United States, From Los Angeles to San Francisco

Discovering the West at the wheel 3^*

Arrival at Los Angeles Airport. Pick up your hire vehicle. **You will have the opportunity to take a first tour of Los Angeles, and will check into your hotel for a 2-night stay.

Overnight stay in Los Angeles.

Known as "the city of angels", Los Angeles is famous for its cinema, chic neighbourhoods, celebrities, legendary beaches and palm trees, but the city is also renowned for its museums and shops. Los Angeles offers you every choice you could imagine.

Overnight stay in Los Angeles.

After the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles, it's time to hit the road. With the legendary Route 66 running through it, the town of Kingman cannot be mentioned without mentioning this legendary road. From the Road 66 Museum to the many typical restaurants, the famous "diners", a change of scenery is guaranteed.

Overnight stay in Kingman.

This morning, you'll head for the Grand Canyon, a superb geological phenomenon. This will certainly be one of the highlights of your trip. Walk along the southern edge to see one of the most beautiful and most impressive wonders of the world. The Grand Canyon is the result of millions of years of erosion by wind and water. It has an infinite range of shapes, colours, and mysterious shadows. The Colorado River flows for more than a kilometre below the canyon rim.

Overnight stay at the Grand Canyon.

Page is your base camp for accessing Lake Powell, an artificial lake created by the damming of the Colorado River, located in Antelope Canyon. Continue exploring with a visit to Horseshoe Bend, a horseshoe-shaped canyon formed by the Colorado River. The viewpoint is 1,280 metres above sea level and, with the Colorado River at 975 metres above sea level, you can admire a breathtaking 305-metre sheer drop.

Overnight stay in Page.

You will then set off for Monument Valley, a legendary site typical of the West, where numerous cowboy films have been filmed. This 40 x 25 km desert plain is studded with gigantic sandstone monoliths that rise up from the heart of the valley.

Overnight stay in Monument Valley.

Moab is the gateway to two national parks: Arches, famous for its massive red rock formations, and Canyonlands, with its mesas and buttes sculpted by the Green and Colorado rivers. Native American rock art can be found throughout Moab, as well as dinosaur tracks at sites such as the Bull Canyon Overlook and Copper Ridge. We recommend that you start with Arches.

**Overnight stay in Moab

Day dedicated to visiting Canyonlands. Before exploring this gigantic park with its breathtaking views, including Mesa Arch and the Needles, we recommend a stop at Dead Horse Point, a smaller park at the entrance to Canyonlands.

Overnight stay in Moab.

Bryce Canyon, one of Utah's most fascinating natural parks, is your next stop. The Mormons discovered this site in the 19th century. The dazzling shapes and shades of the memorable pink cliffs are constantly changing, from dawn to dusk. You'll discover the famous hoodoos, the natural chimney stacks carved out of the rock by erosion, that make the park so recognisable.

Overnight stay in Bryce Canyon.

Zion National Park is the oldest park in Utah; this canyon will impress you with its cathedral-shaped rocks, some of which are more than 900 metres high. The unique geography of the park also means there is a great diversity of plant and animal life. Stroll along its breathtaking trails.

Overnight stay in Zion.

After the peace and quiet of the parks, expect a complete change of scenery when you arrive in Vegas. A lost oasis in the Nevada desert, Las Vegas is a city of excess, where luxury and entertainment know no bounds.

Overnight stay in Las Vegas.

Relaxing by the pool, iconic casinos, grandiose shows by international stars, themed bars or clubs, exceptional dining - Las Vegas is bound to have something to your taste. The only golden rule: "enjoy yourself!"

Overnight stay in Las Vegas.

As you enter the state of California, you will descend into the impressive Death Valley. This region is so desolate that it inspired a famous saying among the first cowboys who ventured here: "no stream to drink from, no tree to hang from". Explore Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America, Artists Drive, a 15 km route through colourful hills, and Zabriskie Point, which offers exceptional panoramic views of the surrounding area.

Overnight stay in Mammoth Lakes or Bakersfield.

Please note: due to the closure of Tioga Road, overnight stay in Bakersfield for departures from 1 January to 30 June and from 6 October to 31 December.

You'll reach Yosemite via the Tioga Pass. This Californian park will surprise you with its alpine landscapes, pine forests, and waterfalls. Imposing white monolithic cliffs also surround the park. You'll discover Half Dome, Yosemite Valley, Bridalveil Falls, and Yosemite Falls, as well as the pioneer village further to the south of the park.

Overnight stay in Yosemite.

You will take the road towards the Pacific as far as San Francisco. The cultural capital of the western United States, San Francisco is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Settle into your hotel, where you will stay for two nights.

Overnight stay in San Francisco.

Climb aboard the cable car, explore Chinatown, admire the Golden Gate Bridge, go shopping in Union Square or visit the famous Alcatraz prison. You can also hire a bike and cross the iconic Golden Gate Bridge to the picturesque town of Sausalito.

Overnight stay in San Francisco.

Return your hire car to the airport before boarding your return flight. End of the tour.

**Suggested visits and park admissions mentioned in the programme are not included **

For information: you can purchase the America The Beautiful Pass on site for $250. It exempts you from the $100 surcharge per park and grants up to four adults in the same vehicle access to certain national parks. If you are travelling in a group with multiple vehicles, you must purchase a pass for each car. You can purchase your pass at the entrance to the first park you visit or at the visitor centre of that park. Please note that the pass is not valid for certain parks, such as Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon, or for parks managed by the Navajo Indians. You will be asked to pay a specific admission fee upon arrival in these cases.

From 1 January 2026, an additional government fee of $100 will be applied to each non-resident visitor (aged 16 and over) entering the following 11 U.S. national parks: Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion.

This measure is intended to help fund and preserve the national parks, the admission prices of which have not increased significantly in several years.

Some hotels may charge a service fee, which is payable on site at check-out.

Please note: For those booking the "hotel only " package (without international flight), please let us know your flight details as soon as possible via the contact form in "Help and Contact" at the bottom of the page, so that we can organise the pick-up and drop-off of your hire car at the airport according to your flight schedule.

From 24 May to 1 September 2025, reservations will be required for people arriving by car between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. to enter or pass through Yosemite National Park on certain days.

From 24 to 26 May (Memorial Day), reservations are required between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. from Saturday to Monday.

From 15 June to 15 August, reservations are required daily between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m.

From 30 August to 1 September (Labor Day), reservations are required between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m., from Saturday to Monday.

If you are planning to visit after rush hour, please do not arrive before 2 p.m. Any vehicles blocking the road will be ticketed.

Reservations for all dates will open at [Recreation.gov](https://www.recreation.gov/) on 6 May, 2025 at 8 a.m. PDT.

Additional reservations will be made available on Recreation.gov at 8 a.m. PDT seven days prior to the arrival date. For example, for an arrival on 31 August, reservations will be available from 24 August.

Reservations are made available online every day at 8 a.m. PDT. They sell out almost immediately. Make sure you have a Recreation.gov account and are logged in and ready to make your reservation at 8 a.m. Even if you log in on time, you are not guaranteed a reservation.

The reservation fee (non-refundable) is US$2 (this does not include park admission).

Each user may make two reservations per three-day period. For example, if someone books an arrival on Friday, their reservation will be valid from Friday to Sunday, and they will not be able to book a third entry on that Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

The reservation holder must be present in the vehicle on arrival and must present photo identification at the gate.

Peak-hour reservations are valid for three consecutive days, including the date of arrival.

For all visits between April 1 and October 31, visitors to Arches National Park must make a reservation to enter the park.

Reservations cost $2 per vehicle (non-refundable and payable extra), and must be presented at the park entrance, together with proof of identity and the park entrance ticket (or national park pass).

Reservations can be made on the following website, 2 to 3 months before the date of your visit: [https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10088426/ticket/10088427](https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10088426/ticket/10088427). It is advisable to book as soon as you know the date of your visit.

You will find below the sale dates by period (to be read "from"):
- january 2 at 8am: for bookings from April 01 to 30
- february 1 at 8am: for bookings from May 01 to 31
- march 1 at 8am: for bookings from June 01 to 30
- april 1 at 8am: for bookings from July 01 to 31
- may 1 at 8am: for bookings from August 01 to 31
- june 1 at 8am: for bookings from September 01 to 30
- july 1 at 8am: for bookings from October 01 to 31