So, even in any other year, a trip to our amazing national parks is worth it. But, with many folks thinking about doing their big vacation somewhere in the U.S. where they can socially distance, this year in particular is a banner year for the parks.
A&K’s Great American Road Trips combine the heritage found along historic byways like Route 66 with the travel company’s high-touch service and local knowledge. Designed to be a relaxing, stress-free holiday for a couple or family, an expert driver-guide reveals hidden corners inside America’s iconic sites and parks. The route and sightseeing can be customized, with vehicles, local guides, behind-the-scenes access and hands-on activities. Along the way, you stay in handpicked accommodations and explore knowing that every detail of every day has been reserved.
“As domestic travel restarts, we are hearing from luxury travel advisors who are looking to provide their clients with the same expert on-the-ground knowledge that A&K offers in exotic, far-flung destinations in places closer to home,” says Marty Behr, A&K USA Managing Director.
His expertise earned him recognition as a top travel specialist for National Parks by Conde Nast Traveler which wrote, “He can orchestrate journeys into the least-visited corners of the ‘big three’ —Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon—with a guide to explain the geology, flora, and fauna and get you into places off-limits to most visitors, such as the historic buildings by Mary Coulter at the Grand Canyon.”
The Trip
Abercrombie & Kent’s new itineraries complement a portfolio of guest favorites in some of the country’s most spectacular destinations, featuring wildlife viewing on private ranches, access to historic sites off-limits to most visitors, and meetings with tribal elders and historians who share stories about traditions that are quickly disappearing.
Day 1 – Arrive Fresno, California
Upon arrival in Fresno, you are met and privately transferred to your luxury accommodations, nestled in the rolling foothills at the gateway to Yosemite National Park. This afternoon, join your private driver-guide to explore the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. Gaze upward at some of the more than 500 mature trees stretching majestically skyward, their trunks exceeding 100 feet or more in circumference; some of these trees are among the oldest living things on earth. Following your tour, return to your hotel.
Hotel: Chateau du Sureau
Meals: Lunch
Day 2 – Yosemite National Park
Encompassing a deep valley set into the massive granite peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range in Northern California, Yosemite National Park has a majesty that few other places on earth can rival. Cascading waterfalls, ancient giant redwoods and towering rock outcroppings are just a few of the natural features on display. Fresh mountain air, soaring forests, flowering meadows, flowing rivers, melting glaciers and a diversity of flora and fauna all help to make Yosemite an unforgettable experience.
Meet your private guide for a full day of exploring the park, including Half Dome and the major waterfalls and rock formations of Yosemite Valley, as well as portions of the high country. Along the way, your guide points out little-known treasures, off-the-beaten-path trails, and the sites that best fit your interests.
Break for lunch at the Ahwahnee Hotel, and in the late afternoon, meet John Muir — or rather, an expert historical reenactor of the great naturalist and environmentalist, whose writings helped spur America to protect its natural treasures. Learn about Muir’s deep love for the area and his incredible adventures while he lived there, and experience some of his fierce and eloquent advocacy that resulted in the protection of what is now Yosemite National Park.
Hotel: Chateau du Sureau
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 3 – Grand Canyon National Park
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your private charter flight to Grand Canyon National Park. With its staggering dimensions — 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide and over a mile deep — Arizona’s Grand Canyon occupies a special place in the mythology of the American West. Carved out of layers of rock over untold millennia by the mighty Colorado River, the canyon welcomes millions annually who come to descend to its floor, fly over its vast expanse or simply stand on its rim and behold the view.
Join your private guide for a hike around the canyon’s rim and then descend into the canyon itself on trails little used by other hikers. As you explore, your guide unlocks the history, geology, flora and fauna of this natural wonder, lending an added depth and perspective to everything you see. In the afternoon, stop at the historic lodges and buildings on the canyon rim, including the studio of photography pioneers Emery and Ellsworth Kolb, where you visit a floor of the studio not open to the public. Enjoy lunch at the historic El Tovar Lodge, located right on the edge of the South Rim. In the late afternoon, depart on your private charter flight to Page, where you transfer to Canyon Point and your hotel.
Hotel: Amangiri
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 – Lake Powell
From twisting slot canyons to hanging gardens to lofty peaks and mesas, Lake Powell provides access to some of the most amazing scenery and geologic formations on the Colorado Plateau.
Featuring partially submerged canyons, the contrast of the red rock and blue waters is stunning. Enjoy a private excursion in a high-speed powerboat with your private captain on Lake Powell today. With its 2,000 miles of shoreline, the lake offers unlimited opportunities to explore, and the day is yours to enjoy the sun and scenery. Your aquatic itinerary is completely customizable to your tastes: exercise with a little kayaking on the lake or go ashore and hike to the most photographed geological wonder of the American West, Rainbow Bridge National Monument.
Hotel: Amangiri
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 – Secret Canyon
Meet your private guide for an excursion to secluded Secret Canyon, a slot canyon with high, undulating walls. Your visit includes a guided, private off-road drive through the desert, rolling hills and wash-beds, where you have the opportunity to search for coyotes, foxes, bobcats, owls, hawks and other desert wildlife. After visiting the canyon, enjoy a short walk to Horseshoe Bend Overlook. Take in the various angles and views of the Colorado River as it meanders around a rock promontory, creating the Horseshoe Bend loop beloved by visitors and photographers from around the world. Spend the afternoon at leisure enjoying the amenities and activities offered by your resort.
Hotel: Amangiri
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 – Moab – Arches National Park
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your private charter flight to Moab, Utah. Upon arrival, join your guide for a private tour of Arches National Park. Arches features the greatest concentration of natural stone arches in the world, offering spectacular displays of the natural forces of erosion at work. Hit the trails with your guide to discover unusual geologic formations, such as the 60-foot-tall, freestanding Delicate Arch; the Marching Men, seven towers lined in a row in the Klondike Bluffs area; and the Eye of The Whale, a fin-style natural arch that’s weathered into Entrada sandstone.
After lunch in Arches, continue to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and drive to the National Museum of Wildlife Art, where a museum docent leads you on a private tour of the galleries and shares insight on the artists and exhibits. The museum collection holds over 5,000 pieces from more than 500 artists. In addition, the museum grounds overlook the National Elk Refuge and the Gros Ventre Range. Transfer to your nearby hotel, which is built into the landscape at an elevation of 7,000 feet and features jaw-dropping views of the Grand Tetons and Snake River range.
Hotel: Amangani
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 7 – Grand Teton National Park
Early this morning, set out with your private naturalist guide to search for wildlife in Grand Teton National Park. For rugged, snow-capped peaks that jut upward into the brilliant blue sky, and verdant, pristine valleys laced with rivers, forests, wildflowers, and wildlife, few places in North America can rival Grand Teton National Park.
Today, what was once the isolated province of fur trappers and homesteaders is a bountiful natural treasure set aside for all to enjoy. Animals are at their most active as you set out, providing good opportunities for finding the park’s iconic species, including bears, moose, antelope, bison, and elk.
Binoculars and spotting scopes are provided to allow for close views from a safe distance, and a gourmet picnic lunch is included. No trip to Jackson is complete without a private guided horseback ride, surrounded by views of the Teton Range. The horses are well-trained, well-mannered and a good fit for riders of any skill level, providing a relaxed experience with a focus on enjoying the vast, open skies and amazing scenery.
Hotel: Amangani
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 8 – Yellowstone National Park
This morning, join your private guide for a full day of exploration in one of the world’s most amazing natural settings. The park’s more than 3,400 square miles of wide-open spaces offer a stunning and unique topography that includes lakes, canyons, rivers, mountains and a multitude of geothermal features, such as Grand Prismatic Spring, Mammoth Hot Springs and the famed Old Faithful Geyser.
A haven for wildlife as well, Yellowstone boasts hundreds of species, among them moose, elk, wolves, grizzly bears, and the nation’s largest public herd of bison. Your naturalist driver-guide tailors the experience to your interests and requests, with stops at many of the park’s signature destinations, including iconic geysers, hot springs, and wildlife viewing sites. As you explore together, your guide shares stories and history about the first national park in the world. Enjoy an alfresco picnic lunch and return to your hotel late in the afternoon.
Hotel: Amangani
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 9 – Depart Jackson Airport
After breakfast, meet your private driver for transfer to the Jackson Airport. Depart on your private charter flight home.
Meals: Breakfast
VIP Contact
Contact: Marty Behr, Managing Director – USA at Tel: +1 (630) 725-3445 or
mbehr@usa.akdmc.com
