USA: Sedona, Monument Valley & Antelope Canyon — Self-Launched 3-Day Southwest Road Trip
3 days · Arizona & Nevada, USA (Las Vegas, Sedona, Page, Monument Valley)
Aborigen Tours charges £700
No-markup version: ~£600 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Aborigen Tours' 3-day Las Vegas–Sedona–Monument Valley–Antelope Canyon loop. Instead of a 50-person coach at $899pp, you rent a car (or grab a seat on a hop-on regional shuttle) and self-book the same headline experiences: the Navajo-run Monument Valley jeep tour, Lower Antelope Canyon entry with a local Navajo guide, and Valley of Fire. You sleep in budget motels/hostels in Flagstaff and Page, drive Route 66 and Oak Creek Canyon yourself, and stop at the same viewpoints the coach does. Note: US car hire for under-25s and one-way fees can bite, so travelling as a pair or small group keeps costs low — the estimate below is per person assuming two share a car and a twin room.
Day-by-day
Las Vegas → Route 66 → Sedona red rocks
Las Vegas → Sedona/Flagstaff, Arizona
Collect your rental car in Las Vegas early (book ahead; Budget/Enterprise airport desks open from 05:00 — expect ~£30–40/day for a compact, split between travellers). Head south-east on I-15/I-40 and detour onto Historic Route 66 through Seligman for the classic diner-and-neon photo stop. Continue to Flagstaff, then take the beautiful AZ-89A through Oak Creek Canyon — pull in at the Oak Creek Canyon Overlook and Slide Rock State Park (day-use parking ~$20/vehicle, so ~£8pp if shared). In Sedona, park at the free Little Horse or Bell Rock trailhead lots for views of Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte and Cathedral Rock, and use the free Sedona Shuttle to the Chapel of the Holy Cross (chapel is free; donations welcome). Skip the paid Pink Jeep tours and walk the flat Bell Rock Pathway instead. Sleep in Flagstaff (cheaper than Sedona), ~£45–55 for a twin at a motel like the Super 8 or a private room in a hostel.
🚌Rental car from Las Vegas (~£35/day split 2 ways); ~330 miles driving
🛏Budget motel or hostel private twin in Flagstaff (~£50/room, ~£25pp)
- →Self-drive Route 66 through Seligman
- →Oak Creek Canyon Overlook photo stop
- →Slide Rock State Park (vehicle entry fee)
- →Chapel of the Holy Cross via free Sedona Shuttle
- →Bell Rock Pathway walk / Courthouse Butte & Cathedral Rock viewpoints
Flagstaff → Monument Valley jeep tour → Horseshoe Bend → Page
Flagstaff → Monument Valley → Page, Arizona
Early start for the ~3hr drive to Monument Valley. Pre-book a Navajo-guided open-air jeep tour directly with a tribal operator (e.g. via GetYourGuide or monumentvalley.com) — 2.5hr tours run about £60–75pp and are the only way into the backcountry loop, same as the group tour includes. Pay the $8/vehicle tribal park entry on arrival. After lunch, drive ~2hrs to Horseshoe Bend ($10/vehicle entry, free 1.2km walk to the rim — go late afternoon for the light). Fuel up in Flagstaff or Kayenta; Kayenta is the last cheap-ish stop before Page. Overnight in Page — book early, it sells out in peak season; twin rooms at places like the Page Boy Motel or a hostel bed run £25–35pp.
🚌Self-drive, ~290 miles; tribal park vehicle entry $8
🛏Budget motel or hostel in Page (~£60/room, ~£30pp)
- →Navajo-guided Monument Valley jeep tour (pre-booked)
- →Monument Valley Tribal Park scenic drive
- →Horseshoe Bend sunset viewpoint
Lower Antelope Canyon → Valley of Fire → Las Vegas
Page → Antelope Canyon → Valley of Fire → Las Vegas, Nevada
Pre-book Lower Antelope Canyon entry online well in advance (Ken's Tours or Dixie Ellis — around £45–55pp for the guided 1hr slot; Antelope Canyon is Navajo Nation land and only accessible with a Navajo guide, there's no DIY option). Morning slots have the best light. Drive back west via Kanab and hit Valley of Fire State Park ($10/vehicle), walking the short Fire Wave and White Domes trails among the red sandstone. Finish with the ~1hr drive back into Las Vegas, drop the car, and you're back at the Luxor area by late afternoon/evening. Keep in mind Arizona is on Mountain Time and Nevada on Pacific — you gain an hour heading west.
🚌Self-drive ~290 miles; Valley of Fire $10/vehicle; refuel before returning car
🛏Optional hostel in Las Vegas (~£25–35pp, e.g. Hostel Cat or a downtown budget motel)
- →Lower Antelope Canyon guided tour (pre-booked)
- →Valley of Fire State Park — Fire Wave & White Domes trails
Self-launched vs. Aborigen Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Aborigen Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£600 | £700 |
| Duration | 3 days | 3 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £100 per person (14%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Aborigen Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£600
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does USA: Sedona, Monument Valley & Antelope Canyon — Self-Launched 3-Day Southwest Road Trip cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £600 per person for 3 days in Arizona & Nevada, USA (Las Vegas, Sedona, Page, Monument Valley). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Aborigen Tours?+
Yes — Aborigen Tours charges around £700 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £600 — a saving of roughly £100 (14%) per person.
How long is the Arizona & Nevada, USA (Las Vegas, Sedona, Page, Monument Valley) trip?+
This itinerary runs 3 days, covering 3 day-by-day stops through Arizona & Nevada, USA (Las Vegas, Sedona, Page, Monument Valley).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, road-trip, hiking trip through Arizona & Nevada, USA (Las Vegas, Sedona, Page, Monument Valley), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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