Arizona Utah Grand Canyon, Bryce & Zion Private Adventure Tour
Iconic Southwest Hiking, Rafting & Canyoneering
- Available: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
- Activity: Level 2
- Accommodations: Comfortable Hotels
Highlights
- Experience the iconic southwest through some of its top parks
- Take a step into another time by hunting for petroglyphs and fossils along canyon walls
- Enjoy some time on the water as you float the Colorado River and kayak Lake Powell
Itinerary
Drive to the Grand Canyon
Day 1
Upon arrival in Phoenix or Las Vegas, secure your rental car and drive to your overnight accommodations near the Grand Canyon's South Rim.
Accommodation: The Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon
Transportation: 4-hour drive
Hike in Grand Canyon National Park
Day 2
Meet your guide this morning for a full day private hike in Grand Canyon National Park. Choose a more strenuous hike on the famed South Kaibab Trail, or take a more leisurely route offering stops at the South Rim's scenic vistas. Both options offer the chance to learn about the unique ecosystem, the deep Native American connection to the Canyon and the wonders of this special place. Expect sweeping views, ancient rocks, fossils, curious critters, and diverse plant life. Stop mid-day for a picnic lunch.
Accommodation: The Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon
Activity: Customizable hiking and touring
Meals: Lunch
Take a Scenic Drive and Kayak Lake Powell
Day 3
After checking out of your hotel this morning, drive to Page. If time permits, consider stopping for a short hike and photo stop at the specular Horseshoe Bend Overlook just outside Page on Highway 89.
This afternoon, join a kayak excursion on Lake Powell. Meet your kayaking guide for a briefing and before paddling out- the best way to get up close to the unrivaled beauty and grandeur of Lake Powell. Today's route explores some of the lake's more remote canyons and coves.
Return to Page by vehicle, passing the Vermilion Cliffs and beautiful orchards along the way, and check into tonight's hotel.Accommodation: Hyatt Place Page Lake Powell
Activity: 4 hour kayaking
Transportation: 3-hour drive
Explore Desert Canyons by Foot or by UTV
Day 4
This morning offers the choice of exploring the area by foot or by riding an UTV.
Those who choose to explore on foot will visit either Antelope or Peekaboo Canyon and will meet a group for a shared walking tour. A photographer's dream, the canyons are known for their wave-like structure and the almost supernatural appearance of sunbeams shining through the canyon's openings. Keep that camera handy!
Or meet your guide to strap in for the perfect mix of adventure and incredible scenery on a UTV tour. Along the way see the layered colors along the deep canyons and the beautiful views of Lake Powell contrasted against the red sandstone buttes to the east. Because the driving is just as important as the views, take full advantage of the capabilities of your UTV along amazing desert trails that traverse sandy washes, cut through sand dunes and crawl over red rock sand stone.
This afternoon, drive to tonight's hotel near Bryce Canyon, perhaps stopping along the way for an evening hike on Angel's Palace Trail in Kodachrome State Park.Accommodation: Best Western Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel Bryce Canyon
Activity: 3 hours/4-6 miles kayaking or 3 hours UTV ride
Transportation: 2.5-hour drive
Meals: Breakfast
Hike in Bryce Canyon National Park
Day 5
Spend today exploring the rock hoodoos and natural amphitheaters of Bryce Canyon National Park. Today offers a more strenuous hiking option allow the Peekaboo and Queens Garden Trails or a lighter hiking option mixed with sightseeing of the hoodoos and spires accessible by road.
On either route, listen as a knowledgeable guide explains how the forces of wind and water created this unique landscape, and stop midday for a picnic lunch. After the hike, drive to tonight's lodging near Zion National Park.Accommodation: Driftwood Lodge
Activity: Customizable hiking and touring
Transportation: 1.5-hour drive
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Hike the Narrows
Day 6
Experiencing the Narrows in Zion National Park is a must-do for many avid hikers, and today offers multiple options to experience this legendary landscape of emerald pools, soaring rocks walls, and hidden oases. Meet your guide this morning for a full day exploring this spectacular slot canyon, following the banks (and stepping into!) the Virgin River through the narrowest section of Zion Canyon. Your guide will select a route to fit current conditions and meet your desired activity level, stopping at pretty spot midday for a picnic lunch. After a memorable morning of hiking, return to the lodge with time to relax and celebrate.
Accommodation: Driftwood Lodge
Activity: Customizable hiking and touring
Meals: Lunch
Hike or Go Canyoneering in Zion
Day 7
This final morning in Zion offers the choice to explore on a private canyoneering excursion or guided hike- both tailored to fit current conditions and meet your desired activity level. Those who choose canyoneering will meet their guide for an active exploration of some of the area's narrow slot canyons. Expect to hike, rappel, scramble, and wade through canyon pools. Those who choose to hike will meet a private guide for a fantastic hike on one of the park's iconic trails, passing towering walls and canyons so narrow that sunlight rarely penetrates the bottom.
This afternoon, bid goodbye to the Southwest and drive to St. George or Las Vegas to return your rental car and board your homebound flight.Activity: Customizable hiking and canyoneering
Transportation: 1 to 3-hour drive
Meals: Breakfast
Why Travel With Us?
MT Sobek delivers this grand-slam in just seven days - ideal if you don't have loads of time but want a real-deal adventure.
Along the way, professional naturalist guides offer insights into the region's incredible geology and diverse flora and fauna.
You will visit some of the premiere Southwest National Parks with the luxury of lodges. A fantastic way to visit these treasures and recover for your next epic daily hike.
Dates & Prices
- Go Private
- Go Custom
- Inclusions
Go Private
Go Private
Gather your favorite travel companions to share an MT Sobek adventure on an easy-to-book Private departure.
Call or email us to get the ball rolling.
*Private trips require a 25% non-refundable deposit.
Looking for a private family adventure?
This trip can accommodate guests with a
minimum age of 6.
Call for Private Trip Pricing
Make Your Own Dates in These Months
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January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
Go Custom
Create Your Very Own Adventure
Dreaming of an adventure designed exclusively for you? With insider access and decades of experience, our travel experts create custom tailored adventures that are perfect for families, couples, and large groups. MT Sobek's custom adventures are designed to our exacting standards and led by our award-winning adventure guides.
When to start planning? Earlier is always better when designing a custom trip. More time allows for better availability of preferred accommodations, guides and your desired activities. Ideally, start the conversation with us at least 6 months before you want to travel. If you are looking for a custom trip that departs within three months, chances are greatly diminished in securing requested accommodations and the best guides.
*Custom trips require a 25% non-refundable deposit once an itinerary is agreed upon.
Start PlanningInclusions
Price Includes
- Accommodations as noted in the itinerary, including all taxes and resort fees
- Meals as noted in the daily itinerary
- All special equipment required for activities
- Final electronic documentation package
- Trip logistics, operations and monitoring during travel
- All tours and activities as detailed in the itinerary
Price Does Not Include
- Additional meals not noted in the daily itinerary
- Entry fees to National Parks, museums and other attractions when not accompanied by a guide
- Airfare, airport taxes or baggage fees for all flights
- Optional activities and spa services
- Personal expenses such as medical immunizations, laundry or souvenirs
- Discretionary tips for guides, drivers and resort staff
- Optional travel protection
- Rental car
Need help picking your next adventure? Call us to answer your questions.
Your Guides
The best people to immerse you in a destination are the ones who live there, which is why we feature local Adventure Guides on our trips. Here are a few that you might meet on this adventure.
Michael L.
After graduating from Texas Tech University, Michael traveled throughout Western Europe, Asia, Australia, and South and Central America. However, his heart always belonged to the open roads and national parks of the United States, and he began tour guiding in California 15 years ago. Michael has operated coast-to-coast camping and lodging tours in the US and Canada, and he now migrates between Alaska and the great North American deserts. Michael believes that the Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion, Death Valley, and all the lovely arches, salt flats, and ghost towns in between are some of the most special places on Earth.
Jen B.
Jen, is a North Carolina native and a Florida State University graduate with a degree in anthropology. Jen has taught school in Japan, cleaned fish in Alaska, and toured the entire perimeter of India. She's a music lover, a reader of anything, a fan of superhero movies, a bicyclist, a chili hound, a serious cook, and a woman of letters. But mostly she's a tour guide. She's conducted tours throughout the Southwest, from coast to coast in America, in Alaska, and in Canada. If you make her laugh, she'll be your friend for life.
Jennie D.
Hailing from the northeast, Jennie grew up playing in the woods, camping in the backyard, and nurturing a love for the outdoors. Jennie started her travel career as a travel agent and became an adventure guide 10 years ago. She first led tours throughout the USA, Canada, and Mexico, before working as an overland tour driver and leader in Africa, Asia, and Central America. Having traveled the globe, she followed her heart to the Southwest US. Always up for an adventure, in her spare time you may find her whitewater rafting the Grand Canyon, hopping on a sailboat across the Indian Ocean, or hitchhiking through Morocco.
Activity Level
This trip is rated activity level 2. This trip allows flexibility according to time and interest, but expect to be active and walking, kayaking, or hiking for much of each day. There are several miles of hiking each day on flat or slightly inclined and uneven terrain, including a few outings that feature scrambling.
Learn more about activity levels here.
Activity Snapshot
Day 2
Customizable hiking and touring
Day 3
4 hour kayaking
Day 4
3 hours/4-6 miles kayaking or 3 hours UTV ride
Day 5
Customizable hiking and touring
Day 6
Customizable hiking and touring
Day 7
Customizable hiking and canyoneering
Accommodations
Comfortable hotels with easy access to the parks and local amenities, including a stay at an upscale hotel with pool and spa facilities.
Weather
Expect warm, sunny days and cool evenings. Daytime highs range from 60° to 100°F with evening lows from 30° to 60°F.
Know Before You Book
nThe national park accommodations on this trip provide great access to the top activities in the area. However, they are simpler compared to what we usually consider comfortable lodging-the rooms being more basic. Some buildings date back to the early 1900s and have been minimally renovated to follow park regulations. Overall, the service might feel slower and meal quality and selection much more limited compared to other MT Sobek trips. Keep in mind that internet and cell phone service are very limited throughout the parks.
FAQs
How should I train for my Southwest trip?
The best training is hiking. Work up to hiking similar distances with your daypack loaded with the same weight you will be carrying on your day hikes.
What do I need to take to hike the Narrows?
You will be hiking in knee-deep water. Strong water-friendly footwear with toe protection is a must. Hiking poles really help with keeping your stability.
When is the best time to go on this trip?
The areas we visit are generally at higher elevations so the warmer months of the year are ideal. The canyons of the Southwest are wonderful destinations from mid-May through mid-October.
What kind of wildlife am I likely to see?
Wildlife commonly seen includes: Mule Deer, Utah Prairie Dogs, Chipmunks, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels, Pronghorn (antelope), Gray Fox, Ravens, Steller's Jays, Clark's Nutcrackers, Red-tailed Hawks, Turkeys, and Mountain Short-horned Lizards. Black Bear, Elk, and Mountain Lions are rarely seen.