The Independent Travel Reader Offers

Fourteen nights from £1,499 per person

Selected departures from March to November 2012

There are few places in the world that generate more iconic imagery than California and the western USA, and even fewer live up to it in reality! The sights and amazing natural wonders just roll off the tongue, with probably nothing more aptly named than the Grand Canyon. Then there’s Monument Valley, whose towering sandstone pillars are immortalised in countless Westerns, the Painted Desert, Yosemite, home to Giant Sequoia trees - the largest living things on the planet, the lofty snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada, Bryce Canyon and Zion national parks. The natural splendours of this huge region are quite simply astonishing. Combine these with the allure of such genuinely unique cities as San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and Las Vegas and you have a destination that simply cannot be matched. Our tour visits all these and more besides!

Inhabited for thousands of years by Native Americans, California and Arizona were then visited by Spanish explorers searching, as always, for gold. They found none, but founded Missions all along the California coast. During the 19th century, California, Nevada, Utah and most of Arizona, were ceded to the USA for just $15 million and by a twist of fate, barely a year later gold was finally discovered and the Californian Gold Rush began. Prospectors flooded in and within just a year San Francisco’s population rocketed from just 600 to 25,000. They were soon followed by the trans-continental railroad and the ‘Golden State’ was born.

From the highest plateau to the deepest gorge, from LA to San Francisco, this tour showcases the very best of western USA’s natural and man-made wonders and you will return home with some truly amazing memories.

Fully escorted price includes:

Return scheduled flights from London Heathrow, with regional flights at a supplement
An outstanding tour exploring western USA’s world-famous National Parks, intriguing native Indian history, amazing desert landscapes, lush forests and the lofty peaks of the Sierra Nevada, including its pulsating and unique cities
Thirteen nights accommodation staying in hand-picked three and four-star hotels, including three continental breakfasts
Experience the stunning beauty of the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park and Yosemite. Each visit has been carefully timed to see these awe inspiring sights when the light displays them at their most beautiful
Visit timeless Monument Valley, immortalised in so many classic ‘westerns’
Three nights in cosmopolitan San Francisco, America’s favourite city, dominated by the instantly recognisable Golden Gate Bridge
Guided tours of Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco
Enjoy a superb optional helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon
Visit and stay in glitzy Las Vegas – the ‘Entertainment Capital of the World’
Coach travel as mentioned and porterage of one item of luggage per person
Escorted by our experienced tour manager
The price of this holiday is per person, based on two people sharing a twin room
Single rooms are subject to availability at the relevant supplement (hotel dependant) of £429 to £539 per person

Visa and Health Matters:

British passport holders do not require a visa under the USA Visa Waiver Programme. Please ensure your passport is machine-readable (i.e. a red passport with two lines of letters, numbers and ‘>>>>’ at the foot of your personal details page) and is valid for at least six months after your departure date from the US.
Please note British passport holders qualifying for the Visa Waiver programme must now apply online for authorisation to enter the USA, for which there is now an administration fee of $14 per person. This may only be submitted online by logging on to: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov and registering at least 72 hours prior to travel. It is now a requirement that all passengers apply in this way. Without authorisation prior to travel, admission may be denied at a US port of entry. For the latest information, please visit the ESTA website, as detailed. Holders of non-British passports will need to contact the American Embassy in London for details at least three months prior to departure. Details can be found on: http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/vwp.html.

There are no current health requirements for the USA. However, whilst the travelling schedule shall pose no problems for people of any age in normal physical health, we would point out that we often enjoy walking tours (sometimes over unmade paths) of the various places of interest. This tour also reaches an altitude of 8,000ft and temperature variations can be unpredictable, especially during winter, spring and autumn. For these reasons this holiday may not be suitable for clients of greatly impaired mobility. Please bear this in mind when considering this holiday.