14 Day Western Usa Small Group Tour

Welcome to San Francisco, a city of diversity and tolerance. Meet with your guide and transfer to the hotel. Free time after check-in.

San Francisco: A street diving indefinitely towards the bay, a fog coming from the cables of Golden Gate bridge, Victorian houses in residential districts or simply an exceptional panorama. The city tour starts at Downtown, Union Square, Chinatown, continues to Nob Hill and Russian Hill, picturesque Victorian houses, Twin Peaks and extraordinary views over the city, Pacific Heights, the legendary Golden Gate Bridge and finishes at the Fisherman’s Wharf with its sea lion. We have lunch in Chinatown before continuing to Merced later this afternoon.

This morning we depart to Sequoia National Park, one of the most beautiful parks of California. The Park is home to giant sequoia forests, as well as to hundreds of bird and mammal species. We have a picnic lunch before we continue to Bakersfield.

We traverse Death Valley this morning. Enter a strange and unknown world with an endless desert, large valleys, jagged summits, and flora and fauna which has adapted to their environment during millions of years. Witness salt seas, crates and sand dunes, canyons eroding over cactus fields and palm forests.

We have lunch at Furnace Creek and stop at Zabriskie point. Continue to Las Vegas, the world capital of gambling. Las Vegas is a surrealist city borne from a fairy tale, where you will see a miniature New York, a condensed Paris, an Egyptian pyramid, and Venetian gondolas. The evening is at leisure to explore this vibrant city.

This morning we pay a visit to the Valley of Fire. It encompasses volcanic red rocks that will transport you to another planet, desert plants and an important wildlife habitat. This is where many Hollywood films were shot, such as Star Trek. Return to Las Vegas for the afternoon and evening at leisure.

Today we discover Zion National Park, then we take the desert route to arrive to Kanab. On the way, we may pay a short visit to the Mormon Temple in St George. The red mountains of Zion are spectacular and rival Yosemite National Park for it's beauty. You can watch the sandstone walls from high above, bright red or orange domes and walk through famous narrows of Virgin River. Continue to Bryce. Tonight, we are entertained by a Cowboy Show and dinner.

This morning we depart to visit Bryce Canyon. A collection of amphitheaters with rocky columns, pillars and tunnels in red sandstone hidden in a faraway region of south-west Utah. This is without doubt one of the most impressive parks in the USA. The colors, nuances and forms change constantly from dawn to dusk. The park offers breathtaking panoramas.

Lunch is served here before we continue to visit Lake Powell, with a stop at the dam that retains the waters of this gigantic artificial lake. With its 300 km length, 96 canyons and 3155 km of coastline, Lake Powell is the biggest artificial lake in the USA and was created after the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam. We then visit the impressive Horseshoe Bend, which is a beautiful part of the Colorado River shaped like a horseshoe. We arrive in Page and spend the evening at leisure.

We take the road to Monument Valley, crossing the Indian reserves of Hopi and Navajo. We stop at the Visitor Center just at the entrance of the park. You will immediately recognize one of the most famous natural sites of the planet. An iconic backdrop of numerous western movies, it offers magnificent views on its terrace overlooking Mittens & Merrick Butte.

We will take 4x4 all-terrain vehicles and we will enter some parts of the region not allowed to individuals and admire the most grandiose viewpoints, before indulging in a typical Navajo lunch. Continue to Tuba City in the heart of Navajo lands.

This morning we depart for the Grand Canyon, which is probably the most popular and visited park of the country. The Colorado river dug this fabulous formation over millions of years. The Grand Canyon covers 400 km length with a depth of 2000 m. The multicolored sedimentary layers take many nuances which vary according to the angle of the sun and the shapes of the shadows that change all day long.

We will make several stops at the Canyon and the Painted Desert at different splendid viewpoints. Late this afternoon, we continue along the Mother Road. The Route 66 was the first road to bind the East of the North American Continent to the West Coast. On the way, do not miss Seligman and Kingman which will take you to the glorious and colorful days of Route 66. You may think time has stopped here. Continue toward Laughlin, called Little Las Vegas. Casinos are Laughlin's greatest attraction on a smaller scale compared to Las Vegas.

Today we cross the Mojave desert and stop at Baghdad Café on the road to Los Angeles. We have lunch on arrival in Los Angeles, California's biggest city. The city of angels is host to nearly 20 million inhabitants over a vast land. LA is the world capital of music and cinema. We start our city tour with Downtown and Olvera Street, the historical and touristic heart of LA.

Our discovery of LA continues this morning on our city tour including Beverly Hills, district of the rich and the famous where you can see immense houses and luxurious cars; Sunset Boulevard with its Walk of Fame and star names, and the Chinese Theatre. We have lunch before visiting Santa Monica with its famous pier and Venice Beach, the bohemian paradise.

We leave LA and drive towards Santa Barbara, home of the rich and famous. With its Spanish inspired architecture, the city has a Mediterranean atmosphere. In the afternoon, continue to Solvang, founded in 1911 as a Danish Colony, where we can still recognize all aspects of a Nordic town. Dinner and overnight in Lompoc or Santa Maria.

Our journey continues towards Pacific coast. Our first stop is Carmel, a charming seaside resort visited by artists since last century. One of the former mayors of the city was Clint Eastwood. Continue towards Monterey trough the infamous 17-Mile Drive, hugging the ocean amidst magnificent villas and famous golf courses, including Pebble Beach Golf Club. Stop at Seal & Bird Rocks, home to pelicans, cormorants and seals.

The beautiful fishermans village of Monterey has been immortalized in John Steinbeck’s novel “Cannery Row”. Continue to the boutiques, restaurants, and clam chowder stand: Fisherman’s Wharf will delight the hungry visitors. We have lunch here before continuing towards San Francisco. Spend your final evening at leisure.

Enjoy time at leisure before transferring to the airport according to your flight schedule.