Grand Circle tour of the Colorado Plateau & National Parks
| country: | USA |
| location: | Grand Circle, National Parks of America |
| departures: | 2008: 5 Oct |
| price: | From £1335 (11 days) excluding flights, single supplement £225 . We can help arrange flights from the UK. Must have 8 passengers to operate |
the amazing things you'll be doing
The Red Rock wonders of the Grand Staircase in Western Colorado, Southern Utah and Northern Arizona are some of the most isolated and unique landscapes in the world!
This tour provides a close look into the magical National Parks of the Colorado Plateau; Zion, Bryce Canyon, Grand Staircase/Escalante, Capitol Reef, Arches, Canyonlands, and Monument Valley on the Navajo Nation.
Grand Junction, Colorado is an ideal gateway to this spectacular and diverse region.
This tour offers our clients the time to get away from the crowds and to experience these famous and unforgettable sights, a photographer’s delight. All levels of activity can be catered for on this tour; from gentle walks and float tours on the Colorado River, to ½ day and full day hiking and biking trips if desired, as active as you like.
Extensions: There is an opportunity to extend the trip with a post tour Mesquite, Nevada package. The Casa Blanca Hotel offers a peaceful and relaxing stay, with full spa facilities and a wonderful pool area. Alternatively you might want to add a couple of days in Las Vegas. Contact us for details about either of these packages.
Please note: Due to the developing tourism industry in the area changes can and do occur in this type of program. Weather conditions, sometimes severe enough to limit where we can drive or walk, can also alter the program. As visitors, we will respect this, and remain flexible and open to local conditions, safety concerns and unforeseen opportunities. Our guides will do their best to keep things on track and in the event that our schedule changes, they will try to keep disruption to a minimum, consider your wishes and organise other options as far as it is reasonable and practical to do so.
This tour provides a close look into the magical National Parks of the Colorado Plateau; Zion, Bryce Canyon, Grand Staircase/Escalante, Capitol Reef, Arches, Canyonlands, and Monument Valley on the Navajo Nation.
Grand Junction, Colorado is an ideal gateway to this spectacular and diverse region.
This tour offers our clients the time to get away from the crowds and to experience these famous and unforgettable sights, a photographer’s delight. All levels of activity can be catered for on this tour; from gentle walks and float tours on the Colorado River, to ½ day and full day hiking and biking trips if desired, as active as you like.
Extensions: There is an opportunity to extend the trip with a post tour Mesquite, Nevada package. The Casa Blanca Hotel offers a peaceful and relaxing stay, with full spa facilities and a wonderful pool area. Alternatively you might want to add a couple of days in Las Vegas. Contact us for details about either of these packages.
Please note: Due to the developing tourism industry in the area changes can and do occur in this type of program. Weather conditions, sometimes severe enough to limit where we can drive or walk, can also alter the program. As visitors, we will respect this, and remain flexible and open to local conditions, safety concerns and unforeseen opportunities. Our guides will do their best to keep things on track and in the event that our schedule changes, they will try to keep disruption to a minimum, consider your wishes and organise other options as far as it is reasonable and practical to do so.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Las Vegas, Nevada. We arrive in Las Vegas and transfer to our hotel. There will be a welcome drink and brief orientation this evening. |
| Day 2: | Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. We start early today as we head east through the magnificent Virgin River Gorge to the Colorado Plateau. Our destination is Bryce Canyon NP for a few short walks in the afternoon light. Sunset Point at sunset is the perfect end of our first day together. |
| Day 3: | Bryce Canyon National Park. You'll love the view at sunrise from the edge of Bryce Canyon which changes rapidly as the light spreads over the sandstone formations. It is your choice to extensively hike this wonderful park or join a driving tour to the view points with short walks from each point. We have added this extra day to our popular tour due to passenger comments, all wishing to have more time to see Bryce Canyon. |
| Day 4: | Torrey, Utah. We head into one of the most dramatic, scenic and isolated routes in North America, Highway 12, through The Grand Staircase/Escalante National Monument. There will be time to either relax, or hike the famous Calf Creek Trail in the Grand Staircase. We then continue along Highway 12, rising to the Aspen forests of Boulder Mountain, to Capitol Reef NP and our wonderful lodge overlooking the park. |
| Day 5: | Moab, Utah. After a short hike in Capitol Reef National Park we head west past the isolated Henry Mountains and through the San Rafael Swell to the Green River Basin. We cross the Green just north of where it joins the Colorado River in Canyonlands NP. A wonderful hike in Arches NP to the Devil's Garden is followed by a beautiful descent into the Colorado River valley at Moab. |
| Day 6: | Moab, Utah. Everyone will have the opportunity to hike to the famous Delicate Arch for sunrise, which is moderately strenuous and worth every effort. There are a variety of activities possible today including cycling, hiking or optional local tours. At the end of the day we head to Island in the Sky for a remarkable sunset experience overlooking Canyonlands National Park, above the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers. The panorama will take your breath away! |
| Day 7: | Mexican Hat, Utah. After a relaxing morning we head south to Natural Bridges National Park for some short walks and an incredibly scenic lunch spot. Tonight, our lodge is perched on the edge of the canyon overlooking the San Juan River. There is a wonderful walk behind the ladge to explore this unique landscape. |
| Day 8: | Page, Arizona. Navajo National Monument is our first stop today where a short film explains about the early Anasazi inhabitants. The Sandal Trail takes us to the wonderful overlook of the Betatakin Ruins, abandoned over 800 years ago, that stand as a testament to the Anasazi knowledge and understanding of the area. We head west across Northern Arizona to the shores of the one of the largest reservoirs in North America, Lake Powell, at Glen Canyon. It is a controversial reality, having destroyed miles of pristine canyons and thousands of ancient archaeological sites. We will enjoy a late afternoon hike to a wonderful overlook of Glen Canyon, well below the dam. |
| Day 9: | Zion NP, Utah. Its now back to Utah across the Paria River canyon and to Zion NP. Everyone will have time to enjoy the lodges facilities and make their own way into the NP visitor centre and perhaps enjoy a late afternoon walk along the Virgin River in the park. Zion NP offers a free shuttle system for maximum flexibility and freedom for visitors. |
| Day 10: | Zion NP, Utah. The group can be easily divided into serious hikers and those that want to explore the park at a more leisurely pace. Angels Landing is a fantastic and strenuous hike that climbs over 1,500 feet in only two and a half miles. It is one of the most thrilling hiking opportunities, over a short distance, in America, and provides a memorable challenge. As everyone may not want to hike to the top, there is a two mile point which proves to be a perfect turn-around. Numerous shorter and less difficult trails are available, such as the Narrows, Weeping Rock, and the Virgin River Trail, which follows the river course. There are also Natural History courses and guided NP ranger walks available. |
| Day 11: | Las Vegas, Nevada. Today we head back into the Mojave Desert along the old highway and transfer to the Las Vegas airport to connect to your flight. Upon booking we will be able to advise you of flight options but please note that we would advise you not to book return flights before 2pm on this final day. |
this tourism business was Highly Commended
In our 2005 First Choice Responsible Tourism Awards, the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine. The idea behind the Awards is that all types of tourism – from niche to mainstream – can and should be operated in a way that respects and benefits destinations and local people. how this holiday makes a difference
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We employ locally based residents to supply services such as outfitting and step on guide services. Locally owned services and local guides are utilised, and shopping for arts and crafts is offered through co-operatives and/or with the craftspeople themselves, thus avoiding the middleman.
 Where possible, all accommodation and food services contracted are with locally owned and operated businesses to ensure that the money stays with them. About 50% of the tour cost remains with the local populations. Almost all properties are chosen because they practice responsible tourism methods involving recycling, water use, and energy consumption. The others must soon comply with much stricter regulations and guidelines due in the near future. Our guides and drivers practice and promote responsible tourism methods and techniques and participate in the National Park Conservation and Development programmes. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |