Compare Red Rocks & Painted Canyons 2021 by Tauck vs Utah's National Parks from Las Vegas by Tours of Distinction

Day 1 Arrive Phoenix

Tour begins: 5:30 PM, Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North. A transfer is included from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North. Arrive early and enjoy the amenities of your desert resort. Meet new friends who will join your family on this southwestern adventure at our welcome reception and dinner tonight.

MEALS : D

LODGING : Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North

PORTOFCALL : Scottsdale, Arizona, USA

Day 2 Sedona & The Grand Canyon

Stunning red-rock formations like Coffeepot Rock, Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock form an awesome backdrop for your visit to Sedona, Arizona – just like they've provided the backdrop for many Western movies. Spend some free time exploring this beautiful, historic town with its own unique energy, loved by artists, New Agers and Old West fans alike, and have lunch as you please. Continue on to Grand Canyon National Park, where you'll check out the Grand Canyon Overlook and Mather Point, guided by instructors from the Grand Canyon Field Institute. Your family will spend the night at an inside-the-park lodge right on the canyon's South Rim, from which you can experience one of nature's masterpieces after the crowds depart. Enjoy dinner at a choice of restaurants on the South Rim tonight.

MEALS : B, D

LODGING : Kachina Lodge

PORTOFCALL : Sedona, Arizona, USA

Day 3 The Canyon's east rims & Lake Powell

If you choose to, watching the glorious sunrise at the Grand Canyon makes getting up very early well worth it! Enjoy some time to explore the South Rim of the canyon as you please; keep an eye out for mule deer, squirrels and other wildlife on the cactus-studded landscape. Later, on a guided driving tour of the canyon's East Rim as you depart Grand Canyon National Park, stop at several points including Desert View Lookout, each offering a different view of the canyon, en route to your next destination... unique, man-made Lake Powell in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Have fun at tonight's private pizza party at your lakefront resort.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Lake Powell Resort

PORTOFCALL : Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA

Day 4 Flightseeing & a Slot Canyon Walk

Your adventures at man-made Lake Powell, formed from the Colorado River by the Glen Canyon Dam in the 1960s, will be a highlight of your family's southwestern odyssey. Get a bird's-eye view of the amazing Rainbow Bridge, Glen Canyon and Lake Powell itself on a flightseeing expedition* (weather permitting) – or you can take an optional 4-hour flightseeing excursion* to explore famous Monument Valley with a Navajo guide, available at an additional cost (see Pricing & Availability or ask at booking for details). After lunch at Lake Powell, take a private off-road excursion in an open-air 4x4 touring vehicle to explore one of the colorful slot canyons in the Navajo Nation. Return to your resort for dinner at leisure.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Lake Powell Resort

PORTOFCALL : Page, Arizona, USA

Day 5 Rafting on the Colorado River

No southwestern family vacation would be complete without a canyon rafting experience – and your family will never forget floating along the Colorado River through Glen Canyon together aboard a raft* today, quietly spotting the animals who live amid the unique sandstone landscapes; pack your spirit of adventure – and your sunblock! After a stop for lunch, continue on to an overnight inside Bryce Canyon National Park, where you're treated to spectacular views of natural bridges, limestone cliffs and astounding stone spires, known as hoodoos, in shades of pink, red and orange.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : The Lodge at Bryce Canyon

PORTOFCALL : Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA

Day 6 Saddle up in Bryce Canyon

The hoodoos, spires, pinnacles and other amazing geologic formations of Bryce Canyon put on a magnificent "performance" as the rising sun plays over them – so you may want to get up extra early at your rustic lodge and walk a short distance to catch the show! Weather permitting, you'll saddle up and share the adventure of a trail ride*, on either a horse or a mule, escorted by a cowboy guide who will point out hidden sights within Bryce Canyon's ever-changing world of naturally carved amphitheaters, rocky spires, gravity-defying bridges, balanced rocks and sculpted limestone cliffs. After lunch, it's off to Zion National Park, where your family enjoys an overnight inside the park at historic Zion Lodge, with dinner at leisure at the lodge this evening.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Zion Lodge

PORTOFCALL : Zion National Park, Utah, USA

Day 7 Hiking & Rockin' in Zion National Park

Spend the morning exploring Zion National Park's remarkable features – deep canyons, lush valleys, sandstone cliffs, mountain peaks, emerald pools and pink-colored gorges – as you please; eight different rock strata, deposited over 200 million years and creamy-pink Navajo Sandstone cliffs soaring 2,200 feet in height, tell the story of Earth’s history here. This afternoon, journey across a corner of the Mojave Desert from Utah to Nevada, arriving in legendary Las Vegas, a neon-bright world crafted by visionaries and entertainers. Take in the man-made wonders of this "city that never sleeps" before joining us for a special farewell reception and dinner as your family's southwestern adventure comes to an end.

MEALS : B, D

LODGING : Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas

PORTOFCALL : Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Day 8 Journey home from Las Vegas

Tour ends: Las Vegas. Check-out time is 12:00 noon. Fly home anytime; a transfer is included from Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas to Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport. Allow yourself a minimum of two hours to check in for your flight.

MEALS : B

PORTOFCALL : Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Day 1 - Arrive Las Vegas, NV

Today, transfer to the airport for your flight to Las Vegas. Upon our arrival, we transfer to our hotel on the Las Vegas strip. This evening, there is a Tours of Distinction exclusive welcome reception with the remainder of the evening free to explore the vibrant nightlife that is Vegas.

Day 2 - Grand Canyon Village, AZ

After breakfast, we depart Las Vegas and travel past Lake Mead and Hoover Dam as we enter Arizona. We stop in Kingman to tour the Route 66 Museum, which highlights the glory days of cross country automobile travel. We travel Route 66 heading east through northern Arizona. This afternoon, we will see “One of the Wonders of the World,” Grand Canyon National Park. This 1.2 million acre national park hosts a vast variety of wildlife and scenic wonders. We will learn about the geology and history of the canyon while taking in its breathtaking beauty at all the best view points along the South Rim, including Grand Canyon Village. After, we check into our hotel just outside of the park. Dinner is included this evening.

Day 3 - Lake Powell, UT

Breakfast is included this morning before we make one more pass along the south rim of the Grand Canyon National Park. We include a stop at Desert View before exiting the park. Then, enter the Navajo Nation with a rest stop at Cameron Trading Post with time to explore the amazing gift shop.  Next travel past the Vermillion Cliffs as you make your way to Page for an included lunch.  Then take a spectacular tour through Antelope Canyon.  The mysterious and haunting beauty of Antelope Canyon awaits the adventurous traveler who seeks to discover one of the most spectacular attractions of the Lake Powell area.  A tour to this awe-inspiring sculpture set in stone is a must for amateur and professional photographers alike.  An optional short hike to Horseshoe Bend for a stunning view of the Colorado River is available.  Arrive Lake Powell Resort with the evening free to explore and have dinner on your own.

Day 4 - Monument Valley

The morning starts with breakfast and a scenic cruise on Lake Powell. The contrast of the red rock walls and emerald blue waters are a stunning sight as we glide through the canyons. After, there is time for lunch, on own. This afternoon, we depart Lake Powell and travel to famed Monument Valley, a sacred place to the Navajo. We will be immersed in the rich cultural heritage of the ‘Dineh’ people. Their arts, music and livelihood are all closely tied to the dramatic desert landscape that is their home. After checking in to our hotel, we meet our Navajo guide and board a 4-wheel drive vehicle for a scenic tour of Monument Valley; location for scores of famous western films, television programs and commercials. As we travel through the valley and visit famous locations, such as John Ford Point, Artist Point and The Totem Pole, we will also learn more of the Navajo traditions and way of life. This evening, we experience Navajo culture, food and entertainment at a Navajo Cookout. After a wonderful day, we settle into our hotel.

Day 5 - Arches National Park

After breakfast, we depart Monument Valley and head north, arriving at Dead Horse Point State Park for a picnic lunch and one of the most spectacular scenes in the southwest. We have the chance to see the expanse of Canyonlands National Park stretching to the south and the mighty Colorado River 2,000 feet below. From here, we are off to nearby Arches National Park for sightseeing. The 18,000 square-foot visitor center (with over 2,000 named arches within its 73,000-acre boundary) will introduce us to the unique geologic forces that created the highest concentration of natural arches in the world. We visit all of the park’s highlights including: Park Avenue, Balance Rock, The Windows and Delicate Arch. In the late afternoon, we embark on a fabulous experience, as we take a Jet Boat Ride on the mighty Colorado River through spectacular red rock canyons. As the sun dips in the west, the canyon colors come to life while we learn about the river’s ecosystem, geology and history. After the thrilling ride, we enjoy a delicious BBQ dinner served on the banks of the Colorado River. We later arrive at the beautiful Red Cliffs Adventure Lodge which is located on the bank of the mighty Colorado, and check in for a two night stay. This area has been the site of numerous classic western movies including Rio Grande with John Wayne.

Day 6 - Canyonlands National Park

Our day starts after breakfast by meeting our professional driver guide and board 4x4 vehicles for a Jeep Tour of Canyonlands National Park. The Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park is the focus of this outstanding tour. Set 2,000 feet above the canyon floor, we descend from the top of the mesa via the famous Shafer Trail. Using switchbacks, the tour will take us from atop the mesa to the meandering river corridor below. Throughout the tour, our guide will provide information on the Park and the scenery. What an exciting morning in Canyonlands! Enjoy free time in Moab to have lunch on own, and to do some shopping and exploring. This afternoon, we return to Red Cliffs where we have the rest of the day free to relax and soak in the scenery. There is time to visit the Utah Movie Museum and the Castle Creek Winery, both included, at your leisure. Dinner, this evening, will be served outside with the quintessential western scenery of Castle Valley in full view.

Day 7 - Bryce Canyon National Park

From breakfast, we depart Moab for Capitol Reef National Park. We pass through the town of Green River and the San Rafael Swell. We will see ancient petroglyphs, beautiful rock formations, deep canyons and pioneer history followed by a wonderful picnic lunch under towering cottonwood trees. We will drive scenic Highway 12, designated as an ‘All American Road,’ through Grand Staircase ~ Escalante National Monument, before arriving at Bryce Canyon National Park for sightseeing. Later, we check into our hotel for the evening. This evening is free to enjoy dinner, on own.

Day 8 - Zion National Park - Depart Las Vegas

We depart after breakfast on a short drive to see Utah’s oldest and most famous national park, Zion National Park. The Paiutes believed mischievous spirits lived among the 2,000-foot high towers and would not enter the canyon alone or remain there after dark. There will be time for lunch on own before crossing the desert returning to the glitz and glam of Las Vegas. After an amazing trip through some of our nation’s greatest natural treasures, we enjoy a farewell dinner before being transferred to the airport for your flight home.