Flexible Itinerary
Our routes have been carefully chosen to include the best night stops and highlights. However, as local conditions and passenger requests vary, no two trips will ever be the same. With the guidance of your Trek Leader you may modify certain nightstops and highlights to give a truly unique experience!
(This tour also departs from Los Angeles - contact us for further details)
Local Payments - Food Kitty: US$10 per day. En-route Hotels: Approx US$40 x 10 nights
Day: 1-2 New York Area & Washington D.C
Washington D.C. is the perfect introduction to the social, cultural and political history of the United States. Explore D.C.'s parks by day and monuments by night. From the impressive Smithsonian Museum to the White House, to Georgetown's trendy bars, the capital has something for everyone.
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 3-5 Carolinas, Charleston & St Augustine
Bond with new buddies as mountain views morph into swamps, plantations and palmetto palms in the Carolinas, then enjoy a cozy campfire. Historic Charleston is next. This place oozes old world charm, especially the gaudy mid-1700 houses of Rainbow Row. Head on to St Augustine, the oldest settlement on US soil which owes much to it's spanish plaza and sizzling sand.
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 6 Miami
SoBe (aka South Beach) has it all! Stroll the art deco seafront or pose with the beautiful people on sugary sand and in ultra-cool nightspots. Magnificent Miami beckons with miles of white beaches and palm trees swaying in the breeze...
Accommodation: 1 en-route hotel night paid locally
Day: 7-8 Florida Keys
Over conch fritters and Key lime pie, admire a crimson sunset and swap tales from teeming reefs, before celebrating with a sunset party!
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 9-10 Orlando
It's not far from strip malls and souvenir shops to the Magic Kingdom. Escape from it all with an optional day at Disneyworld. Forget your age, it makes a big kid of one and all. With two nights here, fitting in extra thrills and spills is a piece of cake. Maybe slip-slide around Wet 'n' Wild, be drenched by killer whales at SeaWorld or cross the final frontier at Kennedy Space Center. Who wants to grow up anyhow?
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 11-12 Panama Beach
Dream of lazy beach days or windsurf and jet ski the afternoon away. The heat of the beach simmers beyond sundown in this undisputed good-time town. Pack dancing shoes with your flip-flops as the party spirit simmers far into the small hours at the hippest, hottest haunts of the Gulf Coast.
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 13-14 New Orleans
Now we're talking all that jazz! We head into the enchanting French Quarter of New Orleans! Hear the real deal at Preservation Hall, echoing with chirpy trumpet and smooth sax or sample a Hurricane at Pat O'Brien's! New Orleans has more than just food, drink and music to offer. Do the Huckleberry Finn thing as you chug along the Mississippi River.
Accommodation: 2 nights en-route hotel paid locally
Day: 15-18 Texas
Look for gators on our optional Louisiana swamp tour through the mysterious bayous of Cajun country (a must do!). Then don your Stetson and toast marshmallows as the Lone Star bids you a big-hearted welcome for four nights in the mighty Texas. The second biggest of the states has plenty of oil, cowboys and southern hospitality. Feel that tumbleweed vibe at the Alamo in San Antonio and don't forget to checkout the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum, crammed with cowboy curiosities.
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 19 Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Do you know your stalactite from your stalagmite? Carlsbad Caverns is one of the largest cave systems in the world and boasts over 100 limestone caves sporting bizarre rock formations. Pack the amphitheatre at dusk as thousands of resident bats swarm out.
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 20-21 Sante Fe & Mesa Verde
Soak up the artsy vibe of Santa Fe, the oldest US capital city, high in the desert foothills, and check out the International UFO Museum and Research Centre (and gift shop!) in Roswell! They say Aliens crashed to Earth and they have proof! Mesa Verde National Park is next. Explore the ancient dwellings of Ancestral Pueblans cut into the cliff face on an optional ranger led hike; viewings are highly recommended!
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 22-24 Colorado Rocky Mountains & Arches National Park
Distant peaks sport snowy caps and pines huddle together as you pit yourself against amazing hiking and biking trails in the Rockies before heading to Arches National Park. The park's name says it all. Some 2,000 orange sandstone arches strike their poses. The scenery here is breathtaking and a sunset stroll to Delicate Arch tops most 'to do' lists. Take on the famous "Slick Rock" mountain bike trail, float down the Colorado on a scenic rafting trip or tackle the terrain high above on a guided jeep tour.
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 25 Monument Valley
Navajo legends rise from crimson flats at Monument Valley. The only things to pre-date the origins of Native American culture are the massive towering rock formations which dominate the awe-inspiring landscape. Take the opportunity to experience it close-up with an optional Navajo guided jeep ride before setting up camp on the edge of Monument Valley. What a place to swap campfire stories and songs.
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 26-27 Grand Canyon National Park
Next we come face to face with the most awe-inspiring national park of them all, the Grand Canyon. Nothing you have ever seen before will prepare you for this spectacular site! Hike from the forest above to the desert below, or take a helicopter flight above it all and marvel at the brilliant colours. One thing's for sure though, this place looks incredible from any angle, especially walking along the rim at sunset or sunrise.
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 28-29 Lake Powell, Bryce Canyon National Park
It's time for some stunning R&R, basking in the clear blue waters of Lake Powell ringed by deep red rock. Swim, ride a waverunner, horse-ride in the desert or just sit back on the shore and soak up the powerful rays of this beautiful and surreal man-made desert oasis. Bryce is next with it's knobbly hoodoos striking their crazy poses as your camera clicks away at a perfect sunset. What's a hoodoo when it's at home? Actually, Hoodoos are weird and wonderful rock spires arranged in rows as far as the eye can see. They will leave you searching for your own way to describe this 'indescribable' place.
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 30 Zion National Park
Another batch of top notch trails provides one final hiking fix at Zion National Park. Swim and explore the hidden canyons or maybe hike to the top at Angels Landing. Okay, so getting up there can be devilish at times, but the famous trail puts on a 360-degree display of this magnificent national park.
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 31-32 Las Vegas
Next, Las Vegas - the greatest show on earth! The Strip, the shows, the casinos, the clubs; Sin City's glitziest and brashest spots are sure to impress as you cruise the Las Vegas Boulevard on an included limo ride! Hop onto one of the world's highest thrill rides at Vegas' Stratosphere and it won't just be your head that's spinning. And if that's not enough, take a helicopter flight down The Strip or just gamble the night away in one of the world class casinos.
Accommodation: 2 en-route hotel nights paid locally
Day: 33-34 San Diego
It's all about the beach: bronzed bodies, big shades and baggy shorts. Wow fellow beachgoers on your surfboard or let the world-famous San Diego Zoo or SeaWorld steal the limelight.
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 35 Los Angeles
Journey across the desert and catch some California sun as you roll into the larger than life LA scene and our turn around point before heading back east. Why not hang out at and people watch at Venice Beach tonight?
Accommodation: 1 night hotel included
Day: 36-37 Los Angeles & Pacific Coast
With LA in the rearview mirror, head up the rugged California coast on the Pacific Coast Highway and take in the sights as the surf spirit takes hold of you! Fasten your seatbelt for blockbusting scenery.
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 38-39 Yosemite National Park
Heading east through California's gold country we following the scenic drive into the Yosemite National Park region and a chance to hike or bike, through the extraordinary landscape of glacier-carved granite monoliths and spectacular waterfalls. Either way, this park rocks! Once deep inside Yosemite, keep your eyes peeled for black bears. Coyote roam freely as well and when the sun goes down, their howling often echoes amidst pines and sequoias. Admit it, this is what clicks the spirit of the great outdoors up a notch or two.
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 40-41 San Francisco
Next, "Everybody's Favourite City", San Francisco. This town will blow you away. Sunlight on the bay, wispy fog around Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars climbing steep streets: it's a
24-carat stunner. Maybe view the Bay and Alcatraz on an optional sunset sailboat cruise, then the party people can flock to trendy bars and clubs in North Beach or Haight-Ashbury and that friendly vibe gets even better.
Accommodation: 2 en-route hotel nights paid locally
Day: 42-44 Redwood National Park & Oregon
You will amazed to walk amongst the towering forest giants of Redwood National Park - home to the tallest trees in the world and some of the most spectacular coastal scenery on the Pacific Coast. Leave footprints on what is virtually your private Pacific beach or traipse between gigantic Redwoods, feeling like ants in their mighty shadow. Next, the Oregon coast is rugged and perfect for some dune-buggy fun!
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 45 Seattle
Beam yourself up! Well, take the glass-fronted elevator up the iconic Space Needle (optional) and gaze over the Emerald City with a hot cup of coffee from the the very first Starbucks! Then tonight blare out guitar-loaded classics in the city that gave the world Hendrix and Nirvana.
Accommodation: 1 en-route hotel night paid locally
Day: 46 Vancouver
Straight into Canada and the awesome city of Vancouver. With its stunning combination of mountains and coastline, the city boasts outstanding views. Take to Stanley Park on two wheels, then regain your inner city slicker around A-grade museums and galleries or bustling Granville Market. Why not check out the city nightlife in Gas Town or the eclectic "Robsonstrasse" tonight.
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 47-48 British Columbia & Lake Louise
Heading through BC, appreciate the mirrored lakes, grizzled peaks and spectacular scenery as dark conifers and shadowy summits drift by. A nickname like the "gem of the Rockies" is a lot to live up to, but it's no sweat for Lake Louise. The imposing chateau looks on as mountains cluster round the turquoise surface. As for you, well, you could always hike out to the Plain-of-Six-Glaciers or inspect the scene by paddle power on an optional canoe trip. Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 49-50 Banff National Park
Blaze show-stopping trails in the footfalls or horse tracks of pioneers of old. Perhaps bounce across the bumpy terrain by mountain bike or hover above it all by helicopter. One dunk in the hot springs and a drink or two later, you'll sleep like a log.
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 51-53 Glacier National Park & Montana
With two days in Glacier, you'll have plenty of time to explore the alpine meadows, snow-streaked cliffs and shimmering lakes. Montana is often referred to as 'Big Sky Country' because of its numerous stars, but it is also a trekkers' paradise. This area sure adds a healthy dose of the wow factor.
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 54-55 Yellowstone National Park
Pitch up in the world's first National Park, Yellowstone. This is a superb wilderness of spouting geysers, waterfalls and simmering mud pools. A-grade American stars grace the trails - keep your eyes peeled for the abundant wildlife. Large herds of bison and elk roam the park and if you're lucky, you may even see bear or wolf.
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 56-57 Cody, Wyoming & Black Hills
We're into Wild Wyoming, the heart of cowboy country, This is what Cody is all about. Named after William Cody (aka Buffalo Bill), the old west is alive and literally kicking here. After all, "Cody is rodeo", with nightly summer shows. You'll agree with the Lakota people, from afar the pine-coated hills do appear black. Mount Rushmore's next and the uniquely sculptured faces of our four greatest Presidents. Close by, another rock-carved epic is shaping up: the Crazy Horse monument, a nod to the famed Lakota Indian war leader, very impressive!
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 58-59 Badlands & South Dakota
Never mind the "bad lands", touching down here feels like a moon landing. Low-slung buttes, chiselled spires and saw-tooth ridges have a bizarre lunar quality. Spend the afternoon exploring the park's surreal landscape and don't forget your camera for sunset! From the North Star State, cross native American Sioux terrain and America's original western frontier. Resident coyotes may utter the occasional howl as you settle back for some shut-eye under canvas.
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 60-62 Chicago & Ohio
Chicago is next on the menu for two nights, famous for music, museums and Lake Shore Drive. Soar up Willis Tower for dizzying views over the Windy City, trawl the upmarket malls of Magnificent Mile and grab a slice of Chicago's deep-dish pizza before peddling on the optional "Bobby's Bike Hike" tour. Then hit the blues groove, drop into a corner bar or seek out heaving dance and hip-hop beats in the hangouts of Wicker Park and Bucktown. Leaving the shores of Lake Michigan we cross Indiania bound for another of the great five: Lake Erie.
Accommodation: 1 night camping included | 2 en-route Chicago hotel nights paid locally
Day: 63 Niagara Falls
On the edge of Lake Ontario, the sensation of crashing water is stupendous, the noise immense, at America's greatest national attraction, Niagara Falls. Wait 'til you're down on the water aboard 'Maid of the Mist', where the cascades pound, churn and foam right before your eyes. That's what you call a front row seat!
Accommodation: Camping included
Day: 64 New York Area
Today we travel through New York's Finger Lakes region and the Pocono Mountains en-route to the New York Area. This tour is not scheduled to spend any time in New York City so make sure you book extra hotel nights and explore the sights and sounds of the Big Apple on your own. Splurge along Fifth Ave, hit the top of the Empire State Building, or soak up the trendy, laidback vibe of Greenwich Village before
heading home.
Tour ends at approx 17:00 hrs in New York Area on day 64.
