Utah · September 2027
Expeditions · North America
Utah · September 2027
The Land of the Archs
At a glance
About the expedition
Across the red heart of the American Southwest, this journey traces a landscape shaped by time and silence. From the glowing sandstone of Valley of Fire to the surreal patterns of White Pocket and the grand amphitheaters of Bryce and Zion, every stop reveals a new geometry of light. For nearly two weeks, we’ll travel through deserts that feel otherworldly, waiting for that moment when color, form, and stillness align in a single frame.
Based in Kanab, we explore without rush — photographing Horseshoe Bend, walking among the hoodoos of Toadstool and Bryce, and crossing scenic highways that link Capitol Reef, Moab, and the mighty Monument Valley. The route ends where it should: overlooking the Grand Canyon, as the sun drops behind the horizon. Small groups, local guides, and sustainable logistics keep our impact low and our experience deep.
With the group’s agreement, travel dates can be adjusted a few days earlier or later.
- White Pocket – surreal desert of fossilized dunes, textures, and colors found nowhere else on Earth.
- Horseshoe Bend & Dead Horse Point – two of the most iconic sunsets in the American Southwest.
- Monument Valley – red monoliths glowing at sunrise, under endless desert skies.
- Bryce Canyon & Red Canyon – natural amphitheaters of orange hoodoos and soft dawn light.
- Zion & Canyonlands – dramatic canyons, carved stone walls, and rivers of light.
- Night skies – clear desert evenings ideal for astrophotography and quiet observation.
Itinerary
Day by day
-
1
Arrival in Las Vegas
We meet in Las Vegas, where the journey begins. After picking up our van, we’ll take some time to rest and adjust to the time zone. In the evening, we’ll enjoy a relaxed dinner and a short walk through the Strip, soaking in the…
Hotel stayRead the full day
We meet in Las Vegas, where the journey begins. After picking up our van, we’ll take some time to rest and adjust to the time zone. In the evening, we’ll enjoy a relaxed dinner and a short walk through the Strip, soaking in the first lights of the American Southwest.
-
2
Las Vegas → Valley of Fire → Kanab
Our road adventure starts. We’ll head northeast, stopping at Valley of Fire State Park, a stunning landscape of red, sculpted sandstone that glows in the desert light — a perfect introduction for photographers. After lunch, we’ll…
Hotel stayRead the full day
Our road adventure starts.
We’ll head northeast, stopping at Valley of Fire State Park, a stunning landscape of red, sculpted sandstone that glows in the desert light — a perfect introduction for photographers.
After lunch, we’ll continue to Kanab, where we’ll set our base for the next four nights. From here, we’ll explore southern Utah and northern Arizona without the need to pack and unpack each day.
-
3
![Formaciones rocosas de arenisca roja bajo la Vía Láctea en el desierto de Utah]()
Kanab → Toadstool Hoodoos → Page → Horseshoe Bend
We begin the day with the Toadstool Hoodoos Trail, a short and easy walk through curious rock formations that look like giant mushrooms — best seen in the soft light of morning or late afternoon. We’ll then head toward Page…
Hotel stayRead the full day
We begin the day with the Toadstool Hoodoos Trail, a short and easy walk through curious rock formations that look like giant mushrooms — best seen in the soft light of morning or late afternoon.
We’ll then head toward Page, where we’ll stop for lunch before continuing to one of the region’s icons: Horseshoe Bend, where the Colorado River curves dramatically beneath a high desert cliff.
It’s an ideal day to find our rhythm, enjoy the road, and start creating images that capture the vastness of this territory.
-
4
![Formaciones rocosas estratificadas en tonos rojos y azulados de Utah, con patrones de erosión natural.]()
Kanab → White Pocket (Guided 4x4 Tour)
This day is devoted to one of the most surreal places in the Southwest — White Pocket, on the Paria Plateau. Accessible only with a local 4x4 guide, it’s a labyrinth of petrified dunes, textures, and colors that seem to defy…
Hotel stayRead the full day
This day is devoted to one of the most surreal places in the Southwest — White Pocket, on the Paria Plateau.
Accessible only with a local 4x4 guide, it’s a labyrinth of petrified dunes, textures, and colors that seem to defy gravity. We’ll spend the day photographing its organic patterns, discovering how light transforms the stone throughout the day.
Expect a long but rewarding day in pure wilderness — the kind of place that reminds us why we travel.
-
5
![Cañón con río entre acantilados de roca roja, vegetación verde y montañas al fondo al atardecer]()
Kanab → Zion National Park (East Entrance)
Early start toward Zion National Park, entering through the scenic east route. The road itself is already spectacular, with viewpoints like Checkerboard Mesa that call for photo stops. Once inside, we’ll walk the Riverside Walk…
Read the full day
Early start toward Zion National Park, entering through the scenic east route.
The road itself is already spectacular, with viewpoints like Checkerboard Mesa that call for photo stops.
Once inside, we’ll walk the Riverside Walk, leading to the start of The Narrows, where the canyon walls rise hundreds of meters above us. Those who wish can step a few meters into the river — safely and with proper shoes — for unique images.
After a picnic lunch, we’ll head back through Canyon Overlook Trail, one of the most impressive short hikes in the park.
-
6
![Amanecer en Bryce Canyon con formaciones rocosas de arenisca roja y bosque de coníferas al fondo]()
Kanab → Red Canyon → Bryce Canyon
We move north toward Red Canyon, where orange cliffs and stone arches line the road — a perfect stop for quick photos and short trails. Later, we’ll continue to Bryce Canyon National Park, where hundreds of hoodoos rise like a…
Read the full day
We move north toward Red Canyon, where orange cliffs and stone arches line the road — a perfect stop for quick photos and short trails.
Later, we’ll continue to Bryce Canyon National Park, where hundreds of hoodoos rise like a stone forest.
We’ll arrive in time to capture Sunset Point bathed in warm light, a moment that feels almost otherworldly.
-
7
![Amanecer en Bryce Canyon con formaciones rocosas de arenisca roja y bosque de coníferas al fondo]()
Bryce Canyon → Capitol Reef → Hanksville/Torrey
We start the day connecting Bryce’s most photogenic viewpoints — Sunrise Point, Bryce Point, and Natural Bridge — before driving one of America’s most beautiful scenic roads: Highway 12. Our afternoon takes us to Capitol Reef…
Read the full day
We start the day connecting Bryce’s most photogenic viewpoints — Sunrise Point, Bryce Point, and Natural Bridge — before driving one of America’s most beautiful scenic roads: Highway 12.
Our afternoon takes us to Capitol Reef National Park, where ancient petroglyphs and pastel-colored cliffs tell stories from another time.
We’ll follow the Scenic Drive and, if the dirt roads are dry, venture into short detours like Grand Wash or Capitol Gorge.
It’s a calmer day, with plenty of chances to stop, photograph, and breathe in the silence of Utah’s desert.
-
8
Capitol Reef → Moab
Morning in Capitol Reef — perhaps a few last photos, or a quiet walk among fruit orchards and sandstone domes. Afterwards, we’ll make our way toward Moab, the vibrant gateway to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. By late…
Read the full day
Morning in Capitol Reef — perhaps a few last photos, or a quiet walk among fruit orchards and sandstone domes.
Afterwards, we’ll make our way toward Moab, the vibrant gateway to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.
By late afternoon, we’ll explore Main Street and prepare for the next days of red rock landscapes and wide horizons.
-
9
![Delicate Arch, arco de roca roja de Utah contra cielo nublado al atardecer]()
Moab: Arches National Park + Dead Horse Point (Sunset)
An early start to make the most of Arches National Park. We’ll drive through its most iconic formations: Balanced Rock, The Windows, Double Arch, and the viewpoint of Delicate Arch — the state’s most famous silhouette. In the…
Read the full day
An early start to make the most of Arches National Park.
We’ll drive through its most iconic formations: Balanced Rock, The Windows, Double Arch, and the viewpoint of Delicate Arch — the state’s most famous silhouette.
In the afternoon, we’ll move toward Dead Horse Point State Park, one of the best sunset spots in Utah, with views over the Colorado River that seem to stretch to infinity.
It’s a day made for patience, light, and composition — where every turn of the road feels like a new frame.
-
10
![Senderista con mochila observa los monumentos de Monument Valley al atardecer]()
Moab → Canyonlands (Island in the Sky) → Monument Valley
In the morning, we visit Canyonlands National Park – Island in the Sky, where the landscape opens into endless canyons and stone mesas. Short walks lead us to unforgettable lookouts like Mesa Arch and Grand View Point. After…
Read the full day
In the morning, we visit Canyonlands National Park – Island in the Sky, where the landscape opens into endless canyons and stone mesas. Short walks lead us to unforgettable lookouts like Mesa Arch and Grand View Point.
After lunch, we’ll travel south to Monument Valley, crossing the red desert to arrive just in time for the long shadows of sunset.
Few places embody the spirit of the American West quite like this — timeless, silent, and vast.
-
11
Monument Valley → Grand Canyon (South Rim)
We’ll start the morning with sunrise in Monument Valley, when the light paints the buttes in deep pinks and gold. Then we head west along US-163 and US-160, with a stop at Cameron Trading Post for coffee or local crafts. By early…
Read the full day
We’ll start the morning with sunrise in Monument Valley, when the light paints the buttes in deep pinks and gold.
Then we head west along US-163 and US-160, with a stop at Cameron Trading Post for coffee or local crafts.
By early afternoon we’ll enter Grand Canyon National Park via Desert View Drive, stopping at classic viewpoints such as Desert View Watchtower, Lipan Point, and Navajo Point.
As the day ends, we’ll reach Grand Canyon Village, where the light fades slowly across the horizon — a fitting close to an extraordinary day.
-
12
Grand Canyon → Route 66 → Las Vegas
Optional early rise for sunrise at Mather Point or Yavapai Point, before we begin our final stretch back to Las Vegas. On the way, we’ll follow a section of the legendary Historic Route 66 between Seligman and Kingman, full of…
Read the full day
Optional early rise for sunrise at Mather Point or Yavapai Point, before we begin our final stretch back to Las Vegas.
On the way, we’ll follow a section of the legendary Historic Route 66 between Seligman and Kingman, full of vintage gas stations, neon signs, and roadside diners that feel straight out of another era.
If time allows, we’ll stop at Hoover Dam for one last view over the Colorado River before reaching Las Vegas.
That evening, we’ll share a farewell dinner — our last moment together in this vast desert landscape.
-
13
Departure from Las Vegas
After breakfast, we’ll return our vehicle and say goodbye. Flights back home mark the end of our journey — but not the end of the images, memories, and stories we’ll bring back with us.
Read the full day
After breakfast, we’ll return our vehicle and say goodbye.
Flights back home mark the end of our journey — but not the end of the images, memories, and stories we’ll bring back with us.
Gallery
What's included
Included
- Transportation by van throughout the entire trip
- Accommodation in 3-star (or higher) hotels on a bed & breakfast basis
- Photography guide and all of their expenses
Not included
- Flights
- Meals & drinks
- Personal expenses
- Tips
Your guide
Yezrael Pérez
Yezrael Pérez Fernández is a travel and nature photographer based in León, Spain. Inspired by his father’s passion for photography, he grew up learning to capture moments that last beyond time. His work combines storytelling, emotion, and the beauty of landscapes and journeys, with recognition in international contests. Beyond photography, he also works as a web developer, blending creativity and technology.
View profile