Expedition Overview
Expedition Overview
SPECIAL OFFERS
- Limited Time Offer – Returning Guests Save on Select Trips!
For a limited time, past National Geographic Expeditions travelers can save on their next exciting trip! Book by May 31, 2023 and save $350 per person on select departures. Take advantage of this special offer by calling (877) 728-7282, contacting your Travel Agent or booking online with code BPOSL24.
Available Departures- Jun 3-10, 2023
- Oct 7-14, 2023
- Discover the wonders of three national parks—Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce Canyon—alongside a National Geographic Expert.
- Set out on an interpretive stargazing excursion along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
- Hear an expert describe the geological events that shaped the regions, then delve into Zion’s magnificent sandstone slot canyons and Bryce Canyon’s surreal maze of red spires.
- Stay in rustic national park lodges, and learn about area wildlife from park rangers.
Itinerary
Itinerary
Discover the geological treasures of the American Southwest, exploring Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce Canyon National Parks. Explore the North Rim of the Grand Canyon on foot, and learn about the powerful forces that have carved this mile-deep chasm over 200 million years. Hike amid Zion's wonderland of slot canyons, hanging gardens, and waterfalls, and explore Bryce Canyon's otherworldly maze of crimson-colored spires. Soak up the Old West atmosphere at rustic park lodges.
Arrive at St. George Regional Airport (SGU) and transfer to our hotel this afternoon. Meet your guides and fellow travelers at a welcome reception and enjoy a presentation with your National Geographic Expert before dinner this evening.
The next morning, travel into canyon country, stopping for a picnic lunch at Pipe Spring National Monument—a beautiful desert oasis. We arrive at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and get our first glimpse of this amazing natural wonder. Walk along the rim and view the colorful rock formations that reveal the region's geological history.
Set out to explore the canyon’s rim, peering into the multi-hued chasm carved by the Colorado River over millions of years. Stop at Point Imperial and Cape Royal for short walks and a chance to capture amazing photos. Choose from a variety of hikes for all levels and learn about the park’s unique ecosystems and geology while enjoying sweeping views at every turn. Return to the lodge this evening and capture the canyon’s dazzling colors at sunset from the stone balcony overlooking the canyon.
Rise early this morning for a spectacular sunrise before journeying north across the Kaibab Plateau on the Mount Carmel Scenic Byway, passing the vermilion, white, and pink cliffs of Grand Staircase and the orchards of Long Valley. Later this afternoon, take a short hike before settling into our hotel in Zion Canyon. This evening, learn about the fascinating geological history of the Grand Staircase that stretches from Bryce, through Zion, and into Grand Canyon National Park.
Spend today exploring Zion, a wonderland of sandstone slot canyons, lush hanging gardens, and cascading waterfalls. Choose from a variety of hiking options: the Emerald Pools Trail, which passes under the cool spray of a waterfall; Pa’Rus Trail, which skirts the Virgin River; or Grotto Trail with its spectacular canyon views.
Bid farewell to Zion this morning with one last hike before continuing to our final destination, Bryce Canyon National Park. A hike along the canyon rim from Fairyland Canyon to Sunset Point offers a breathtaking introduction to this natural wonder. Settle into our home for the next two nights near the rim of the canyon.
Spend the day exploring Bryce's famous hoodoos and learn about one of the world's geologic masterpieces. From the rim of the canyon, the ground falls away to reveal a gallery of hoodoos, fins, mazes, and spires in shades of red, orange, pink, yellow, and cream. Today's hikes wind along the rim and down into this striking landscape. Watch the sun set over the canyon and join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner.
Wind through Red Canyon to Kolob Canyon, a stunning, lesser known area of Zion National Park. Transfer to the St. George Regional Airport (SGU) this afternoon and connect with your flight home.