Compare LA to Vegas Adventure by Intrepid Travel vs Arizona Mission Trail: Gay Travel Bicycling Adventure Tour by HE Travel

Day 1 Los Angeles

Welcome to the USA! Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting in the lobby today at 6 pm. It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. If you do arrive early, perhaps take a stroll down the Hollywood Walk of Fame, or spend some time learning about the lives of the rich and famous on a celebrity homes tour. After the welcome meeting, we’ll head beachside and visit Venice and Santa Monica beach for a stroll and some people watching. Day 1 is all about introductions, so why not spend some time getting to know your fellow travellers with an optional group dinner.

Day 2 Joshua Tree National Park

Today, you’ll head away from the coast and drive to Joshua Tree National Park. Sitting between the Mojave and Colorado Deserts, the park is famous for its spectacular desert plants – including the park’s namesake Joshua trees – along with cacti and Mojave yuccas. The area is also home to striking rock formations and mountain ranges, so you might like to head out on a scenic hike around the park or take a refreshing dip in the Colorado River. You’ll head to Lake Havasu City later on to your accommodation for the night, and check out London Bridge: a 280-metre structure rebuilt in Arizona in 1971 after being transported, piece by piece, from the banks of the Thames in London.

Day 3 Grand Canyon National Park

Drive to Grand Canyon National Park, along a section of the famous Route 66, stopping in at the eccentric town of Seligman. Once we arrive at the Grand Canyon National Park, be ready to visually delight in the natural beauty for hours. This stunning gorge is 1.5 kilometres deep, formed by over six million years of erosion from the Colorado River. You'll spend two nights here, and you’ll need it, to allow for a full day of exploration tomorrow.

Day 4 Grand Canyon National Park

Today is a free day to explore the Grand Canyon, one of the largest canyon systems in the world. Stroll along the meandering South Rim Trail or hike your way down to Plateau Point. With eagles soaring overhead and chasms extending as far as the eye can see, it’s so important for you to experience its vast gorges from multiple viewpoints. In the early evening, relax at the canyon's edge and enjoy a spectacular sunset over one of the world's natural wonders.

Day 5 Las Vegas

Head out of the Grand Canyon and cross the western deserts of Arizona to Las Vegas. Las Vegas may be the gambling capital of the world, but there's plenty to do if gambling isn't your thing. Hit the shops, feel your stomach drop on a rooftop roller coaster or simply stroll along the Strip, soaking up the glitz and gaudiness. As there is no accommodation organised for tonight, you are free to leave at any time upon arriving in Las Vegas. If you would like to spend some more time here, we'll be happy to organise additional accommodation for you (subject to availability).

Day 1: Tucson Two Step

Tucson is a happening town. It’s historic; it’s hip; it has great restaurants and fun nightlife. We’ll start with a bike tour of the town, to get acclimated to our bikes, the dry air, and the laconic pace of the desert Southwest. There are plenty of great places to ride in and around Tucson. National and State Parks surround the city with cactus forests, rolling hills, and craggy mountains. There are also a lot of cool and funky ethnic neighborhoods, offering interesting views into city life.

Days 2-3: We Have Reservations

After breakfast, we ride south to the San Xavier Indian Reservation, where we’ll do the bulk of our riding today. First stop is the magnificent Mission San Xavier del Bac, founded in 1700 by Father Kino, where we visit the interesting museum, and the mission itself.

From the mission we’ll pedal through the Indian village of Bac, with its picturesque graveyard (off-limits, alas) and then plunge into the bizarre landscape of the Sonoran desert on lonely Mission Road. After passing some enormous copper mines, our route slopes down to Green Valley, a town of retirees with wide bike lanes that also accommodate golf carts. Perhaps Green Valley’s most interesting attraction is the Titan Missile Museum, where you can see the only remaining missile of its kind – a full ten stories tall – and get a guided tour of the launching facility.

We’ll spend two nights in the sleepy cowboy village of Amado, but there will be plenty of things to keep us moving.

The next day offers several options, depending on the group. There’s great hiking in the nearby Santa Rita Mountains (which top off at well over 9000 feet); mountain biking on the famous Elephant Head trail, or up to the top of Mt. Hopkins with a visit to its observatory; horseback riding in nearby Rio Rico; or just hanging out by the pool, getting spa treatments, and attending a yoga class right on the premises.

Hard-core cyclists will love the quiet, undulating road to hippyesque Arivaca and the tiny border town of Sasabe (the whole trip makes a perfect century). And you can even learn to cook for your dog at Dog Chefs of America, just down the road. Dinner tonight is on your own, with an intriguing possibility at the nearby Longhorn Grill.

Day 4: Nogales: Border Patrol

There’s a lot to see today on the road to Nogales. Our route follows the beautiful Santa Cruz River, a linear oasis in the desert. From the artists’ village of Tubac (Arizona’s oldest town) you can walk along the river in the shade of cottonwoods and sycamores until our next stop: Tumacacori National Historic Park. Here you’ll learn of the culture clashes between Spanish settlers and local Apaches, and see the beautiful remnants of the old, failed mission. Continuing southward toward the border, you’ll have the opportunity to make a scenic side trip to Pena Blanca Lake.

Nogales is probably the most appealing town along the US-Mexican border, with a laid-back atmosphere and plenty of sights and shopping. We’ll stay on the American side of the border but have plenty of time to explore the shops along Avenida Obregon before dinner at an old mansion on the Mexican side, complete with margaritas and mariachis.

Day 5: Patagonia (AZ that is)

At only 33 miles, today is a shorter day of riding (though extra miles are always an option), taking us through beautiful forests up to the only grassland area in Arizona. Along the way, we can stop at Patagonia Lake State Park and rent a rowboat, take a bird-watching hike along Patagonia Creek (owned by the Nature Conservancy), and stop for lunch in the charming, increasingly chic old village of Patagonia. Sonoita, tonight’s destination, is also the center for Arizona’s budding wine industry, boasting numerous good restaurants. This will be our home for the next two nights.

Day 6: The Long and Winey Road

Today we offer an easy 20-mile loop through southern Arizona’s wine country or a more strenuous 60-mile round trip to Parker Canyon Lake through scenic high desert forests of pine and oak.

Day 7: Saguaro National Park and Cactus Heaven

From Sonoita it’s mostly downhill back to Tucson (roughly 50 miles), on fantastically scenic Highway 83. Our ride includes an 8-mile cycling loop on Cactus Forest Drive through Saguaro National Park and a picnic lunch. From here it’s an easy ride back into town, with bike lanes the whole way. Now that we’ve seen a big chunk of Arizona, a farewell feast will top off the day

Day 8: Departure

Our tour ends after breakfast, so you can depart anytime today. We hope you enjoyed our Southwest Adventure!