About this Tour
This 5-day tour runs from the red rock country of southern Utah into the high desert of northern Arizona, finishing in Las Vegas. You’ll explore two of Utah’s national parks, Arches and Canyonlands, around the adventure hub of Moab, then head south through Monument Valley and across Arizona to Petrified Forest, Meteor Crater, Sedona, and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. We handle the driving, the timing, and the logistics, so you can focus on the landscapes.
Operating Season: Year-round
Small-Group Tour, Guaranteed to Depart
This small-group tour is guaranteed to operate once 4 guests are confirmed, with a maximum of 8 travelers per departure. That means no last-minute cancellations due to low enrollment, smoother planning, and a premium small-group travel experience.
Have specific travel needs? Contact us, and our team will make it simple. We offer flexible arrangements tailored to your preferred dates, group size, and travel style.
About Utah and Arizona
This route links some of the Southwest’s most distinct landscapes in a single trip. In Utah, Arches holds the densest concentration of natural stone arches in the world, and Canyonlands opens onto deep river canyons from the overlooks of Island in the Sky. Heading south, the sandstone buttes of Monument Valley rise more than 1,000 feet from the desert floor on Navajo land. In Arizona, you’ll see the fossilized wood of Petrified Forest, where fallen trees turned to stone, the mile-wide bowl of Meteor Crater, the red rock country around Sedona, and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, carved by the Colorado River over millions of years.
Moments from this Tour
What’s Included
- Private Transportation From Arrival to Departure
- Snacks and Bottled Water
- All National and State Park Entrance Fees
- 4 Breakfasts and 4 Nights Accommodations
What’s Excluded
- Expenses from Activities and Meals not Denoted in the Itinerary
- Tour Guide Gratuities (recommended 10% )
- Trip and Cancellation Insurance
- Personal Expenses
- Flight Tickets
Itinerary
Day 1: USU Eastern Prehistoric Museum – Canyonlands National Park – Dead Horse Point State Park
Utah State University Eastern Prehistoric Museum
After we pick you up from Salt Lake City International Airport, we will start the tour at the USU Eastern Prehistoric Museum. Here, you can discover what life was like when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth. View real dinosaur bones, full-body dinosaur mounts, and even some items from the Fremont people and mammal skeletons from the Ice Age.
Dead Horse Point State Park
Located only a few miles from Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park offers a unique view of the Colorado River 2,000 feet below. While driving around, your tour guide will tell you the unusual story of how this park got its name.
Canyonlands National Park
This national park is made of three main districts: The Maze, The Needles, and Island in the Sky. For this tour, we will be exploring the Island in the Sky district, known for its rock climbing locations and stargazing sites. Island in the Sky allows you to overlook places in the valley, such as the Colorado River, from atop high canyons.
Moab
Here sits the town between two national parks, Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. With many attractions in the area, you will be able to walk downtown to check out shops and restaurants before going to your hotel to prepare for the next day.
Accommodations: Hotel in or near Moab
Meals: N/A
Day 2: Arches National Park – Potash Road – Adventure in Moab
Arches National Park
We will start the morning going to Arches National Park, widely known for having over 2,000 natural stone arches. Check out Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch, Double Arch, and many more. This is a national park you sure won’t want to miss!
Potash Road
After visiting Arches, your tour guide will take you to see Potash Road. Located right outside of Moab, this road winds along the Colorado river with water on one side, and a huge rock cliff on the other. Along this road, your tour guide will show you ancient petroglyphs and dinosaur tracks, as well as additional arches that can be accessed by foot.
Moab
After returning to Moab from your visit to Arches National Park, you’ll have some free time to enjoy the area on your own (please note: these activities are not included in the tour price). Moab offers plenty of exciting options, such as river rafting, speed boating, or even taking a scenic helicopter ride. If you prefer something more relaxed, you can explore the town, go for a hike, or just enjoy the local atmosphere.
Accommodations: Hotel in Moab
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3: Goosenecks State Park – Monument Valley – Flagstaff
Goosenecks State Park
This state park was created after the San Juan River meandered and cut through the earth leaving 3 horseshoe bends in its wake. Here we will hike and sightsee the views that extend for miles and see Mexican Hat, an incredible sombrero-shaped rock.
Monument Valley
After driving through the 17 mile loop for the scenic drive, take a hike to stretch your legs while seeing buttes that reach heights over 1,000 feet. This is also where they filmed the scene in Forrest Gump where he runs across the country.
Flagstaff
For the last leg of the day’s journey, we’ll drive towards Flagstaff, Arizona which is perfectly situated between Sedona, Southern Utah, and Grand Canyon National Park. Located in one of the world’s largest ponderosa pine forests, this city is the perfect place to relax after a long day’s journey.
Accommodations: Hotel in Flagstaff
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4: Petrified Forest National Park – Meteor Crater – Sedona
Petrified Forest National Park
The location where many Triassic fossil have been found, Petrified Forest National Park is an ancient 225 million year old forest composed of what appears to be stone trees. Petrified wood is made when a tree is buried by sediment, protecting it from organisms that would cause it to decay. Over time, minerals in the groundwater replace the wood, turning it into stone, changing along with the past subtropical rainforest into a current day desert.
Meteor Crater
Meteor Crater is a 550 feet deep, 1 mile wide hole that was created from the impact of a meteorite that struck earth more than 50,000 years ago. Due to the appearance of the crater and the lack of plant life, Meteor Crater looks more like the moon than the earth. In fact, NASA used this crater in the 1960s to train the early Apollo astronauts due to its similarity to the moon.
Sedona
Nestled amongst towering red cliffs, Sedona is the perfect place to relax and observe the sunset. We’ll start by exploring the local landscape and hiking some of the beautiful trails outside of Sedona. Afterwards, we’ll return to Sedona and check out some of the beautiful architecture that the town has to offer, such as the Chapel of the Holy Cross, a brilliant structure built into the surrounding red rock. As the sun sets, you’ll eat dinner at one of the incredible restaurants in town.
Accommodations: Hotel in Sedona
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5: Grand Canyon National Park – Salt Lake City/Las Vegas
Grand Canyon National Park
In the morning, your tour guide will pick you up from your hotel and you’ll depart for the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Arizona, with an estimated 5.9 million people visiting yearly. This canyon was carved by the Colorado River over a period of 6 million years, resulting in an astonishing panoramic view.
Salt Lake City / Las Vegas
You can end this tour in either Salt Lake City or Las Vegas, whichever works better for your travel plans. Let us know your preferred city and we’ll drop you off at the airport or a hotel of your choice. If time remains, your tour guide can show you around before departure.
Accommodations: N/A
Meals: Breakfast