lake City Airport or from a hotel of your choosing. If you’d like to start your tour from an area other than Salt Lake City, please let us know, and we’ll make arrangements.

   From Salt Lake City, we will drive southeast until we reach Goblin Valley State Park in Emery County, Utah. The “goblins” in Goblin Valley get their name from the thousands of unique hoodoos, or columns of weathered stone, that dot its surface. In this state park, you can walk up close to the hoodoos and take pictures as you wander among the unusual formations. If time permits and conditions allow, your tour guide may take you on a hike to Goblin’s Lair, an incredibly tall cave.

2. 2

   Dead Horse Point State Park

   2 ore Intrarea inclusă

   Located only a few miles from Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park offers a unique view of the Colorado River 2,000 feet below. While driving around, your tour guide will tell you the unusual story of how this park got its name.

3. 3

   Canyonlands National Park

   2 ore

   Canyonlands National Park is made up of three distinct regions: the Island in the Sky, the Needles, and the Maze. We will be touring the Island in the Sky region which is situated far above the Colorado River. From this vantage point, we will see deep into the virtually untouched canyons below, giving us a glimpse into the region's ancient past.

4. 4

   Moab

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   Located between Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, Moab is seen as the gateway to many of Utah’s greatest natural landscapes. You’ll love your stay here just as much as the parks themselves!

   We will stop here to eat and explore the town before dropping you off at your hotel.

Best Western, Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Archway Inn or similar quality hotel

Ziua 2 · Arches National Park, Potash Road and Moab Adventures

1. 1

   Arches National Park

   4 ore

   With more than 2,000 arches, Arches National Park has the densest concentration of natural sandstone arches in the world! With only a short hike, many world famous arches can be seen up close, including landscape arch, delicate arch, and double arch. This is a national park you won’t want to miss!

2. 2

   Moab

   6 ore

   Choose your own adventure! After returning to Moab from Arches and Potash Road, you’ll have free time to explore town, go hiking, or consider activities such as river rafting, speed boating, scenic flights, guided hiking, or a 4x4 tour. These are optional paid activities unless expressly selected as the one complimentary experience under the offer described below. Contact us in advance to discuss options, availability, and additional costs.

3. 3

   Potash Road

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   Located right outside of Moab, Potash road winds along the Colorado river with water on one side, and a huge rock cliff on the other. Along this road, your tour guide will show you ancient petroglyphs and dinosaur tracks, as well as additional arches that can be accessed by foot.

4. 4

   Oprirea 4

   3 ore Intrarea nu este inclusă

   Canyonlands Jet Boat Tour with Dinner, Sound, and Light Show

   Experience the stunning beauty of Canyonlands as you cruise along the Colorado River on a scenic jet boat tour. After the ride, enjoy a delicious riverside dinner. The evening concludes with an unforgettable Sound and Light Show, where the canyon walls come alive with stories of the region’s history, projected under the stars.

   Note:

   1.This optional seasonal activity operates from March through October, subject to availability, weather, and operating conditions.

   2. Included ONLY if selected as the one complimentary experience; otherwise paid optional

Accommodation included: Best Western, Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Archway Inn or similar quality hotel

Ziua 3 · Goosenecks State Park, Monument Valley and Canyon de Chelly

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   Goosenecks State Park

   3 ore Intrarea inclusă

   Goosenecks State Park offers stunning views of a river that cuts deep into the landscape, creating a canyon full of tight turns. You’ll also be able to see Mexican Hat, an incredible sombrero-shaped rock.

2. 2

   Monument Valley

   30 min

   Composed of vast buttes that tower over 1,000 feet in the sky, Monument Valley is the perfect place to stretch your legs from the long car ride and take some pictures. These buttes have made appearances in many movies, the most famous of which being the running scene in Forrest Gump.

3. 3

   Oprirea 3

   3 ore Intrarea nu este inclusă

   Monument Valley Safari Jeep Tours

   Discover Monument Valley through the eyes of the Navajo with this family-friendly, Navajo-owned tour company. Perfect for cultural explorers and photographers alike, these tours take you beyond the public routes to sacred sites, ancient petroglyphs, and dramatic sandstone arches.

   Led by expert Navajo guides, you’ll hear stories of history, tradition, and personal experience that bring the landscape to life. Families will love the drumming and singing inside the arches—an unforgettable moment for kids and adults. Photographers will enjoy exclusive access to stunning, lesser-seeing locations bathed in golden sunset light.

   Highly recommended: the 3-hour sunset tour, with time for photos, shopping, and meaningful cultural connection.

   Note: Included ONLY if selected as the one complimentary experience; otherwise paid optional

4. 4

   Canyon de Chelly National Monument

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   End the day at Canyon de Chelly National Monument, one of North America’s longest continuously inhabited landscapes. From rim overlooks, look down on Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings, the slender spire of Spider Rock, and fields where Navajo families still farm the canyon floor today. Scenic overlooks offer memorable views without requiring a canyon-floor tour.

   For the final leg of today’s journey, we'll enjoy dinner before dropping you off at your hotel, allowing you to unwind before the next day’s adventure.

Holiday Inn Canyon de Chelly, Chinle, by IHG, or similar quality hote

Ziua 4 · Petrified Forest National Park, Meteor Crater and Sedona

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   Petrified Forest National Park

   1 h 30 min

   Petrified Forest National Park is an ancient 225 million year old forest composed of what appears to be stone trees. Petrified wood is made when a tree is buried by sediment, protecting it from organisms that would cause it to decay. Over time, minerals in the groundwater replace the wood, turning it into stone. You'll be amazed as you think back to what this forest once looked like millions of years ago.

2. 2

   Meteor Crater & Barringer Space Museum

   o oră Intrarea inclusă

   Meteor Crater is a 550 feet deep, 1 mile wide hole that was created from the impact of a meteorite that struck earth more than 50,000 years ago. Due to the appearance of the crater and the lack of plant life, Meteor Crater looks more like the moon than the earth. In fact, NASA used this crater in the 1960s to train the early Apollo astronauts due to it's similarity to the moon.

3. 3

   Sedona

   6 ore

   Nestled amongst towering red cliffs, Sedona is the perfect place to relax and observe the sunset. We’ll start by exploring the local landscape and hiking some of the beautiful trails outside of Sedona. Afterwards, we’ll return to Sedona and check out some of the beautiful architecture that the town has to offer, such as the Chapel of the Holy Cross, a brilliant structure built into the surrounding red rock. As the sun sets, you'll eat dinner at one of the incredible restaurants in town. Finally, we'll return to Flagstaff.

Holiday Inn Express, Weatherford Hotel, or similar quality hotel in Flagstaff

Ziua 5 · Grand Canyon National Park, Horseshoe Bend and Slot Canyon Country

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   Grand Canyon National Park

   2 ore

   The Grand Canyon is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Arizona with an estimated 5.9 million people visiting yearly. This canyon was carved out of the surrounding rock by the Colorado River over a period of 6 million years, resulting in an astonishing panoramic view. We will specifically be visiting the North Rim of the Grand Canyon which is often less busy than the popular South Rim. Be sure to bring your camera, you will not want to miss this destination!

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   Horseshoe Bend

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   Visit Horseshoe Bend, where the Colorado River curves dramatically around a towering sandstone formation. The walk to the overlook is about three-quarters of a mile each way on a sandy path with a gentle slope. Guests who prefer a shorter walk may enjoy the Glen Canyon Dam overlook above Lake Powell instead.

3. 3

   Antelope Canyon

   1 h 30 min Intrarea nu este inclusă

   Explore an extraordinary slot canyon of glowing, sculpted sand90stone on a guided walk with an authorized Navajo guide. Antelope Canyon is among the Southwest’s favorite photography destinations. Upper Antelope Canyon for most guests, as the floor is level and there are no ladders. Advance reservations are essential.

   Note: Included ONLY if selected as the one complimentary experience; otherwise paid optional

   Explore an extraordinary slot canyon of glowing, sculpted sand90stone on a guided walk with an authorized Navajo guide. Antelope Canyon is among the Southwest’s favorite photography destinations. Upper Antelope Canyon may be a suitable choice for many guests, depending on access and current tour requirements. Advance reservations are essential.

Best Western, Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Lake Powell Resorts Page, or similar quality hotel in the Page/Kanab area

Ziua 6 · Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park

1. 1

   Zion National Park

   4 ore

   Zion National Park offers gorgeous wind-sculpted canyons and hikes along incredible trails. This park has something for everyone: for those who would rather stay in the car, you will love the intricate patterns found on Checkerboard Mesa and Weeping Rock. For amateur hikers, you’ll enjoy the stunning views from the Canyon Overlook Trail and the Riverside Walk. For experienced hikers, you’ll have the choice to hike to either through the Narrows, or up to Angel's Landing.

2. 2

   Bryce Canyon National Park

   4 ore

   From its beautiful pink and white cliffs to its thousands of hoodoos, Bryce Canyon National Park is sure to leave a powerful impression on you. This park features many incredible, easily accessible viewpoints that provide excellent locations to take photographs. For the more adventurous, your tour guide will take you down into the canyon along the Navajo-Queen’s Garden Trail, passing through breathtaking rock formations that took thousands of years to shape.

Capitol Reef Resort, Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn, or similar quality hotel

Ziua 7 · Scenic Byway 12, Capitol Reef National Park and Salt Lake City

1. 1

   Capitol Reef National Park

   2 ore

   Capitol Reef National Park has a rich history and a unique geology. Over 1,000 years ago, the Fremont people lived in this region, making pictographs on the cliffs that can still be seen today. We’ll also explore the remnants of Fruita, a small town established in the 1880s.

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   Salt Lake City

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   If you choose to depart from Salt Lake City, your tour guide will drop you off either at the airport or a hotel of your choosing. Settled in 1847 by a group of pioneering Mormons, Salt Lake City has blossomed into the vibrant capital of Utah and gateway to the west. If time permits, your tour guide will take you to see the twin hearts of this city: Temple Square and the Capitol Building.

3. 3

   Las Vegas

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   If you choose to depart from Las Vegas, your tour guide will drop you off at either the airport or a hotel in Las Vegas around noon. Following this, your tour guide will drive 6 to 7 hours back to Salt Lake City.

   Note: For everyone's safety, U.S. Department of Transportation regulations limit commercial drivers to 10 hours of driving per day, so the day's schedule is fixed and cannot be stretched.

4. 4

   Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument

   Trecere fără oprire

   Travel along Scenic Byway 12, an All-American Road crossing slickrock, high desert, and alpine forest. The 1.88 million acres of land that make up Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is considered some of the most remote in the US. Although we won’t be stopping, you’ll appreciate the vastness and beauty of this region.