Essential Southwest Circuit

Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, and Zion

Trip Details

Scrub jay

What’s Included? Everything you need, plus everything you want.

  • Guided Hikes: Dig deeper with a full day of privately guided hiking and exploring in the Grand Canyon.
  • Water in the Desert: Rent a powerboat and spend the day cruising the incredible canyon shoreline of Lake Powell.
  • Slot Canyons: Weave your way through slot canyons near Zion by hiking, climbing, and rappelling.
  • Las Vegas Show: Catch a Cirque du Soleil show at the Bellagio on your last night in Las Vegas.

Essential Southwest Circuit

Trip Type: Custom-Made Travel

Territory:

Region: Desert Southwest

Trip Price: $3,430

Duration: 8 days/7 nights

Trip Begins/Ends: Las Vegas, Nevada / Las Vegas, Nevada

National Parklands:

Select Terms & Conditions

All custom travel is tailored to the desires and interests of our traveling clients (see How Custom Travel Works tab). Trip pricing detailed is an estimate of the per person pricing for the sample itinerary detailed and includes all of the lodging, activities, and guided experiences described. Actual pricing for the trip designed expressly for you and others traveling with you will depend on the features and elements developed during the trip planning process. Travel with Off the Beaten Path requires agreement to our standard Terms & Conditions.

Energy Index

Energy Index Spectrum

No Sweat - 1-2 miles of walking or hiking per day, plus easy activities

Nice & Active – 3-6 miles of hiking or walking per day, plus physically active exploration

High Five! – 5-10 miles of hiking per day, plus possible peak bagging or other action-oriented fun

Essential Southwest Circuit

Essential Southwest Circuit - Energy Index

The Energy Index detailed above relates to the level of exertion associated with the sample trip detailed. This would be modified to fit the style and ability of your group as a part of the custom trip planning process

How custom-made travel works at Off the Beaten Path

We’ve been tailoring custom journeys for clients since our very inception in the mid-1980s! The process is all about connecting the interests of the travelers with the best that a given destination has to offer. To achieve this, we rely upon good ol’ fashioned conversation! Our geographically focused travel designer love to meet new people and learn about their interests for travel. Understanding your goals informs the process immensely and serves as the foundation for the development of a bespoke travel experience for you and yours.

The trip detailed on this web page is a sample of something we’ve done for other clients over the years. In order to start the process of designing your own custom travel experience, just call us at (800) 445-2995 and ask to speak with one of our Travel Advisors. After a bit of time on the phone, you will then have the opportunity to connect with one of our travel designers.

The entire planning process is very personalized and works in an iterative fashion until a final, perfect trip has been created. We then secure all of the lodging, activities, and guided experiences associated with your trip and send along abundant trip materials capturing these details – and much more about your travels!

Itinerary

Day 1: Las Vegas

Welcome to the Southwest! Arrive into Las Vegas and stay in luxury on the Strip and experience the best of Las Vegas. Be entranced at an evening performance of “O” by the one-and-only Cirque du Soleil. Afterwards, consider a walk along the strip to see the Bellagio Fountains and other architectural and design marvels that glitter and shine at night.

Day 2: Las Vegas to Grand Canyon National Park

Pick up your rental car in Las Vegas and make your way to the one-and-only Grand Canyon. The drive is about 4.5 hours—perfect for shifting gears into vacation mode. Your accommodations are in Tusayan, two miles from the park entrance. 

Day 3: Grand Canyon National Park

A full day of privately guided hiking in Grand Canyon National Park takes you to trails you might have missed on your own, and is the best path to total immersion and connection. Your naturalist guide will match the hikes to your abilities and interests.  

Day 4: Lake Powell

Today’s drive of about 2.5 hours takes you to Lake Powell, which lies in the middle of “The Grand Circle,” a collection of scenic, cultural, and historic destinations arrayed across several states. When you arrive, you’ll want to tour one of the most breathtaking features in the whole Southwest, the much-photographed Antelope Canyon. Slipping through this majestic, red-rock slot canyon is unforgettable. This evening, explore and relax at your lake-view resort.  

Day 5: Lake Powell

Rent a powerboat and spend the day cruising around Lake Powell, dipping into coves and inlets to explore. You might want to rent water skis or other water toys. During the day you can also pull in at Rainbow Bridge to see the largest spanning natural bridge in the world, and explore slot canyons all along the shoreline.  

Day 6: Zion National Park

Head to Zion National Park today, with its chiseled canyons, massive stone formations, and stunning overlooks. When you get here, stretch your legs on some of the hikes recommended in your guidebook, or rent a bike and ride. Your wonderful inn is on the Virgin River.  

Day 7: Zion National Park

Get back out on the trails today, or opt for some guided beginning canyoneering. Your expert guides will pick the perfect routes to match your fitness, and literally show you the ropes of rappelling through the canyons.  

Day 8: Departure from Las Vegas

Bid adieu to Canyon Country and make your way to Las Vegas for flights home. 

 

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Lodging

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