Tour della Death Valley di Las Vegas

The Death Valley Tour from Las Vegas was unforgettable for all the right reasons! Raphael, our guide was amazing. He was friendly and accommodating from start to finish with extensive knowledge of the areas visited. Raphael knew all the best spots to get those iconic photos and was more than obliging in taking pictures of people in the group. We started off being picked up from the Luxor and after a quick stop at Treasure Island we were on our way. First stop was the Area 51 Alien Centre. It’s a glorified rest stop that sells overpriced Tee Shirts and alien merchandise but it was great fun taking photos and browsing what they had on offer. Raphael was on hand to take photos and offer information about Areas 51 and the surrounding areas. Next stop was Beatty, that sits not far from Death Valley National Park. Here we were able to see the Exchange Club Casino, a beautiful steampunk building that is the brainchild of artist James Henniger. It’s a work-in-progress and is absolutely beautiful. Built using reclaimed materials from nearby Rhyolite ghost town. You really do have to stand back and take in the details of this amazing building! From Beatty we drove to Rhyolite, an abandoned gold mining camp right on the edge of Death Valley. There we saw the remains of the school. bank, various offices and the saloon. This is where you can see the famous Tom Kelly bottle house built from roughly 50,000 beer and liquor bottles in 1906. It’s a genuine example and not a replica like the one at Calico. Next stop was Death Valley itself. As we entered the park the landscape became less and less hospitable. We stopped at the sign to get some photos and then drove to the Harmony Borax works where Raphael explained the mining process and the twenty-mule teams that were used to pull the carriages out of the mines. On to Furnace creek visitor centre for a photo next to the famous thermometer and a look around the nicely air conditioned shop and information centre where you can learn about the conditions, landscape and wildlife that live in the valley. A mile further down the road we stopped at The Death Valley Ranch, a luxurious oasis resort in the desert. Here we had around 45 minutes to get some lunch, an ice cream, browse the shop and museum and enjoy the lovely well groomed Californian resort. From The Ranch we drove south to Badwater Basin. This was the highlight of the trip for me. The otherworldly landscape is incredible. As you step out onto the salt flats and feel the overwhelming heat reflecting back, it’s a surreal moment. Don’t forget to look back towards the cliff to see the sea level marker high above you to really appreciate how far below sea level this place really is. A word of warning, do not stay out more than 5 or 10 minutes. Take you photos and retreat back to the air conditioning of your vehicle. The heat gets seriously dangerous in a very short time. From there we doubled back a bit and drove to Zabrinski point. A short hike up the hill on a well maintained path and this beautful badlands vista opens up before you with its gorgeous pastel colours and undulating terrain. Raphael advised on the best vantage points and angles to take the most impressive photos. Zabrinski point was the final stop on our tour and from there we returned back to Las Vegas via Death Valley Junction and through Pahrump. Raphael chatted and imparted information all the way as we drove. I would highly recommend this tour however, there are a few things to consider. It is a long day. In order to get the most out of it you need to be reasonably able bodied. There is a lot of getting in and out of the minibus with short hikes to some of the locations and the heat in August was brutal. I imagine Spring and Autumn are fantastic times to take this tour. You can view the locations from the minibus if you are not up to the extreme condition’s but I would recommend getting out at least for a couple of minutes to experience it. Take water. Plenty of it. There are restrooms at every stop (except Beatty and Rhyolite) but bare in mind that they have composting ‘desert’ toilets so take a small hand sanitizer in your backpack. There are fully serviced restrooms at Area 51 Alien Centre and Furnace Creek. These are no way negatives and, in my opinion, add to the authenticity of the desert experience. I just want people to be prepared so they know what to expect and can fully embrace it all. An absolutely unforgettable experience. Thanks Raphael for looking after us.

It is hot! Moderately strenuous if you hike to the sites, extremely rewarding. Driver and guide are very knowledgable.

My road trip to the Death Valley was great! The trip guide was so helpful with me. He picked me up at the hotel because I couldn’t reach the bus stop. He saved my journey! Walter brought the group in the best sights and explained the history and the most interesting things of the places we went through. Actually he is a very expert guide and can give you many suggestions about trips in the US! Besides he is a smart and easy going person, so we spent fun time during the trip. To be honest you can have the best experience ever with Walter especially if you are not an expert traveler.