This 7 day trip from Vegas through all those National Parks and Monuments in the Southwest
was amazing. Our guide Jon was very knowledgeable about the area as he did wilderness trips
in the area before becoming a tour guide.
The drives thro..ugh this incredible sceneries never felt long and the trip despite being only 7
days long didn't feel rushed at all (but not saying you couldn't spend months in this area).
I definitely enjoyed every bit of this trip: our diverse group, the peaceful campsites and
camping-spirit, the early rising for amazing hikes, the things learnt and the passion shown from
our tour guide, and of course the incredible places visited.
This was definitely my 1 year US highlight so far and I am looking forward for other tours! 110% recommendation!Read full review
This trip was a fabulous experience for both my son and me. We saw just about everything we
would want to see in the Southwest in one week but despite the quick pace we never felt
rushed. The hiking was truly memorable and the parks were st..unning. Our wonderful guide, Jon
Maret, was knowledgeable, funny and relaxed. He was extremely kind to my 15 year-old son
and helped him with a photography project. In addition to all of Jon’s amusing stories about the
region, I particularly enjoyed visiting the Navajo Nation and joining a local family for dinner. I'm a
56 year old woman who has never traveled as part of a tour, nor camped out. Needless to say, I
was a little apprehensive about both of these things. Much to my delight, our group of 14 got
along very well and camping was fun and easy. Several of the campgrounds we stayed in were
lovely. The food was filling and tasty – quite an accomplishment considering Jon was cooking
for 14 on a camp stove! For the price, this tour was a great value. My son is already looking
forward to next summer when we’d like to visit the RockiesRead full review
The 7 day SW camping tour was amazing, well-planned! The guide Mike was thoughtful, efficient, flexible, friendly and an excellent planner. My teenage son and I tremendously enjoyed the tour he leaded. The scenery of every place we visited ..was overwhelming, beautiful and majestic. Bring good hiking boots (lots of hiking), water shoes, a hat with a string (wind from the cliff/canyons can blow away your hat), swimwear and some clothes pins. Pack light. Getting to know other passengers was another special part of the trip. I made good friends. It was the most memorable 7 days of my life. Thank you!! Read full review
This was the most AMAZING, STUNNING, WONDERFUL TRIP OF OUR LIVES! WOW is a small word to describe each day 10 STARS with a HUGE THANK YOU to our tour guide JON MARET. AIN"T NOBOBY BETTER, his knowledge, experiance & care ( PLUS A GREAT SENC..E OF HUMOR) kept each day alive & well. A BIG thank you to Bindlestiff & JON & plus GREAT AMERICAN SOUTHWEST.
This comes from a professional yacht captain used to the best and was bested by BINDLESTIFF!!!Read full review
Honestly I did not know what to expect from the 7 day Southwest Tour but I was surprised how well the tour was organized. We were nonstop everyday. It was a trip of a lifetime. I highly recommended.
This was really a great way to tour the major national parks of Utah. All of the driving and thinking was done for us. We had a nice campsite every night, and once we were there we were free to go out and do the length and level of hiking t..hat we wanted. Joe, the guide/driver was great and kept us on schedule and moving place to place. We covered about 1600 miles during the 7 days, but the driving was broken up into manageable chunks. I was concerned about the availability of lodging and crowding in the parks, but using Bindlestiff we didn’t have to think about any of that. Great time, great company. The only negative was the use of Ellis Island hotel as the starting point. The rooms were fine, but the lobby looks like a methadone clinic. Otherwise, everything was truly great!Read full review
Hands down, that was absolutely my favorite tour!!! Jon went out of his way to accommodate not only me personally, but the entire group. On the day we had some extra time in Moab, I asked if there was any chance I would be able to go skydiv..ing even though that wasn't an optional add on. (I figured if it wasn't my day, he would say no, but the universe decided that my first time skydiving was going to be in Moab!) Without hesitation, he agreed to drive me there if I could get it set up. While my stomach did somersaults, I thanked him over and over! I was not expecting him to say yes! On the last day of the tour, we had some extra time so he even made an extra stop at the Hoover Dam.
I was highly impressed by his thorough knowledge of all the areas we traveled to. Not only did he tell us the history and the facts, but he had a funny story for every location we visited! I began to wonder if there was anything he didn't know about. An in-depth experience of outdoor education and so much more. He knew the roads like the back of his hand and made every single transition seemless and effortless! He's incredibly organized and knows how make the most out of the tour. For those willing to get up early, he picked us up for 2 sunrises, one of which happened to be my favorite: The Angels Landing hike at Zion. I will never regret waking up at 4am for that day!!! Amazing....
I 100% would recommend this group, Jon specifically!! Definitely worth every penny!! So many laughs along the way and memories that will last a lifetime. If you are active and want to make the most of your time on the trip, he's your guy!!! The week went by way too fast and I can't wait to book my next tour with this company and hopefully upon request, get him as my guide.
Extremely pleased with the service. Many, many thanks!!!!Read full review
Our family enjoyed the tour. We actually managed to get our 8 & 10 year olds away from their screens & our hiking. I also loved that they had to help set up & take down camp. The scenery was spectacular and we learned a lot from our very kn..owledgeable tour leader.Read full review
Mike, our tour guide, was very knowledgeable and well organized. Awesome highlights of all the parks. Took this trip with a friend in August, warm during the day but perfectly cool at night - would highly recommend.
In today’s busy world it is always easy to complain, however, when a person goes out of their way and demonstrates a commitment to Superior Customer Service, it must not go unnoticed.
We had the pleasure of having your tour guide Joel ..Clark lead our hiking tour group last week. I must say that this company is very fortunate to have such an outstanding employee working for you. Joel was extremely helpful, knowledgeable and accommodating.He went out of his way to ensure that our group had a memorable week together. His attitude shows that he truly enjoys his job!! This world needs more people like Joel who are passionate about their work. We were impressed with his knowledge of history, geology and Indian Culture. His organizational skills combined with his easy manner set our group at ease. Joel’s musical talent and his wide range of music satisfied everyone’s taste.
I thank you for your attention to this matter and ask that you recognize Joel Clark for the good work he is doing, believe me it is not going unnoticed.Read full review
Group of 6 friends spent 7 days with Bindlestiff tours. Everything was perfectly organized and prepared, all bookings done.
Jen, the guide, was amazing - she is very dedicated and open to suggestions, clearly loves her job. She showed a p..erfect knowledge in various areas, the places we visited (Zion, Bryce, Antelope, Monument Valley, Moab), all sorts of general informations ( restaurants, shops , Indian culture, wild life - you name it). Can't find anything negative. Congrats.Read full review
We (couple) went on the 7 day camping tour - Southwest Highlights. Our tour guide Joel was very informative and answered every question we asked. He went out of his way to make the experience memorable. This tour is excellent value for anyo..ne who enjoys getting into the great outdoors. The small group size (we had 13) means you get a feeling of a personal tour. 7 days flys by very quickly as the tour ensures you get to experience as much as the south west has to offer. Highlights: Antelope Canyon and sunrise at Monument Valley.Read full review
This 7 day trip (August 6th-13th) in the Southwest canyons was simply amazing. It was our first experience camping and it will definitely not be the last! The landscapes that surrounded us during our hikes were breathtaking. We often got to.. see the sun set behind the mountains, displaying a fantastic range of colors.
Among my numerous favorite moments: the time Joel -our guide- took us to Dead horse point where we watched the night fall from a ledge overlooking the vast landscape before us, while listening to him reading some extracts from one of his favorite books, capturing the quiet but captivating beauty of the desert.
Another highlight would be the hike in the middle of the hoodoos in Bryce canyon: the warm orange colors are really unique. But every other place was spectacular as well: admiring Zion canyon from a high viewpoint at Angel’s landing was totally worth the climbing! We also got to see a few massive arches in Canyonlands, not to mention the impressive landscape in Monument Valley. I especially appreciated the hospitality of the Navajo family who welcomed us into their home to enjoy a traditional taco, while learning more about their culture.
I would also recommend the optional activities: Antelope canyon is the ideal place to take artistic pictures; the Hummer tour is awesome for those who like the thrill of a bumpy ride and the helicopter tour allows you to fully realize and admire the majesty of the Grand Canyon.
I really want to thank Joel who turned this amazing trip into an unforgettable experience, with his usual good humor. He shared his passion for the desert and the canyons as well as his knowledge of the region in history and geology, which was much appreciated during the car rides. I particularly enjoyed the night when we sat around a campfire, listening to him singing old songs while playing the guitar…
Everyone in the group was very friendly and our week was full of memorable moments.
I would highly recommend this tour with Bindlestiff and I myself sincerely wish to discover another part of the US with this wonderful company!
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Just completed the 7 day Yellowstone, Bryce Canyon, Grand Tetons. Beautiful parks; amazing wildlife. Mike Brown was our tour guide. We could not have seen as many sights going on our own. Mike is organized, experienced and thoughtful. He dr..opped us off at the top of Mammoth Springs and then picked us up at the lower parking lot so we didn't have to walk back up the big hill. When the weather turned rainy, Mike made an unscheduled stop at Walmart so we could buy ponchos. Instead of waiting in the long line to register for camp sites, he took us to another lake side scenic stop and then came back later to register. When we discovered we forgot our walking poles in the van after the tour was over, Mike personally dropped them off at our vacation house. Excellent service! Be prepared for long drives between stops, lots of hiking, and sleeping in tents for 5 nights. Memorable trip.Read full review
Had a stellar week on the 7 day Southwest Highlights Tour. Our group started out as strangers - a mix of couples, solo travellers, father and son & a uni student but we ended as friends at the end of the week. Our awesome guide Joel was rel..axed, flexible, very knowledgeable of the history, geography, geology of all the places we visited and was super helpful in laying out all the options for the group on each day of the tour, to suit our capabilities, energy levels and requests of the trails some had researched beforehand (despite the 100+ Farenheit/40 Celsius days). Despite being a little anxious about the camping option (not having camped since high school), the tents were very spacious, the self-inflating sleeping mats they provided were comfortable - by the end of the week, I can say that I definitely know how to put up and take down a tent! The shower facilities were clean and adequate. The bus we drove around in was well air conditioned and comfortable. We were fed well to keep us energised for the day's activities. For breakfast a range of cereals, bagels, fruit & yoghurt. Lunch - cold meat sandwiches/wraps. Dinner - We had tacos, pasta and one night native Navajo tacos at a Navajo home which was a treat! The pace of the itinerary was comfortable, we didn't feel rushed at all - Joel took care of the timing and the logistics of everything! The 7 day tour enabled us to do the hikes, see the parks and enjoy it! The sunset dinner at Dead Horse Point was the highlight - with killer panoramic views, a great dinner and time to relax together as a group. I would definitely recommend this 7 day tour for those who want to see some of the Southwest, especially if you're a solo traveller (everything is taken care of) - it'll blow you away!Read full review