Compare LA to Vegas: Grand National Parks by Intrepid Travel vs 3-Day Kayak Trip: From San Juan Island by Anacortes Kayak Tours

Day 1 Los Angeles

Welcome to Los Angeles, California! Spend an afternoon exploring the home of movie stars – stroll Santa Monica Pier, Venice Beach or Rodeo Drive for a bit of people-watching or amp up the culture with a trip to the Getty Centre or a tour of the Beverly Hills mansions. You’re free to explore LA until 6 pm when your group will come together for a welcome meeting at your hotel in Venice. Jump on a leader-led walking tour along the quirky and beautiful Venice canals, and then consider an optional group dinner at one of the many famous restaurants to get to know each other.

Day 2 Joshua Tree National Park / Twentynine Palms

Depart LA after breakfast and take the scenic drive to Palm Springs, famous for its mid-century modern architecture and desert resorts. Ride the Palm Springs Aerial Tram to the top of Mt. Jacinto for a refreshingly cool picnic lunch with expansive views over Chino Canyon and Palm Springs. In the afternoon continue to Twentynine Palms to check in to your hotel and relax for a bit. Then rejoin your leader for an exploration of Joshua Tree National Park in the late afternoon. Sitting between the Mojave and Colorado Deserts, Joshua Tree is home to striking rock formations, many species of cacti and varied desert wildlife such as coyotes, lizards and bighorn sheep. This evening is free to relax – maybe sit down for dinner with your group and prepare for the days of exploration ahead.

Day 3 Route 66 / Grand Canyon National Park

This morning, enjoy breakfast and then head on a Route 66 road trip. You’ll spend some time driving the famous Route 66 from California through Nevada and into Arizona, stopping by the eccentric community of Seligman for lunch. There’s even a historic retro diner where you can get an authentic taste of Americana culture and history. Arrive at Grand Canyon National Park in the afternoon, check in to your hotel and then head out for a sunset walk along the rim of the canyon. This perspective offers epic views of the massive network of gorges, rivers and cliffs throughout the park. 

Day 4 Grand Canyon National Park

Today, a naturalist guide from the Grand Canyon Conservancy will join your group for a guided tour and hike (approximately 3 hours) on a section of the Bright Angel Trail. Your guide will teach the group about the park’s history, geology and the Indigenous connections – of both past and present – to the land. Expect to see sweeping views, ancient rocks, tell-tale fossils, diverse plant life and even some curious critters along the way. This afternoon is as clear as an Arizona sky. Explore at your own pace and remember to always have a steady water supply and high-energy snacks on hand. Your group leader can brief you on optional activities available

Day 5 Monument Valley / Kayenta

This morning is a perfect chance to get up early and catch the sunrise. Depart Grand Canyon via the eastern entrance, stopping at the Desert View Watchtower. When you reach the town of Cameron, visit the Navajo trading post and take some free time for lunch before continuing to Monument Valley tribal park. Here, you’ll meet a Navajo guide for a sunset jeep tour through the valley – a journey into the spectacular backcountry, where you can explore the natural and historic landmarks, sprawling rock arches and bridges and petroglyph rock art. Witness a vibrant cultural demonstration and then join the locals for a dinner of Navajo tacos around the campfire. Settle in for an evening full of Native American dancing, flute playing, drumming, chanting and storytelling. Afterward, continue to the nearby town of Kayenta and check in to your hotel.

Day 6 Antelope Canyon / Bryce Canyon

Get ready for another day full of incredible desert scenery. After breakfast, you’ll hit the road again, passing through the little city of Page, set on the shores of Lake Powell. You’ll join a Navajo guide as you descend into mystical Lower Antelope Canyon via series of stairways. The towering red walls curve and twist above, making for a great photo opportunity. Learn some local history and fascinating stories about the canyon itself, then continue your journey. Stop for a short hike to view Horseshoe Bend, named for the loop of water that rims the enormous sandstone structure. Enjoy a picnic lunch with your group before continuing into Utah. Drive along scenic roads and onto your destination – Bryce Canyon National Park. Spend the night near the park and rest up for an early start tomorrow.

Day 7 Bryce Canyon National Park / Zion National Park

You’ll wake up early today to catch the best light for your journey into Bryce Canyon National Park, famous for its orange hoodoos – uniquely shaped rock spires rising out of the desert, formed by millions of years of erosion. Drive the park road, stopping at some scenic overlooks, and arrive at a gorgeous spot where your leader will take the group on a walk to the hoodoos. Recharge with some free time for lunch, then continue to Zion National Park, where you'll explore Zion Canyon. If the group is up for it, take a hike at sunset and watch the nightly display of colour to end a beautiful day. Spend the night nearby in Springdale.

Day 8 Zion National Park

After breakfast, visit Zion National Park with your leader. Based on the group's interests and abilities, you might hike the Emerald Pools or Watchman trail. There may also be an option to take on a challenge like The Narrows, which is probably the most popular hike in the park and one of the best slot canyon hikes on Earth! Trek through a gorge surrounded by cliff faces 300 metres high and cool off in a river along the way. This evening is yours to rest, relax and recharge.

Day 9 Las Vegas

You’ll leave Zion National Park today and hit the road again for the last time. Check out Snow Canyon State Park along the way, where many American movies have been filmed, and then continue to Las Vegas, Nevada. Once a western outpost in the desert, Las Vegas is now a gambling and entertainment metropolis. It’s a city of larger-than-life characters, but beyond the glitz and glamour, Vegas is home to diverse urban neighbourhoods and a thriving arts scene. Your leader will take you through local favourites – from Fremont Street to the group’s farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 10 Las Vegas

There are no activities planned today and you’re free to check out and depart at any time.  If you want to stay in Las Vegas longer, feel free to speak to your booking agent.

Day 1:

Launch from San Juan Island County Park and head north in Haro Strait. You are now in the proposed Orca Whale Sanctuary, so keep an eye out for whales!

You will be covering approximately 12 miles today, so you can expect to be paddling for 6+ hours, depending on the currents. There should be ample opportunities to take breaks on the beach during this time, including a stop for lunch.

After arriving at the camp your guide will assist you in setting up your tent and organizing the rest of your campsite. Now it is time to relax, this will be home for the next few days!

While on the beach you are free to explore the trails on your own or accompany your guide on a walk if you prefer. Later in the afternoon, your guide will be busy preparing a delicious dinner for you to enjoy. This is another great opportunity to go for a walk or just relax on the beach with a glass of wine, watching the evening light coloring the sky.

Day 2:

After a hearty breakfast your guide will talk with you about the day’s paddling options. We rarely have a set plan for this day, so feel free to talk about what you are hoping to see and do. Our guides love to try and tailor every trip to meet their guest’s expectations. We have found that most people are happy with about 5-6 hours of paddling, with relaxing breaks wherever possible. Lunch is almost always prepared in the field, away from camp, so bring all that you need for the day. It should be mentioned that occasionally some people prefer not to paddle at all and would rather spend the day relaxing in camp or walking on the trails. That is fine with us, you will just need to communicate with your guide so that they can prepare a lunch for you ahead of time.(Note: we cannot allow you to paddle without a guide present, so if they leave with the rest of the group then you will not be able to join them until they return.)

After returning from the day’s adventure it is time for….you guessed it….more relaxation! Go for another walk, skip stones, or simply sit at the water’s edge and contemplate the beauty around you, while your guide is busy preparing your next delicious dinner. (As you can tell, these guides work hard for their tips!)

Day 3:

Greet your final morning of camping with a hot cup of coffee and enjoy the birds singing. After breakfast, you and your guide will talk about the best route home before taking down your camp and packing the boats for the last time.

Lunch will usually be another beach break somewhere along the route home.

Depending on the route you take, and the conditions of the day, you will likely return back to San Juan Island County Park sometime between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm. The exact return time is difficult to predict because so many factors are involved with this sort of travel experience. We recommend that you do not schedule things too tightly just in case the weather or some other variable slows you down along the way.

After unpacking your kayak and saying farewell to your guide a shuttle will come to pick you up and return you to the San Juan Island Ferry Terminal where you can catch the next boat home.

**This is a sample itinerary which outlines the type of experience that most often happens. Due to the dynamic nature of outdoor adventures, things can sometimes change without notice. We work very hard to provide the best possible experience for each of our guests so if you have any special needs or concerns, or any particular expectation that you have, then please do call us so that we can talk to you more about it. Thank you!