Real San Francisco to LA

13 days
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Small Group Tour
Head out on an iconic 13-day road trip from San Franciso to Los Angeles, stopping in at the best of the west’s national parks along the way. See desert landscapes in Bryce Canyon National Park, mountain ranges in the Sierra Nevada, the great expanses of the Grand Canyon and the iconic trails of Yosemite. Sprinkle in a ride along the famous Route 66 and two ni...
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Basic - 2 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Full schedule

Highlights

    • Cover Yosemite’s many trails over two full days and three nights dedicated to the park, exploring with your leader and having your own time to hike or bike your way around.
    • Discover Utah’s natural wonders at Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park – home to red-walled cliffs, towering hoodoos and vast horizons.
    • Spend two nights getting your fill of the winding gorges and rock formations of the Grand Canyon, and take a leader-led tour of the South Rim.
    • Bookend your trip with visit to two of the United States’ most iconic cities. Check out San Francisco’s highlights at your own pace, and then finish with the bright lights of Los Angeles.
    • Appreciate the spectacle of Vegas as you explore this glitzy, neon-filled city at all hours of the day with plenty of time and flexibility to do as you please – night out, anyone?

What's this trip about?

    Head out on an iconic 13-day road trip from San Franciso to Los Angeles, stopping in at the best of the west’s national parks along the way. See desert landscapes in Bryce Canyon National Park, mountain ranges in the Sierra Nevada, the great expanses of the Grand Canyon and the iconic trails of Yosemite. Sprinkle in a ride along the famous Route 66 and two nights soaking in the bright lights of Las Vegas, all with a group of like-minded travellers and an expert local leading the way, this trip has all your bases covered.

Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeIntimate group - max of 12 people
Age range18 to 35 years
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CitySan Francisco
End CitySanta Monica

Travel Themes

  • Cultural
  • 18 - 30's
  • High Adventure

Destinations

Attractions

  • Arizona
  • Bryce Canyon
  • Bryce Canyon National Park
  • Colorado
  • Grand Canyon
  • Las Vegas
  • Los Angeles
  • San Francisco
  • Sierra Nevada
  • Yosemite National Park

Activities

  • Culture
  • Historic Sightseeing

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 12

Trip includes

    • Yosemite National Park - Entrance Fee
    • Yosemite National Park - Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias
    • Visit to Mono Lake
    • Zion National Park - Entrance Fee
    • Zion National Park - Leader - Led hike
    • Bryce Canyon National Park - Entrance Fee
    • Grand Canyon National Park - Entrance Fee
    • Grand Canyon - Leader-led South Rim tour
    • Seligman - Route 66
    • Joshua Tree National Park - Entrance Fee

Popular Trips

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 San Francisco

Welcome to California! Your adventure begins in San Francisco – The City by the Bay that boasts a beautiful setting and a vibrant, multicultural heart. You’ll have a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight, followed by an optional group dinner. If you arrive early, maybe check out the vintage stores along funky Haight Street or catch the tram down to the waterfront.

Day 2 Yosemite National Park

This morning, you’ll drive into the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountains to your destination – the magnificent Yosemite National Park. Passing by serene vistas, you’ll catch a glimpse of one of Yosemite’s most recognisable features – Half Dome. You'll spend three nights camping near Yosemite National Park so that there are two full days available to explore at your own pace.

Day 3 Yosemite National Park

Head into the national park this morning, and join your leader for an easy, downhill hike at the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias. The grove is home to, no surprise, a couple dozen mature giant sequoia trees, including one that’s been carved into a tunnel you can walk...

Day 4 Yosemite National Park

Today is free for you to continue discovering the wonders of the park. Instead of hiking, you might like to hire a bike and explore Yosemite Valley on two wheels. You can also visit the park's museum, photo gallery, shops and restaurants, and in the heat of summer, a ...

Day 5 Sierra Nevada

Depart Yosemite via the Tioga Pass this morning, stopping at Mono Lake on the way. The Sierra Nevada is sandwiched between Central Valley and Death Valley – this is a scenic trip that will take you to the town of Bishop, where you’ll camp the night. In town, maybe go to Erick Schat’s European-style bakery for a delicious treat, or perhaps pay a visit to some nearby natural hot springs.

Day 6 Las Vegas

Drive to the capital of glitz and glam in the heart of the desert this morning – Las Vegas, Nevada. Vegas may be known for its casinos and late-night antics, but there's plenty more to it than meets the eye. After checking into your accommodation, you’re free to explo...

Day 7 Las Vegas

With another day in Las Vegas, continue to discover all things over-the-top. Food-focused travellers may want to check out one of the celebrity chef restaurants around town (Roy Choi, Gordon Ramsay and Wolfgang Puck all have places here). See the Eiffel Tower of the U...

Day 8 Zion National Park

This morning, you’ll drive from Vegas to Zion National Park – a nature preserve in Utah famous for its steep red cliffs and scenic drive that leads to forest trails along the Virgin River. When you arrive, join your leader for a guided hike in the park to get your bea...

Day 9 Bryce Canyon National Park

This morning, you’ll head out on a scenic drive from Zion to Bryce Canyon National Park. The park is a favourite among travellers for the crimson-coloured hoodoos (spire-shaped rock formations) that give it the landscape an alien feel. As you drive around the rim of t...

Day 10 Grand Canyon National Park

This morning you’ll drive to Grand Cayon National Park – a must-see for any USA adventure! When you arrive, get ready to admire a natural wonder formed by over six million years of erosion by the Colorado River. The canyon’s dimensions – 450 km long, 630 km wide and 1...

Day 11 Grand Canyon National Park

Continue exploring the national park today, starting with a leader-led tour of the Grand Canyon’s South Rim. You’ll be taken to some incredible viewpoints and see couple famous sights, like Granite Rapids and Monument Canyon, before finishing at Hermit’s Rest. You’re ...

Day 12 Grand Canyon to Lake Havasu

This morning, leave the canyon behind and travel along the famous Route 66, stopping in Seligman along the way – a quirky small town that features a vibrant slice of retro America. After wandering around the shops and old-school diners, continue your road trip to Lake...

Day 13 Joshua Tree National Park to Los Angeles

Bid farewell to Lake Havasu, crossing the border back into California toward Joshua Tree National Park. Famous (and named) for its spectacular desert plants, there are also plenty of bizarre rock formations and palm-fringed oases to encounter. Wander through the park,...

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Dates & Availability

Price From $2,860
Price per day$220
Last Updated: 3/13/2025
Departure Date
Finish Date
Base Price
Availability
03 May 2025
15 May 2025
$2,686
4 spots left
17 May 2025
29 May 2025
$2,860
7 spots left
07 Jun 2025
19 Jun 2025
$2,860
10 spots left
21 Jun 2025
03 Jul 2025
$2,860
10 spots left
19 Jul 2025
31 Jul 2025
$2,975
10 spots left
09 Aug 2025
21 Aug 2025
$2,975
12 spots left
23 Aug 2025
04 Sep 2025
$3,075
5 spots left
20 Sep 2025
02 Oct 2025
$2,975
8 spots left
04 Oct 2025
16 Oct 2025
$2,860
12 spots left
02 May 2026
14 May 2026
$3,005
12 spots left

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Logistics

Accommodation

Camping (with facilities) (8 nights),Hotel (3 nights),Hostel (multishare) (1 night)

Transportation & Flights

Private vehicle,

Transportation & flights

Private vehicle
Guides
All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leader or local representative. The aim of the group leader or local representative is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced group leader or local representative however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your group leader or local representative is new to a particular region or training other group leader or local representative. Your group leader or local representative will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your group leader or local representative can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip. NORTH AMERICAN LEADERS ON CAMPING TRIPS Our leaders in the US and Canada are also responsible for driving the van and navigating across the country. The allowable driving times for drivers is strictly controlled in North America. This ensures our drivers are well rested and are not over-tired from too many hours on the roads. Our North American camping trips are built around the co-operation and participation of all the group members under the supervision of the leader. Your leader will show the group how to set up and use the camp equipment, and form work groups to take turns cooking, cleaning and shopping. Everyone is expected participate and carry their share of the workload, making camp chores easier. If the whole group participates it will be quicker, easier and more fun. It's strictly forbidden for non-qualified rangers to present any information about some National Parks in North America, therefore we adopt a system (as requested by the park rangers) where our leader will encourage travellers to visit the information centres in the National Parks for details about the site.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory on all our trips for those travelling internationally. We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. If you are travelling within your home country or region please confirm before travel that you are entitled to access the public medical system easily should an accident occur. We strongly recommend all travellers have a policy that also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage or personal effects. For international trips, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number has been sighted by your group leader or local representative. If you have credit card insurance your group leader or local representative will require details of the participating insurer/underwriter, the level of coverage, policy number, and emergency contact number rather than the bank's name and your credit card details. Please contact your bank for these details prior to arriving in-country. For travellers who reside within the European Union, Switzerland or USA the requirement to purchase travel insurance cannot be compulsory. However the purchase of travel insurance is still highly recommended, and travellers from these regions who decline travel insurance when travelling outside of their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form at the Group Meeting, recognizing personal responsibility for emergency medical and repatriation costs should they arise. For assistance with travel insurance or other services, please visit the link below: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/booking-resources/our-services
Visa requirements
PASSPORT You’ll need a valid passport to travel internationally and most countries require your passport to have a minimum of 6 months validity, so remember to check the expiry date. We need your passport information to get everything ready for your trip so it’s important that the information on your booking matches your passport exactly. Please take care to provide the correct details. We recommend carrying a copy of the photo page of your passport while travelling and leaving a copy at home with family or friends. VISAS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Many countries require a visa and obtaining the correct visa for your trip and any countries you may transit through is your responsibility. We recommend you check your visa requirements as soon as you have booked your trip. This will ensure you have time to prepare your documents and for your visa application to be processed. You can check the entry requirements for your nationality on your government's foreign travel advisories, consular websites or on our page here:  www.intrepidtravel.com/visa-entry-requirements
Health & Safety
Most national governments provide regularly updated foreign travel advice on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all destinations and activities on your trip. Please refer to our website's safety page for links to major travel advisories and updates on safety issues affecting our trips here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/travel-alerts We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe-keeping of your passport, flight tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your jewellery at home - you won't need it while travelling. Many of our hotels have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage. Your group leader or local representative will accompany you on all included activities, however, during your trip you'll have some free time to pursue your own interests or relax and take it easy. While your group leader or local representative will assist you with the available options in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your Intrepid itinerary, and Intrepid makes no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgement when selecting an activity in your free time. Please also note that your group leader or local representative has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it's deemed necessary due to safety concerns. Intrepid's operational safety policies can be viewed on our website at the link below. We recommend that you take a moment to read through this information before travelling, and would appreciate any feedback on how safety is being managed on our trips. https://www.intrepidtravel.com/safety-guidelines PETTY THEFT AND PERSONAL SAFETY While travelling there is always the risk of pick-pocketing and petty theft, particularly in the more touristy cities. We recommend that you exercise caution when walking alone at night and encourage you to walk together and only on main, well-lit thoroughfares. Be particularly vigilant on public transport. Simple measures like carrying your day pack on your front, not hanging your bag over the back of your chair or on the floor and wearing a money belt will reduce any chance that your valuables should go missing. BEARS Whilst travelling throughout North America it's not uncommon to encounter bears within campsites and national parks. Your leader has been specifically trained for these situations and, if camping, will inform the group on how to 'bear proof' the camp in the evenings or when the site is unattended. There's absolutely no reason to be alarmed by this possibility as it is extremely rare for bears to approach humans.
Age Requirements
18 to 35 years
Additional Information
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Trip ID
intrepid-SSYG

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