Trek America: Canyons & National Parks

• Accommodation: 1 Superior night (hotel), 9 Classic nights (5 hotel, 4 lodge)
• Variety of day walks to suit all abilities
• Travel by private minibus
• Group normally 4 to 13, plus leader. Minimum age: 16

Two breakfasts and one dinner are included on this trip. On this tour, we usually eat in local restaurants. To help you budget for these meals, average costs are: Hotel breakfasts: US$15-US$25 Lunches: US$15-US$30 Dinners: US$20-US$40, not including alcoholic beverages Drinks cost on average: Wine: US$10-US$15 per glass Beer: US$6-US$9 per bottle A tip of approximately 17%-20% is added to group meals in North American restaurants. Applicable taxes will also be added to all listed menu prices. Your tour leader may offer your group the option to operate a ‘lunch only’ food kitty; this has proven a popular alternative to three daily restaurant meals. Leaders will explain this option while on your tour, and the whole group will have to agree for this system to run. Vegetarians and vegans can be well catered for on this adventure – please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests so our local team can be well prepared. We do all we can to accommodate other dietary requirements but in certain parts of North America certain food types can be limited.

When we run this adventure, from June to November, this region of the US is normally very dry with blue, sunny skies. However, temperatures vary greatly depending on the elevation; generally, the higher the elevation, the cooler the temperature.

June to August: In summer, Yosemite, Bryce and the Grand Canyon have pleasant temperatures ideal for hiking whereas some of the deserts might experience hotter temperatures. On warmer days, the leader will opt for early morning and late afternoon walks, leaving time for a mid-day rest. The hottest time of day in the deserts is 3pm. Most nights will be mild to warm. Prepare for afternoon thunderstorms.

September to November: Expert perfect hiking days in the deserts and cooler days at higher elevations.

Please note: Death Valley can experience extremely high temperatures, particularly from May to September. Your tour leader is experienced in dealing with this, and will adjust the itinerary accordingly.

This trip is graded Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate), but there is a range of walks available at each national park of varying length and difficulty you can choose between. For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.

There are opportunities for optional activities during your tour. Your tour leader will organise these on your behalf and you pay locally in cash. Walks, hikes and activities cater to everyone from beginner to expert, ranging from easy to strenuous. You’ll find the main optional activities listed under each itinerary day description, along with guideline prices. It may not be possible to do all optional activities listed on each tour.

The spectacular American West is home to an exciting mix of cultural and natural highlights. Experience them all on this active tour. Discover Yosemite, Zion, Bryce Canyon and Grand Canyon national parks and finish the tour in fabulous Las Vegas. This trip is suitable for those looking to experience national parks and American culture with a balance of outdoor discovery and comfortable accommodation.

Although each tour follows an itinerary, there is a certain amount of flexibility and your tour leader may suggest changes from time to time. This may be due to road conditions, weather or a visit to a special attraction/event that happens to be in progress. Flexibility is key and often a side diversion will be a tour highlight. Hikes and optional activities cannot be guaranteed and may vary depending on ability, group interest, weather and time of year.

Angels Landing hike in Zion National Park

During the itinerary, we have time in Zion National Park, where one of the more strenuous and popular hikes is Angels Landing. In response to concerns about congestion on the trail, the National Park Service announced that everyone who hikes Angels Landing needs a permit. Permits cannot be booked by a tour operator, so all guests who wish to attempt this hike are responsible for applying.

Permits are released via a lottery system; unfortunately, there is no guarantee of securing a permit.

The lottery system comes in two forms:

Seasonal Lottery: You can apply for a permit one to three months before your trekking date

Day-Before Lottery: You can apply for a permit the day before your planned hike

Zion is renowned for hiking and there are many excellent trails with wonderful views, such as the Watchman’s trail or the Narrows. Our group discovers these alternative trails. Anyone who is successful in securing their permit can hike Angels Landing while the group completes an alternative trail. For more on Angels Landing permits, such as application dates and prices, visit the National Park Service page here.