Best of the West
Overview
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Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Attractions
Activities
Itinerary
Today you begin your journey by boarding your international outbound flight to Los Angeles. On arrival make your own way to your downtown hotel. The remainder of the day is free to relax and begin exploring your new surroundings. You could browse the local shops, museums and art galleries, take a taxi into Hollywood or indulge in a spa treatment at your hotel.
Enjoy a full day exploring California's largest city under your own steam. Los Angeles offers a vast array of attractions to suit all interests; spot the stars on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, indulge in the boutique shops of Beverly Hills, sip cocktails on Sunset Bouleva...
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Continue your journey north, driving for around six hours as you take in the beautiful panoramas of Big Sur, Monterey and Carmel. Your destination today is San Francisco, and you have the rest of the afternoon to begin exploring this beautiful city. Take a stroll alon...
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Your three hour drive today takes you inland to beautiful Yosemite National Park. The mountains, sheer cliff faces and tree-laden valleys are a sight to behold, and, along with crashing waterfalls, create a memorable spectacle. Rangers at the visitor centre in Yosemite Valley will tell you all about the park and the many activities you can enjoy there, from rock climbing to wildlife talks.
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Leaving Yosemite behind, today's three hour drive takes you south to the plains of California's oil region and the town of Bakersfield. If you have the time it's worthwhile detouring east to see the enormous trees of Sequoia National Park. Here you'll find the famous General Sherman Tree; at almost 84 m (276 ft) and over 2,000 years old it's the tallest and oldest tree on Earth.
Continue your journey for four hours through the stunning Sierra Nevada Mountains east to Death Valley National Park, stopping to explore scenic mountain villages and admire the breathtaking views on the way. The afternoon is free to explore the dramatic desert landscape of Death Valley, perhaps visiting Badwater Basin - the lowest point in North America at 86 m (282 ft) below sea level.
Leave the arid, otherworldly landscape of Death Valley behind and drive for around three hours through southern Nevada to the bright lights of Las Vegas. Once you've arrived you can make use of your hotel's many facilities, try your luck in a casino or head out to explore the bizarre sights of The Strip.
Spend a full day at leisure exploring Las Vegas. You may wish to see the spectacle of the city's many themed hotels and casinos, watch the impressive fountains shoot up to music at the Bellagio Hotel, or watch a world-class show, which include anything from music performances to circus acts.
Your three hour drive today is filled with spectacular mountain vistas as you wind your way towards Zion National Park. You may wish to stop for lunch and a spot of shopping in the delightful town of St George before arriving in Springdale, where you can make yourself at home at your hotel and enjoy views of the red rocks peaks of Zion National Park.
Zion National Park awaits your discovery today. The highlights of Zion are easily seen by taking a 9.7 km (six mile) scenic drive, but it's certainly worthwhile spending time on foot exploring the park's many beautiful walking trails.
Depart the lush green trees of Zion National Park and venture for two and a half hours into the arid desert scenery around Page, Arizona. This afternoon you may wish to take a boat trip on nearby Lake Powell, a vast reservoir on the Colorado River, which straddles the state border between Utah and Arizona.
Continue your journey east and make the two hour drive from Page to Monument Valley. Here you have the afternoon free to explore this dramatic copper landscape, an iconic panorama synonymous with the American Wild West. You can visit some of the ancient Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings and long-abandoned adobe and stone houses surrounded by 305 m (1,000 ft) canyon cliffs.
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Spend a full day at leisure exploring the Grand Canyon National Park. Don't miss an exhilarating helicopter trip over the canyon for an incredible bird's eye perspective of this natural wonder. Alternatively you may wish to take a hike down into the valley. It's definitely worth gazing out over the canyon at sunrise or sunset, when the park's at its most beautiful.
Depart the Grand Canyon and drive for two hours through the lush forests to the red rock region of Sedona. You could stop en route in the town of Flagstaff, which has several museums detailing the lives of the region's indigenous cultures and early settlers.
A day at leisure to explore Sedona; we highly recommend taking a 4x4 trip to explore the region's remarkable red rock scenery, or simply spend the day relaxing at the hotel. Nearby is Boynton Canyon, considered to be the birthplace of Yavapai Apache, and you'll find more well-preserved ancient cliff dwellings.
The final 185 km (115 miles) of your grand American road trip take you two hours south through the arid and rocky landscape of Arizona to Phoenix Skyharbor International Airport. Drop your car off at the depot in time for your return flight home.
Arrive home today to complete your journey.
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Dates & Availability
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The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
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Our trips don’t come off the shelf. There’s no set recipe. Each itinerary is tailor-made down to the finest detail, built around your tastes and interests. Quite simply, we listen to what you want and then carefully design an individual trip to match, working to your budget and with an absolute commitment to quality.
We have experts for each and every one of our destinations, with the knowledge that comes from having visited many times or even lived there. Our specialists will design a trip around you, show you the highlights from a different angle, and introduce you to places and experiences that others might miss.
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As the world adjusts to travel in times of uncertainty, we want you to be able to look ahead to your next trip knowing you can change your plans if needed. And, with specialists who are experts in their destinations and remain your single point of contact before and while you travel, we promise you can book with us in absolute confidence.
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We’ll move your travel dates or switch the value of your booked trip to another destination at no expense to you up to 30 days before you’re due to depart. You’ll receive a 100% travel credit equivalent to the amount you paid toward your original booking.
Valid for new bookings made on or before October 31, 2020, for travel by Dec. 31, 2021. Travel dates may be moved to departures up to December 31, 2022. Excludes select cruises and airfare. Additional charges may be incurred based on changes to your trip such as accommodation and/or seasonality.
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14-day cancellation policy for trips to the US, Canada or Caribbean
We want to help you navigate the uncertainty that remains around travel by giving you the flexibility to book a trip to any of our destinations in the United States, Canada or the Caribbean this year in complete confidence. With our 14-day cancellation policy, you can cancel your trip up to two weeks before you’re due to depart for any reason and receive a full refund, when you book your trip on or before October 31, 2020 for travel before December 14, 2021**.
Valid on new bookings within the US, Canada or Caribbean made on or before October 31, 2020 for travel by December 14, 2021. Certain policy variations may apply dependent on property selection and dates. Specific details will be provided by your specialist. Any portion of a new booking paid with an existing travel credit will be refunded in the form of a travel credit. Excludes flights and select properties.
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Talking face to face with your specialist can be an invaluable starting point for sharing thoughts and ideas as you begin to imagine your next trip. You can take as much time as you need to speak to your specialist and discuss all your plans with one of our video appointments. Just think of it as your own personal webinar — your specialist will share a wealth of insight, aided by images, maps and other visuals, to inspire you and provide advice for your trip, based on what you want to experience.
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