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 Canyon – we’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.
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