America's Great Desert National Parks

America's captivating desert landscapes take centre stage on this epic journey which begins in the playground of Las Vegas. Relax after your journey or tame Lady Luck. This evening, meet your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a Welcome Reception and then soar 550 feet above the center of the Las Vegas Strip on the High Roller, the world's tallest observation wheel, for sweeping 360-degree views of the Las Vegas Valley and The Strip.

Admire the towering red cliffs and sandstone peaks of the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area this morning. Keep a keen eye out for its highest peak, La Madre Mountain, before continuing to Death Valley, the largest national park in the USA. Aptly named for its unforgiving landscapes, Death Valley is a stunningly beautiful land of extremes. Join your travel companions for dinner with wine, before settling into your oasis hotel, located within the borders of the national park.

Immerse yourself in the solitude and desolation of Death Valley on a guided tour of the park's most famous sites including Ubehebe Crater, Dante's View, Zabriskie Point, and of course Badwater Basin and its massive salt flats - the lowest point below sea level in the western hemisphere. Today will be a photographer's dream so bring your cameras. Free time this afternoon to enjoy our desert oasis and relax at one of the most remarkable spring fed swimming pools in the world.

Heading south today you leave Death Valley and travel along the Mojave National Preserve, visit the desert Ghost Town of Calico. Our destination tonight is gorgeous Palm Springs in the Coachella Valley. Tonight, you'll have a your choice dining experience at one of three local restaurants.

Perhaps, find your prana this morning during a calming yoga practice at the resort or indulge in a little lie-in. Either way you'll be refreshed for your celebrity and lifestyle tour of Palm Springs shedding light on the city's unique mid-century architecture, featuring an amazing collection of custom homes. This afternoon, join a ride on the Palm Springs' Aerial Tramway and walk along the top of the mountain, with spectacular views of the valley. Then, don't miss VillageFest, in downtown Palm Springs this evening. A festive, pedestrian street fair, is located just across the street from the hotel.

See the peculiar outstretched boughs of the Joshua Tree when you explore the national park that bears the name of this unusual-looking desert plant. Learn how the Mojave and Colorado desert ecosystems come together here and keep an eye out for the incredible variety of plants and animals that find sanctuary in its vast protected wilderness. You'll have some free time at the resort this afternoon to soothe body and mind at the Spa before an evening at leisure.

This morning, visit Salvation Mountain, a hillside visionary environment created by local resident, Leonard Knight, whose passion has lovingly created this brilliant "outsider art" masterpiece resplendent with flowers, trees, waterfalls, suns, bluebirds and many other fascinating and colorful objects. Travel on through the Coachella Valley and past the Salton Sea where you'll meet a park ranger, before heading through the shifting patterns of the stunning Imperial Sand Dunes. 'Connect With Locals' at the Imperial Date Gardens in the Bard Valley, and you'll enjoy an exclusive 'Be My Guest' dinner where Medjool dates are the star of the show, all washed down with date beer, of course.

Spot the saguaros as you travel through the Sonoran Desert National Monument. Touted as the most biologically diverse of all North America's deserts, the Sonoran Desert is also home to an array of significant archaeological and historic sites. Our next stop is Tucson, a culturally diverse town surrounded by mountains, which holds the distinction of being a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. Indulge in desert flavours during an unforgettable guided Gastronomy Tasting Tour before enjoying the evening at leisure.

Celebrate the symbol of America's west. The giant saguaro is America's largest species of cacti and you'll learn how this national park strives to protect this majestic plant. We trade the desert for caverns during our visit to Kartchner Caverns State Park with its colossal and colourful cave formations. Tonight, savour a Farewell Dinner followed by an evening with the stars. Gaze up at the Arizona skies and embark on an exclusive tour of the universe with a professional astronomer and a telescope that's all yours for the night.

Our journey through desert landscapes is at its end as you take a transfer to Tucson Airport. A group transfer to Phoenix is also available.