Itinerary Highlights

  • Drive through arid deserts and deep canyons to discover Utah's otherworldly beauty
  • Enjoy the freedom of travelling at your own pace, stopping where you want for as long as you wish
  • Visit five of Utah's most impressive attractions: Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Arches and Canyonlands National Park
  • Admire the striking rock formations and natural arches dotted around southern Utah
  • Best time to travel April - October

What's Included

  • Accommodation Throughout
  • Car Hire
  • GPS Device
  • International Flights
14 nights from £3,999 per person

Lucy

Travel Specialist

I'm here to tailor-make your perfect North America holiday. Give me a call and I'll use my expertise to create your personalised experience.

Our two-week, Grand Circle National Park fly-drive tour takes in some of the most dramatic and scenic landscapes in North America.

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

This flexible fly-drive tour also visits Lake Powell  where you can either take a boat trip on the lake or visit Antelope Canyon  and travels into 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's plenty of time for you to explore these remarkable and awe-inspiring National Parks at a leisurely pace.

Itinerary

Travel from the UK to Salt Lake City, where upon arrival pick up your car and drive approximately 15 minutes to your downtown hotel.
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.
Staying at   Grand America Hotel
Capitol Reef National Park
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.
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.
Staying at   Capitol Reef Resort
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.
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.
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.
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.
Lake Powell
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.
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.
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.
Mesa Verde
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.
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.
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'.
Staying at   Red Cliffs Lodge
Today is the start of your homeward journey with a drive back to Salt Lake City to catch your home bound flight

Lucy

Travel Specialist

Not sure where to stay in North America? I'm here to help. Give me a call and I'll share my first-hand insights to find your perfect spot.

Would you like to speak to an North America expert?

Contact our Travel Specialists for a bespoke quote or some first-hand knowledge.

Call our North America team on

Monday - Friday: 9am - 7:30pm

Saturday: 9am - 5pm

Sunday: 10am - 4pm

14 nights from £3,999 per person

Stay in Touch

Subscribe to our inspiring newsletter to hear about exciting offers, trending destinations and unparalleled experiences