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Absolutely Wonderful Tour!
By: Anonymous | Thu Sep 13, 2018 at 12.00 AM
I recently took the 3-day National Parks tour, and it was fantastic! From start to finish, everything was
well-organized, and any questions I had before booking were answered quickly. A lot is fit into these three days,
but things never fel
..t rushed or like there wasn’t enough time.The pacing between each day is very well laid out. All
of the locations we visited are just as wonderful as they appear in photos, if not more so, and the road trip parts
were just as enjoyable for me. I was somewhat under the impression that driving around in the desert would be
just staring at miles of sand and flat scenery, which I couldn’t have been more wrong about! It’s absolutely
beautiful everywhere you look out there. I did this trip solo, and if that’s something you’re considering, don’t let
being nervous about travelling alone stop you! The group that we were travelling with was great, and I ended up
spending a lot of time with a couple of people my age who were also travelling solo. Everyone else was very
friendly and easy to get along with, and you get to know people from all over the world who you’d never have the
chance to meet otherwise. I went the week after Labor Day weekend, which seemed to be a good time - less
crowded and the weather was great. One thing I really enjoyed was how much free time we had. As we
approached each destination, we received a map of the park, and recommendations for which trails were advised
based on duration and difficulty. After that, we were turned loose and got to spend our time however we wanted.
I did a decent amount of hiking and still had plenty of time to take in the views, rest, and check out any visitor
centers/museums. If you’re not a big hiker, most places had a scenic viewpoint close to the drop off point, or a
basic walk you could do. I chose the camping option instead of lodging, and was a little nervous
about it, as I’d only camped once before, years ago. I’m really glad I chose this option though! Falling asleep with
all the stars and Milky Way overhead the first night was an amazing experience, and the up closeview of sunrise
over Monument Valley was also incredible. The shower/bathroom facilities were good, and all of the provided
equipment was comfortable and clean. The tent was easy to set up, and roomy even with two people inside. I’d
recommend bringing an inflatable pillow, and a sweater - the first night was pretty chilly, because of the elevation!
The lodging options both looked like they would have been nice as well. The van we drove around in was
comfortable - we were full up with 15 people, but I always had plenty of legroom. Meals were simple but filling -
even with all the extra calories being burned, I was never hungry at any point. I definitely recommend doing the
optional dinners each night, especially the meal at the Navajo family’s home! There are also plenty of rest stops
along the way for bathroom and snack breaks. Some of the stops were really fun as well, not just at gas stations
along the road. This tour was an easy 5 stars on its own, but one thing that made it really special was our excellent
tour guide, Joel. He kept us organized and on time which must occasionally feel like herding cats. He’s a safe driver,
very funny, and has a wealth of information on the area stored away - geology, history, culture, literature, and
more that he shared with us throughout the trip. His passion for the land and its history made the trip a lot more
memorable than it would’ve been with just having facts and numbers rattled off. Plus, he played some great tunes
along the way! My only regret on this trip is not having booked the 7-day version. At the end of the third day I was
sad to leave the desert behind and drive back into all the bright lights of Vegas. I’ll definitely be booking another
trip in the future! Read full review