Quick Details
Take a journey through the best National Parks of the Southwest on this all-inclusive tour in Utah! With so many amazing and wonderful sights to visit in this place we call home, it can be a challenge to fit it all in! Our 5-day Best of the Southwest Tour has been carefully designed for our guests who want to see as much of the area as possible in a few days, in comfort and in a small, friendly group setting. Come with us and experience the magic of a river walk in Zion, the curious hoodoo formations in Bryce Canyon, cruise on sparkling Lake Powell and marvel at the jaw-dropping scale of the mighty Grand Canyon!
Las Vegas Airport, Terminal 1, Level 0, 1:30 p.m.
At Las Vegas Airport, guests must catch the 1:30 p.m. ground shuttle to St. George where they will be greeted by their guide, and then transferred to Kanab. All shuttles and transfers are included and organized by us.
Day 1: Arrival Day
It takes a little time to get to our home in Kanab, but it’s so worth it! Your journey will start in Las Vegas, Nevada, where a ground shuttle will pick you up at McCarran International Airport. From Las Vegas, you will be transported to Kanab, Utah, watching the scenery change from glitzy lights to serene scape. The drive delivers the perfect opportunity to meet and get acquainted with your fellow guests who’ll be on tour with you!
As we get near our destination, you’ll find the busy, hectic world falls further and further away, and your view opens up to the colors and calm majesty of the desert.
We will arrive at the Kanab Gathering Place by early evening, where you can unpack and unwind. We’ll bring in dinner from a local restaurant, and you can rest after your busy day of traveling and get an overview of the week’s events from your friendly guide.
Meals included this day: light dinner.
Day 2: Lake Powell
Our drive to Lake Powell is a gorgeous one. One of the first stops of the day will be Horseshoe Bend, where we will feast our eyes on the jaw-dropping overlook of a 2,000 foot monolithic butte, wrapped by the Colorado River.
After lunch, we’ll board a boat and experience the sparkling blue waters of Lake Powell in the best way possible, with towering red rock formations surrounding us and continuing as far as the eye can see. Be sure to have your camera ready to capture the undulating shoreline and slot canyons!
On our way back to Kanab, we will enjoy viewing the powerful Glen Canyon Dam, which holds the water in Lake Powell, as well as provides energy for many cities!
Dinner that night will be back in Kanab.
Meals included this day: breakfast, lunch & dinner.
Day 3: Bryce Canyon National Park
After a delicious breakfast, we’ll get on the road to start today’s adventure! Our destination, Bryce Canyon National Park, is about 1.5 hours away.
Your first view of Bryce Canyon is gloriously dramatic… rows of ancient pine trees veil the bright colors of the park, and reveal glimpses of what is to come!
To start off our visit, we’ll view the Sunset Point Amphitheater, full of beautiful red rock spires called “hoodoos”. If we’re feeling energetic, we can also hike the Navajo Loop and experience the mesmerizing rock formations throughout.
By now, we’ll have built up quite the appetite! So we’ll head to Ruby’s Inn for their famous buffet lunch, and afterwards, continue exploring the park, including Bryce Point and Inspiration Point. The park boasts many different climatic zones and diverse habitats, so keep your eyes open for countless species of birds, mammals and plants unique to the area.
To end the day on a high, we’ll stop at Peek-a-boo Slot Canyon just outside of Kanab. Here, we’ll load into OHV vehicles, a fantastic and fun way to skim over the sand trails and dunes! Your guide will also show you the “hallway of stone”, a hidden gem that’s sure to please.
We’ll relax at a nice dinner in Kanab, supporting local restaurants.
Meals included this day: breakfast, lunch & dinner.
Day 4: Grand Canyon National Park
After breakfast, we’ll set off for today’s adventure to one of the 7 wonders of the world, the Grand Canyon! After about 1.5 hours on the road, we’ll arrive at the Grand Canyon North Rim, where crisp and refreshing air and a lush forest environment will greet us.
An optional activity, mule riding along the top of the rim through the Kaibab Forest, awaits you. If you’d rather enjoy the view from a comfortable couch at the lodge, that is another option! Either way, you’ll take in the surrounding views and enjoy the park experience.
For lunch, we’ll head to Grand Canyon Lodge which also offers a charming gift shop village for those with a shopping passion.
Our afternoon will be spent visiting special locations, unreachable by the the big tour buses. Your guide will take you to hidden viewpoints as well as the Walhalla Ruins, an ancient Native Indian pueblo, considered one of the major archaeological sites in Arizona.That evening, we’ll enjoy a meal in Kanab.
Meals included this day: breakfast, lunch & dinner.
Day 5: Zion National Park and Departure
Unfortunately, today is departure day, but not before a few more activities and adventures with your group! We’ll have breakfast, check-out of the B&B, then load your luggage into the van.
Founded in 1918, Zion National Park is Utah’s oldest national park. With nearly three million visitors per year, Zion is also Utah’s most popular. In this tour, you’ll explore the land where the Virgin River has sculpted a profound landscape masterpiece. Together, we’ll venture into the heart of Zion National Park and hike trails to jaw-dropping sites like the Emerald Pools. As our groups are always kept small, the day will run at your pace, with as many stops for photos as needed!
We’ll finish our day hiking to the amazing Zion Narrows, one of the most famous trails in the U.S. The trail leads into the deepest reaches of Zion Canyon, where the walls are only 24 feet apart and tower to more than 1,000 feet high! The trail begins with an easy paved walk and ends at the mouth of the gorgeous canyon. Needless to say, the views are out of this world!
Lunch will be enjoyed in Springdale before our drive back to St. George. From there, you can catch the shuttle back to Las Vegas Airport, arriving there at 5:40 pm.
Meals included this day: breakfast & lunch.
*Please let us know at the time of booking if you have any special dietary requirements.
We suggest you bring clothing for each day (light layers), shoes and socks appropriate for hiking on rocks, sand, gravel, pavement, and in water. We’d also recommend a rain poncho or similar light rain gear, sunscreen, a hat and/or sunglasses, and a camera. If you have special dietary needs or preferences, you may want to bring a few of your own snacks.
Utah is a dry state with its own liquor laws. You can read up on the state laws here.
For this tour, you will enjoy the excellent home comforts of The Kanab Gathering Place. We strive to accommodate the special requests and needs of our clients. Four of the rooms in this home have king beds, and two of the rooms have two double beds. The accommodations have two ground floor rooms and four rooms that require using stairs.
In the event that a guest needs an ADA room, we will arrange accommodations at a nearby hotel.
Gratuity or tipping is a personal option and is completely up to you. You may request to have it added into your tour balance or tip your guide directly at the end of your tour. Customary gratuity is 15% of your tour price.
