Self-Launched Southwest National Parks Loop: Zion, Bryce, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon & Grand Canyon from Las Vegas
3 days · Southwest USA (Nevada, Utah, Arizona)
Bindlestiff Tours charges £580
No-markup version: ~£375 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Bindlestiff Tours' best-selling 3-day camping circuit out of Las Vegas — same five heavyweight parks (Zion, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, Grand Canyon South Rim) plus a bit of Route 66, but done with your own rental car (shared between 2+ travellers) or a mix of shuttles, campgrounds and self-booked Navajo jeep tours. Note: US public transport is thin in this region, so a shared car rental is genuinely the only practical independent option — it still lands far cheaper than the $875/£700 operator price. Costs below assume two people splitting a car; solo travellers can join hostel/campsite buddy schemes or post on traveller groups to share.
Day-by-day
Las Vegas → Zion → Bryce Canyon (camp at Ruby's Inn)
Springdale / Bryce Canyon, Utah
Collect a rental car from Las Vegas airport or the Strip (Economy/Compact ~£25-35/day, split two ways = ~£15 pp). Drive I-15 north to Springdale (~2h45) and enter Zion National Park on the $35/vehicle pass (valid 7 days; buy at the gate or on recreation.gov). Ride the free park shuttle from the visitor centre and walk the Emerald Pools Trail (easy, 1.5-2h), stop at the Temple of Sinawava and Weeping Rock, and take in the Great White Throne from the Canyon Junction viewpoint. If you're fit and quick, the Riverside Walk extends toward the Narrows — but like the group tour, you won't have time for the full Narrows wade. Catch the free Human History Museum ranger talk if timing works, then drive scenic Highway 12 east (~2h) to Bryce. Pitch a tent at Ruby's Inn RV Park & Campground (tent site ~£22-28/night, split = £11-14 pp; hot showers, Wi-Fi, camp store). Evening: walk to the Rim for hoodoo views at golden hour and cook dinner at camp.
🚌Rental car from Las Vegas (~280 mi / 4.5h driving total today); Zion shuttle free with park entry
🛏Ruby's Inn RV Park & Campground, Bryce Canyon (tent site, showers + Wi-Fi)
- →Emerald Pools Trail hike
- →Temple of Sinawava & Weeping Rock
- →Great White Throne viewpoint
- →Ranger talk at Zion Human History Museum
- →Bryce Canyon rim walk at sunset
- →Campfire dinner at Ruby's Inn campground
Bryce hoodoos → Monument Valley (Navajo jeep tour) → Lake Powell
Bryce Canyon / Monument Valley / Page, Arizona
Sunrise at Bryce Amphitheatre — walk the Navajo Loop + Queen's Garden combination (2.5-3h, ~£0 beyond park entry, which your vehicle pass covers). Cook breakfast at camp, then drive south via Scenic Byway 12 and US-89 through Kanab (~3h15) to Monument Valley. Book a Navajo-guided 4x4 tour directly with a tribal operator (e.g. Monument Valley Safari, Dineh Bekeyah Tours or Goulding's) — 1.5-2.5h trips run roughly £55-80 pp booked online; this replaces the operator's included jeep tour. Continue to Page/Lake Powell (~1h45) and camp at Page-Lake Powell Campground or Wahweap (~£22-30/site, split = £11-15 pp). Optional sunset at Horseshoe Bend (free, 1.2mi round trip from the US-89 car park, $10/vehicle). Dinner at a Page restaurant or camp stove.
🚌Rental car: Bryce → Monument Valley → Page (~5h driving); Navajo 4x4 jeep tour on-site
🛏Page-Lake Powell Campground or Wahweap campground, Page AZ (tent site)
- →Bryce Navajo Loop & Queen's Garden hike at sunrise
- →Scenic Byway 12 drive
- →Navajo-guided 4x4 Monument Valley tour (self-booked)
- →Horseshoe Bend sunset
- →Lake Powell viewpoint
Antelope Canyon → Grand Canyon South Rim → Route 66 → Las Vegas
Page / Grand Canyon / Williams / Las Vegas
Pre-book Antelope Canyon direct: Upper Antelope (Ken's Tours, Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours, Adventurous Antelope Canyon) is ~£75-100 pp for the 1h guided slot; Lower Antelope (Ken's Tours) is slightly cheaper and less crowded. Book online weeks ahead — prime midday light slots sell out. Drive to Grand Canyon South Rim (~2h15 via US-89/Desert View) and use the $35/vehicle pass or America the Beautiful annual pass ($80). Walk the Rim Trail between Mather and Yavapai Points, take a free ranger talk, and optionally hike a mile down the Bright Angel Trail. Skip the £230-370 helicopter flight unless you've budgeted for it. Drive out west via Williams and a stretch of Historic Route 66 through Seligman and Kingman (photo stops, diner lunch), then back to Las Vegas (~4h45 from the canyon, arriving evening). Drop the car same day to avoid an extra day's hire.
🚌Rental car: Page → Grand Canyon → Route 66 (Williams/Seligman/Kingman) → Las Vegas (~6h total driving)
🛏Own arrangements in Las Vegas (hostel dorms from ~£30 pp or budget motel ~£55-75/room)
- →Antelope Canyon guided slot (self-booked, Upper or Lower)
- →Grand Canyon South Rim Rim Trail walk
- →Bright Angel Trail partial descent (optional)
- →Ranger talk at South Rim visitor centre
- →Historic Route 66 stops at Seligman & Kingman
Self-launched vs. Bindlestiff Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Bindlestiff Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£375 | £580 |
| Duration | 3 days | 3 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £205 per person (35%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Bindlestiff Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£375
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Southwest National Parks Loop: Zion, Bryce, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon & Grand Canyon from Las Vegas cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £375 per person for 3 days in Southwest USA (Nevada, Utah, Arizona). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Bindlestiff Tours?+
Yes — Bindlestiff Tours charges around £580 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £375 — a saving of roughly £205 (35%) per person.
How long is the Southwest USA (Nevada, Utah, Arizona) trip?+
This itinerary runs 3 days, covering 3 day-by-day stops through Southwest USA (Nevada, Utah, Arizona).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, hiking, road-trip trip through Southwest USA (Nevada, Utah, Arizona), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.