Vacation Overview
Tour Details
Get set to explore the vast wilderness of Death Valley National Park, which at over 3 million acres is the largest national park in the Lower 48. Spend four action-packed days exploring this land of contrasts, home to the lowest point in North America and the driest place on the continent. Thread your way through labyrinthine slot canyons between walls of polished marble and limestone. Hike to the multicolored badlands of Twenty Mule Team Canyon and stargaze in the Mesquite Flat Dunes, the country's largest designated Dark Sky Park. Spend your evenings kicking back at the campsite, enjoying colorful desert sunsets, and savoring delicious meals prepared by your guides.
Highlights:- Hike along Dantes Ridge and the Funeral Mountains and descend into the narrows of Mosaic Canyon
- Spend three nights camping under starry desert skies, with a sunset picnic on the dunes
- Explore the remarkable desert landscape of Death Valley National Park, from shimmering salt pans to soaring peaks
Important Trip Details:You should be capable of hiking up to 10 miles (up to 6 hours) per day, while carrying a day pack weighing 10-15 pounds. The terrain can be rugged and may require some rock scrambling to negotiate. Some hikes have short sections of steep trail that have exposure.
Minimum Age: 18
Daily Itinerary
MT Sobek: California Death Valley Hiking & Camping
Day 1 Arrive in Las Vegas to Death Valley & Hike Dantes Ridge
3-hour private van transfer
5 miles/ 3 hours hiking with 1,200' elevation gain and loss
Meet your fellow travelers and guides in Las Vegas early this morning. After a scenic 2.5 -hour van ride, you'll set off on your first hike in Death Valley National Park. Reach Dantes View at 5,500', then hike along the spine of the Black Mountains with amazing vistas on both sides. To the west, you'll be able to see down a vertical mile to Badwater Basin and the Death Valley saltpan, with the snow-topped Telescope Peak (11,049') directly across the valley. To the east, gaze out at range after range of mountains spilling across the California-Nevada border. After the hike, continue to Furnace Creek Campground to set up camp and enjoy a homemade dinner and an evening under the stars.
Accommodation: Furnace Creek Campground
(L, D)
Day 2 Funeral Mountains Foothills to the Badlands
30-minute private van transfer
10 miles/5 hours hiking with 300' elevation gain and 1,900' loss
After breakfast, hike across the foothills of the Funeral Mountains to the multicolored badlands of Twenty Mule Team Canyon and Golden Canyon (for Star Wars fans, part of Return of the Jedi was filmed in Twenty Mule Team Canyon). Starting at 1,800 feet, descend below sea level through a maze of canyons to a panoramic viewpoint overlooking the Death Valley saltpan. Along the way, your expert MT Sobek guides reveal the landscape's fascinating geological features and the intriguing natural history of this extreme desert ecosystem. After your hike, return to camp, where a hearty dinner and the glow of the campfire await, followed by stargazing, if you wish.
Accommodation: Furnace Creek Campground
(B, L, D)
Day 3 Scramble through Mosaic Canyon & Dine on the Dunes
1.5-hour private van transfer
6.5 miles/5.5 hours hiking with 1,800' combined elevation gain and loss
This morning, your destination is a deep, narrow canyon carved into polished marble and colorful mosaics of dolomite. Hike through several sections of narrows before scrambling out of the canyon to a rim trail that bypasses an unclimbable 25-foot dry waterfall. This is your gateway to a deep, twisted gorge and another tall, dry fall and grotto. Follow the rim trail high above the canyon back to the trailhead, stopping to take in the expansive view across Mesquite Flat and Death Valley. Your dinner tonight is served on the majestic Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, where colors shift across the sands at sunset. Later, enjoy fantastic stargazing in the country's largest designated Dark Sky Park.
(B, L, D)
Day 4 Marvel at Badwater, Devil’s Golf Course & Desolation Canyon
3.5-hour private van transfer
3.6 miles/3.25 hours hiking with 600' elevation gain and loss
Finish your exploration of Death Valley with visits to the surreal salt flats of Badwater Basin and the bizarre pinnacles of Devil's Golf Course. Badwater, at 280feet below sea level, is just a few miles from the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere and often the hottest spot on Earth in summer months. The salt flats here cover nearly 200 square miles. Nearby, witness the short, jagged salt pinnacles that cluster together to form Devil's Golf Course, a peculiar landscape that stretches as far as the eye can see. Then, have one last adventure in the natural maze of colorful Desolation Canyon before heading back to Las Vegas for goodbyes and your flight home.
(B, L)