This is the American road trip in its purest form — San Francisco to Los Angeles via the desert. You'll drive through three of the most iconic landscapes in the USA: the granite monoliths of Yosemite, the salt flats of Death Valley, and the vast silence of the Grand Canyon. Las Vegas in the middle for a jolt of neon and a good night's sleep.
A rental SUV is included (unlimited mileage, full insurance), plus all National Park entry passes. Hotels range from 3-star in the national parks to 4-star in the cities. We give you a day-by-day driving plan with scenic stops, photo points, and realistic drive times — this is a self-drive itinerary with a pre-loaded route, not a chauffeur trip.
01
Arrival: Land at SFO. Pick up your rental SUV at the airport. Drive to your hotel in Union Square or Fisherman's Wharf.
Evening: Walk Fisherman's Wharf. Optional cable car ride to Nob Hill.
Overnight: San Francisco.
02
Morning: Guided city tour — Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, and a stop at the Painted Ladies.
Afternoon: Free time. Optional Alcatraz tour (book well in advance), or bike the Golden Gate Bridge.
Evening: Dinner in North Beach (SF's Italian quarter).
Overnight: San Francisco.
03
Early Morning: Breakfast. Drive to Yosemite (approx. 4 hours).
Late Morning: Arrival at the park's South Entrance. Tunnel View — the classic Yosemite panorama.
Afternoon: Yosemite Valley — El Capitan, Half Dome, Bridalveil Fall. Short walk to the base of Lower Yosemite Fall.
Evening: Dinner at your lodge.
Overnight: Yosemite area.
04
Morning: Breakfast. Drive to Glacier Point for the best Half Dome views.
Late Morning: Hike the Mist Trail to Vernal Fall (5km, moderate).
Afternoon: Visit Mariposa Grove to walk among giant sequoias.
Evening: Dinner at leisure.
Overnight: Yosemite area.
05
Morning: Breakfast. Drive to Death Valley (approx. 6 hours).
Afternoon: Arrive at Death Valley. Stop at Zabriskie Point for sunset — the most photogenic viewpoint in the park.
Evening: Dinner at your hotel (limited options — plan ahead).
Overnight: Death Valley area.
06
Morning: Breakfast. Visit Badwater Basin (the lowest point in North America, 86m below sea level) and the Artists Palette scenic drive.
Midday: Drive to Las Vegas (approx. 2 hours).
Afternoon: Arrival in Las Vegas. Check in. Walk the Strip.
Evening: Optional Bellagio fountain show, Cirque du Soleil, or a casino floor walk.
Overnight: Las Vegas.
07
Morning: Breakfast. Optional morning at a Vegas show or pool.
Late Morning: Drive to the Grand Canyon South Rim (approx. 4.5 hours).
Afternoon: Arrival at the Grand Canyon. Watch the sunset from Mather Point or Hopi Point.
Evening: Dinner at your lodge.
Overnight: Grand Canyon area.
08
Early Morning: Sunrise over the Grand Canyon (if you can wake up).
Morning: Drive to Los Angeles (approx. 7.5 hours including stops).
Late Afternoon: Arrival in LA. Check into your hotel in Santa Monica or Hollywood.
Evening: Dinner at leisure.
Overnight: Los Angeles.
09
Morning: Breakfast. Visit Hollywood — Walk of Fame, TCL Chinese Theatre, and a photo stop at the Hollywood Sign.
Afternoon: Optional Universal Studios Hollywood or a Santa Monica Beach afternoon.
Evening: Dinner in Santa Monica or Venice Beach.
Overnight: Los Angeles.
010
Morning: Breakfast. Return rental SUV at LAX.
Transfer: Short shuttle to LAX terminals.
Farewell: Depart with a camera roll full of America's greatest landscapes.
What our clients love about us.
"From the first interaction through a friend referral the service was excellent. Mike was wonderful and timely from airport pick up to drop off. The office staff were great. The tour planning and guidance came handy. Everyone I interacted with was very professional."
"This is an excellent guide and car service which we used in Nairobi and also on an overnight trip to the Homa Peninsula. They came highly recommended by an NGO that works in Kenya and we are glad we hired them. Mike was an exceptional driver on many different road conditions! We travelled in a comfortable Land Cruiser Prado to rural dirt paths and crazy urban traffic jams. He also was very knowledgable. It was reasonably priced and very flexible with our changing schedule."
"The trip was amazing had fun. The driver who is also a guide really helped. The hotel and crew were friendly. Highly recommend to anyone planning for a vacation"
"Being one of the staffs at Hike N Pic Tours and Safaris, i really thank the team for the time we have been together, the knowledge gained can't take it as a granted. I'm a tour guide/tour consultant staff whereby i prepare quotations for our customers, itineraries, air tickets and can offer guiding services when needed. The company also have several fleets that runs in the market with the help of our able captains. We also offer car-hire services. The teamwork for the whole staff is amazing."
"Upon Meeting our driver cum guide, it was a wonderful introduction session then being briefed of our safari. Of course it was amazing to learn more about animals and nature."
