Western Family Discovery

Camp under the stars in this two week Western USA family adventure

A true American adventure for the whole family. Camp under the stars in the western national parks and explore the Navajo Indian's Monument Valley on this 12 day family adventure holiday in the USA. Granite peaks sparkle above evergreen forests in Yosemite Valley, swift rivers carve winding canyons in Zion, mysterious hoodoos cast shadows over Bryce, and the earth opens up at the indescribable Grand Canyon. Let your leader take care of the details as you experience these powerful lands, shaped and formed by the forces of nature.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that have a positive impact on the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Learn more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• Local guides keep you well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, restaurants, and other enterprises, and by championing locally produced food wherever possible.
• The group goes on a guided backroads tour in Monument Valley which is run by members of the Navajo Nation so this provides income for local families.
• Read more about our other initiatives here.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively reduce waste; this includes eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles by providing refills for re-usable bottles.
• The payment of entrance fees to natural reserves generates income which is used for upkeep and development of these important sites. In this trip we visit the Grand Canyon, Zion, and Yosemite National Parks.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices regarding working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
• We rewild 100 square metres per passenger to compensate for all trip and flight emissions.
• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels with us.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• Our local partner is a member of the San Francisco Green Business Program. The San Francisco Green Business Program recognizes businesses, non-profit organizations, and institutions in the City and County of San Francisco that meet high environmental standards.
• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: we do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: please bring a re-usable water bottle on this trip, also consider avoiding single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.

For anyone leaving from the UK we would be pleased to book your flight in conjunction with your tour. Please contact us for competitive prices on flights departing from most UK airports.

If you are booking your own flights, you are free to arrive at any time on day one but it is advisable that you arrive in plenty of time to reach your joining hotel and attend your welcome meeting. We also suggest that you book your return flight the day after your tour finishes. If you have to return home on the day your tour finishes, please make sure that your flight does not depart before 21:00 hrs.

Please note that we cannot be held responsible for any delays, cancellations, changes to your flights, or any missed flights. We are unable to delay a tour, or finish a tour early due to your flight times.

Visa

USA

Travellers from the UK and most EU countries can enter the US under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) provided they have registered for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) – which costs US$21 – and are in possession of an onward air ticket and machine-readable passport when entering the US. Visas are required for some nationalities and requirements often change; it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas and fulfil any requirements for this trip. We recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/americas/united-states-america
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/united-states
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa/entry-requirements

Please note, regulations stipulate that any person who has travelled to Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen since March 2011 (or has dual nationality of Iran, Iraq, Sudan or Syria) may no longer qualify for the VWP. In addition, if you have travelled to Cuba since 12 January 2021, you will not be eligible for the VWP and should instead apply for a visa to travel to, or transit via, the USA.

Vaccination

USA

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for polio, tetanus and rabies. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Eating and Drinking

11 breakfasts, 11 lunches and 9 dinners

Weather

The West is known for its very dry spring, summer and autumn weather and outstanding blue, sunny skies. Being as far south as Southern Europe and Northern Africa, temperatures are normally much warmer than in Northern Europe. However, temperatures vary greatly depending on the elevation you are at. Generally, the higher the elevation, the cooler the temperature. In summer, Yosemite, Bryce and the Grand Canyon offer pleasant temperatures ideal for hiking whereas some of the deserts might experience hotter temperatures. On warmer days, the leader will opt for early morning and late afternoon walks, leaving time for midday rest. The hottest time of day in the desert is actually 3pm, and most nights will be mild to warm. Be prepared for afternoon thunderstorms in the summer months, and look out for the plentiful mountain wildflowers.

Weather Charts

San Francisco

Is this trip for you?

This trip is graded as Activity Level: 1 (Leisurely).

This is a busy tour aimed at families travelling with children aged 8 and over. You will need to be reasonably fit to do some of the hikes, but all are optional day walks and there are a variety of routes and trails for all abilities. 

Please note that due to federal laws in the Grand Canyon N.P your tour leader can't hike with you. They will, however, prepare you for all available walks. The leader will also advise those who do not wish to participate of the other options available in the area. Some of the areas are remote and hiking or relaxing will be the only possible entertainment, so you should be prepared for this.
The trails vary a great deal - in the more developed parks they are well maintained and defined, whilst in the remote parks we might be following a sandy, rocky creek bed or hike cross country over open desert terrain. Crossing shallow streams (Zion) can be expected. Most of the walking is at moderate altitudes and therefore should not cause any altitude-related problems. Hiking options in Yosemite are quite varied and can be strenuous.
This tour will visit many of the most famous National Parks. Driving distances are considerable but we have tried to ensure a steady pace with time for relaxing. On several of the days we will leave early. Please do note that the West is a big place and the distances might seem long compared to Europe!

While camping, members of the group are expected to fully participate, including erecting and dismantling your own tent, and preparing meals and washing up after meals.

Although each tour follows an itinerary, there is a certain amount of flexibility and from time to time your tour leader may suggest changes. This may be due to road conditions, weather or a visit to a special attraction or event that happens to be in progress. Flexibility is key and often a side diversion will be a highlight of the tour. Hikes and optional activities cannot be guaranteed and may vary depending on ability, group interest, local weather conditions and time of year. There are opportunities for optional activities during your tour. Your tour leader will organise these on your behalf and you will pay locally in cash. You’ll find the main optional activities listed above under each itinerary day description, along with guideline prices. It may not be possible to do all optional activities listed on each tour.

Our tours are a unique holiday experience and much of your enjoyment will come from the team spirit of your group and the fun you’ll have together, as well as from the local setting. We cannot stress strongly enough the importance of bringing a positive attitude with you on tour; a sure guarantee to enjoying each and every moment, even in the adversity of the odd rainstorm!

Angels Landing Hike in Zion National Park:

During the itinerary we have time to enjoy Zion National Park and its network of trails. One of the more strenuous and popular hikes in Zion is called ‘Angels Landing’. In response to growing concerns about crowding and congestion on the trail, the National Park Service in the USA has recently announced that after April 1, 2022, everyone who hikes Angels Landing needs to have a permit. Permits cannot be booked by a tour operator and instead individual customers would need to apply for a permit via a lottery system – unfortunately there is no guarantee of being successful in receiving a permit via this system.  

There are two options in the Permit Lottery System: Seasonal Lottery (you can apply for a permit 1-3 months before trekking date) and Day-before Lottery (you can apply for a permit the day before your planned hike). All guests are responsible for applying for their own permits if they wish to attempt this hike. 

Zion is renowned for its hiking and there are many excellent trails with wonderful views, such as the Watchman’s trail or the Narrows. Our group walk will be planned to discover these alternative trails. Anyone who is successful in securing their own permit will be able to hike at Angels Landing whilst the group complete an alternative trail.

All guests interested in further information about Angels Landing permits, such as application dates and prices should visit National Park Service page found here.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.