Highlights of the American West — Self-Launched 7-Day Adventure
7 days · Western USA (California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah)
Bamba Travel charges £1,640
No-markup version: ~£1,030 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 7-day version of Bamba Travel's "Highlights of the West" loop: Los Angeles → Santa Barbara & the coast → San Francisco → Yosemite → Las Vegas → Grand Canyon → Antelope & Bryce Canyons → Zion → Las Vegas. Instead of a private minibus and pre-booked hotels, you'll string together Amtrak's Coast Starlight, Greyhound/FlixBus, a couple of cheap one-way flights or shared shuttles, hostel dorms and budget motels, and self-booked national-park entry plus one guided Antelope Canyon slot. All costs are rough per-person estimates in GBP — park entry, US accommodation and fuel prices all fluctuate seasonally, so treat the totals as a planning ballpark, not a quote.
Day-by-day
Los Angeles → Santa Barbara → San Luis Obispo (coastal start)
Los Angeles / Santa Barbara / San Luis Obispo
Skip the private van and ride the rails: Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner from LA Union Station to Santa Barbara is about 2h20 and roughly £28 one-way booked in advance. Walk 20 minutes up to Old Mission Santa Barbara (free to wander the grounds, small donation for the church), then catch a local bus or rideshare 45 minutes to Solvang for Danish pastries and windmill-street browsing — the Santa Ynez Valley MTA bus runs a few times a day. Continue up the coast on the Surfliner to San Luis Obispo (~£20), where you can stroll the Thursday-night farmers' market if your timing works. If you'd rather see 17-Mile Drive and Carmel, take a Monterey-Salinas Transit bus from Salinas instead and overnight in Monterey.
🚌Amtrak Pacific Surfliner LA→Santa Barbara→San Luis Obispo, ~£48 total; local buses/rideshare for Solvang
🛏HI San Luis Obispo hostel or a downtown budget motel (~£40 dorm / £70 private)
- →Old Mission Santa Barbara
- →Solvang village stroll
- →Optional: 17-Mile Drive & Carmel via Salinas
- →SLO farmers' market (Thursdays)
San Francisco — Bay cruise, Golden Gate and the city on foot
San Francisco
Take an early Amtrak Thruway bus or FlixBus from San Luis Obispo to San Francisco (~£30, 5-6h; the Coast Starlight train is more scenic but slower and pricier). Drop bags at your hostel near Fisherman's Wharf or Chinatown, then book a 60-minute Golden Gate Bay Cruise via GetYourGuide or directly with Red & White Fleet (~£30) — it sails past Alcatraz and under the Golden Gate Bridge. In the afternoon do the city self-guided: walk Pier 39 for sea lions, climb the Filbert Steps, ride a Muni bus to Haight-Ashbury, and finish in Chinatown for dim sum. A Clipper card or contactless tap covers all Muni rides at about £2.30 each. Optional: Alcatraz ferry tickets book out weeks ahead — reserve early if it's a must-do.
🚌Amtrak Thruway or FlixBus SLO→SF ~£30; Muni day pass ~£5
🛏HI San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf or Green Tortoise Hostel (~£40 dorm / £85 private)
- →Golden Gate Bay Cruise (~£30 via GetYourGuide)
- →Pier 39 sea lions
- →Chinatown & dim sum
- →Haight-Ashbury walk
- →Optional: Alcatraz ferry (book well ahead, ~£35)
Yosemite National Park — valley floor and waterfalls
Yosemite National Park
Catch an early YARTS (Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System) bus from Merced — reach Merced on an early Amtrak San Joaquins from Oakland/Emeryville (~£25) — into the valley; YARTS is about £12 and drops you at the Visitor Center. From there everything is walkable: the flat Yosemite Falls trail from the Visitor Center is 1.5 miles each way with huge payoff, El Capitan is visible from El Cap Meadow, and Bridalveil Fall is a short loop. Grab a spot on the free valley shuttle to reach trailheads. Camp overnight at Curry Village tent cabins or Upper Pines campground (book on recreation.gov exactly 5 months out — this is the single hardest booking of the trip). Buy the America the Beautiful annual pass (~£65) here and it pays for itself across Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion.
🚌Amtrak San Joaquins to Merced ~£25 + YARTS bus into Yosemite ~£12
🛏Curry Village tent cabin or Upper Pines campground (~£45 shared tent cabin / £12 campsite)
- →Yosemite Falls trail from Visitor Center
- →El Capitan & El Cap Meadow
- →Bridalveil Fall
- →Free valley shuttle
- →Buy America the Beautiful annual pass (~£65)
Yosemite → Las Vegas — desert crossing and the Strip
Las Vegas
Get out of the park on the morning YARTS back to Merced (~£12), then take the Amtrak San Joaquins to Bakersfield and the connecting Amtrak Thruway bus into the LA Basin, or — far simpler and often cheaper — book a one-way Southwest/Spirit flight from Fresno or Sacramento to Las Vegas (~£50-70, 1h). Bag a cheap hostel bed on Fremont Street or a budget strip-side motel. Spend the evening walking the Strip: Bellagio fountains (free, every 15-30 min), the Venetian's canals, the Paris and New York-New York facades, and the Mirage/Treasure Island end. Skip paid casino floors if you're on a budget — the people-watching is free. Optional detour: drive or take a day tour through Death Valley, or stop at the Barstow outlets if you're coming overland.
🚌YARTS ~£12 + one-way domestic flight to Las Vegas ~£60 (or longer Amtrak/bus combo ~£45)
🛏Hostel cat. or budget motel near Fremont Street (~£30 dorm / £60 private)
- →Bellagio fountains
- →Venetian, Paris, New York-New York walk
- →Fremont Street Experience
- →Optional: Death Valley day tour (~£70 via GetYourGuide)
Grand Canyon South Rim — rim trail and sunset
Grand Canyon Village, Arizona
Grab an early FlixBus or Greyhound from Las Vegas to Williams or Flagstaff (~£40, 4-5h), then the Arizona Shuttle or a Grand Canyon shuttle into the South Rim (~£20). Buy a seat on the park's free shuttle or just walk the Rim Trail between Mather Point and Hopi Point — Hopi Point is the classic sunset spot, and doing the 4-mile stretch on foot is far better than a coach window. Browse the Native American art and craft stalls at the marketplaces near the village (Hopi House and the Desert View kiosks — buy from artisans, not imports). Overnight in a dorm at the Grand Canyon International Hostel in Flagstaff or a Yavapai Lodge room if you book early; the in-park lodges sell out months ahead.
🚌FlixBus/Greyhound Las Vegas→Williams/Flagstaff ~£40 + Arizona Shuttle to South Rim ~£20
🛏Yavapai Lodge budget room or Flagstaff hostel dorm (~£70 in-park / £25 dorm + shuttle)
- →Rim Trail walk: Mather Point to Hopi Point
- →Sunset at Hopi Point
- →Native American craft marketplaces
- →Free park shuttle
Antelope Canyon and Bryce Canyon — slot canyon then hoodoos
Page, Arizona → Bryce Canyon, Utah
Book ahead: Lower Antelope Canyon can only be visited with a licensed Navajo guide, and slots go fast in summer — reserve a 90-minute tour via GetYourGuide or directly with Ken's Tours/Dixie Ellis (~£55). Reach Page from Flagstaff on a Greyhound or FlixBus (~£35, 3h). From Page, take a shared shuttle or Greyhound up to Bryce Canyon City (~£35, 4-5h) — this is a long transit day, so an early Antelope slot is essential. In the late afternoon catch the free Bryce Canyon shuttle to Sunrise or Sunset Point for the classic hoodoo amphitheatre, and stay for sunset from the vista point. Overnight in a Bryce Canyon City motel or the hostel-style lodgings along Highway 12.
🚌FlixBus/Greyhound Flagstaff→Page ~£35; Page→Bryce shared shuttle or bus ~£35
🛏Bryce Canyon City budget motel or hostel (~£60 private / £30 dorm)
- →Guided Lower Antelope Canyon tour (~£55, book ahead)
- →Bryce Canyon sunset from Sunset/Sunrise Point
- →Free Bryce shuttle
Zion National Park and back to Las Vegas
Zion National Park → Las Vegas
Take a morning shuttle or bus from Bryce to Springdale/Zion (~£20, 2h), then the free Zion Canyon shuttle up the scenic drive. Walk the Riverside Walk along the Virgin River to the mouth of the Narrows — a flat, 2.2-mile round trip that needs no permit and gives you the best canyon views without a guide. If you're confident and have shoes, wade a little way into the Narrows itself. Late afternoon, catch a St. George Shuttle or Greyhound from Springdale/St. George back to Las Vegas (~£30, 3h). Note that a same-night onward flight from LA is impractical — the Bamba FAQ itself warns you'd reach LA around 11pm — so either fly out of Las Vegas the next morning or book a cheap hostel night and use the extra day for Red Rock Canyon.
🚌Bryce→Zion shuttle ~£20; St. George Shuttle/Greyhound Zion/St. George→Las Vegas ~£30
🛏Optional extra night in Las Vegas (~£30 dorm) if flying home the next day
- →Zion Canyon shuttle & scenic drive
- →Riverside Walk along the Virgin River
- →Optional: Narrows wade
- →Optional: Red Rock Canyon if staying an extra night
Self-launched vs. Bamba Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Bamba Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,030 | £1,640 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £610 per person (37%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Bamba Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,030
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 Highlights of the American West — Self-Launched 7-Day Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,030 per person for 7 days in Western USA (California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah). 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 Bamba Travel?+
Yes — Bamba Travel charges around £1,640 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,030 — a saving of roughly £610 (37%) per person.
How long is the Western USA (California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah) trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Western USA (California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah).
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, road-trip, hiking trip through Western USA (California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah), 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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