Riding the West: Los Angeles

Free day to discover and soak up Las Vegas, the city that never sleeps. From the Bellagio fountains to the incredible indoor canals of the Venetian, via the Roman-inspired sets of Caesars Palace or the revolving panoramic restaurant atop the Stratosphere... 

Don’t miss Downtown Las Vegas and the Fremont Street Experience. Nor shopping—luxury boutiques or the city’s outlets. Among other vices...

Transfer to the rental company in the afternoon to pick up the motorbikes, then return to the hotel. Paid parking. 

For this 2nd and final night in Vegas, you can attend a Cirque du Soleil show (ask us for the schedule, depending on your dates). 

Overnight in Las Vegas.

Head for Utah’s great parks, with a detour via beautiful Valley of Fire, a stunning mineral landscape of petroglyphs, arches, and canyons. 

Wildlife is abundant—you may well spot a “mule deer” (a type of deer).

Then set course for a relatively little-known site—so much the better: surprising Snow Canyon, just outside St George in southwest Utah. 

The road through it is worth the trip, and the site dazzles with striking contrasts between basalt, witness to ancient volcanic activity, and sandstone in rich red-orange and ochre hues so typical of the region.

Back to St George. 

Overnight in St George.

Leave St George to head for Springdale, the gateway to the magnificent Zion National Park. 

Next comes the fabulous road linking Springdale to Mt Carmel Junction on the east side. After a beautiful climb on switchbacks, the first must-see viewpoint: Zion Overlook.

It’s about 30 to 40 minutes round trip on foot, and you won’t regret it!

Then set course for Red Canyon. You’ll ride under the beautiful sandstone arch, before reaching Bryce City, at the gates of Bryce Canyon National Park, one of the trip highlights. 

Follow the road that crosses the park above the natural amphitheater, with great viewpoints all along. Watch out for wildlife—animals are not rare late in the day! Back to Bryce City. 

Overnight in Bryce City.

Walk in the natural amphitheater of Bryce Canyon to get up close to the famous hoodoos, sandstone spires in unbelievable colors that look like giant stalagmites. 

Then take one of the most beautiful roads in the American West: Utah Scenic Byway 12, ranked among the 37 “All-American Roads”. 

The distance between Bryce and Torrey isn’t very long, but the landscapes you cross in the heart of Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument are exceptional: petrified wood forest, vestiges of the Ancestral Puebloans (Anasazi), incredible geological formations...

Arrival in the small town of Torrey, at the gates of Capitol Reef National Park and the sandstone cliffs known as the Red Cliffs that border it. 

Overnight in Torrey.

Ride alongside Capitol Reef National Park, along the Waterpocket Fold, a 160 km-long mountain chain created by a fold in the Earth’s crust. Short detour into the Fruita area, with beautiful rock formations (and orchards).

Head toward the eastern end of immense Lake Powell, then leave it behind to reach Moki Dugway. 

The place is mind-blowing: the Valley of the Gods stretches out below you to infinity. And cherry on top—the switchbacks that descend to the valley floor are unpaved (but rideable).

One last detour via Gooseneck State Park, a superb viewpoint over the meanders of the San Juan River, before reaching Mexican Hat on the San Juan’s banks.

Overnight in Mexican Hat (or in Monument Valley, facing the Mesas / supplement applies).

Head toward the legendary Monument Valley, with remarkable views along the way, including the famous Forrest Gump Point.

Cross the iconic Monument Valley, in Navajo territory, made famous by John Ford and John Wayne.

This incredibly photogenic site has been immortalized by Hollywood in movies such as Stagecoach, Once Upon a Time in the West, Easy Rider, Thelma & Louise, and of course Forrest Gump! Since the Valley Drive is not accessible to motorcycles, you will take a guided excursion by pick-up truck.

Continue to Page, on the shores of Lake Powell. You enter Arizona, which does not observe daylight saving time (unlike the tribal lands within the state...).

The route also leads to the Navajo National Monument, once inhabited by the Hopi, San Juan Southern Paiute, Zuni, and Navajo peoples, as evidenced by the impressive cliff dwellings.

Arrival in Page. Overnight in Page.

Head to Antelope Canyon, in Navajo territory.

Antelope is a famous slot canyon, carved into sandstone by erosion and wind, forming intricate rock formations enhanced by the infinite color variations of the “Navajo sandstone.” Guided visit with a Navajo guide (included).

Stop at Horseshoe Bend, probably the most photographed meander of the Colorado River — majestic!

Continue toward the King of Canyons, the Grand Canyon, within Grand Canyon National Park, which you approach from the south.

With depths reaching up to 1,500 meters and stretching over 445 km, this extraordinary natural gorge is breathtaking. After a succession of stunning viewpoints along the Desert View Drive, arrival at Grand Canyon Village.

Overnight in Grand Canyon Village.

The keenest riders won’t miss sunrise over the Grand Canyon—an unforgettable sight! Head toward Williams along the iconic Route 66, the Mother Road. 

For the record, Williams is famous for being the last town still crossed by the original Route 66 before it was “downgraded” in favor of I-40 (the freeway) in 1984.

Strolling its Main Street is a pleasure, with motels, vintage signs, old gas stations, diners, and a string of souvenir shops (from charming to utterly kitsch...). From here departs the famous Grand Canyon Railway, linking the town to Grand Canyon Village since the 19th century...

After Seligman with its old jalopies and colorful shops, then Hackberry and its famous General Store (one of the cult spots on the 66), you reach Kingman. 

Overnight in Kingman. 

Final stretch along the legendary Route 66 — and not just any stretch! This is one of its most spectacular sections, winding through the Black Mountains and crossing Sitgreaves Pass (1,095 m).

Further on, Oatman is a small Far West-style town where donkeys roam freely, descendants of those brought by gold prospectors in the late 19th century.

You then leave Route 66 and head toward Death Valley National Park, in eastern California.

Before reaching aptly named Furnace Creek (often recording some of the highest temperatures on Earth), take a detour along Artists Drive, a narrow road bordered by colorful rock formations — particularly spectacular at sunset.

Arrival at your hotel.

Overnight in the heart of the park.

For this final stage, set off early. Make a short morning detour to Zabriskie Point, one of the park’s most photographed views. The ridged walls of the badlands glow with vivid, contrasting colors as the early sun reflects off them. In the background: the salt flats, and beyond, the Panamint Mountains! 

A little further on, stop to walk on the fine sand of the Mesquite Flats dunes, before leaving Death Valley and skirting the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. 

Pass through Red Rock Canyon, home to beautiful reddish cliffs. You cross the Mojave Desert, then enjoy one last spirited run through the tight switchbacks of the Angeles Forest Highway and Big Tujunga Canyon Rd. 

Arrival in bustling Los Angeles from the north, via Hollywood and Beverly Hills. 

Overnight in Marina Del Rey.

The day’s program is free—perfect to hop on the bike and explore the City of Angels. 

Santa Monica and its Pier (end of Rte 66), Venice Beach with its famous Muscle Beach and adorable canals...

Or Griffith Park and its observatory with sweeping views over Downtown L.A. and the iconic 'Hollywood' sign; the beautiful, twisty Mulholland Drive winding along the hills above the city, with great views along the way (even if the stars’ homes are usually well hidden)... Plenty of choice!

Return your motorbike late afternoon at the rental company. 

Transfer to your hotel (20') for a free late afternoon.

Overnight in Marina Del Rey.

Depending on your flight schedule, free time in the City of Angels.

Transfer to the airport. 

Return flight (arrival in Europe the next day).

Extension or itinerary change: please contact us