Home Activities USA Palm Springs Death Valley National Park Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour

Activity Palm Springs, USA

Death Valley National Park Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour

4.2 (38 reviews) 4–5 hours Free cancellation Private tour

out of 5

38 reviews

4.2

Death Valley National Park Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Death Valley National Park Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Experience the harsh beauty of a land like no other: Death Valley. Famed for its record-breaking temperatures, this valley also serves up some sizzling scenery, from sprawling salt flats to rainbow-colored badlands and soaring mountain ranges. This self-guided driving tour shows you the best spots in the park and fills you in on this area’s rich history. Follow in the footsteps of Gold Rush miners and hear their stories as you explore this bizarre, unforgettable valley.

Recommended: purchase one tour per car. Everyone can listen at the same time!

After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point.

New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.

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At a glance

Duration: 4–5 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–4
Audio guide: English, French
Operated by: Adventures with Action

What is included

Included

Included: Just bring your car and phone; the app guides your tour.
Included: Support is available via chat, email, or phone if you need help.
Included: Planning tools, route maps, scenic stops, and area previews included.
Included: Private tour experience for your family, in your own car.
Included: Lifetime access: use the tour anytime and keep it for future trips.
Included: Works offline with GPS route guidance and automatic audio stories.
Included: One purchase covers everyone in your car, not per person.
Included: Flexible tour: start, stop, and pause anytime during your trip.
Included: Access your tour in our separate audio tour app after booking.
Included: Hidden gems and local stories included along the route.

Not included

Not included: No live guide. Entrance fees, parking, food, and car rental are separate.

Itinerary

Death Valley Junction

5 min

Despite its foreboding name, this valley is one of the most thrilling places in the country. Sure, it’s the hottest place in the world, but you’ll soon see that the heat is worth the hassle!

Note: The tour is over 80 miles long, includes more than 55 audio stories, and takes about 4-5 hours to complete.

New. Lifetime access with no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.

Important: Please download the Tour Guide App by Action and your Death Valley audio tour before entering the park. Cell service can be very limited in Death Valley, so download the tour in advance over strong WiFi or cellular data. Once downloaded, the GPS map and audio stories work offline while you drive.
Stop 2

5 min

While the famed Gold Rush brought a huge influx of hopefuls to Death Valley, it wasn’t gold which kept the valley on the map. In their frantic search for that prized metal, miners stumbled upon something just as valuable: borax.
Dante's View

Passing by

Affording breathtaking views of the undulating salt flats below, Dante's View is a phenomenal place for photography, or simply watching the sun set behind the Panamint Mountains. This vista towers more than 5,000 feet above the Badwater Basin, on the cusp of the Black Mountain Range.
Twenty Mule Team Canyon

Passing by

This is Twenty Mule Team Canyon, named for those iconic wagon trains I just mentioned. This winding road offers some truly excellent desert scenery as you weave between saffron colored hills and colorful badlands. If you visit in the early morning or around sunset, you’ll be treated to dazzling colors as the orange sunlight paints the dramatic rock faces.
Zabriskie Point

Passing by

Named for a 19th-century borax baron, who you’ll hear about in a second, Zabriskie Point is easily one of Death Valley’s most iconic locations. From this perch on the Amargosa Mountain range, you can really see how erosion has shaped this valley. Directly below are the badlands. Past those, much lighter in color, you’ll see the dazzling salt flats. All of it is framed by the hulking Panamint Mountains beyond.
Furnace Creek Visitor Center

Passing by

Here at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, you’ll find snacks, water, and restrooms, but more importantly…a thermometer! Just outside the entrance is a big digital readout that’ll tell you exactly how hot it is here at one of Death Valley’s lowest points. Make sure to snap a photo standing next to it to shock your friends and family back home.
Golden Canyon

Passing by

From here, you can access the Golden Canyon trail. This out and back trail is about 3 miles total, and takes around one hour to complete. This popular trail sees many visitors each year, so you’re sure to encounter a few fellow hikers during your trip!
Stop 8

5 min

That gentle hill off to your right is called Mars Hill. If you think about it, the name makes sense! Much of Death Valley brings to mind the arid, lifeless surface of the planet Mars. The deep ochre stones, strange rock formations and great dusty expanses certainly feel like they don’t quite belong on earth.
Artist's Drive

Passing by

This canvas was painted by volcanic deposits of iron oxides and chlorite. While the badlands of Zabriskie Point were colored largely by different sedimentary deposits, these rocks owe their glow to a totally different era of Death Valley’s geology.
Artists Palette

Passing by

This is the best spot to view the Artist’s Palette, a collection of wildly colorful rocks that look like they can’t possibly be natural. And yet they are!
Devil's Golf Course

Passing by

This road is rugged and unpaved, so use caution when driving. It leads to a fascinating landscape known as Devils Golf Course. When most people think of golf courses, they’ll imagine verdant rolling hills, smoothly manicured turf and the sound of birdsong. But Death Valley offers no such thing.
Stop 12

5 min

This is Badwater Basin, home to salt flats which spread out across the desert for a whopping 200 square miles. At 282 feet below sea level, this basin is the lowest point in North America.

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

Start on CA-190 at Towne Pass, 11 miles east of Panamint Springs. Continue east toward Stovepipe Wells and Furnace Creek. This is the suggested starting point. We’re not affiliated with nearby businesses. The audio starts automatically—check your email/text for setup.
Start on NV-374, 8 miles west of Beatty, near the Death Valley National Park sign. The sign will be on your right. Head west toward Daylight Pass and Furnace Creek. This is the suggested starting point. We’re not affiliated with nearby businesses. The audio starts automatically—check your email/text
Start at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center parking lot. This is the suggested starting point. We’re not affiliated with the Visitor Center or nearby businesses, so their staff won’t have information about this tour. The audio starts automatically—check your email/text for setup.
Start on Route 190 at Death Valley Junction, near Route 127. Head west on Route 190 toward Furnace Creek to begin your journey into Death Valley. This is the suggested starting point. We’re not affiliated with nearby businesses. The audio starts automatically—check your email/text for setup.

End point

Start on CA-190 at Towne Pass, 11 miles east of Panamint Springs. Continue east toward Stovepipe Wells and Furnace Creek. This is the suggested starting point. We’re not affiliated with nearby businesses. The audio starts automatically—check your email/text for setup.
Start on NV-374, 8 miles west of Beatty, near the Death Valley National Park sign. The sign will be on your right. Head west toward Daylight Pass and Furnace Creek. This is the suggested starting point. We’re not affiliated with nearby businesses. The audio starts automatically—check your email/text
Start at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center parking lot. This is the suggested starting point. We’re not affiliated with the Visitor Center or nearby businesses, so their staff won’t have information about this tour. The audio starts automatically—check your email/text for setup.
Start on Route 190 at Death Valley Junction, near Route 127. Head west on Route 190 toward Furnace Creek to begin your journey into Death Valley. This is the suggested starting point. We’re not affiliated with nearby businesses. The audio starts automatically—check your email/text for setup.

Using your ticket

IGNORE THE QR CODE ABOVE

The QR code CANNOT be presented for a ticket onsite.

The QR simply contains your tour access instructions. Please follow these instructions BEFORE you’re onsite because they require WiFi/signal.

1. Download my Action Tour Guide app:

actiontourguide.com/app

2. Sign in/ register with your email (this is will automatically generate a one-time verification sent to your email. That code is NOT your tour password).

3. Go to “My Tours” and select “Enter Password”. Find your password in the instructions email sent by “Action Tour Guide” to you by email and text.

4. Download your tour NOW. Do not wait until you are onsite.

BEFORE YOU START

This is a self-guided audio tour. No guide will meet you.

Entrance tickets, attraction tickets, parking, and transportation are not included.

Your tour has lifetime access with no expiry. Use it on any date—no need to change your booking date.

For walking tours, we recommend headphones.

See how it works: actiontourguide.com/tutorial

NEED HELP?

Setup: actiontourguide.com/redeem

FAQs: actiontourguide.com/faq

Call: 1-508-506-1844

Email: [email protected]

Cancellation

Free cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

If you cancel	You get back
At least one day before	100%
Less than a day before	0%

Good to know

Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Please note that an entrance fee is required to visit Death Valley National Park. This fee grants access to the park for seven consecutive days and is not included with this tour.
Important Travel Notice: Government shutdowns may temporarily affect national parks and certain attractions. In addition, recent flooding has closed Badwater Road, North Highway, and Bonnie Clare Road; pedestrian and bicycle access may be limited during repairs. Conditions can change quickly, so please check official park alerts before and on the day of your visit.
Easy to use: GPS-triggered audio plays automatically along the route for a hands-free experience.
Private tour: Explore in your own vehicle without crowded buses or large tour groups.
At your own pace: Start anytime and pause for hikes, picnics, photos, or scenic stops.
Works offline: Once downloaded, the tour works using GPS without Wi-Fi or cellular service.
Good value: One purchase covers everyone in your vehicle, not each person separately.
More ways to save: Choose a single tour, a nearby bundle, or access to 200+ tours.
Download in advance: Download the Tour Guide app by Action and tour while connected to Wi-Fi or a strong cellular signal.
Follow the route: Begin at the suggested starting point or join anywhere along the route shown in the app.
Lifetime access: Preview the tour before your trip and revisit the stories, photos, and details afterward.
Supported devices: iPhone with iOS 15+, Android with version 9+, or a GPS-enabled iPad/tablet with cellular capability.
The app’s audio will play through your car’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto display, while the app’s map will display on your phone. You can connect your phone to the car via Bluetooth to listen to the commentary through the car stereo.