The West 4
21 nights /San Francisco to San Francisco
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DAY 1 & 2 ARRIVAL IN SAN FRANCISCO
Arrive in San Francisco, where you will spend two nights. Plenty of time to enjoy one of the most beautiful cities in America. Explore Fisherman’s Wharf, take a boat trip to the prison island of Alcatraz and stroll through the busy Chinatown.
DAY 3 SAN FRANCISCO TO SANTA MARIA 300 miles/480 Km
Drive along the rugged Pacific Coast. On the way lots of sightseeing or hiking in several state parks. Visit the excellent Aquarium in Monterey, take the 17 Mile Drive with its wild headlands and beautiful mansions and stop at the enormous Hearst Castle.
DAY 4 & 5 SANTA MARIA TO LOS ANGELES 210 miles/336 Km
Continue to Los Angeles. On the way visit the Danish village of Solvang and stop in Santa Barbara which offers delightful historic Spanish-colonial architecture, lots of shopping, restaurants and an inviting beach. Stay two days in Los Angeles -visit Universal Studios, stroll through Hollywood, wander along famous Rodeo Drive or spend a day at Disneyland.
DAY 6 LOS ANGELES TO PALM SPRINGS 175 miles/280 Km
After a short drive arrive in Palm Springs, a great place for shopping, eating, or relaxing by the pool. Take a tram ride up to Mt. Jacinto or hike through the beautiful Indian Canyons with waterfalls and palm trees.
DAY 7 PALM SPRINGS TO FLAGSTAFF 390 miles/624 Km
Continue through the Mojave Desert to Flagstaff, the largest town in Northern Arizona. Enjoy the beautiful surroundings and discover the lovely downtown with excellent restaurants and colorful night spots.
DAY 8 FLAGSTAFF TO MESA VERDE 280 miles/448 Km
Today you will be driving along the Grand Canyon - truly one of the great moments of a trip, or of a lifetime and through the Navajo Reservation to Mesa Verde National Park, known best for its fabulous cliff dwellings—whole towns built into high cliff alcoves. The flat mesa juts 800 meters above the surrounding valley floor; the resulting 360 degree views of the “Four Corners” states— Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah—are stupendous.
DAY 9 MESA VERDE TO MOAB 160 miles/256 Km
Enjoy the afternoon around Moab, the starting point for excursions into Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. Many tour companies provide hiking, rafting, bicycling, boating, four-wheel drive tours and scenic flights.
DAY 10 MOAB TO VERNAL 230 miles/368 Km
Continue to Vernal at the heart of Dinosaurland, where millions of years of history unfold before your eyes. A jumble of over 2000 fossilized bones, some as small as a hand, others longer than a man, have been exposed and preserved in the rock walls.
DAY 11 & 12 VERNAL TO YELLOWSTONE 370 miles/595 Km
Yellowstone is an amazing park: it preserves the largest concentration of geothermal activity anywhere in the world and it protects enormous herds of bison, elk, and other animals. Two days will give you enough time to enjoy the many natural wonders there.
DAY 13 YELLOWSTONE TO SALT LAKE CITY 380 miles/611 Km
After a scenic drive you will reach Salt Lake City - the Mormon capitol. Visit the Temple Square, the symbolic heart of the Mormon religon - see the imposing Mormon Temple, the Tabernacle home of the famous Tabernacle Chor and visit the family History Library with one of the world’s largest collections of genealogical information.
DAY 14 SALT LAKE CITY TO CAPITOL REEF 200 miles/320 Km
Travel to Capitol Reef National Park which is named for the enormous rock ridge that runs fro more than 150 Km through it. Several trails and drives provide scenic views of the park.
DAY 15 CAPITOL REEF TO BRYCE CANYON 120 miles/192 Km
On your way to Bryce Canyon you will be travelling through some of the most beautiful land America offers. The pinnacles and spires of Bryce Canyon appear almost fragile. You can drive to different overlooks, walk along the rim or take one of the loop trails through the colorful rock formations.
DAY 16 BRYCE CANYON TO ZION 84 miles/134 Km
After a short drive reach Zion National Park where desert terrain and huge, sculpted rock formations coexist with waterfalls and hanging gardens. Enjoy the Zion Canyon, a spectacular gorge carved through strangely colored sandstone by the Virgin River.
DAY 17 & 18 ZION TO LAS VEGAS 135 miles/216 Km
Arrival in Las Vegas. Las Vegas has become the entertainment capital of the country, with casino gambling, fabulous shows, a great night-life scene, and world-class restaurants, housed in the themed mega-resorts on “the Strip,” offering Las Vegas’ take on ancient Egypt, Paris, New York, Venice and much more.
DAY 19 LAS VEGAS TO DEATH VALLEY 140 miles/225 Km
Leave the gambler’s paradise behind and drive to Death Valley. The relatively short drive gives you plenty of time to explore Death Valley, a place of unexpected contrasts. See large sand dune formations, sculpted rocks, isolated valleys and volcanic craters.
DAY 20 DEATH VALLEY TO YOSEMITE 360 miles/575 Km
Today you will be driving from one of the hottest regions in the world to the cool mountains that surround Yosemite National Park, a region of unusual beauty.
DAY 21 YOSEMITE TO SAN FRANCISCO 200 miles/320 Km
Return back to San Francisco where a memorable trip comes to an end.
