Self-Launched Sedona, Monument Valley & Antelope Canyon — 3 Days from Las Vegas
3 days · Arizona & Utah, USA
Empire Vacations charges £490
No-markup version: ~£352 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A do-it-yourself version of Empire Vacations' 3-day Southwest loop: Mojave Desert and Sedona's red rocks on day one, Monument Valley with a Navajo-run jeep tour plus Horseshoe Bend on day two, and Lower Antelope Canyon with Valley of Fire on day three. The commercial tour bundles this into a coached, fully guided run at US$620pp (≈£490). Self-launching means driving yourself — this is the only realistic way to hit all of these stops in three days, as no public transport links Sedona, Page and Monument Valley efficiently. Rent a compact car from Las Vegas, book Navajo-guided Monument Valley and Lower Antelope Canyon slots direct, and sleep in Sedona, Page and (optionally) an extra night in Las Vegas. Costs below assume one traveller sharing a car and twin/dorm-style motel room; add roughly 40% if travelling solo with your own room.
Day-by-day
Las Vegas → Mojave Desert → Sedona red rocks → Page
Las Vegas / Sedona / Page, Arizona
Pick up a rental car at McCarran (LAS) airport or a Strip location the evening before — budget agencies like Fox, Budget or Avis typically run £22-30/day for a compact with basic insurance. Leave by 06:30-07:00 to match the tour's early start and beat the heat. Drive I-15 south then US-93/I-40 east through the Mojave Desert (about 4.5 hrs to Sedona, with a fuel/coffee stop in Kingman). In Sedona, drive the Oak Creek Canyon scenic byway (SR-179/89A) with pull-outs at the overlooks, stop at Slide Rock State Park (£8 entry, or free if you just photograph from the rim), and park at the Chapel of the Holy Cross lot — the free local shuttle runs from the nearby park-and-ride when the small lot fills. Loop through Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte and Cathedral Rock viewpoints before browsing the Tlaquepaque arts village and galleries. Push on to Page (about 3.5 hrs) for the night so day two starts at Monument Valley. Note: Page motels are pricey in season — book well ahead; a basic double or a hostel-style room runs £60-85/night.
🚌Rental compact car from Las Vegas (collect night before or 06:00 same day), self-drive ~340 miles. Fuel approx £45 total for the day
🛏Budget motel in Page (e.g. Motel 6 Page, Travelodge Page or a Page hostel room) — approx £60-80/night, £30-40pp sharing
- →Oak Creek Canyon scenic drive
- →Slide Rock State Park (£8 entry)
- →Chapel of the Holy Cross (free, shuttle from park-and-ride)
- →Bell Rock / Courthouse Butte / Cathedral Rock viewpoints
- →Sedona arts and crafts galleries
Monument Valley Navajo jeep tour + Horseshoe Bend
Page & Monument Valley, Arizona/Utah
Breakfast at the motel, then drive 2 hrs east to Monument Valley (through Kayenta). Book a Navajo-guided jeep tour direct — operators such as Monument Valley Safari, Dineh Bekeyah Tours or the official Navajo Tribal Parks tours charge roughly £60-85pp for a 2.5-3 hr loop hitting John Ford's Point, the Mittens and Ear of the Wind; reserve online a week or two ahead in summer. You can also self-drive the 17-mile Valley Drive for a £6-8 park entry fee if you want the cheaper option — some rental agreements restrict unpaved roads, so check before you commit. Return to Page by late afternoon and catch Horseshoe Bend at golden hour: park at the US-89 lot and walk the 1.2-mile round-trip rim trail (£8ish per vehicle via the Glen Canyon NRA pass). Dinner in Page; town is small, so a supermarket stop at Safeway saves money.
🚌Self-drive Page ↔ Monument Valley ~2 hrs each way, plus Page ↔ Horseshoe Bend. Fuel approx £35
🛏Same Page motel — approx £60-80/night, £30-40pp sharing
- →Navajo-guided Monument Valley jeep tour (£60-85pp, book direct)
- →Self-drive Valley Drive option (park entry ~£7)
- →Horseshoe Bend rim walk (Glen Canyon NRA vehicle pass ~£8)
- →Lake Powell viewpoint stop
Lower Antelope Canyon → Valley of Fire → Las Vegas
Page / Valley of Fire / Las Vegas
Book the earliest Lower Antelope Canyon slot you can (Ken's Tours or Dixie Ellis, both on Navajo land — around £55-70pp depending on season and time; the 08:00-09:00 slots beat the crowds and the midday heat). Arrive 20-30 minutes early with the confirmation in hand. After the canyon, drive west across the Glen Canyon Dam bridge and on to Valley of Fire State Park near Overton (about 4 hrs) — entry is £8-10 per vehicle, and the Fire Wave trail plus the Elephant Rock loop are easy 45-60 min walks. Continue to Las Vegas (1 hr), drop the car at the airport and be back on the Strip for late afternoon, matching the tour's 16:00-18:00 return window. If your flight is early, add a cheap night at a Downtown or airport-area motel.
🚌Self-drive Page → Valley of Fire → Las Vegas ~330 miles. Fuel approx £40 plus Valley of Fire entry £9
🛏None included — hotel in Las Vegas if you stay (£35-60/night budget, e.g. Downtown/Old Vegas options). Drop car by 17:00
- →Lower Antelope Canyon guided walk — Ken's Tours or Dixie Ellis (£55-70pp)
- →Glen Canyon Dam viewpoint (free)
- →Valley of Fire State Park — Fire Wave trail, Elephant Rock, Atlatl Rock petroglyphs (£8-10 per vehicle)
Self-launched vs. Empire Vacations
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Empire Vacations | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£352 | £490 |
| Duration | 3 days | 3 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £138 per person (28%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Empire Vacations-style trips? Check them out here.~£352
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 Self-Launched Sedona, Monument Valley & Antelope Canyon — 3 Days from Las Vegas cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £352 per person for 3 days in Arizona & Utah, USA. 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 Empire Vacations?+
Yes — Empire Vacations charges around £490 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £352 — a saving of roughly £138 (28%) per person.
How long is the Arizona & Utah, USA trip?+
This itinerary runs 3 days, covering 3 day-by-day stops through Arizona & Utah, USA.
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 & Utah, USA, 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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