Scenic Parks Explorer

Visit North America

HIGHLIGHTS:

Welcome - Fabulous Las Vegas - Ride Through Colourful Zion National Park - Uncover The History Of Salt Lake City - North - Jackson - Travel Through Scenic Grand Teton National Park - See the Grandeur of Yellowstone National Park - Experience Blue Skies And The Wild West - Unlock The History of Little Big Horn - Delve Into Native American Culture - Journey Through The Prairies To Denver - Roam The Rockies - Take In The Views of The Canyonlands - Journey - the Heart of Monument Valley - Tour The Remarkable Grand Canyon - End Your Journey In Las Vegas

Day 1 Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas.

From glitz and glitter to lavish dining, the desert playground of Las Vegas extends a warm welcome. More than a high energy city of tempting nightlife, the soul-stirring surrounding landscapes make up America's most beloved national parks. Kick off your US National Park tour meeting your Travel Director for a Welcome Reception and then soar 550 feet above the centre of the Las Vegas Strip on the High Roller, North America's tallest observation wheel.

Day 2 Ride Through Colourful Zion National Park.

There's no better place to admire the Southwest's multi-colour landscape than the towering cream, pink and red cliffs of Zion National Park. Drive through the park hugged by red cliffs and stop for lunch at Zion Lodge. Be sure to keep your camera at-the-ready for the enchanting landscapes of Bryce Canyon. Feel dwarfed by the otherworldly rusty red limestone hoodoo spires that rise surreally from the desert floor to Utah's skies. Join Ebenezer's Barn & Grill and The Bryce Canyon Wranglers for an unforgettable evening of live country music and a delicious BBQ dinner.

Day 3 Uncover The History Of Salt Lake City.

Fortunately for you, you have a second day in Bryce Canyon National Park, where you'll unlock the park's iconic hoodoos. Next up in Salt Lake City, discover the local secrets of Utah's capital seeing its Mormon centre, Temple Square and discovering the beliefs and history of the Mormon pioneers who settled here. Salt Lake City is a vibrant and progressive city with cafes, boutiques and new restaurants popping up all the time - so you'll have plenty of choice as you explore the city today. Ask your Travel Director for recommendations of dining options that suit your mood as you explore the city surrounded by picturesque mountains.

Day 4 North to Jackson.

Get ready for a change of scenery on your US National Park tour today, taking in views of Powder Mountain and Bear Lake as you head north from Salt Lake City to Jackson. Standing in the shadows of the Teton Range's icy peaks, this mountain town has an Old West look with a modern twist. Get a feel for the outdoor vibe - home to three ski areas and many rugged trails - on your own. Grab dinner this evening in one of the old-timey saloons and steakhouses destined to fuel your adventures through Western Frontiers.

Day 5 Travel Through Scenic Grand Teton National Park.

Grand Teton National Park's alpine landscapes of eight peaks tower over 12,000 feet above you. Learn how, established in 1929, Grand Teton is home to a 40-mile mountain range straddling Idaho and Wyoming with views of wildlife, glacier-carved lakes and alpine terrain. Inhabited first by Native Americans and later American pioneers, Grand Teton is the perfect place to explore over 200 miles of hiking trails and take in views of the Tetons from the Snake River. Get your bearings choosing to join a gentle Snake River Float Trip in the Park, learning from your guide about the park's resident wildlife. The promise of Yellowstone's geothermal wonderland leads to your next destination. Arriving in Yellowstone, stay right in the heart of it all overnighting at one of the lodges in this iconic national park.

Day 6 See the Grandeur of Yellowstone National Park.

See how Yellowstone National Park - one of the world's oldest national parks with over 500 geysers - is in a league of its own. At the end of your visit, you'll surely appreciate its vastness, variety of landscapes and terrains, wildlife, vegetation, lakes and geologic wonders like the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River. Alongside your Travel Director, marvel at Old Faithful, the thousand-year-old geyser which has been shooting water into the sky every 90 minutes for centuries. Stop at Lake Yellowstone, containing the largest number of wild cutthroat trout in North America, before viewing Artists Point. Savour a quiet moment at this viewpoint to watch the stunning cascade of the Lower Falls. Finish off an epic day of sightseeing at the impressive Fountain Paint Pot area where bubbling mud pots and geysers invite you to stand back and watch the show.

Day 7 Experience Blue Skies And The Wild West.

Welcome to "Buffalo Bill's" hometown of Cody where the "Spirit of the American West" lives on. Visit the Buffalo Bill Center of the West Museum to unlock the town's history before taking your wild west adventure to the next level in Big Sky Country. At the historic Billings Depot, you're treated to a Western dinner Be My Guest experience. Meet a local historian from the nearby Western Heritage Center who'll share Billing's railroad history from how the depot was built in 1903 as a hub for three major railroads. Get your fix of western hospitality and fare enjoying local Chef Jordan Hodson's three-course menu featuring local produce, a choice of entrees, a seasonal dessert and beer and wine.

Day 8 Unlock The History of Little Big Horn.

Today on your US National Park tour, explore history and living traditions starting with a visit to Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, the battlefield where the ill-fated Custer led his men against a battalion of Sioux and Cheyenne warriors now known as Custer's last stand. From battlefields to the Black Hills, make your way to the base of Crazy Horse Memorial, an iconic monument representing the Oglala Lakota warrior 'Crazy Horse'. Admire the colossal carved face and learn about its origins during a walk-through of The Indian Museum of North America before arriving in Rapid City. Light up your night on an Optional Experience joining Mount Rushmore by Night with a Park Ranger. The sculpture lighting ceremony culminates as the faces of the monument are fully illuminated.

Day 9 Delve Into Native American Culture.

Whether or not you caught the show last night, the must-see sight of Mount Rushmore National Memorial makes a dramatic start to your day with the opportunity to take the perfect picture. View the faces of former American presidents etched into the granite rock-face. Later, you could join an Optional Experience venturing into Badlands National Park to explore 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires blended with the largest protected mixed grass prairie in America feeling like you've entered an ancient world. A special MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience awaits this evening as you meet Lakota Tribe Member Stephen Yellowhawk who shares his passion for his culture over stories of his tribe's history during a festive evening of singing, dance and music.

Day 10 Journey Through The Prairies To Denver.

Travel south on your US National Park tour through the expansive, rolling prairies of Wyoming to Denver, the Mile High City at 5,280 feet known for its thriving coffeehouse and brewery scene. Along the way, trade tales with your travel companions of all the stunning sights you've seen. Cap off the day enjoying dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 11 Roam The Rockies.

Kickoff your day stopping in Vail, an alpine village and one of Colorado's great playgrounds known for its epic powder-filled basins that have attracted skiers since the 1960s. Then discover local organic products and meet local farmers over a one-of-a-kind Be My Guest experience at Field to Fork, a four-season organic farm and boutique fruit stand, growing and celebrating the flavours of every season. You'll love learning the local secrets of organic farming over a tour from the owners followed by a meal of farm-fresh ingredients. This evening in Moab, opt for an exhilarating Optional Experience flying over Canyonlands National Park during sunset.

Day 12 Take In The Views of The Canyonlands.

Get ready to gasp. Arches National Park is packed with striking natural arches. On your jaw-dropping exploration, learn how these 6,000 natural sandstone arches were formed by rain and wind on this guided reserved visit led by your knowledgeable Travel Director. From one stunning landscape to the next in Canyon Country, see how the power of the Colorado River carves through the rocky red landscape at Canyonlands National Park. Drive onto the Island in the Sky - a mesa resting 1,000 feet (305 meters) above the countryside offering spectacular views over the dramatic sandstone formations. Take your experience to the next level with an Optional Canyonlands by Night light show, complete with a lip-smacking cowboy-style Dutch Oven Dinner and a trip on the Moab Queen II jet boat cruising by the lit-up canyon walls.

Day 13 Journey to the Heart of Monument Valley.

Within UNESCO-listed Mesa Verde National Park, admire some of the over 600 ancient cliff dwellings - including the largest in the country, the amazing dwelling known as Cliff Palace - carved in the sandstone of the canyon walls. Established by Teddy Roosevelt in 1906, the Park protects some of the best-preserved Ancestral Puebloan archaeological sites in the United States. Deepen your connection with the first nations of this land heading toward Monument Valley - home to the Navajo Nation and the backdrop of many famous Hollywood Western movies.

Day 14 Tour The Remarkable Grand Canyon.

Your big day of bucket list sites on your US National Park tour begins in Monument Valley. Enjoy a unique exploration with a Local Specialist driving in an open-air vehicle past its towering sandstone buttes and mesas that rise from the barren landscape on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience. Continue through the ancestral home of the Navajo, winding along Desert View Drive, surrounded by mesmerising multi-coloured depths. Stop at Desert View Intertribal Cultural Heritage Site to hear stories, family histories and cultural demonstrations by tribal members on another MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience. We've saved the best for last: the Grand Canyon. Get a unique perspective from geological expert Canyon Tim who reveals the geological wonders on a private nature talk. Join your fellow travellers for a Farewell Dinner toasting to America's National Parks at your accommodations inside Grand Canyon National Park.

Day 15 End Your Journey In Las Vegas.

Consider an optional helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft flightseeing trip over the canyon. End your journey in Las Vegas where a transfer is provided to Las Vegas International Airport arriving at approximately 3:30 pm, or to Horseshoe Las Vegas for guests extending their stay.

View our great airfares, hotels and travel insurance.