Canyonlands Adventure: Self-Launched Southwest Road Trip
8 days · United States
G Adventures charges £2,600
No-markup version: ~£640 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent, self-launched version of the G Adventures "Canyonlands Adventure" loop out of Las Vegas — Zion, Bryce Canyon, Page/Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, the Grand Canyon South Rim and a Route 66 detour on the way back. Instead of a private 15-seat van and a CEO, you drive yourself in a pre-booked rental car (or use the identical route by bus for the more budget-minded), stay in hostels, motels and park lodges, and book the Antelope Canyon Navajo-led tour directly. Same parks, same hikes, same light beams — without the group mark-up. Costs are approximate per person and assume a shared rental car with one or two travel companions; the big line item in the US Southwest is car hire plus park entry, so splitting fuel and the rental makes this trip work financially. Park passes are bought once and cover all the parks below.
Day-by-day
Arrive Las Vegas, gear up and hit the Strip on a budget
Las Vegas, Nevada
Land at LAS and get into town cheaply: the RTC bus route 108 (Paradise line) runs from Terminal 1 to downtown/Strip for about $2, or a shared shuttle/taxi is ~$18-25. Bed down in a hostel or budget motel near the Strip (Las Vegas Hostel or a downtown motel), buy your America the Beautiful annual park pass ($80 per vehicle — the single best-value purchase of the trip) if you haven't already, stock a cooler with water, snacks and breakfast supplies for the drive days, and pick up your pre-booked rental car this evening or first thing tomorrow. Spend the evening walking the Strip (free) rather than paying for shows.
🚌RTC route 108 bus from LAS airport (~$2) or shared shuttle; walk the Strip
🛏Hostel or budget motel near the Strip, Las Vegas (~£35-50 per person in a shared room)
- →Collect rental car (book well in advance — one-way fees and late-summer prices are the biggest swing factor)
- →Buy America the Beautiful annual pass ($80/vehicle) at the first park entrance
- →Evening stroll along the Las Vegas Strip
Drive to Zion: Emerald Pools, Hanging Gardens and sandstone cliffs
Springdale / Zion National Park, Utah
Pick up the car early and drive Las Vegas to Springdale (about 2.5-3 hours, ~£15-20 of fuel split between passengers). Park outside the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive and use the free park shuttle, which is mandatory in season. Hike the Emerald Pools trail network and the Pa'rus Trail, which deliver the hanging gardens and towering cream-to-red sandstone walls. Antelope-free today, so it's a great afternoon to acclimatise to the heat and altitude. Note: from 2026 Zion is moving to a timed-entry reservation system in peak season — check recreation.gov a couple of weeks out and reserve if required (small fee). Sleep in Springdale or the cheaper Hurricane/La Verkin side.
🚌Self-drive ~170 miles (~£15-20 fuel, split); free Zion Canyon shuttle inside the park
🛏Hostel dorm or budget motel in Springdale/Hurricane (~£35-55 per person)
- →Emerald Pools Trail hike
- →Pa'rus Trail
- →Zion Canyon shuttle loop
- →Sunset at Canyon Junction bridge
The Narrows: wade the slot canyon
Zion National Park, Utah
The classic Zion day. Rent canyoneering shoes and a walking stick from one of the outfitters in Springdale (~$25-35, far better than trainers — the riverbed is slippery boulders). Take the shuttle to the Temple of Sinawava and walk the Riverside Walk to the mouth of the Narrows, then wade upstream as far as you're comfortable. Check the flash-flood forecast at the visitor centre before setting off — never enter if there's rain in the drainage. Afternoon: dry off with the short Watchman Trail or a scenic drive through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel to the Canyon Overlook Trail. Restock groceries in Springdale for tomorrow's drive.
🚌Free shuttle + walking; gear rental in Springdale
🛏Hostel dorm or budget motel in Springdale/Hurricane (~£35-55 per person)
- →The Narrows upstream wade (gear rental ~£20-28)
- →Riverside Walk
- →Canyon Overlook Trail via Zion-Mount Carmel Highway
Bryce Canyon hoodoos, then the long drive east to Page
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah → Page, Arizona
Leave early for Bryce Canyon (about 1.5-2 hours from Zion). The Rim Trail and the Sunrise-to-Sunset rim section give you the full amphitheatre of hoodoos with minimal effort; then descend the Queen's Garden Trail from Sunrise Point — note the Navajo Loop is currently closed due to rockfall, so treat Queen's Garden as an out-and-back rather than a loop. Bring layers; Bryce sits at 8,000+ ft and is noticeably colder than Zion. Mid-afternoon, drive Bryce to Page (~2.5 hours, scenic along Highway 89) and check into a motel or hostel. Fuel up and buy groceries in Page.
🚌Self-drive ~160 miles total (~£18-22 fuel, split); free Bryce shuttle in season
🛏Motel or hostel in Page, Arizona (~£35-55 per person)
- →Bryce Amphitheater Rim Trail
- →Queen's Garden Trail (out-and-back)
- →Sunrise/Sunset Point viewpoints
Antelope Canyon with a Navajo guide, Horseshoe Bend and into the Grand Canyon
Page, Arizona → Grand Canyon South Rim, Arizona
Pre-book Antelope Canyon directly with the Navajo Nation operators (Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours or Ken's Tours for Lower Antelope) via their own websites or GetYourGuide — roughly $70-100 per person depending on canyon and time slot, and the light-beam slots sell out days ahead. Book the morning slot if you can. Afterwards, drive 10 minutes to Horseshoe Bend and walk the 1.2-mile round trip to the rim (~$10 park entry, no permit needed). Grab lunch at a local Navajo-run food truck (the original tour's 'G for Good' stop — same family-style vendors operate in Page). Then drive to the Grand Canyon South Rim (~2 hours), timing arrival for sunset over the canyon.
🚌Self-drive ~130 miles (~£15-18 fuel, split); free South Rim shuttle once inside the park
🛏Budget lodge/motel in Tusayan, or a South Rim lodge cabin if booked months ahead (~£45-70 per person)
- →Antelope Canyon guided tour (book direct with Navajo operator)
- →Horseshoe Bend hike (~£8 entry)
- →Navajo food truck lunch in Page
- →Sunset at Mather Point
Grand Canyon South Rim: geology walk, Historic Village and Bright Angel Trail
Grand Canyon South Rim, Arizona
Skip the paid field-institute walk and use the free ranger programmes instead — the NPS runs daily geology, botany and human-history talks and rim walks from the visitor centre and Verkamp's, all free with your park pass. Wander the Historic Village District and the Kolb Studio, then hike partway down the Bright Angel Trail (go to the 1.5-Mile Resthouse and turn around — do not attempt the river without a permit and heat planning). Optional splurge: the Grand Canyon helicopter flight is genuinely spectacular (~$250-300) and bookable direct with Papillon or Maverick; the IMAX film in Tusayan is a cheaper $15 alternative. Afternoon free for the Desert View Drive scenic pullouts.
🚌Free South Rim shuttle + walking; refuel in Tusayan
🛏Budget lodge/motel in Tusayan or South Rim (~£45-70 per person)
- →Free NPS ranger geology walk
- →Bright Angel Trail to 1.5-Mile Resthouse
- →Historic Village District and Kolb Studio
- →Optional Grand Canyon helicopter tour (~£200-240)
- →Desert View Drive viewpoints
Route 66 and Flagstaff, then back to Las Vegas
Grand Canyon → Seligman/Flagstaff → Las Vegas, Nevada
Drive out of the park east and pick up Route 66 at Williams or Seligman — Seligman is the 'birthplace of Route 66' with the historic general store, retro motels and the Snow Cap Drive-In, and it's free to wander. Optional stop at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff for a self-guided daytime tour (~$20-25; evening telescope sessions need booking ahead). Then the long haul back to Las Vegas (~4.5 hours from Flagstaff, longer if you do Route 66 scenic sections), arriving in the evening. Drop the car and treat yourself to one cheap-but-fun Vegas night.
🚌Self-drive ~330 miles (~£35-40 fuel, split); return rental car at LAS
🛏Hostel or budget motel in Las Vegas (~£35-50 per person)
- →Seligman Route 66 walk and Snow Cap Drive-In
- →Optional Lowell Observatory tour (~£16-20)
- →Return rental car
Depart Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Return the car if you didn't last night, take the 108 bus or a shared shuttle back to LAS and fly out. If your flight is late, a cheap morning is the Neon Museum's outdoor signage boneyard (~$20) or simply a walk through the free Bellagio conservatory and fountains.
🚌RTC 108 bus to LAS (~$2) or shared shuttle (~£15)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Optional Neon Museum visit
- →Bellagio conservatory and fountain show (free)
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£640 | £2,600 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,960 per person (75%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£640
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.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Canyonlands Adventure: Self-Launched Southwest Road Trip cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £640 per person for 8 days in United States. 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £2,600 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £640 — a saving of roughly £1,960 (75%) per person.
How long is the United States trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through United States.
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 United States, 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?
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