Grand Circle National Parks Fly Drive Tour

Itinerary Highlights

Visit five of Utah's most impressive attractions, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Arches and Canyonlands National Park
Enjoy the freedom of travelling at your own pace and stopping where you want for as long as you wish
Drive through vast deserts, forests, canyons and take in the outstanding natural beauty that Utah has to offer

What's Included

Accommodation Throughout
Car Hire
GPS Device
International Flights

14 nights from £2,999 per person

Best time to travel APR - OCT

01244 435 806

All of our holidays are tailor-made to your requirements by an expert Travel Specialist

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Drive through diverse landscapes including canyons, petrified forests and vast deserts. Visit Utah's 'Mighty 5' national parks Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Arches and Canyonlands.

Our two week Grand Circle National Park Fly-Drive takes in some of the most dramatic and scenic drives and landscapes in North America.

Visiting Utah's Mighty 5, which consists of Capitol Reef National Park with its ancient petroglyphs, the coral-hued hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park and steep cliff faces of the slot canyons in Zion National Park. Arches National Park contains the worlds largest concentration of natural arches, whilst Canyonlands National Park offers deep canyons and rivers.

This flexible fly-drive also visits Lake Powell where you can either take a boat trip on the lake or visit Antelope Canyon, and travels in to Colorado where you can visit the ancient cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde National Park. With at least one full day in each of the Utah's Mighty 5 there is plenty of time for you to explore these remarkable and breathtaking National Parks at a leisurely pace.

Itinerary

Day 1 Travel to Salt Lake City

Travel from the UK to Salt Lake City, where upon arrival pick up your car and drive approximately 15 minutes to your downtown hotel.

Staying at

Exterior of Grand America Hotel, Salt Lake City

Lobby at Grand America Hotel, Salt Lake City

Room at Grand America Hotel, Salt Lake City

Day 2 Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is bordered by the snow-capped peaks of the Wastach Range and the Great Salt Lake. The compact city centre is easily explored by foot. The best and most economical way to visit the city's main attractions is to purchase the Connect Pass which saves you 50-80% on regular admissions and includes entry to attractions that include the Clark Planetarium, The Leonardo, lunch at The Lion House Pantry, entry to The National History Museum, Red Butte Garden and many more.

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Day 3 Salt Lake City - Capitol Reef National Park (220 miles)

Today is an easy drive heading south from Salt Lake City to Capitol Reef National Park where the scenery takes a dramatic change as do the earth colours change to a bright red. Capitol Reef National Park is about 60 miles long and an average of 6 miles wide and includes geological marvels such as the Cathedral Valley, where deep erosion has carved free-standing monoliths.

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Day 4 Capitol Reef National Park

There are plenty of fascinating sight to enjoy at Capitol Reef National Park including the Waterpocket Fold, at almost 100 miles long, this warp in the Earth's crust formed up to 70 million years ago. The park can be explored in many ways including hiking, cycling, road tours, rock climbing and by horseback.

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Day 5 Capitol Reef - Bryce Canyon (124 miles)

Take the Scenic Byway 12 via Boulder and through the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, drive through some of the most diverse and ruggedly beautiful landscapes in North America. Stop at some of the nine communities along the way, settled by Mormon families, each with its own character and proudly display their unique heritage. There are plenty of opportunities to stop off and explore or relax, take a hiking trail in Dixie National Park or take a boat out on Wide Hollow.

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Day 6 Bryce Canyon National Park

This unique canyon cover 56 square miles and is made up of the largest collection of Hoodoos (pillars of rock left standing from the forces of erosion) in the world. We recommend your first stop is the visitor centre where you can obtain information on the park to help you plan your visit. The park is best seen from Rainbow Point at the southern most point. There are several view points for you to stop at and marvel at the breath-taking vistas.

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Day 7 Bryce Canyon - Zion National Park (75 miles)

A short drive between these two national parks, yet they offer two very unique experiences. Zion National Park is located along the Colorado Plateau and over millions of years huge rivers carved through the landscape leaving 2000 foot cliffs and some of North America's most scenic canyon views. The park can be explored by car during low season, however from March to October you can only enter the park by shuttle service to avoid congestion on the roads.

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garden pavilion at cliffrose lodge gardens

Day 8 Zion National Park

Today you are free to spend a full day in Zion National Park, enjoy a riverside picnic or explore the spectacular Kolob Canyon with its 2000 foot red cliff walls. Springdale is the gateway town of Zion National Park and is a delightful little town with a great selection of shops and restaurants. To see the park from a different angle you can also take a helicopter tour around the perimeter of the park.

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Day 9 Zion National Park - Lake Powell (100 miles)

Today your drive takes you out of Utah and in to Arizona. For the best vistas of Lake Powell we recommend a 4WD tour from Page to visit Alstrom Point Trail. There are many activities to enjoy at Lake Powell including hiking through Antelope Canyon, a slot canyon of remarkable shapes and colours or take a dinner cruise on Lake Powell.

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Boat activity at lake powell resort marina

restaurant overlooking the marina at lake powell resort marina

Day 10 Lake Powell

Enjoy a full day to explore Lake Powell and its surrounds. A highlight of this area is the scenic drive to Horseshoe Bend Observation Area where you can marvel at the spectacular horseshoe shaped bend in the Colorado River. Another attraction is a cruise on Lake Powell to Rainbow Bridge National Monument, one of the world's largest natural bridges.

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Day 11 Lake Powell - Monument Valley (131 miles)

Today your drive is through desert and mountain scenery to what is possibly one of the most famous vistas in all of North America, Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. The back drop to many movies and westerns, this remarkable expanse of desert is interrupted by gigantic monoliths and buttes reaching upwards 1000 feet above the valley floor. This is what many believe is the true American West, you truly do feel you are in 'John Wayne Country' while in this incredible park.

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View From Main Lodge at Goulding's Trading Post and Lodge

Day 12 Monument Valley - Mesa Verde National Park (150 miles)

There are a number of routes you can take to Mesa Verde National Park, our favourite is via Canyons of The Ancients National Monument, a 176,000 acre area containing the highest known density of of archaeological sites in the US. More than 6,000 ancient sites including cliff dwellings and rock art can be found here. The park can be explored by mountain bike, horseback and hiking. Mesa Verde National Park is home to over 600 ancient cliff dwellings and 5,000 known archaeological sites.

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Day 13 Mesa Verde National Park - Arches/Canyonlands National Park (180 miles)

Turret Arch Through The North Window - Arches National Park

Today you travel northbound and back in to Utah to Arches National Park located on the Colorado River and just 4 miles north of Moab. The Arches National Park contains the world's largest concentration of natural sandstone arches, in fact there are over 2000 arches in this 76,518 acre national park. A 18 mile paved scenic drive takes you through the park and to the many viewpoints, one of the best vantage points includes looking through The North Window to Turret Arch.

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Day 14 Arches/Canyonlands National Park

A full day to explore Arches National Park further, there are many activities available to visitors of the park such as 4WD tours, ATV's, hot air ballooning, motorbike trails, horseback riding, mountain biking and white-water rafting. The neighbouring Canyonlands National Park is a wilderness of canyons carved by the Colorado River. One of the best vantage points is from Green River Outlook where you can view the 'Islands In The Sky'.

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Day 15 Arches/Canyonlands National Park - Salt Lake City (250 miles)