Western Explorer

• Travel by private minibus
• Variety of daywalks to suit all abilities
• Some long journeys
• Group normally 6 to 13, plus leader. Min age 16 yrs
• 6 nights in comfortable hotels and 5 lodge nights included

The West is known for its very dry spring, summer and autumn weather and outstanding blue, sunny skies. Being as far south as southern Europe and Northern Africa, temperatures are normally much warmer than in northern Europe. However, temperatures vary greatly depending on the elevation you are at. Generally, the higher the elevation, the cooler the temperature. Spring and autumn will offer perfect hiking days in the deserts and cooler days at higher elevations. In summer, Yosemite, Bryce and the Grand Canyon offer pleasant temperatures ideal for hiking whereas some of the deserts might experience hotter temperatures. On warmer days, the leader will opt for early morning and late afternoon walks, leaving time for mid-day rest. Please note the hottest time of day in the deserts is actually 15:00 hrs. Most nights will be mild to warm. In the summer months you should be prepared for afternoon thunderstorms. Spring offers stunning displays of desert wildflowers, Summer offers mountain wildflowers and in Autumn the tree colours are beautiful.

This trip is graded Leisurely/Moderate, but there are a range of walks available at each national park of varying length and difficulty that you can choose between. There are opportunities for optional activities during your tour. Your tour leader will organise these on your behalf and you will pay locally in cash. Walks, hikes and activities cater to everyone from beginner to expert, ranging in difficulty from easy to strenuous. You’ll find the main optional activities listed under each itinerary day description, along with guideline prices. It may not be possible to do all optional activities listed on each tour. The spectacular American West is home to an exciting mix of cultural and natural highlights. Experience them all on this active tour. Discover Yosemite, Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Grand Canyon National Parks and finish the tour in fabulous Las Vegas. A balance of outdoor discovery and comfortable accommodation, this trip is suitable for those looking to experience national parks and American culture. Although each tour follows an itinerary, there is a certain amount of flexibility and from time to time your tour leader may suggest changes. This may be due to road conditions, weather or a visit to a special attraction or event that happens to be in progress. Flexibility is key and often a side diversion will be a highlight of the tour. Hikes and optional activities cannot be guaranteed and may vary depending on ability, group interest, local weather conditions and time of year. Angels Landing Hike in Zion National Park: During the itinerary we have time to enjoy Zion National Park and its network of trails. One of the more strenuous and popular hikes in Zion is called ‘Angels Landing’. In response to growing concerns about crowding and congestion on the trail, the National Park Service in the USA has recently announced that after April 1, 2022, everyone who hikes Angels Landing needs to have a permit. Permits cannot be booked by a tour operator and instead individual customers would need to apply for a permit via a lottery system – unfortunately there is no guarantee of being successful in receiving a permit via this system. There are two options in the Permit Lottery System: Seasonal Lottery (you can apply for a permit 1-3 months before trekking date) and Day-before Lottery (you can apply for a permit the day before your planned hike). All guests are responsible for applying for their own permits if they wish to attempt this hike. Zion is renowned for its hiking and there are many excellent trails with wonderful views, such as the Watchman’s trail or the Narrows. Our group walk will be planned to discover these alternative trails. Anyone who is successful in securing their own permit will be able to hike at Angels Landing whilst the group complete an alternative trail. All guests interested in further information about Angels Landing permits, such as application dates and prices should visit National Park Service page found here.