If you love irony, the greatest surprise in the West beckons to all explorers on this action-packed, small group adventure into the vibrant oasis of Death Valley National Park. Join our expert guides as they introduce you to rambling salt pans, rolling sand dunes, glorious palettes of rock rising from the valley floor and volcanic remnants showcased throughout the lower 48’s largest national park on our Death Valley Tour. Hike through golden canyons, bike on shockingly smooth roads, photograph the curves of Mesquite Sand Dunes at sunset, touch the marble-like walls of Mosaic Canyon, and most importantly, kick back at the splendid Inn at Death Valley, your basecamp for the week. With our Death Valley Vacation Package, enjoy Austin’s signature touch of inspired, thoughtful service on this adventure of a lifetime into one of America’s liveliest national parks.
Don’t let its name deceive you: Death Valley’s monstrous mountain peaks, expansive salt pans and deep, multi-hued canyons offer the perfect playground for hikers, cyclists, photography enthusiasts and geology-buffs on our Death Valley Tour. Join us on this unforgettable five-day, custom itinerary through Death Valley National Park and be prepared for awe-inspiring vistas, espying resourceful wildlife and unraveling a most mysterious history in this sprawling, four-million-acre national treasure with our Death Valley Vacation Package.
Bike to Badwater Basin, North America’s lowest point, to explore chalky, 282-feet-below-sea-level salt flats
Relish in the golden hues and graceful curves of the Mesquite Sand Dunes at sunset
Hike underneath the smooth marble walls of Mosaic Canyon marveling at the grit-laden flash floods that scoured the narrow canyon (once upon a time) before you
Photograph a one-of-a-kind landscape rich in fascinating geography, brilliant color and beautiful desert scenery
Savor an afternoon of leisure at The Inn at Death Valley, a true desert oasis, opting for a round of golf, a massage or a rejuvenating swim in a spring-fed pool
The contrast: on our Death Valley Tour you'll see Badwater Basin, the country's lowest point at 282-feet-below-sea-level, resting less than 100-miles from the country's highest point, Mt. Whitney, which rises over 14,000-feet-above-sea-level!
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The colors: between the change of colors in the various rock layers and the incredible sunrises and sunsets, Death Valley's palette will blow your mind!
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The superlatives: Death Valley National Park is the fourth largest national park in the US, with the three larger ones all located in Alaska, of course.
Las Vegas / The Inn at Death Valley / Golden Canyon
Pick-up in Las Vegas. A 2.5 hour drive through wide open desert brings us to the largest national park in the lower 48 states, Death Valley. With bragging rights of being the hottest, driest, and lowest point in North America, Death Valley is a playground for adventurers worldwide. Our first stop in the Valley will be to the Visitor Center, where you can walk inside amongst the fascinating displays while your guides prepare a delicious lunch. In the afternoon, we’ll enjoy our first activity together, a hike up the beautiful and surprisingly colorful, Golden Canyon. Tonight, check into The Inn at Death Valley, a true oasis standing out against a beautiful desert backdrop
Nights 1 – 4: The Inn at Death Valley
The perfect vantage point for which to explore Death Valley National Park,The Oasis at Death Valley serves as an elegant hideaway to reclaim your senses as you relax near the spring-fed pool, stroll through palm gardens to the melody of the natural springs, shop for unique items in the gift shop, watch a glorious sunset from one of the quaint stone patios or enjoy a cool drink from Stargazers Deck. Built in 1927, the 66-room Inn sits sprawled across a low hill at the mouth of Furnace Creek Wash and features spectacular views of Death Valley and the Panamint Mountains to the west.
This morning, we embark on a bike ride amid the Black Mountains. After a short bike talk, you’ll head down Coffin Mountain’s winding road all the way back to the Resort, being sure to stop at the famous Zabriskie Point along the way for a photo or two. After a picnic lunch, we’ll shuttle over to Mosaic Canyon for a hike in a geologic “outdoor museum” composed of smooth, water-polished marble. Before sunset, we’ll meet back up to drive over to the Mesquite Sand Dunes; with their rippled shadows and graceful curves, the dunes are a photographer’s dream during the “golden hour.”
Today, we’ll hike up a canyon that has a waterfall generally flowing year round. To get there, you’ll walk up an alluvial fan, over a gravel wash and through a narrow canyon. This afternoon, a walk around Ubehebe Crater is in store, a deep hole in the ground created by a maar volcano possibly as recently as 300 years ago. Back at the Resort, enjoy a western-style dinner under the setting sun.
This morning, we hop on our bikes en route to Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level. After taking a walk around the white salt flats at the Basin, you can choose to either bike back to the hotel, or you may opt to ride back in the van, stopping along the way for a short hike to Natural Bridge. Enjoy a picnic lunch on the lawns of the Resort, and then take advantage of an afternoon on your own to check out The Inn’s amenities: spring-fed swimming pools, tennis courts, massage therapy, and the world’s lowest 18-hole golf course. Tonight’s farewell dinner will be held in the dining The Inn at Death Valley as we relive memories of a vacation well-spent.
Take a last morning’s hike with your guides or choose to sleep in and enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the Resort. Around 11:00, we’ll take off for Las Vegas where you can choose a drop off at the airport or your post trip hotel.
<em>**Trip itineraries are subject to change without notice due to road, weather and other factors outside of our control, for the safety and enjoyment of our guests, as deemed necessary and appropriate by Austin Adventures.</em>
Meals Included
B
Overnight
No overnight
Depart on Your Own Schedule
Contact us for custom itineraries and departure dates
Please plan on arriving at least one day prior to your trip departure. Day one of your itinerary starts at 8:30 or 9:00 am, depending on your hotel. Your trip ends with a drop-off at either the Las Vegas Airport (1:30 pm) or your Las Vegas hotel (2:00pm).
Activities
Hiking: 2 to 4.5 miles, easy to moderate terrain with little elevation gain on most hikes.
Biking: 14 to 17 miles, easy to moderate terrain.
Austin Adventures guides are experienced facilitators and regional experts. They will take the time to explain the details of each activity, answer any questions, and demonstrate the use of all equipment. Each activity has been carefully planned to include options for all levels. Most importantly, Austin Adventures guides will help you select the distance that’s right for you.
Cultural Discoveries
Discover a place synonymous with extremes: extremely hot, extremely arid, extremely fascinating. At 3.4 million acres (~3,000 square miles), Death Valley is the largest national park in the lower 48 states. Average summer temperatures frequently climb above 100°F, and the hottest temperature ever recorded was 134°F at Furnace Creek in 1913. Did you know that Death Valley has the lowest point in the United States (-282 feet below sea level), but is only 76 miles from Mount Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous U.S. at 14,505 feet? Despite its foreboding name, Death Valley is home to bighorn sheep, coyotes, reptiles, lizards, snakes, amphibians plus more than 300 species of birds, not to mention the explosion of flora that erupt after a rainfall. Come explore with the experts in adventure travel in the far- reaching expanse of the Mojave Desert!
Meals
The hallmark of an Austin Adventures vacation is our exceptional dining. All meals: breakfasts, lunches, snacks, dinners, refreshments and receptions are included as indicated by itinerary. (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner). Alcoholic beverages and related gratuities are not included in the trip price.
What's Included
Included in Trip Price
Double occupancy rooms with private baths.
All meals: breakfasts, lunches, snacks, dinners, refreshments and receptions
Fully trained, first-aid certified professional guides and knowledgeable local partners.
Bikes, helmets and other necessary equipment – all safe and well maintained.
Vehicle support and land transportation during the trip.
Austin Adventures T-shirt, water bottle, luggage tags and luggage service.
Pre-departure and packing information.
Incidental expenses such as taxes, dining and housekeeping gratuities, local partner and expert gratuities and national park entrance and permit fees.
Not Included in Trip Price
Gratuities to Austin Adventures guides.
Alcoholic beverages and related gratuities.
Pre-and post-trip accommodations and associated expenses.
Air and land transportation to/from host cities.
All types of personal insurance.
Personal expenses.
View the "Wow Factor" Included in Each Austin Adventure
Activity levels are subjective depending on your general level of fitness and your experience; however, all of our trips are self-paced.
1Easy (1)
Activity levels are subjective depending on your general level of fitness and your experience; however, all of our trips are self-paced.
2Moderately Easy (2)
Activity levels are subjective depending on your general level of fitness and your experience; however, all of our trips are self-paced.
3Moderate (3)
Activity levels are subjective depending on your general level of fitness and your experience; however, all of our trips are self-paced.
4Moderate to Challenging (4)
Activity levels are subjective depending on your general level of fitness and your experience; however, all of our trips are self-paced.
5Challenging (5)
National Parks Expert
Kasey Austin
As Vice President of Operations at Austin Adventures, Kasey Austin can tell you the logistical ins and outs of every single trip. More than that, though, Kasey has lived and breathed most of the company’s featured destinations and will eagerly share her contagious passion for the transformational power of active travel. Kasey grew up in the adventure travel business; she knows the positive, lifelong impact of family travel, a quality that earned her the distinction of being named top family travel guide by Outside Magazine in 2014.
