Utah USA
10 Days From €1795 (Per Person)
United States
3
Fly Drive Holidays
Utah
Mother Nature put on her best sculptor's apron to create the magnificent American Southwest and in particular Utah. Thousands of years of wind and water carved the red rocks into every possible shape, balancing arches, jutting buttes, hoodoos, towers and canyons. Catch the natural beauty of no less than five National Parks.
Don't forget as Platinum Travel offer a fully flexible tailor made service these itineraries can be mixed and matched and put together for your personal preferences.
Price above is based on low season and is “from” and includes:
− Keep an eye on your petrol tank: journeys between towns can be long and not all towns have a petrol station so make sure you top up when you can.
− Take lots of water: temperatures can get very high and if you are out hiking for the day then there aren’t usually shops in the parks so having a stock of water is essential.
− Always stop at the visitor centre: each National Park and most State Parks will have a visitor centre, these are great to find out current weather information and any trail updates and they can provide you with the best routes to fit your time frame.
Utah - The Mighty Five and Night Skies - Itinerary
Arrive into Salt Lake City in the afternoon and collect your rental car. Settle in and try and stay awake to battle the jetlag.
Overnight in Salt Lake City
Your first stop has to be Temple Square, the spiritual centre of the city. Take a free missionary guided tour to learn about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints first-hand, view the exterior of Salt Lake Temple and stroll through the pristine gardens. Head to the mountainside to visit Red Butte Gardens and the Natural History Museum of Utah, the perfect combination and both with great views over the city. During spring the gardens are full of colour and smells and next door the Natural History Museum displays an incredible selection of dinosaur bones and living creatures of today. Both attractions are available on the Salt Lake City Connect Pass. Mid afternoon, jump in your car for the easy three hour drive to Green River.
Overnight in Green River
Arches National Park is a wonderland of over 2,000 natural stone arches. Have fun spotting smaller hidden arches and admire the scenery which is a photographers dream. Delicate Arch is a must see; it frames a backdrop of mesas, canyons and distant mountains. Get up-close and personal by taking the three mile roundtrip hike to it from Wolfe Ranch with some off-trail hiking. Or walk to Double Arch and the
North/South Arches in around 40 minutes at The Windows section. Alternatively stay with your car, using the 18 mile main road and stop at the various viewpoints to take in the incredible scenery. Still feeling energetic? Then take a 4x4 sunset tour from Moab, known as the adventure capital of Utah.
Overnight in Moab
Canyonlands, Utah’s largest National Park has three sections: Island in the Sky (an easy walk is to Mesa Arch, a natural frame to the canyon below); Needles District (strenuous hikes with over 60 miles of interconnecting trails) and The Maze. Numerous viewpoints highlight stops for photograph opportunities.
Just north of the park is Dead Horse Point State Park with panoramic views over the Colorado River. Overnight in Moab
Goblin Valley State Park is a maze of miniature hoodoos. The Three Sisters trail is relatively easy, heading around the red-rock walls into the open. Or try canyoneering with a guide in the Goblins Lair, a fun and challenging route where you drop 90-ft into the huge cave. Head through Hanksville on Highway 24 for lunch, before reaching Capitol Reef National Park. Stop at Fremont Petroglyphs viewing area and use binoculars to view the ancient petroglyphs left by inhabitants of the park around 2,000 years ago. Gooseneck Overlook is a short trek to a dizzying viewpoint over Sulphur Creek and the San Juan River where canyons wind back to back. Overnight in Torrey
Experience some of Utah’s most spectacular scenery on Scenic Byway 12. Suggested stops include: Homestead Overlook (an exciting drive which provides dramatic panoramic views from 9,400ft); Anasazi State Park Museum (with some easy trails to the old settlement ruins); Calf Creek Recreation Area (Lower Calf Creek Falls Trail is a moderately strenuous, loop hike to an 126-ft waterfall); stop for lunch in the town of Escalante; Escalante Petrified Forest State Park (one of Utah’s most accessible displays of petrified wood); Powell Overlook (at an elevation of 10,188-ft above a badland); Kodachrome Basin State Park (more than 60 upright chimneys called sand pipes, ranging from six to 170-ft).
Bryce Canyon National Park has some of the clearest and least polluted night skies and ranger-lead programs run from the Visitor Centre on selected evenings where you may even spot the Milky Way.
Overnight at Bryce Canyon City
Watch the sunrise in Bryce Canyon National Park at Sunrise Point before exploring the park (sunrise varies throughout the year so check times first). Explore one of the world’s largest collections of hoodoos and spot the ancient Bristlecone Pine. Descend into the canyon on The Queens Garden trail then take the Navajo Loop back to Sunset Point. Horse rides are available on certain trails. This afternoon head to Zion National Park along Scenic Byway 89.
Overnight Springdale
Take the tram along Zion Canyon Scenic Drive and explore to the extreme, walking high up the plateaus and down along the river-bed. The Angels Landing route is a strenuous six mile hike high on the canyon walls… not for the faint-hearted. Or another vantage point try Upper Emerald Pools trail, a moderate hike above the waterfalls and the Virgin River below. Drop in at one of the adventure outfitters to hire the equipment you need to hike The Narrows, a slot canyon along the bed of the Virgin River, with cliff walls up to 2,000-ft deep and running for 16 miles. Go as far as you like before heading back. This evening try some star gazing which can be arranged at the park’s visitor centre.
Overnight in Springdale
Spend the morning at Zion National Park before heading north to the alpine resort of Park City. During the summer months bike or hike some of the 400 miles of mountain trails, ride the mountain coaster or simply stroll along Historic Main Street and enjoy a drink or meal at one of the many independent bars and restaurants
Overnight Park City
Complete your Utah holiday with a visit to the Olympic Legacy Park, just a 15 minute drive from Park City. Take a tour of the site where many of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games’ events took place, ride the world’s steepest zip-line, brave a 70-mph bobsled ride and watch freestyle aerial displays before heading back to Salt Lake City Airport for return your flight.
When it comes to planning out how to reach your destination, Platinum Travel have all the air travel expertise to help you get the best route to your final location.
As a licensed and bonded Travel Agent we have access to negotiated contract and wholesale fares with airlines worldwide. Our Travel Concierge team members will help you with the best connections and airlines to suit your own personal requirements.
For many destinations a number of flights may be required and sometimes it will include arriving into one airport and leaving from another. We will ensure you have the best combination of flights to do this and make sure you cover the necessary MCT (minimum connecting time) so that you have the best opportunity of a smooth and easy journey.
Several airlines have introduced many ancillary charges such as seat assignments, checked bags, priority boarding etc. Platinum Travel will look after these for you and book you at the best available bundle package at the best price. Upgraded airline fares, lounge access & Fasttrack are also available and again Platinum Travel know how to avail of the best value for these extras.
Platinum Travel are a fully licensed and bonded travel agent so you have a lot more protection with us than with the internet (airlines are not bonded).
