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USA
ITINERARY
TREKKING
DISTANCE
2023 & 2024
Get up close with the world’s most famous canyon, before visiting America’s best kept secret – Zion National Park. Over 5 days of trekking you will see the rugged beauty of the American South West, finishing with a great celebration in glitzy Las Vegas.
The Challenge
This trekking adventure will take you into the wide expanse of the Grand Canyon – the famed natural wonder cut deep into the rock of Arizona. With 3 days of trekking along a choice of trails to suit all abilities, you will see this incredible national park from all angles. Then, it’s on to Zion National Park, a stunning network of canyons & peaks tucked away in southwestern Utah. Here you will climb the challenging Scout’s Lookout Trail to take in breath-taking views of valleys below, and finish with a trek to Canaan Mountain. Then it’s on to the bright lights of Las Vegas for a well-earned stay in a hotel after 4 nights of camping, and a slap-up feast to celebrate our efforts on the hiking trails.
The Experience
On an Action Challenge trip you’ll be part of a team which takes on an adventure together – and that’s what makes the experience so special. Getting to know others, supporting each other when the going gets tough, laughing together, and sharing those special moments & the new friendships that will stay with you for many years. Led by a UK Mountain Leader and supported by a Medic overseeing the group’s wellbeing – you’ll be in safe hands, and our expert local logistics team & guides will ensure it all runs like clockwork. These are ‘fully inclusive’ trips – leaving you to focus on your challenge, and to enjoy it!
An Action Challenge trip is much more than a holiday! It brings like-minded people together in fantastic landscapes, provides the best support & great hospitality, and enables the group to take on a tough & unforgettable challenge which forges new friendships, broaden horizons, and leaves you wanting more of life’s adventures!
The blueprint for Action Challenge trip is based on delivering a high quality enjoyable experience – and doing it all safely. An experienced UK Mountain Leader ensures that all aspects of the challenge run to plan – and one of our UK Medics with an expedition med kit is on-hand to look after the group’s wellbeing – enabling everyone to have the best chance of successfully competing their challenge.
We go to great lengths to ensure that we only use the best local organisations to supply the all-important ground logistics and the on-challenge support, catering, and hospitality teams – with experienced guides leading the way on the trails with their deep local knowledge and authentic style.
Like minded people with a similar sense of adventure – but often from very different backgrounds, and with a wide range of experience, ages, levels of fitness, and personal ambitions. Our trips are perfect for individuals, couples, and small groups of friends to join – and then to take on a unique challenge as part of a larger group which shapes & bonds as the adventure unfolds!
Whether its’s the hotels, restaurants & transfers before & after the main challenge – or the challenge accommodation & meals whilst out on the trails – our all inclusive packages mean that you will get a top quality experience at a great value price! Flights are generally included, but there’s a ‘land only’ option if you’d prefer to book your own – and single supplement accommodation upgrades are available.
The group comes together – takes on a tough challenge together – and then celebrates its achievements in style on the final night of the trip in a local restaurant or hotel, with medals, awards, and a maybe a bit of a party! Many of our participants make new special friends on our trips – and quite a few come back together for another challenge in the following years!
A successful challenge starts with good preparation. The better prepared you are the more confident you’ll be, and the more you’ll enjoy it! Our ‘Challenge App’ will have all the info & details of what to expect on your challenge – and how to prepare for it – and we have optional training walks, training weekends , and a place on one of our UK Ultra Challenge events to get out on the tails and test your fitness, kit, & equipment.
Itinerary & Route
Please note that some details of the itinerary may change, you will be provided with a detailed itinerary once you are signed up to the challenge.
Catch our flight to the USA & transfer to Williams, a town just south of the Grand Canyon. After a long day of travelling, we will settle in for dinner & a pre-trek briefing.
After transferring to Grand Canyon Village, we start with a trek approximately 10-15km out along the south rim trail that without a doubt gives some of the most spectacular views of the Canyon. It’s an incredible place to be and on a clear day, as the sun starts to set and the beautiful colours of the canyon are lit up, there are few other more astonishing views in the US!
Meals: D Accom: Hotel (day 1)
Meals: BLD Accom: Camping (day 2)
Group numbers trekking in US National Parks are limited to 9 people, so over the next two days we will be split amongst four of the iconic routes descending into the Canyon. All these trails offer completely different views of the Grand Canyon and are amazing in their own right. Everyone will be able to trek on either the South Kaibab or The Bright Angel and Hermits Trail or Grand View Trail.
On our return to the trailhead on day 4, our transfer vehicle will be waiting to take us to our Springdale camp and Zion National Park.
Meals: BLD
Accom: Camping
Zion National Park has some of the most iconic images in the US and is on most peoples ‘must visit list’. Today we hike past lush hanging gardens along the recessed rock and along the Virgin River. The trail then climbs a series of switchbacks, called Walter’s Wiggles. The Wiggles put you on top of the ridge, at Scout Lookout, where views are amazing. From Scouts Lookout, gaze at the Virgin River and a rock outcropping called the Organ, before descending back down towards the Grotto. Impressive rock walls tower above with overhangs that are photo worthy. We return to our camp tonight in the small town of Springdale in the centre of Zion National Park.
Meals: BLD
Accom: Camping
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Today we trek from Water Canyon to Canaan Mountain, otherwise known as the “Island in the Sky’’. The route leads us along a mountain path passing waterfalls, canyons and beautiful views of Zion National Park. We will traverse massive slickrock bowls, wander across dunes dotted with ponderosa and see massive white domes, hoodoos and a cornucopia of stepped rock. After lunch we will arrive at Canaan Mountain, an elevated plateau of red Navajo sandstone, heavily fractured and eroded, forming countless pinnacles and small ravines. At the trailhead we transfer back to Springdale and tonight we will mark our achievements with a celebratory dinner!
Meals: BLD
Accom: Hotel
Today we transfer to Las Vegas, and have free time to enjoy the sights and sounds of Las Vegas!
Days 8 & 9, we transfer to the airport for our return flight home, landing the following day.
Meals: B Accom: Hotel (day 7)
Costs & Fundraising
You can cover the trip costs yourself or pay a portion and fundraise the rest to support a charity of your choice.
Sign up with a £295 online deposit & balance payment due 12 weeks before, with no fundraising target.
Sign up with a £295 online deposit & fundraise for a charity of your choice, with different target options.
The Challenge brochure details the full itinerary, inclusions, dates & prices – download for a full run down of the challenge details.
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It’s like paying for an all-inclusive holiday.
You pay the registration deposit. The final balance for the trip cost will be due no later than 10 weeks before your departure date
If you want to fundraise for charity, you may still do this separately – either on or offline. All fundraising will be a direct donation to your chosen charity. Please contact them for more information.
Take on one of our challenges and support a charity of your choice. You can choose how much of the trip cost you want to pay, and support your charity by fundraising the rest.
You pay the registration deposit, then fundraise double the remaining trip cost for a charity of your choice.
Action Challenge will invoice your charity for your final balance 12 weeks before departure.
You must complete 80% of your fundraising by 12 weeks before departure, with the remaining 20% completed 4 weeks after departure.
Let us know what charity you want to support when registering so that we can set up your challenge agreement.