THE SOUTH WEST – USA WORLDWIDE DISCOVERY PHOTO ADVENTURE – NOVEMBER 2025

The South West USA

Destination summary

You’ll discover and photograph some of the most iconic locations in both Utah and Arizona in the dramatic South West of the US. This Lightstalker’s Discovery tour  starts and ends in the bright lights of Las Vegas, Nevada. From here, you’ll head east out to Arizona and the magnificent Grand Canyon, where you’ll  explore its southern rim and photograph its awesome light and monumental scale.

After 2 nights it’s onto Monument Valley in the Navajo Nation also located in Arizona. We’ll take  the scenic route through valley floor to capture the classic vistas and views that have become so famous and familiar both through Hollywood and Native American culture. Dusk and dawn sessions are absolutely epic.

Canyonlands and Arches – Staying in the nearby town of Moab, our base for 3 nights, we’ll explore both the Windows  and the Devils Garden areas of Arches National Park.  The following day nearby Canyonlands National Park has some incredible overlooks, vistas, river views and  carved canyons. We’ll be making good use of both dawn and dusk light and we’ll also visit nearby Dead Horse State Park and the Green River.

Capital Reef National Park sandstone domes, pillars and crazy rock formations in Utah’s south-central desert will be our goal for an afternoon, evening and morning session.

Bryce Canyonwe’ll be hiking both in and around the rim of the weird and wonderful orange and crimson hoodoos, making sure we’re at the best spots when it comes to crunch time to capture a blast of colour during dusk and dawn. Shortly after dawn we’ll also take a short hike down into part of the canyon to explore some compositions from  a different perspective.

Zion National Park after a short road trip and some crazy landscapes along the way we reach our final destination and one of the USA’s most spectacular parks. Zion’s National Park’s rivers, emerald pools, lush valleys and steep red cliffs  offer an amazing array of possibilities.  A park of epic proportions and beauty featuring a mixture of self drives and hikes that will enable us to lose ourselves for 3 nights and 2 full days among its landforms, canyons and Virgin rivers.

From Zion its a relatively short dive back to Las Vegas of around 3.5 hrs.

A Lightstalker’s Discovery Tour of the South West offers an incredible combination of dramatic landscape photography and experiences. We’ll be soaking up as much of the local flavour and culture as we can in between our locations. Get in touch to book a spot now !

South West USA – Extra information

Getting there: Harry Reid International airport in Las Vegas  receives International flights from Europe and North America.

Start time:  we depart on the TBC  from the Desert Rose Resort in Las Vegas’s south side ( near the Airport) at 09:00

End time Las Vegas around 13:00 November dates TBC

Vehicle: Large all wheel drive  SUV

Accommodation* 2 nights at the Bright Angel Lodge  Grand Canyon ( inside the park) / 1 night the View Hotel , Monument Valley / 3 nights Expedition Lodge – Moab (Canyonlands  and Arches NP) / 1 night Capital Reef Resort, Capital Reef / 1 night Rubys Inn, Bryce Canyon / 3 nights  Zion Lodge,  Zion National Park. * all listed subject to availaibilty

* 4 nights accommodation is based on twin share  ( Monument valley and Zion )  a single supplement may be available if you prefer single occupancy.

Essential equipment:  camera, lenses 16mm – 200mm focal lengths and a good quality tripod.

Non essential but recommended: Polariser, neutral density graduated and straight neutral density filters would be useful.  A Laptop with Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop or other image editing software. Good quality waterproof camera bag.

This trip is all about the experience of the journey and the amazing landscapes we travel through and explore. The group is kept small, 2-3 participants, to create the best possible experience for my guests. Register your interest for this trip via the contact form or email me directly.

What to expect – Lightstalkers Photo Discovery Tour

The Discovery format is the ultimate travel photo adventure. I was inspired to introduce  a trip that created more of a fluid visual journal of the south west’s  iconic landscapes as well as some cultural Americana that are encountered along the way.

This is a Raw experience   that will allow us to explore all aspects of the locations and places we encounter.  Staying as flexible as possible , working with the elements and keeping our eyes wide open we’ll  be able to enjoy  a great  experience as we travel through the landscapes and towns.

With a rich variety of subjects we can create a photo journal of our experiences in this timeless and dramatic part of the American continent.

Participants will be invited to create a photo journal (MYALBUM) of their work post trip and share it with with their travel  companions.

Weather

There is little rain at this time of year around 2 – 4 days per month  ( the odd snow flurry at higher elevations ) but some colder temperatures can be encountered, especially in the morning. An average range of  0C (30F) at the coldest around  Bryce to 20C (68F) at the warmest around the Grand Canyon. So warm clothes for dusk and dawn are essential.

Locations and fitness.
Not all locations will be by the roadside, some locations are easy to reach, some require a little effort, walking sometimes on slippy surfaces and over uneven terrain .

All ages above 18 years are welcome but a reasonable level of fitness and mobility is required, regardless of age in order to fully participate and appreciate a Lightstalker’s Journey.  If you have any doubts of your suitability for a specific trip please contact Glen directly.

Lightstalkers Worldwide Discovery Photo Adventure - 11 nights / 12 days
Arizona and Utah’s best National Parks
November 2025
Max 3 participants
Places available: Contact Glen to express your interest.
Trip fee: From £6995.00 ( based on twin share 4 nights & 7 nights single occupancy ) A single supplement may be available.
Booking deposit: £1000.00
Starts / ends: Las Vegas Nevada
Contact Glen directly.

Includes

  • 11 nights accommodation (single and twin share )
  • Pick and drop of in Las Vegas
  • Transport to all locations
  • Detailed itinerary
  • All park passes
  • Dusk, day and dawn location sessions
  • Practical field tuition and guidance

Not Included

  • Return flights to Las Vegas
  • Airport transfers
  • Meals , breakfast *, lunches, dinner.
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Please ensure you have adequate travel Insurance for this trip ,for both medical and personal belongings.
  • *unless included with accommodation.

Lightstalker Highlights

  • The Grand Canyon
  • Monument Valley
  • Canyonlands and Arches NP
  • Capital Reef
  • Bryce Canyon
  • Zion National Park
  • Las Vegas
“This trip to the United States' Southwest was perfection itself, from its timing and length to the choice of national parks and monuments, shooting locations, walks and hikes, and accommodations.  Glen was incredible: a supremely knowledgeable and meticulous planner with a wonderful sense of humor and the ability to improvise when weather and energy levels warranted a change in plans. Time literally flew by, and I returned home with stunning images and an album full of fond memories.” M Myers 2023