The Far West often brings to mind images of anarchy and chaotic violence, as exaggerated in western films. However, the process of European expansion from the east coast to the west was not only a story of conquest and survival, but also of perseverance, resistance, and cultural assimilation with native tribes. It was a process that transformed European settlers into a new people, the Americans, and led to the radical changes that spread across the United States. The introduction of new technology, such as firearms, railroads, roads, new towns, ranches, and mines, forever altered the conditions and habits of everyone involved. This led to the reduction or even elimination of old civilizations and gave rise to the new great power that, in 1776 with the Declaration of Independence, became self-sufficient from Britain and gradually dominated the world. The United States' national economy was the largest in the world by the 1870s and remained so until recently when it was surpassed by China.
The Far West, despite its modernization, remains a remarkable place with vast canyons, incredible geological formations, deserts, giant trees, rock paintings, and petroglyphs of proto-Indians thousands of years old, and the remains of pre-Columbian civilizations, such as the Anasazi, Navajo, and others.
This trip aims to introduce you to some of the most important National Parks in the states we pass through, including Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada, and California. We believe that you never truly know a place until you have walked it, until you are in the heart of the destination. With this philosophy in mind, we take time in each park for short or long walks, essentially starting each day's program where we park the car.
The trip will be limited to small groups, with a maximum of 8 to 12 people. We will begin in Phoenix and move north to the famous Yellowstone National Park before heading southwest to Las Vegas. After crossing Death Valley, we will arrive at the giant sequoia forests of Yosemite and then continue to San Francisco.
Meeting point at Eleftherios Venizelos airport. Flight to Phoenix, Arizona, via London, with British Airways, departing at 08:05 in the morning and arriving in Phoenix in the afternoon at 17:30 (note: the waiting at London Heathrow Airport is 4h40')
Arrival in Phoenix and transfer to the Best Western Plus Sundial Hotel for overnight in double rooms with two double beds, bathroom and breakfast.
Breakfast at the hotel and departure for the north and the Sedona area, stopping at Montezuma Castle. The castle was more of a Sinagua-era apartment complex built in the period from the 12th to 15th centuries and mistakenly named after the famous Aztec emperor Montezuma, as he was born after the construction was completed.
Continuing our route, and just before reaching Sedona, we will detour west to explore an impressive red rock complex, the Cathedral Rock, where we will make our first leg of the journey, following a 2.5km trail along the way back (note: the trail has light scrambling, however there are easy circular alternate routes with the same starting point for those wanting something gentle)
In the afternoon we end up in Flagstaff, a small town of about 75,000 people located at an elevation of 2,100 m. The area has fertile land of volcanic ash from eruptions that occurred in the 11th century. The famous Route 66 route passes through the town, helping to boost tourism because of its proximity to the Grand Canyon National Park. Overnight at the La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Flagstaff 3*, in spacious double rooms with en suite bathrooms and breakfast.
Day trip by car 155 miles, 3 hours.
The Grand Canyon was formed by the erosion of the Colorado River over a period of 6 million years, revealing a cross-section of land with rocks and boulders two billion years old. The canyon is 446 km long, 29 km wide and 1600 m deep. Artifacts and remains of habitation from nearly 12,000 years ago have been found in caves in the canyon, and it has continued to be inhabited by various tribes such as the Navajo, Zuni, Hopi and others, with the latest tribe being the Havasupai, who consider the canyon to be theirs since they have lived here for more than 800 years. The canyon is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We will spend the day visiting some of the most representative points of the gorge.From Grand Canyon Village we will hike the South Rim Trail which passes through 10 viewpoints, with a total length of 12.6 km. For those who do not wish to follow the entire trail there is the option of returning by national park bus.
On the way back, we will visit the geology museum at the rim of the canyon with an interpretation of the geological layers and rocks revealed by the erosion of the river. Then driving east, we arrive at the historic landmark Desert View Watchtower, following a scenic 40 km route.
In the afternoon we arrive in Page for an overnight stay at the Wingate by Wyndham Page Lake Powell 4* hotel, in double rooms with en-suite bathrooms and breakfast.
Day trip by car 226 miles 4 hours
The beginning of the day includes both visiting and hiking the rim of Glen Canyon, and the famous Horseshoe Bend viewpoint, and descending into the magical Antelope Canyon, one of the most photographed canyons in the world. It has a total length of about 50 km and includes 4 different sections, the most popular being Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon. It was formed by water erosion on the red sandstone cliffs of the Navajo's private land, and entry is only allowed by organized tours and Navajo guides. So with such a guide, we will descend to the bottom of the canyon, following a route without technical difficulties, at times when the sun's rays penetrate the canyon, highlighting the warm natural colors of the rocks.
At noon we depart for Monument Valley. Overnight at Gouldings Lodge Monument Valley 3* in double rooms with en-suite facilities and breakfast.
Day trip by car 132 miles 1 ½ hours
Today is dedicated to visiting Monument Valley, the "Valley of the Rocks" as the Navajo Natives called it, a sacred area for them and a protected area. It includes distinctive sandstone cliffs up to 300 m high which director John Ford used as the backdrop for many western films, essentially shaping the view of all film viewers when referring to the Far West.
By jeep 4X4, we will wander the valley for 2 ½ hours, making stops and short walks to points of interest with natural arches, caves, Navajo settlements and impressive monoliths.
Returning to the car in the afternoon we continue to Moab, in Utah State, where we will stay overnight at the Wingate by Wyndham Moab 3* hotel, in double rooms with en-suite bathrooms and breakfast.
Day trip 155 miles 3 hours
Moab is a small town of 5,000 people in Utah, where the famous Arches National Park is located. The spectacular Arches Park emerged through 300 million years of geological processes, having created more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches!
We will wander through the park by car and on foot, stopping at some of the most remarkable arches (Delicate Arch, Double Arch, Devil's Garden, etc.). We will walk to get next to or underneath the arches and have our picnic lunch somewhere lost in the Park's majestic surroundings.
Finally, at Courthouse Wash Rock Art we will explore rock art with pictographs and petroglyphs up to 4,000 years old created by Archaic Indians in a unique style that appears in Utah called the Barrier Canyon Style. Overnight at the same hotel.
Day trip 57 miles 2 hours
Our destination today is Bryce City and Bryce Canyon National Park. Despite the park's name, it is not a canyon but a natural giant amphitheater eroded by wind, water and ice, with the sedimentary sandstone and shale rocks leaving behind unique turreted hoodoos. The dominant colors are red, brown, yellow, purple and pink due to iron and manganese oxides, creating an eerie backdrop.
We will walk along one of the National Park's spectacular trails, descending to the bottom passing between the impressive towers. We then walk around the rim of the canyon, enjoying panoramic views of the colourful geological formations from different angles.
Overnight at the Best Western Plus Ruby's Inn 3* hotel in double rooms with bathroom and breakfast. Day trip 250 miles 4 ½ hours
We depart in the morning for Zion National Park where we arrive after 1 ½ hours, following a spectacular road route. Once there, we will make a climbing course on an epic 7 km (+490 m) trail that ascends to the top of Angels Landing. The longer part of the route is a very passable though uphill trail, up to Scout Lookout. Up to this point the climb is free to all.
To continue on the trail to Angels Landing summit, a lottery is required in order to control the number of participants. The ascent is now by an exposed trail on a narrow ridge of vertical sandstone cliffs to the right and left, but equipped with chains for the safety of those traversing it. For those who do not wish or are not drawn to follow this difficult trail, there is an alternative option to continue the ascent by following the West Rim Trail of the canyon formed by the Virgin River.
Return and overnight in Springdale at the Bumbleberry Inn 3* hotel, in spacious double rooms with en-suite bathrooms and breakfast.
Day trip 85 miles 2 hours
We depart in the morning for a visit to Las Vegas, which is mainly known for its casinos and nightlife. Precisely because of these activities, the city attracts a large percentage of affluent visitors and has the highest concentration of AAA 5* hotels of any city in the world. It is one of the most densely populated cities in North America and climate change is already threatening the city's water supply security. We will stay in the city for about 6 hours to visit, and in the afternoon we continue our journey west to Death Valley National Park.
Accommodation in the National Park and at the Longstreet Inn & Casino 3* hotel in double rooms with en-suite bathrooms and breakfast. Day trip 276 miles, 4 ½ hours
eath Valley was named after some immigrants in 1849/50 who were looking for a shortcut to California.
It is the second driest place on earth after the Atacama Desert, where temperatures in summer exceed 50°C, but during our visit the temperature will be around 30°C.
We depart early in the morning to cross the Valley of Death, making stops and exploration walks at points of interest.
We will first stop at Badwater Basin, the area of the valley with the lowest elevation in the Americas, 86 m below sea level, where the repeated cycles of evaporation and liquefaction of the thin crust of salt covering the ground create hexagonal salt morphoclastic shapes in the ground, which we will see while hiking.
We will then take a short hike on the Natural Bridge Trail, and our next stop will be at the historic Harmony Borax Works, a borax mining plant that began operating in 1883 with 40 employees and a daily production of 3 tons. The product was transported away from Death Valley in double wagons pulled by 20 mules, an image that remains as a symbol of the borax industry to this day.
We complete the crossing of the valley passing the western side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range and end up in the city of Bakersfield for an overnight stay at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Bakersfield 2*, in double rooms with bathroom and breakfast.
Day trip 297 miles 5 ½ hours
The giant sequoia is the tallest tree on earth (a person 115.61 m tall has been recorded). It is a large conifer belonging to the Cypress family and lives up to 3,000 years, and a person 3,266 years old has been recorded!
After breakfast we depart for the Sequoia National Forest where we will take exploration walks in the giant sequoia park. We will traverse much of the park, stopping at the major points of interest
Continuing north we arrive at the entrance to Yosemite National Park for an overnight stay in the small town of Oakhurst and The Oakhurst Inn at Yosemite, in double rooms with en suite bathrooms and breakfast.
Day trip 238 miles, 5 ½ hours
Designated as a National Park in 1864, Yosemite is 3,081 km2 and is located in California on the western side of the Sierra Nevada.
It has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to three giant sequoia groves and a landscape of rare beauty. The valley of the same name is 1000 m deep and its huge monolithic side walls are home to five of the world's tallest waterfalls and impressive peaks and forms, most notably Half Dome, a huge monolithic granite dome.
A full day exploration of the valley and a climb to the top of Yosemite Point, passing by Yosemite Falls, with the tallest having a drop of 430m, and the summit offering panoramic views across the Yosemite Valley. For those who don't wish to make this climb, there are many gentle trails lower in the valley to explore using the national park's shuttle bus. In the afternoon we return for an overnight stay at the same hotel.
Day trip 96 miles, 4 hours
We depart early in the morning for the final destination of our trip, San Francisco, one of the most beautiful cities in America.
After checking into the hotel, we'll head out for a walking tour of Fisherman's Wharf, with its successive piers, maritime museum, indoor farmers' market, sea lions lazily lounging on floating platforms and dozens of seafood restaurants.
Overnight at Hotel Caza Fisherman's Wharf 4*, in double rooms with bathroom and breakfast.
A day to get to know San Francisco and its main attractions. By car or on foot we will visit the famous Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park (the park where the hippie movement started their protests in 1967 with concerts and protests), board one of the cable cars that remain in operation as a preserved landmark since they first appeared in 1873, walk along Lombard Street and the Haight Ashbury neighborhood where the Flower Boys got their start, and we won't miss a drink in one of the traditional gold-era saloons.
Overnight at the same hotel
Free time in San Francisco for our last few walks. Around 1 pm transfer to the airport for your return flight with British Airways with a departure time of 16:25
Arrival in London in the morning at 10:50 am. Connecting flight to Athens with departure time 14:10 and arrival time 19:55 in the evening.
Easter 2024
*Additional 1,650 € for a single room supplement.
Notes: The above prices were calculated at the exchange rate of 1 € = 1.10 $ . A significant change may affect the selling price
To book your seat, you must first read the booking conditions and if you accept them, then fill in the Declaration of Participation.
Please note that the possibility of cancelling your air ticket is limited to 2 months before departure. In the event that a replacement cannot be found then there will be a charge of the corresponding cost.
After completing the form and within 3 days a deposit of 500 € must be sent. Two months prior to departure an additional 1,000 € must be paid and payment of the trip must be completed in stages up to one month prior to departure. Payments are made to the ALPHA BANK account with IBAN number: GR1001407960796002002013550, in the name of OUTDOORS TRAINING IKE. During the sending process, please note your name and the name of the trip in the REASON field.
Safety/Insurance
Included in the package is group travel insurance with cancellation option for up to 5.000 €. For those over 70 years of age there is an extra 80 € insurance amount.
In the following link you can see the benefits of the program and if you want to contact our insurance advisor to inform you properly about the benefits and exclusions, Travel Insurance from Trekking Hellas
Program Changes
As in some National Parks there is a possibility of emergency instructions, or possible road closures, the schedule described above is indicative and if such changes occur we will adjust the day's schedule accordingly. Also, depending on the weather conditions at the time and the physical condition of the participants, the chaperone reserves the right to modify the program or not to allow someone to participate in one of the activities that require good physical condition or familiarity of movement on difficult terrain. In the event that someone is unable to follow the entire group on the day's program, they must move independently while strictly adhering to the schedules of appointments and departures from each location.
Weather:
The journey will cover a wide area and altitudes, passing successively through all kinds of environments and climates. We will encounter everything from deserts with temperatures above 30o C, to mountainous areas with unpredictable weather, perhaps even storms. In the Yesemite area we will also encounter snow and good clothing is required.
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