I decided to see some of the national parks after realising that just seeing cities wouldn't be the best use of my time during a 30 day holiday. Came across this tour on Bindlestiff Tours and after reading the reviews realised that it would.. be ideal for me as a solo female traveller. I wasn't disappointed at all, the communication from Becky was excellent and she made sure that I was accommodated for as I'm a vegan. Cari, the tour leader, was very approachable and helpful, she went out of her way to ensure that there was food that I could eat and checked labels carefully to make sure there wasn't anything in there that wasn't suitable. Our first day in Zion started at the Canyon Overlook trail, a reasonably easy short trail walking along exposed ledges to a beautiful viewpoint. After that we had a delicious dinner, prepared by Cari. The next day was our free day and I decided to do Hidden Canyon which is a gorgeous (albeit slightly perilous) hike up the side of the cliff and down into a small hidden canyon (hence the name). You use chains to pull yourself up some of the ledges where there are drop offs into a ravine. After that I went hiking down the narrows which is where you walk in the river. The views were stunning! At the end of the day we had another delicious meal around the campfire. After that we went to Bryce Canyon which was equally stunning and stayed at a beautiful campground with a hot tub and pool and beautiful showers. We did the Queen's Garden hike down into Bryce Canyon which was a lot of fun. On to Antelope Canyon which is absolutely spectacular. After that we had navajo tacos at Monument Valley and went on a white knuckle jeep ride of the navajo nation. The high winds (over 40mph) didn't deter us from camping and the next day it was on to the Grand Canyon. I did the South Kaibab trail and saw and photographed a California Condor! The last day on Route 66 was fun, stopping at Seligman. This tour had the perfect pacing and had a great atmosphere.Read full review
We found the tour was excellent. Our tour guide J.D. Boyle was very dedicated to making sure everyone was having a good time , and the tour went very smooth. Thanks J.D.
This was an amazing seven day camping trip. Our tour guide Jenn was awesome: organized, knowledgeable, helpful, great story teller, good cook, ... The trip was set up to allow travellers like me, who seldom camp, to be comfortable and see s..ome of the most amazing sights in Utah. Jenn went out of her way to give us a chance to go canyoneering in Moab, woke up at 4:30am and drove us to the rim to see a sunrise at Grand Canyon, and many more. Looking forward to another adventure with Bindlestiff Tours :). Read full review
I put 20 outta 10 to this adventure! The trip was awesome! Our leader Chris is an amazing guy, best I ever met for over 20 yeasr of travelling world-wide. Grand, Bryce, and of course Antilope canyon - you aint been to States till you got da.. taste of these crazy views. Envy to the ones planning the trip - and as for myself - I'll come back without a doubt! Again - Chris from the tour company really made our trip!Read full review
Our main reason for going to Las Vegas was visiting Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon and we were NOT disappointed on this tour at all. I MUST give praise to our tour guide Vern who is one of the most knowledgeable, funny and nicest peop..le you could possibly want to meet and made the tour even more memorable. During the summer months you start with Zion National Park and I was completely blown away by it!!! Didnt now what to expect with Zion, but outside of Monument Valley it was the highlight of the tour. From here you head to Bryce and the drive there was just stunning with different towns and scenery you drive through. Bryce itself was good but would only need one visit. From there it was to Lake Powell which has kind of been ruined by a coal burning energy facility there. There are three funnels sticking out like an eye sore in this beautiful place, although the company involved has been ordered to remove two of them apparently. From here you have two options, either Antelope Canyon or Horse Shoe Bend. Antelope Canyon has an extra charge and if I could go back and do the tour again, I would have chosen Horse Shoe Bend. Bit of advice as well with Antelope Canyon, if you are elderly or have health problems, DO NOT do this part of the tour as there is some steep climbs up and down ladders also some VERY tight walkways. From here it was on to Monument Valley and this for me was the highlight of the tour and was just incredible!!! Whether you go for the hotel or camping options you should still get to take plenty of photos of the sunset and sunrise. From here it was on to the Grand Canyon and again it is well worth the visit. A few nice surprises thrown in as well along the way on the tour and its well worth the money. Superb tour though and VERY recommended.Read full review
This trip was absolutely perfect across all dimensions.
Great itinerary:
The trip was just packed with great sights and landscapes (ideal if you have limited time). Although we covered around 2,000 km by car (we were told that usually t..he route is shorter but we needed to take a long detour on the first day as part of the highway on the original route was washed away by the flood), the trip did not feel as predominantly sitting in a vehicle. Stops were frequent and well spaced (longest interval was probably ~2h) and time at national parks sufficient to be completely awed (although you could easily spend many days in almost every single location we visited) and not to be rushed. Bryce was my personal #1 (despite the fact that I was not aware of its existence before the trip) followed by Antelope Canyon (this one is outside original itinerary and paid extra - you can skip it but it is extremely worth visiting). Monument Valley felt surreal and familiar (after watching it in multiple movies, my brain was apparently surprised to see it in real life). Grand Canyon is too big to be grasped in a single look. Visit at Zion is a nice stroll. Horseshoe Bend is so big that wide-angle camera would be probably very useful. A small town on the historic Route 66 was largely sleepy. Many areas that we crossed when sitting in a car looked like taken straight from a western movie.
Great narrative:
Our guide was extremely knowledgeable about all places we visited and passed by. He presented a coherent picture of this vast area outlining geology, wildlife, history and culture of the region. He was also clearly emotionally attached to the area bringing stories about his personal experience related to places we visited. Listening to his stories was probably one of the key reasons why the route seemed much shorter than it actually was.
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We loved every minute of the tour. Of course, the downside to it was we didn't have the time to enjoy everything in depth. But, there were so many upsides that we thought the tour was worth every penny spent. Thanks to our most knowledgeabl..e driver/guide/cook, she made the three days the best three days ever. We loved Antelope Canyon. The sunrise at Monument Valley was breathtaking. The optional stop in Seligman on Route 66 wrapped up the 3 days in the best possible way.Read full review
I never dreamed that a 3-day tour such as this could have been SO wonderful! It all started out and ended with the most pleasant, enjoyable, intelligent, warm-hearted, professional and knowledgeable tour guide (JD) who made every minute of ..each aspect of the three days a treat, and provided a sense of awe and wonderment for all of our National Park(s) moments. The organizational aspect of the vacation was second to none. It was wonderful meeting and getting to know eleven other 'tour-buddies' from all over the globe, each sharing their histories and personalities. I’ll return to Viator and especially the tour operators from Las Vegas again, but for an extended visit in the near future! As a photographer and vacationer, I highly recommend Bindlestiff Tours to any and all those who want to experience a jaw-dropping landscape adventure such as this in a short period of time. Rest assured, I and all my other travel mates were confidently handled with total professionalism and integrity by Bindlestiff Tours and the tour operator's staff , and the itineraries provided a packed 3-day agenda of visual and historic wonders. It’s too bad it had to end!Read full review
A wonderful experience and recommended without hesitation. Our very friendly and humorous Tour Leader JD from Bindlestiff Tours was very professional; his knowledge of the areas visited made it much more interesting. Our group had various n..ationalities and ages from 20- 60s+ which was a good mix.
The vehicles are not spacious and could be challenging if less mobile or unable to sit for long periods. It was a lot of miles to cover in the three days of the tour but breaks were frequent. Be prepared to change seats in the bus each day so everyone can have a chance to talk with others in the group while travelling and to take turns in the more comfy or window seats.
You are on a camping tour so don't be afraid to share in some of the meal preparation to help make it a more enjoyable holiday. As the token Aussie, I was nominated to help do the dinner BBQ in the campground which I enjoyed.
As a couple of very fit nearly 60 yr olds we still found the full Bryce Canyon loop hike a challenge so the full loop (about 45mins- 1 hr) is not for the faint hearted given the time constraints . But if you can do it, it is a magical hike.
Take the Antelope Canyon optional tour; you will not be disappointed! You need good mobility for the steep ladders and sometimes very narrow pathways and it is largely underground.
Watch the sunrise over Monument Valley; simply stunning.
If you can, take a helicopter tour over the Grand Canyon. It is an amazing site from the ground but from above it takes on a mind numbing perspective; unparalled beauty.
We travelled mid-October and while very warm in Las Vegas, evening and night time temperatures on the tour meant warm clothing was a necessity.
As others have said in their reviews, it is fast paced but gives you a once in a lifetime experience to see all of these attractions in a short amount of time; or a great taster to come back again and do it at a more leisurely pace. 10/10.
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I always received a reply to any query within hours, quite often minutes. So from the start I was assured that this was going to be a well organised trip. We went on the National Parks Winter tour and I can't think of any reason why you wou..ldn't choose any tour. Mike our guide was incredibly knowledgable and anything he didn't know he would find out. He also catered the whole trip for different abilities, ages, likes. In our party we had a huge age range but this was no problem. Our enjoyment was his priority and it really showed, thank you Mike. The hotels we stayed in were both comfortable and clean. Lunch provided was in picnic form and had such a variety for all tastes, a really good change from the diners and cafés we'd been using so far on our holiday. The sights we saw were breathtaking and indescribable everything was more enjoyable because they know where to see things from, the best walks to do, the name of the animal you just saw or what the colour of that rock means. I would love to travel again.Read full review
Oct 15, 2013 Peteevans
We did the 7 day Southwest tour visiting Zion, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley and The Grand Canyon. This was a truly unforgettable experience not only due to the amazing locations visited but because of the profession..alism of Khriss our tour leader. Everything was so well organised and nothing was too much trouble for him; he also treated everyone as an individual. He shared his passion for all the areas we visited with fascinating information and loved being asked questions! His enthusiasm was infectious; his 15 years of experience as a tour guide was apparent. The small group aspect of the tour allowed for flexibility for not only the group but for individuals in it. Unscheduled 'detours' could also occur such as our van joining in a Route 66 parade in the town of Seligman, Arizona!
We were in the U.S. for just over three weeks, fully occupied with touristy things each day (visiting Las Vegas, Los Angeles, driving the Pacific Coast Highway to stay in San Francisco) but our week on the road with Bindlestiff was the highlight of our whole trip.
If you are a bit worried about camping...don't! The tents and mattresses give you problem free sleeping...and it's fun. Whatever tour length you choose you are going to have a truly wonderful experience.
Thank you so much Khriss, thank you so much Rachel. Peter, Susan, Tony.
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“Truly excellent experiences, from A to Z”
Sep 1, 2013
I booked two day tours (ghost cities and Death Valley with Kerry) and the three-day tour of Zion National Park, Bryce National Park, Monument Valley, and Great Canyon National P..ark (with Vernon). All of these tours were excellently prepared and organized, and paved the way for a truly enjoyable human experience, with the help of a very lively and pleasant group on the three-day tour as the ultimate blessing. Both Kerry and Vernon were, as persons, not only knowledgeable, but also very responsible and fun to travel with. The booking process on the phone was extremely easy. I warmly recommend the tours!!
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100% Truly amazing experience- National Parks Tour
By: Anonymous | Thu Sep 26, 2013 at 11.01 PM
“National Parks Tour”
Sep 13, 2013 Victori_H
Truly amazing experience, well organized by Bindlestiff, could visit a few parks within a short period of time. The parks and canyons are breathtaking, and the tour facilitates the visits ..in a very efficient, yet friendly and delightful way. Loved Bryce and Antelope Canyon, such a great tour! Highly recommend the experience.
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100% “7 day southwest tour - memories for a lifetime!”
By: Anonymous | Thu Sep 26, 2013 at 10.59 PM
Sep 16, 2013
The 7 day southwest tour (Zion Nat'l Park, Bryce Nat'l Park, Monument Valley and Grand Canyon) was an amazing experience, one that I will remember for the rest of my life. Our tour guide, Vern, was a knowledgeable, world-trav..elled leader who made our tour fun and kept us organized and on-time. The scenery we experienced on this tour was breathtaking. Hiking into the Grand Canyon was definitely an achievement, but experiencing the serenity and peacefulness of Monument Valley was the unexpected (but welcome) highlight. Don't let the camping aspect turn you off. Each campsite had bathroom and shower facilities, and even wifi Internet. All you need is a warm sleeping bag (depending on the time of year), good-sized container for water (camelbaks are a good idea) and comfortable hiking shoes. This tour is great for anyone who loves the outdoors and the beauty of nature. Bindlestiff is a smaller tour company that really focuses on quality and customer satisfaction and I would highly recommend booking through them for a tour like this.
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In the second half of May 2013 we did an incredible 3-days tour of National Parks (Zion, Bryce, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon) starting from Vegas. Our guide was Emmet, a guy extremely gentle, well-informed and also an excellent driver. Our.. locations were absolutely strategic and very comfortable. I higly recommend this experience for all tourists, including non-american ones (yes, I'm italian... :-).
I hope I can do it again soon, many thanks.
Justin
Visited May 2013
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