Western Trails — Self-Launched Southwest USA Road Trip (LA → Grand Canyon → Vegas)
8 days · Southwestern USA
Omega Tours charges £1,545
No-markup version: ~£950 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Omega Tours' 8-day "Western Trails" coach tour, hitting the same big Southwest hits — Palm Springs, Phoenix, Sedona, the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Lake Powell, Bryce Canyon, Zion and Las Vegas — but travelling by Greyhound/FlixBus, Amtrak and shared shuttles, sleeping in hostels and budget motels, and booking park entries, Antelope Canyon and Monument Valley jeep trips directly. Expect long travel days (this is a big-distance route) and a national park pass is the single best money-saver. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget rates in GBP and assume you're splitting motel rooms or staying in dorms.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
Land at LAX and take the FlyAway bus (~£8) or Metro/Lyft (~£15) to a hostel in Santa Monica or Hollywood. Spend the afternoon wandering the Santa Monica Pier or the Walk of Fame, buy a US SIM/eSIM, and pick up an America the Beautiful annual park pass online (£65 / $80) — it pays for itself by day 3. Sort out your onward Greyhound ticket to Phoenix for tomorrow.
🚌FlyAway bus LAX→Union Station/Santa Monica ~£8; local Metro ~£1.50 per ride
🛏Hostel dorm in Santa Monica or Hollywood (e.g. HI Los Angeles Santa Monica, Banana Bungalow) — £28-35
- →Santa Monica Pier & Venice Beach stroll
- →Buy US eSIM/SIM
- →Buy America the Beautiful park pass
LA to Phoenix via Palm Springs & the Coachella Valley
Phoenix, AZ
Take the Greyhound or FlixBus from LA Union Station to Phoenix (~6.5-7 hrs, £30-45 booked online in advance). You'll roll past the San Jacinto Mountains, Palm Springs and Indio — sit on the right for desert views. If you'd rather break the trip, hop off in Palm Springs for the aerial tramway, but a straight run keeps the day simple. Evening in Phoenix/Downtown Tempe: cheap tacos and a walk through the Sonoran Desert-fringed city parks.
🚌Greyhound/FlixBus LA→Phoenix ~£35
🛏Hostel or budget motel near downtown Phoenix (e.g. HI Phoenix Hostel, Motel 6) — £35-45
- →Greyhound/FlixBus across the Coachella Valley
- →Palm Springs & San Jacinto Mountains (window views or optional stop)
- →Downtown Phoenix/Tempe evening
Phoenix to Sedona to the Grand Canyon South Rim
Grand Canyon Village, AZ
Rent a car for the next four days from Phoenix airport (~£30-40/day split between two, plus fuel) — this is genuinely the cheapest way to do the canyon country independently. Drive north on I-17 to Sedona (2 hrs) for the red-rock monoliths at Cathedral Rock and Coffee Pot Rock, then up scenic Oak Creek Canyon on SR-89A to Flagstaff and out to the South Rim. Catch sunset at Mather Point or Hopi Point. Note the tour's 'East Rim' is the Desert View Drive side — do that at sunrise tomorrow.
🚌Rental car Phoenix→Grand Canyon (~160 mi), fuel ~£18
🛏Grand Canyon Village dorm or budget cabin; book 3-6 months ahead (e.g. Maswik Lodge or Yavapai Lodge budget rooms) — £45-60
- →Cathedral Rock & Coffee Pot Rock viewpoints, Sedona
- →Oak Creek Canyon scenic drive
- →Grand Canyon South Rim sunset at Mather/Hopi Point (park entry covered by annual pass)
Grand Canyon to Monument Valley to Page
Page, AZ
Sunrise at Desert View Watchtower on the East Rim, then drive east through the Painted Desert and the Navajo Nation to Monument Valley (3 hrs). Book a Navajo-guided jeep tour online in advance (~£65-75, 2.5 hrs) — you can't self-drive the backcountry loop. Stop at Cameron Trading Post for Navajo tacos en route. Continue to Page (2 hrs) and, if you've got energy, catch Horseshoe Bend at golden hour (entry ~£8, 15 min from town).
🚌Rental car Grand Canyon→Page (~130 mi), fuel ~£15
🛏Budget motel/hostel in Page (e.g. Page Lake Powell lodging, HYATT Place budget rates) — £50-65
- →Desert View sunrise on the East Rim
- →Cameron Trading Post
- →Navajo-guided Monument Valley jeep tour (book direct)
- →Horseshoe Bend sunset
Page: Lake Powell, Antelope Canyon & Bryce Canyon
Bryce Canyon, UT
Morning Antelope Canyon tour — Upper or Lower, booked direct with a Navajo operator or via GetYourGuide (~£60-80, 1-1.5 hrs; book weeks ahead, they sell out). Then a quick look at Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell from the Wahweap overlook. Drive west via Kanab (4-4.5 hrs) to Bryce Canyon, arriving for the rim trail at Sunset Point. Sunrise at Bryce Amphitheatre tomorrow is the highlight.
🚌Rental car Page→Bryce Canyon (~150 mi), fuel ~£16
🛏Bryce Canyon City budget motel or hostel (e.g. Best Western Ruby's Inn budget rates) — £55-70
- →Antelope Canyon guided slot-canyon tour
- →Glen Canyon Dam & Lake Powell viewpoint
- →Kanab stop
- →Bryce Canyon Amphitheatre rim walk
Bryce Canyon to Zion to Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV
Optional early morning horse or ATV ride at Bryce (~£55, book in town) before driving to Zion (1.5 hrs). In Zion, take the free shuttle up the canyon and walk the Riverside Walk or the Narrows' first mile along the Virgin River — the tour only gave you a quick photo stop, so this is where you win. Drive on to Las Vegas (2.5 hrs from Zion) via the 'Welcome to Las Vegas' sign for the classic photo. Drop the rental car at the airport or downtown and check into a hostel on/off the Strip.
🚌Rental car Bryce→Zion→Las Vegas (~200 mi), fuel ~£20
🛏Hostel on/off the Strip (e.g. Hostel Cat, Las Vegas Hostel) — £30-40
- →Optional Bryce horseback/ATV ride
- →Zion National Park shuttle & Riverside Walk
- →Welcome to Las Vegas sign photo stop
Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV
A full free day in Vegas. Walk the Strip from Mandalay Bay to the Bellagio fountains (free), take the High Roller observation wheel if you fancy it (~£28), hit the North Premium Outlets, and see a show — Cirque du Soleil or a comedy club, booked via GetYourGuide/vegas.com (~£50-90). Grab a cheap all-you-can-eat buffet away from the casino floor. Gambling is entirely optional; your budget will thank you.
🚌Deuce bus ($8/24hr) or walking
🛏Hostel on/off the Strip — £30-40
- →Las Vegas Strip walk & Bellagio fountains
- →Optional High Roller observation wheel
- →Optional Cirque du Soleil show
- →North Premium Outlets
Las Vegas to Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
Catch the FlixBus or Greyhound from Vegas to LA Union Station (~4.5-5.5 hrs via the Mojave Desert, £25-40), sitting on the left for the desert views, or take the cheaper Amtrak Thruway/Southwest Chief combination. You'll land back in LA mid-afternoon, giving you time to explore a last bit of the city or catch a flight home.
🚌FlixBus/Greyhound Las Vegas→LA ~£30
🛏Hostel in LA (or depart same day) — £28-35
- →Mojave Desert scenic bus ride
- →Free afternoon in Los Angeles
Self-launched vs. Omega Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Omega Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£950 | £1,545 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £595 per person (39%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Omega Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£950
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 Western Trails — Self-Launched Southwest USA Road Trip (LA → Grand Canyon → Vegas) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £950 per person for 8 days in Southwestern 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 Omega Tours?+
Yes — Omega Tours charges around £1,545 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £950 — a saving of roughly £595 (39%) per person.
How long is the Southwestern USA trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Southwestern 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 road-trip, adventure, hiking trip through Southwestern 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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