• Spectacular Southwest scenery
• Immersive experiences in three national parks
• Open-air Jeep tour of Sedona’s red-rock landscape
• World-renowned Grand Canyon
• Lake Powell stay
• Motorized rafting excursion on Colorado River
• “Flowing” rock walls of Antelope Canyon
• Hikes in national parks
• Natural hoodoo rock formations of Bryce Canyon NP
• Zion NP’s diverse landscapes and wildlife

Day 1: Depart for Phoenix, Arizona We depart today for Phoenix, Arizona. As guests’ arrival times may vary, we have the day at leisure to explore Arizona’s capital city as we wish. This afternoon we check in at our hotel, where we enjoy a welcome briefing and dinner together. D

Day 2: Phoenix  This morning we visit the acclaimed Desert Botanical Garden, the 140-acre tribute to the flora of the Sonoran desert. With more than 4,000 species of plants, including almost 500 rare and endangered types, the Botanical Garden features nature paths and walking trails showcasing the beauty of the desert environment. We continue on to Old Town Scottsdale, the city’s historic core where we have free time to browse the shops and galleries, and have lunch on our own. Then we return to our hotel where the remainder of the day is at leisure to enjoy the outdoor pool and other amenities. Dinner tonight is on our own. B

Day 3: Phoenix/Sedona/Williams We leave Phoenix today, bound for Williams, a short distance from the Grand Canyon. First, though, we’re headed to Sedona, one of the most striking spots in the American Southwest. Famed for its range of towering red sandstone formations, Sedona ranks as a popular destination for artists, filmmakers, photographers, hikers, and mountain bikers. We have time for lunch on our own and to do some exploring before we encounter this dazzling landscape in style, as we take a Pink Jeep tour for an educational off-road excursion. Winding over dirt roads, we enjoy stunning panoramic views and learn about the region’s cultural and geological history on this guided tour to Honanki Heritage Site, a 700-year-old Sinaguan cliff dwelling. Then we continue north to our hotel, a few blocks from Route 66 and where we dine together tonight. B,D

Day 4: Williams/Grand Canyon It’s a day to remember as we visit one of the country’s most famous natural landmarks: the Grand Canyon. A wonder of the natural world, this UNESCO site stretches nearly 300 miles through and 10 miles across the Arizona desert. We see awe-inspiring vistas: banded layers of rock rise to plateaus and bluffs thousands of feet overhead, while the mighty Colorado River rushes one mile below. On our guided tour, we learn about the canyon’s geological history, and also about human history here: it dates back some 10,000 years and includes Native peoples, explorers, miners, entrepreneurs, conservationists, and of course, visitors – who today number some six million annually. Then we have time for lunch on our own and an afternoon and evening at leisure to appreciate the magnitude and beauty of the six-million-year-old canyon as we wish. After this bucket-list day, dinner tonight is on our own. B

Day 5: Grand Canyon/Page/Antelope Canyon/Lake Powell Today we travel to Page, Arizona, gateway to the imposing Glen Canyon Dam and its reservoir, Lake Powell. After reaching Page early this afternoon, we have lunch on our own then visit the sinuous – and spectacular – Upper Antelope Canyon. We travel onto Navajo land to reach this slot canyon, known to local tribes as “the place where water runs through rocks” – and one of the most photographed slot canyons in the world. Our tour through this stunning passageway reveals red-orange walls of “flowing” rock rising to heights of nearly 120 feet – the narrow canyon’s hard edges smoothed away by eons of water and sand erosion. We check in at our lakeside hotel this afternoon then enjoy dinner together there tonight. B,D

Day 6: Page/Colorado River/Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah Our long, but incredibly scenic, day of travel begins with a rousing motorized rafting excursion on the smooth waters of the Colorado River. Controlled by a series of dams and reservoirs, the river provides hydroelectric power, irrigation, and municipal water supply to nearly 40 million people in the western U.S. Our adventure begins at the base of one of these structures: the 710-foot-high Glen Canyon Dam. The dam holds back man-made Lake Powell, the nation’s second largest artificial lake at 186 miles long and with nearly 2,000 miles of shoreline. As we drift downstream between soaring sandstone cliffs on either side, we’re on the lookout for ancient Native American petroglyphs on the canyon walls, as well as local wildlife. We continue on to southern Utah and Bryce Canyon National Park, stopping for lunch along the way. We dine together tonight. B,L,D

Day 7: Bryce Canyon National Park Despite its name, Bryce isn’t truly a canyon at all, but a series of natural cliffs and amphitheaters carved into the region’s plateaus. The result: a stunning array of hoodoos, natural stone pillars and spires reminiscent of a child’s drip sand castle, as we see today. Thousands of these delicate structures stand side by side along the canyon’s ridgelines, lending a dramatic atmosphere to this remote location. In the park’s visitor center, we see a film about the unusual geology here then have the day free to explore at our own pace. Our full day of natural splendor concludes with dinner together tonight. B,D

Day 8: Bryce Canyon National Park/Zion National Park We depart this morning for Zion National Park, another celebrated Utah destination. Upon arrival mid-day, we have lunch on our own then begin our visit at Zion’s nearby visitor center, where we learn about this inimitable region, which encompasses four separate biomes: desert, riparian (or riverbank), woodland, and coniferous forest. Zion itself is so named for the 15-mile-long, 2,500-foot-deep Zion Canyon cutting through the park’s western half. We get our first taste of Zion’s wonders this afternoon then have the evening free for dinner on our own. B

Day 9: Zion National Park We spend the day amid the wondrous natural world of Zion National Park. Despite its modest size, Zion counts as one of the most diverse national parks in the United States. Deserts and forests, rivers and canyons, buttes and natural arches all greet us here, along with numerous plant and animal species. As with most of the Southwest, the area is dominated by red-rock bluffs that show eons of sediment buildup; indeed, the rock formations here represent about 150 million years of geological history. We take a hike and have ample free time for exploration and lunch on our own. This evening we enjoy dinner together. B,D

Day 10: Zion National Park/St. George/Las Vegas, Nevada En route to Las Vegas today, we stop in St. George, Utah, site of the winter home of Mormon leader Brigham Young and where the Mojave Desert, Colorado Plateau, and Great Basin converge in a stunning setting. We have time to explore and have lunch on our own before we continue on to Las Vegas, arriving late this afternoon. Tonight, we celebrate our Southwestern sojourn at a farewell dinner. B,D

Day 11: Depart Las Vegas This morning we transfer to the Las Vegas airport for our flights home B

Please note: This trip involves considerable walking on uneven terrain in a natural environment. You should be in good physical condition to enjoy the tour to the fullest. While not severe, elevations at some hotel locations (Grand Canyon at 6,800 ft. and Bryce Canyon at 8,000 ft.) could pose problems for guests with certain health conditions. You should consult your personal physician if you have concerns.

B = Breakfast included L = Lunch included D = Dinner included

• Round-trip air transportation from listed cities (or may be purchased as land only)
• 10 nights’ accommodations in Deluxe, Superior First Class, and First Class hotels
• 18 meals: 10 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 7 dinners
• Extensive sightseeing as described, including all entrance fees
• Services of an Odysseys Unlimited Tour Director
• Private motorcoach transportation throughout your trip
• Luggage handling for one bag per person
• Gratuities for dining room servers, hotel porters, rafting guides, and all drivers
• $100 frequent traveler credit towards your next Odysseys Unlimited tour ($200 after 3 tours; $300 after 10 tours)

2023 Tour Dates & Prices
including airfare and all taxes, surcharges, and fees

Please call if your city is not listed. Prices are per person based on double occupancy and include airline taxes, surcharges, and fees for departures from above listed cities.

Single travelers please add $1,095. Your $475 deposit is fully refundable up to 95 days before departure. All 2023 tour prices above are guaranteed.

*Accommodations: Day 4: Thunderbird Lodge (Grand Canyon)

2024 Tour Dates & Prices
including airfare and all taxes, surcharges, and fees

Please call if your city is not listed. Prices are per person based on double occupancy and include airline taxes, surcharges, and fees for departures from above listed cities.

Single travelers please add $1,195. Your $475 deposit is fully refundable up to 95 days before departure. All tour prices above are guaranteed.

John Annerino
Colorado Plateau, Wild and Beautiful
A coffee table tribute to the geological wonderland of “Red Rock Country.” Award-winning photographer and writer John Annerino takes us through the echoing canyons, towering hoodoos and cliff dwellings of the region’s beautiful parks and reserves.

Edward Abbey
Desert Solitaire
One of the great works on the value of the desert, eloquent and laugh-out-loud funny. Although Abbey writes specifically about his experiences as a ranger at Arches National Park outside Moab, Utah, his message is universal.

David Williams, Gloria Brown (Illustrator)
A Naturalist’s Guide to Canyon Country
A compact field guide to the wildlife of the high desert of the Colorado Plateau and the nine national parks of the region. Williams includes an overview of the history, geology and ecology of the high desert, along with basic information on identifying common plants and animals.

Nicky Leach
Insight Guide Arizona & the Grand Canyon
This lavishly illustrated guide includes excellent color maps and thoughtful short essays on history, culture and attractions. With chapters on numerous destinations including Phoenix, Sedona, Navajo and Hopi reservations and ghost towns.

Borch Maps
USA Southwest, Southern Rockies Map
A map of the American Southwest at a scale of 1:3,000,000 with roads, parks and topography.

National Geographic
Grand Canyon National Park Destination Map
A fold-up map of the Grand Canyon, shown at a scale of 1:70,000.

National Geographic Maps
Zion National Park
A detailed hiker’s topographic map of Zion National Park at a scale of 1:38,000, printed on tear-resistant, waterproof paper.

Jeff Campbell
Lonely Planet Zion & Bryce Canyon National Parks
A practical guidebook in the popular series, with up-to-date advice on what to see and what to skip. Includes highlights, suggested itineraries, updated contact info, 65 full-color maps and much more.

Rough Guides
Rough Guide Pocket Las Vegas
Neither too big nor too slight, these handy guides include just the right amount of information on neighborhoods, shops, hotels, restaurants and sites for a short visit. Well-organized and with an excellent pullout map.

Kathleen Bryant
Sedona: Treasure of the Southwest
A short visual tour of Sedona, covering the region’s many beautiful attractions and breathtaking landscapes through gorgeous color photos and brief text.

Jamie Allen
Picturing America’s National Parks
A fascinating look at how we “picture” America, this art book traces the history of national park photography, featuring a wide variety of the most magnificent parks (from Acadia to Zion) and the historic work of artists such as Ansel Adams and Lee Friedlander.

Jared Farmer
Glen Canyon Dammed, Inventing Lake Powell and the Canyon Country
Focusing on the example of Glen Canyon, Farmer traces the development and exploration of the Four Corners region, and discusses the role of tourism in changing the face of the West.

John Wesley Powell
The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons
The classic tale of adventure and exploration of the rivers and canyonlands of the Colorado Plateau, originally published in 1875 — and still terrific reading for any traveler to the Grand Canyon.

Tom Miller
Revenge of the Saguaro, Offbeat Travels Through America’s Southwest
Tom Miller’s digressive, witty and willfully eccentric account of travel and obsession in the American Southwest (originally published as Jack Ruby’s Kitchen Sink) captures the spirit of his beloved homeland.

Joseph Wood Krutch
The Desert Year
Joseph Wood Krutch celebrates the austere beauty, rugged plants and many animals of American Southwest in this classic account of his first year in Arizona, winner of the 1954 John Burroughs Medal for a Distinguished Book of Natural History — and still enchanting today. With 33 original illustrations by Rudolf Freund.

Lance Newman (Editor)
The Grand Canyon Reader
Both an English professor and river guide, Lance Newman selects well from the accounts of early explorers, popular fiction and contemporary literature by writers as diverse as John McPhee, Ann Zwinger, Edward Abbey and Barry Lopez.

Eric Magrane
The Sonoran Desert, A Literary Field Guide
Melding literature and biology, this diverse collection of work contains eco-poems and essays, illustrations and detailed scientific information. Think of it as a “guidebook with an imagination.”

Jon Ortner (Photographer)
Canyon Wilderness of the Southwest
This unprecedented collection of photographs explores the diverse canyon country of the Colorado Plateau, including: Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion and Arches. Quotations by authors and explorers accompany the 200 color photographs.

Marc Reisner
Cadillac Desert, The American West and Its Disappearing Water
The definitive history of water development in the American desert — and a now-classic chronicle of wrong-headed policies and misadventures in controlling the great rivers of the West.

Halka Chronic
Pages of Stone: Geology of Western National Parks and Monuments, Grand Canyon and the Plateau Country
An informative guide to the geology of the Colorado Plateau, some of the most ruggedly beautiful land in the Southwest. With mostly black-and-white photographs, maps, diagrams and glossary.

Stephen Whitney
A Field Guide to the Grand Canyon
A compact guide to the natural history of the Grand Canyon with 71 handsome color plates, maps and illustrations.

Pocket Naturalist
Field Guide to the Grand Canyon
This handy laminated card features color illustrations of commonly encountered birds, mammals and reptiles of the Grand Canyon. Can be easily slipped in your pocket.