Self-Launched Southwest USA: Moab, Monument Valley & the Grand Canyon
8 days · Southwest USA
G Adventures charges £6,900
No-markup version: ~£1,615 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of G Adventures' 8-day National Geographic Signature route from Moab to Flagstaff — canyon country, the Green River, Monument Valley, Lake Powell and the Grand Canyon south rim. Instead of a $8,899 USD luxury small-group departure with private vehicles and curated museum access, you road-trip it yourself in a budget rental car or campervan, join the same raft, Navajo-led 4x4, boat and slot-canyon tours as self-booked day trips, and sleep in hostels, motels and campgrounds. Same landscapes, same experiences — roughly a fifth of the price. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget rates in GBP and exclude international flights to/from the USA.
Day-by-day
Arrive Moab — red rock base camp
Moab, Utah
Fly into Grand Junction (GJT) or Salt Lake City (SLC) and hop a shared shuttle or Greyhound/FlixBus to Moab (GJT shuttles ~£35-45, SLC ~£50-60). Pick up a compact rental car or campervan in Moab (book well ahead — July/August is peak season, ~£45-60/day). Check into a hostel or budget motel on Main Street, stock up at City Market, then take a free evening stroll along the Colorado Riverway or up to the Moab Rock Art panels. Sunset at Lions Park is an easy, free orientation.
🚌Airport shared shuttle/bus to Moab; local rental car pickup
🛏Budget motel or hostel private room in Moab (e.g. Lazy Lizard Hostel, Incahoots, or a Main Street motel)
- →Self-guided walk of Moab Main Street and Colorado Riverway
- →Sunset at Lions Park
Green River rafting & river history
Moab / Green River, Utah
Book a half-day Green River float through Gray Canyon direct with an operator such as Tag-A-Long Expeditions, NAVTEC or Moab Adventure Center (~£85-105 incl. lunch). This is the same stretch of river the group tour runs. In the afternoon, drive to the John Wesley Powell River History Museum in Green River (entry ~£5) — you'll miss the private curator talk, but the exhibits, historic boats and River Runners Hall of Fame are open to all. Back in Moab, grab a cheap burger or tacos and catch sunset from the Matrimony Spring pull-off.
🚌Self-drive ~50 min each way to Green River; raft operator shuttle to put-in
🛏Budget motel or hostel private room in Moab
- →Half-day Green River float trip (book direct)
- →John Wesley Powell River History Museum, Green River
Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point & dark skies
Moab, Utah
Get an early start and use your America the Beautiful annual pass (~£65 — pays for itself on this trip). Drive to Canyonlands Island in the Sky for Grand Viewpoint and Green River Overlook, then stop at Dead Horse Point State Park (~£15/car entry) for the classic Colorado River bend. Pack a picnic lunch. After dark, head to a dark-sky spot outside Arches (e.g. the Balanced Rock or Panorama Point areas, or the Colorado River corridor) for free stargazing under one of the darkest skies in the US — bring a headtorch with a red filter and a blanket.
🚌Self-drive loop through Island in the Sky and Dead Horse Point (~2 hrs driving)
🛏Budget motel or hostel private room in Moab
- →Canyonlands National Park (Grand Viewpoint, Green River Overlook)
- →Dead Horse Point State Park
- →Self-guided stargazing near Arches National Park
Edge of the Cedars & Monument Valley Navajo tour
Blanding / Monument Valley → Page, Arizona
Drive south to Blanding and visit Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum (~£5) to see the region's largest Ancestral Puebloan pottery collection and the Chacoan great house ruins. Continue to Monument Valley and pre-book a Navajo-guided open-air 4x4 tour direct with a Navajo operator (e.g. Dineh Bekeyah, Monument Valley Safari or Simpson's Trailhandler, ~£75-95 for 2.5-3 hrs) — many include a Navajo taco lunch and a hogan visit. Arrive at the Tribal Park entrance before sunset for the classic viewpoint, then drive on to Page, Arizona for the night (~2 hrs).
🚌Self-drive Moab → Blanding → Monument Valley → Page (~250 miles)
🛏Budget motel/hostel in Page, AZ (e.g. Page Lake Powell lodging or a nearby campground)
- →Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum
- →Navajo-guided open-air jeep tour of Monument Valley with Navajo taco lunch
Lake Powell & Navajo Canyon by boat
Page, Arizona
Join a morning boat cruise into Navajo Canyon from Antelope Point Marina or Wahweap (~£60-75, book direct with Lake Powell Resorts & Marinas or a local operator) to see the towering sandstone walls and desert varnish up close. In the afternoon, swim at Lone Rock Beach or Wahweap Swim Beach, hike the free Hanging Gardens trail, or just read by the water. Budget tip: skip the resort restaurant and eat at Page's food trucks or grab groceries for a lakeside picnic.
🚌Self-drive to marina; operator boat
🛏Budget motel/hostel in Page, AZ
- →Navajo Canyon boat cruise on Lake Powell
- →Lone Rock / Wahweap swim beach
- →Hanging Gardens trail
Secret Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend & into the Grand Canyon
Page, AZ → Grand Canyon South Rim
Book a Navajo-guided tour of Secret Antelope Canyon (also sold as Antelope Canyon X, ~£55-75, e.g. Antelope Canyon X by Taadidiin Tours or Dixie Ellis) — same swirling slot canyon light, fewer crowds than Upper Antelope. Then drive to Horseshoe Bend (parking ~£8; the main overlook is free — a private secluded viewpoint isn't bookable, but the rim walk gives the same view). Continue ~2.5 hrs to Grand Canyon South Rim, stopping at Desert View Watchtower and Grandview Point. Stay inside the park village or Tusayan.
🚌Self-drive Page → Grand Canyon (~135 miles)
🛏Budget lodge, hostel or motel in Tusayan / Grand Canyon Village (book 6+ months ahead) or camp at Mather Campground
- →Navajo-guided Antelope Canyon X / Secret Antelope Canyon tour
- →Horseshoe Bend overlook
- →Desert View Watchtower & Grandview Point
Grand Canyon Rim Trail & sunset
Grand Canyon South Rim, Arizona
Free with your annual park pass. Walk the paved Rim Trail from Mather Point to Yavapai Point (or hike partway down the Bright Angel Trail for a different perspective — bring water). Join a free ranger talk at the Visitor Center, then take the free park shuttle to Hermits Rest for quieter viewpoints. In the afternoon, either do a short guided geology walk (~£15) or just relax. Claim a spot at Hopi Point or Mather Point for the sunset — the same violet-and-gold show, no group dinner required.
🚌Free park shuttle; walking
🛏Budget lodge, hostel or motel in Tusayan / Grand Canyon Village
- →Rim Trail walk / Bright Angel Trail partial hike
- →Free ranger programme
- →Hermits Rest shuttle viewpoints
- →Sunset at Hopi Point
Sunrise on the rim & onward to Flagstaff
Grand Canyon → Flagstaff, Arizona
Get up for sunrise at Mather Point or Yavapai Point — the best free ticket in the Southwest. After breakfast, drive ~1.5 hrs through ponderosa pine forest to Flagstaff. Return the rental car and fly out of Flagstaff Pulliam (FLG) or take the Arizona Shuttle (~£35) to Phoenix Skyline for cheaper flights. If you have a spare afternoon, wander Flagstaff's historic downtown or the Lowell Observatory before your flight (book departures after noon).
🚌Self-drive to Flagstaff; Arizona Shuttle or local flight onward
🛏None (departure day)
- →Sunrise on the Grand Canyon rim
- →Flagstaff historic downtown (optional)
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,615 | £6,900 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £5,285 per person (77%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,615
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 Southwest USA: Moab, Monument Valley & the Grand Canyon cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,615 per person for 8 days in Southwest 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £6,900 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,615 — a saving of roughly £5,285 (77%) per person.
How long is the Southwest USA trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Southwest 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 Southwest 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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