Western Express Northbound — Self-Launched Edition
8 days · Western United States (Los Angeles to San Francisco)
G Adventures charges £1,699
No-markup version: ~£545 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An 8-day self-launched road trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco hitting Joshua Tree, Lake Havasu, the Grand Canyon South Rim, Las Vegas, Death Valley and Yosemite — the same route as G Adventures' "Western Express Northbound" but done independently by bus, budget flight/rideshare and national park shuttles. Original operator: G Adventures (Classic style, private vehicle, 7 nights hotels, 1 dinner included). Expect roughly £700-850 per person all-in versus several thousand for the guided version — national park entry passes and intercity transport are the big savings levers. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget-traveller estimates and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
Land at LAX and settle into a hostel in Santa Monica or Hollywood. If you're jet-lagged, keep it easy — walk the Venice Beach boardwalk, grab tacos on Sunset and pick up a Greyhound/FlixBus ticket to Lake Havasu for tomorrow (book ahead, ~£35-45). Alternatively pick up a shared rental car with other travellers you meet in the hostel to split costs.
🚌LAX FlyAway bus or Metro to hostel (~£7)
🛏Budget hostel, Santa Monica or Hollywood (~£30-45/night dorm)
- →Venice Beach boardwalk
- →Hollywood Walk of Fame
- →Sunset Boulevard
- →Book onward bus ticket
Los Angeles → Joshua Tree → Lake Havasu City
Lake Havasu City, AZ
Head out early. If driving, your route passes Joshua Tree National Park — hike the Hidden Valley and Barker Dam loops among the boulders and famous Joshua trees (park entry ~£23/vehicle, or free with the America the Beautiful annual pass — buy it here for ~£63 and it covers every park on this trip). Without a car, book a day tour from LA or take the FlixBus toward Palm Springs and arrange a local shuttle. End the day beside the Colorado River at Lake Havasu City.
🚌FlixBus/Greyhound LA to Lake Havasu (~£35-45); or shared rental car
🛏Motel or hostel, Lake Havasu City (~£45-70/night, split if sharing)
- →Joshua Tree National Park hiking
- →Hidden Valley Trail
- →Colorado River swim
- →London Bridge
Lake Havasu → Grand Canyon South Rim
Grand Canyon Village, AZ
Drive or bus east to the Grand Canyon (about 4.5 hrs). Get your first look from Mather Point, then take a short hike along the Rim Trail — it's flat and fully self-guided. Stay for sunset over the canyon, one of the best free shows in the US. Book accommodation inside the park village early (Yosemite/Grand Canyon lodges sell out months ahead); otherwise use the hostel or budget motel in Tusayan, 10 minutes from the gate.
🚌Shared rental car or Groome Transportation shuttle from Flagstaff/Phoenix
🛏Grand Canyon Village lodge or Tusayan budget motel (~£55-90/night)
- →Grand Canyon South Rim visit (included-style)
- →Rim Trail hike
- →Sunset at the rim
Grand Canyon → Route 66 (Seligman) → Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV
Spend the morning at the canyon — optionally take the helicopter flight (~£225-280) booked through GetYourGuide or Maverick. Then follow Route 66 to Seligman, the birthplace of the Mother Road, and stop for a burger at a classic roadside joint. Arrive in Las Vegas in the evening and walk the Strip — Bellagio fountains, the Venetian, and people-watching are all free.
🚌Shared rental car; or Greyhound Las Vegas route with a Seligman stop
🛏Budget hostel or value Strip-adjacent hotel (~£35-70/night)
- →Grand Canyon helicopter tour (optional, ~£250)
- →Seligman Route 66 stop
- →Las Vegas Strip walk
- →Optional Vegas shows
Las Vegas → Death Valley → Sierra Nevadas
Sierra Nevada / Bishop or Mammoth Lakes, CA
Head out early to beat the heat and cross Death Valley National Park — Badwater Basin (the lowest point in North America), Zabriskie Point and the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes are all self-drive/self-hike accessible. Fill up with fuel and water before entering; there's little in the park. Continue west across the Sierra Nevada foothills to overnight around Bishop or Mammoth Lakes.
🚌Shared rental car (no useful public transport through Death Valley)
🛏Budget motel or hostel, Bishop/Mammoth Lakes (~£55-85/night)
- →Death Valley National Park
- →Badwater Basin
- →Zabriskie Point
- →Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
Sierra Nevadas → Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park, CA
Enter Yosemite via the Tioga Pass or Highway 41 entrance. Park the car and use the free Yosemite Valley Shuttle — hike the easy trails around the valley floor, see El Capitan and Half Dome, and take the Mariposa Grove trail among giant sequoias. Book Yosemite lodging (Curry Village tent cabins or the valley hostel) well in advance; park entry ~£27/vehicle, covered by your annual pass.
🚌Shared rental car; free in-park Yosemite Valley Shuttle
🛏Curry Village tent cabin or Yosemite valley hostel (~£60-100/night)
- →Yosemite Valley hike
- →El Capitan and Half Dome viewpoints
- →Mariposa Grove giant sequoias
- →Optional bike rental in the valley
Yosemite → San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Leave the Sierra Nevadas, stop for farm-stand produce in the Central Valley, and drive on to the coast. Arrive in San Francisco and get your bearings: walk the Golden Gate Bridge, with the skyline, Alcatraz and the Bay Bridge on one side and the Pacific on the other. In the evening, opt to sail into the sunset on a bay cruise (~£40, book on GetYourGuide/Klook) or ride a cable car over the hills (~£7).
🚌Shared rental car into the city; Muni/cable car for getting around
🛏Hostel, Downtown or Fisherman's Wharf (~£40-65/night dorm)
- →Golden Gate Bridge walk
- →San Francisco Bay sunset sail (optional)
- →Cable car ride (optional)
- →Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39
San Francisco — Depart
San Francisco, CA
Depart at any time. Return any rental car (drop-off fees apply if not returning to LA — one-way rentals often add ~£100-200, worth factoring in when you book). If you're flying out of SFO, take BART from the city for ~£8. Last chance for Mission District burritos and a final walk through Golden Gate Park.
🚌BART to SFO (~£8) or rideshare to the airport
🛏—
- →Golden Gate Park
- →Mission District food walk
- →Depart
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£545 | £1,699 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,154 per person (68%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£545
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 Express Northbound — Self-Launched Edition cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £545 per person for 8 days in Western United States (Los Angeles to San Francisco). 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 £1,699 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £545 — a saving of roughly £1,154 (68%) per person.
How long is the Western United States (Los Angeles to San Francisco) trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Western United States (Los Angeles to San Francisco).
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, budget trip through Western United States (Los Angeles to San Francisco), 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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