United States, From Los Angeles to San Francisco

Conquering the West on a 13-night self-drive tour 3^*

Arrival at Los Angeles Airport. Pick up your hire vehicle. You will have the opportunity to take a first drive around Los Angeles and will check into your hotel for a 2-night stay.

Make your own dining arrangements.
Overnight stay in Los Angeles.

Known as "the city of angels", Los Angeles is famous for its cinema, upmarket neighborhoods, celebrities, legendary beaches and palm trees, but the city is also renowned for its museums and boutiques. Los Angeles offers you every choice you can imagine.

Free meals **
Overnight in Los Angeles

After the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles, it's time to hit the road. It's impossible to mention the town of Kingman without talking about the legendary Route 66 that runs through it. From the Route 66 Museum to many of the region's famous diners, you'll experience much more than a change of scenery.

Make your own dining arrangements.
Overnight stay in Kingman.

This morning, you'll head for the Grand Canyon, a stunning geological phenomenon. This will certainly be one of the highlights of your trip. Walk along the southern edge to see one of the most beautiful and most impressive wonders of the world. The Grand Canyon is the result of millions of years of erosion by wind and water. It has an infinite range of shapes, colours, and mysterious shadows. The Colorado River flows for more than a kilometre below the canyon rim.

Make your own dining arrangements.
Overnight stay at the Grand Canyon.

You will then set off for Monument Valley, a legendary site typical of the West where numerous cowboy films have been filmed. This 40 x 25 km desert plain is peppered with gigantic sandstone monoliths that rise up from the heart of the valley.

Make your own dining arrangements.
Overnight stay in Monument Valley.

Page will be your base camp for accessing Lake Powell, an artificial lake created by the damming of the Colorado River and Antelope Canyon. Continue exploring with a visit to Horseshoe Bend, a horseshoe-shaped canyon formed by the Colorado River. The viewpoint is 1,280 metres above sea level and, with the Colorado River at 975 metres above sea level, you can admire a breathtaking 305-metre sheer drop.

Make your own dining arrangements.
Overnight stay in Page.

Bryce Canyon, one of Utah's most fascinating natural parks, is your next stop. The Mormons discovered this site in the 19th century. The dazzling shapes and shades of the memorable pink cliffs are constantly changing, from dawn to dusk. You'll discover the famous hoodoos, the natural chimneys carved out of the rock by erosion that make the park so recognisable.

Make your own dining arrangements.
Overnight stay in Bryce Canyon.

After the peace and quiet of the parks, it's all change when you arrive in Vegas. A lost oasis in the Nevada desert, Las Vegas is a city of excess, where luxury and entertainment know no bounds.

Make your own dining arrangements.
Overnight stay in Las Vegas.

Relaxing by the pool, iconic casinos, grandiose shows by international stars, themed bars or clubs, exceptional dining - Las Vegas is bound to have something you'll love. The only golden rule: "enjoy yourself!"

Make your own dining arrangements.
Overnight stay in Las Vegas.

As you enter the state of California, you will head down into the impressive Death Valley. This region is so desolate that it inspired a famous saying among the first cowboys who ventured here: "no stream to drink from, no tree to hang from". Explore Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America, Artists Drive, a 15 km route through colourful hills, and Zabriskie Point, which offers exceptional panoramic views of the surrounding area.

Please note: due to the closure of Tioga Road, there's an overnight stay in Bakersfield for departures from 1st January to 30th June and from 6th October to 31st December.

Make your own dining arrangements.
Overnight stay in Mammoth Lakes (or Bakersfield).

You'll reach Yosemite via the Tioga Pass. Yu'll love this Californian park for its alpine landscapes, pine forests, and waterfalls. Imposing white monolithic cliffs also surround the park. You'll explore Half Dome, Yosemite Valley, Bridalveil Falls, and Yosemite Falls. You'll also have the opportunity to discover the pioneer village further south in the park.

Make your own dining arrangements.
Overnight stay in Yosemite.

Hit the road towards the Pacific to San Francisco. As the cultural capital of the western United States, San Francisco is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Settle into your hotel, where you'll stay for two nights.

Make your own dining arrangements.
Overnight stay in San Francisco.

Hop aboard the cable car, explore Chinatown, admire the Golden Gate Bridge, go shopping in Union Square, or visit the famous Alcatraz prison. You can also hire a bike and cross the iconic Golden Gate Bridge to the picturesque town of Sausalito.

Make your own dining arrangements.
Overnight stay in San Francisco.

Your tour of the American West comes to an end. Head to San Francisco airport to return your hire car and catch your flight home.

Your stay includes the hire of an intermediate category 5-seater car.

The vehicle will be a Toyota Corolla or another vehicle in the same category.

The vehicle will be collected (on day 1) from Los Angeles airport and returned (on day 14) at San Francisco airport.

Car hire includes:
- Unlimited mileage
- CDW accident insurance
- Third party liability (LIS)
- State and airport taxes

Car hire does not include:
- Fuel
- Tolls and parking charges
- Optional extras (GPS, child seat, additional driver, young driver)
- Fines
- Additional insurance (PAI)
- Abandonment fees
- Fee for picking up the vehicle outside of the car hire branch's opening hours
- Cleaning costs may be claimed by the rental agency if the vehicle is not returned in the condition it was in on collection.
- Everything that is not mentioned in the "Car hire includes" section
- A vehicle in a higher category (check with us)

DRIVING LICENCE:
A national driving licence valid for at least the 1 year is required.

RESTRICTIONS:
- The minimum rental age is 21 or 25, depending on the rental company.
In the vast majority of cases, agencies agree to let cars to under-25s, subject to a young driver supplement.

DOCUMENT TO PROVIDE:
- Credit card in the name of the main driver (VISA or MASTERCARD - the word "credit" must appear on the card - no debit, prepaid, revolving credit, Electron, or Maestro cards)
- Driving licence in the name of the main driver
- Identity document in the name of the main driver
- When you pick up your vehicle, a security deposit will be locked on your credit card (not debited, but make sure you have a sufficient limit). The average amount is around $500, but some models can cost as much as $1000.

WARNING:
Once you arrive at the counter, the agent will have you sign a contract.
We cannot be held responsible for any additional charges added during the signing of the car hire contract.
To collect your vehicle you must have a credit card in the name of the main driver. Debit cards are not accepted
An imprint of the card can be made by the hire company.

SURCHARGES:
Any surcharge paid on arrival is subject to local taxes.

VEHICLE TYPE:
The model on this page is an example and can in no way be guaranteed. Similar models may be provided.

Suggested visits and park admissions mentioned in the programme are not included.

For information: You can purchase the America The Beautiful Pass on site, worth around US$250. This pass grants access to certain national parks for all passengers travelling in the same vehicle. If you are travelling in a group with several vehicles, you will need to purchase a pass for each car. You can purchase your pass at the entrance to the first park you visit or at the visitor centre of that park. Please note that the pass is not valid for certain parks, such as Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon, or for parks managed by the Navajo Indians. In these cases, you will be asked to pay a specific entrance fee upon arrival.

Some hotels may charge a service fee, which is payable on site at check-out.

Please note: For people booking the "hotel only " package (without international flights), please let us know your flight details as soon as possible via the contact form in "Help and Contact" at the bottom of the page, so that we can organise your transfers.

From 24 May to 1 September 2025, reservations will be required for people arriving by car between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. to enter or pass through Yosemite National Park on certain days.

From 24 to 26 May (Memorial Day), reservations are required between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. from Saturday to Monday.

From 15 June to 15 August, reservations are required daily between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m.

From 30 August to 1 September (Labor Day), reservations are required between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. from Saturday to Monday.

If you are planning to visit after rush hour, please do not arrive before 2 p.m. Any vehicles blocking the road will be ticketed.

Reservations for all dates will open on [Recreation.gov](https://www.recreation.gov/) on 6 May, 2025 at 8 a.m. PDT.

Additional reservations will be made available on Recreation.gov at 8 a.m. PDT seven days prior to the arrival date (for example, for an arrival on 31 August, reservations can be made on 24 August).

Reservations are made available online every day at 8 a.m. PDT. They sell out almost immediately. Make sure you have a Recreation.gov account and are logged in and ready to make your reservation by 8 a.m. Even if you log in on time, you are not guaranteed a reservation.

The reservation fee (non-refundable) is $2 (this does not include park admission).

Each user may make two reservations per three-day period. For example, if someone books an arrival on Friday, their reservation will be valid from Friday to Sunday, and they will not be able to book a third entry on that Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

The reservation holder must be present in the vehicle on arrival and show photo identification at the entrance.

Peak-hour reservations are valid for three consecutive days, including the date of arrival.

For all visits between April 1 and October 31, visitors to Arches National Park must make a reservation to access the park.

Reservations cost $2 per vehicle (non-refundable and payable extra), and must be presented at the park entrance, together with proof of identity and the park entrance ticket (or national park pass).

Reservations can be made on the following website, 2 to 3 months before the date of your visit: [https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10088426/ticket/10088427](https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10088426/ticket/10088427). It is advisable to book as soon as you know the date of your visit.

You will find below the sale dates by period (to be read "from"):
- january 2 at 8am: for bookings from April 01 to 30
- february 1 at 8am: for bookings from May 01 to 31
- march 1 at 8am: for bookings from June 01 to 30
- april 1 at 8am: for bookings from July 01 to 31
- may 1 at 8am: for bookings from August 01 to 31
- june 1 at 8am: for bookings from September 01 to 30
- july 1 at 8am: for bookings from October 01 to 31