Death Valley National Park

The very name evokes all that is harsh, hot and hellish – a punishing, barren and lifeless place of Old Testament severity. Yet closer inspection reveals that in Death Valley nature is putting on a truly spectacular show: singing sand dunes, water-sculpted canyons, boulders moving across the desert floor, extinct volcanic craters, palm-shaded oases, stark mountains rising to 11,000ft and plenty of endemic wildlife. This is a land of superlatives, holding the US records for hottest temperature (134°F/57°C), lowest point (Badwater, 282ft below sea level) and largest national park outside Alaska (more than 5000 sq miles).

Ripples in sand at Mesquite Sand Dunes.

Ripples in sand at Mesquite Sand Dunes.

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11 Days in the American West: California, Nevada and Utah National Parks
11 days / 10 nights

11 Days in the American West: California, Nevada and Utah National Parks

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11 Days in the American West: California, Nevada and Utah National Parks

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  1. 1 Riding a historic cable car to see the seals of San Francisco's Fisherman’s Wharf
  2. 2 Whitewater rafting along the thrilling South Fork American River
  3. 3 Hiking past Liberty Cap and Half Dome on a guided tour of Yosemite's highlights
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