Welcome to Las Vegas! The real wild west is home to some of the USA’s most incredible scenery. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight to meet your leader and fellow travellers. If you arrive early, there’s plenty to do – maybe wander along the famous strip, be entertained by impersonators and street performers, or catch a live show. After your meeting, maybe head out to dinner with the group to get to know your new travel mates. It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance and emergency contact information at this time. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

Hop in a private van to Zion National Park today and join your leader for an exploration in the wild landscapes of the park on a guided hike. Zion is known for its towering sandstone cliffs and maze of narrow canyons, and you’ll get to see it for yourself as you hike right through the middle of it all. Then, spend the night in Springdale – the gateway to the park. Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours. Your hiking distance and time today will depend on the group's interest and ability but will typically be on either the Emerald Pools trail or the Watchman trail. These trails are easy to moderate and approximately 4.8 km (3 mi) with about 109 m (350 ft) of elevation gain.

After breakfast this morning, it’s time to head to Bryce Canyon National Park. Take a short drive in your private vehicle, then spend the morning hiking through the landscapes of the park. Walk along the canyon rim and stare up at hundreds of unique sandstone towers known as hoodoos that jut out from the natural amphitheatre. After, break for lunch and take in your surroundings, then hike down into the canyon for a closer look at the hoodoos. Then, drive on to the town of Page, where you’ll spend the night. Your total travel time today is approximately 5 hours. Today's hiking distance is 4.8 km (3 mi) with 137 m (450 ft) of elevation gain. Bryce Canyon is situated at 2440 m (8000 ft) above sea level. You can expect cooler temperatures, thinner and dryer air than elsewhere on this trip. Make sure you stay hydrated while hiking in the park.

This morning, join a local Navajo guide for an adventure through Lower Antelope Canyon – known for its wave-like structure and the distinct light beams that shine down into the canyon’s openings. Learn how the Navajo culture has thrived in the region, then set out for a gentle walk along Horsehoe Bend before returning to Page for the evening. Your walking distance will be approximately 4.8 km (3 mi) with minimal elevation gain. The slot canyon has ladders, steps and loose sand, so we recommend you wear closed-toed shoes.

Start the day with a drive to Monument Valley – one of the world’s most iconic sights. If this landscape dotted with towering sandstone buttes looks familiar, that’s because Monument Valley has been the filming location for lots of famous Western films. More importantly, this is the native land of the Navajo. When you arrive, you’ll hop in a 4WD for a Navajo-guided tour, where you’ll have the chance to learn more about their culture and history before sitting down to a traditional home-cooked, family-style Navajo lunch. After, continue your journey to the iconic Grand Canyon for some walks along the rim at sunset. Your total travel time today is approximately 5 hours. We aim to experience either sunset or sunrise at the Grand Canyon rim, depending on season. During spring and fall when the sun sets earlier and rises later, we typically visit for sunrise on Day 5. During the summer months we visit for sunset on Day 4.

This morning it's time to return to Las Vegas, but first we'll make a stop along Historic Route 66 for a dose of quirky Americana. You'll arrive in Las Vegas around 4pm and have the evening free to explore Sin City.  Your total travel time today is approximately 4.5 hours.

Today is free to explore Las Vegas. The city may be the gambling capital of the world but there’s plenty of other things to do. Hit the shops, feel your stomach drop on a rooftop rollercoaster or simply stroll along the famous Strip. There will be a meeting at 5 pm tonight to welcome any new travellers to the trip. After the welcome meeting, maybe grab dinner with your group or check out one of the many shows on offer, or party the night away in a Vegas nightclub. Since this is a combination trip, the travellers in your group and your group leader are likely to change today. There will be a welcome meeting at 5 pm to discuss the next stage of your itinerary and meet travellers joining you. It’s important you attend the meeting as your new leader will be collecting insurance and emergency contact details. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

Leaving Sin City in your dust, you’ll road trip across state lines and through the Mojave Desert today, then around to Sequoia National Park. It’s a long drive, but it’ll give you the chance to see the changing geography of the American west – watch on as the desert gives way to the peaks of the southern Sierras. Settle into your accommodation near Sequoia National Park in the afternoon, and then head out for an included dinner at a local restaurant with your group. Your travel time today will be approximately 7 hours.

Today is simply about seeing the best of the USA’s Sequoia National Park. After breakfast, you’ll embark on leader-led walks around Sequoia, driving from stop to stop as you get to feel small next to the staggering size of General Sherman, the Giant Forest and other specimens of Sequoia’s towering timber. You may even drive through a tree at Tunnel Log, peer into Tharp’s Log and spot marmots, black bears and recently re-introduced bighorn sheep.

After breakfast, you’ll hit the highway headed for the world-famous Yosemite National Park. To start, get acquainted with the awe-inspiring Yosemite Valley during a guided hike. Strewn with dramatic waterfalls, gigantic granite outcrops and lush meadows, this is one of the most spectacular spots in the country. Your leader will also teach you about the ecologically diverse landscape along the way. After sunset, you’ll join a Naturalist from the Yosemite Conservancy for a guided stargazing program. The park’s minimal light pollution makes it an excellent place to see the stars while learning about astronomy, constellations and local lore. For the next two nights, you'll be staying in a hotel just a few minutes from the park's main entrance. Your travel time today will be approximately 6 hours. In the event that the stargazing activity is cancelled due to cloud cover, you will join a Yosemite Conservancy Naturalist for a guided sunset walk and talk.

Today, Yosemite is all yours to explore! In the morning there’ll be leader-led walks around some of the park’s best trails. If it’s a clear day you may also drive up to Glacier Point for a view you won’t soon forget, looking down over the valley and across to the iconic Half Dome. The afternoon is yours to fill how you’d like. You might choose to hike along the breathtaking Mist Trail with its many fabulous views, hire a bicycle and pedal along some of the 12 miles of designated (and flat) path or immerse yourself in the park’s history at the Ahwahnee Hotel. Once you’ve seen the sights, the day will be capped off with a pizza picnic in the park for dinner. The road to Glacier Point can sometimes be closed due to snow in May and June. If that happens, we will explore other areas of the park.

After saying fond farewells to Yosemite, you’ll head west to vibrant San Francisco. Stop to do a walk over the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, and then check in to your hotel for the night. At sunset, you can hit the water for an optional catamaran cruise around the bay, with views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island – this is the perfect farewell to a sun kissed Californian adventure. If you like, head out with your fellow travellers for one last dinner. Your travel time today will be approximately 4.5 hours.

With no activities planned today, your adventure ends this morning. If you’d like to stay longer, just speak to your booking agent.