Monday, October 7, 2019

Travel To Bryce And Zion


Travel To Bryce And Zion
If a trip to Bryce and Zion has been on your radar for a long time you haven’t been able to figure out a way to get enough time to make the road trip from where you are, here’s an interesting way to approach seen these kinds of places without having the amount of driving time in between that you might think you need.  If you live on the West Coast and you might be able to make the trip from your house to some of the national parks and area, and doing a reasonable timeframe.  But if you live almost anywhere else in the country you’re probably facing upwards of three days driving just to get to an area like the grand canyon.  This can be a little bit intimidating for some people, especially because they will be driving the majority of the distance across the desert which can be quite difficult if you’re not used to it.  This is why savvy travelers have begun using a kind of trick for their travel that saves them lots of time.  This is basically flying into the starting point and then travel and from there.  In the case of a lot of the national parks are in the southwestern portion of the United States, Las Vegas makes the best starting point for many of these kinds of trips.  This is because Las Vegas is appropriately positioned in the middle of the Mojave Desert, the outskirts of which many of these protected spaces are on.  In the early days, people traveling across the Mojave Desert needed a place to stop halfway through in order to resupply or rest to before continuing on their journey.  After airline traffic began to take over as the method of traveling across the country that most people would choose, Las Vegas actually became a more appropriate starting point for travel to these remote areas that do not have airports closer.  Because national parks are generally remote and do not have much for infrastructure built around them, you either need drive directly two the park from your home or figure out an appropriate starting point.  In the southwest, Las Vegas makes perfect sense as a starting point because it is a tourist destination of its own.  The flights to go in and the city and hotel rooms are going to be more affordable and more convenient for most people than other starting point cities like Salt Lake City.  A little bit of planning can make a trip quite tolerable, especially if you plan on visiting Zion as part of your vacation.  Zion Canyon is actually located only 2 hours from the city, so you can use it as the first stop, camping in between and then continuing on your journey the next day.  By minimizing the amount of driving time in between each stop, you can make your trip far more enjoyable because work done will be spent hiking in less time we spent driving.


Thursday, September 12, 2019

Antelope Canyon Day Tours - What You Need To Know


Antelope Canyon Day Tours - What You Need To Know

Antelope canyon in Arizona is one of the most unique places in the world.  It is considered to be a photographer’s paradise as well as one of the most difficult areas to photograph effectively.  This is quite simply because it is a crack in the earth that ultimately is relying upon sunlight from directly above to illuminate your entire landscape.  The walls of the slot canyon have been smoothed over time by rushing water, creating a flowing effect that allows for sunbeams to travel and from the ground above all the way to the canyon floor.  To capture the sun beams on film, must be present at certain times of the year when the sun is directly overhead.  During these timeframes, photographers flock from all over the world to try their hand at photographing this unique space.  The walls of the canyon were carved by water it is produced by flash flooding instead of a river the way the majority of slot canyons are produced.  This creates a completely dry environment on the canyon floor, as well as the sculpted walls that make this area so unique.  It also makes it dangerous to tour if you’re not familiar with the special circumstances.  There have been tourists hurt and killed over the course of the last few decades, which ultimately resulted in the installation of security and safety devices within the canyon as well as a monitoring of local weather by both the national weather service and the weather service operated by Navajo nation.  If there is any chance of rain within the area that can contribute to flash flooding in the canyon, then tours are not allowed until this weather has passed.  Many times, this means that tours will be shutdown even though there is no rain visible from the canyon entrance.  This can provide frustration and disappointment for people who have driven from faraway areas like Las Vegas to tour the canyon, however it is for your own safety.  Navajo nation does not allow for self guided tours, and requires either on Navajo guide for a person who has been certified by Navajo nation as being familiar with the unique area.  For this reason, it is highly suggested that you do not attempt your antelope canyon tour on your own.  Instead, it is a far better idea to book a tour with a tour company who offers the multiple park excursions, thereby being able to take you to a different area if antelope canyon is closed for the time you are there.  Even if you were to attempt it on your own, you’re still going to need to buy your tickets in advance to the fact that long lines will sometimes create situations where tours are sold out and people are not able to take the tour that they drove there for.  A guided tour that is arranged by professional tour company will take care of all of these issues for you in order to remove the possibility of disappointment.

What You Need To Know About Antelope Canyon


What You Need To Know About Antelope Canyon

You’re not allowed to take a self guided tour of antelope canyon.  This is one of the biggest mistakes that people make when they come to Las Vegas and then decide they’re going to visit a national park that within driving distance.  Even though antelope canyon isn’t technically a national park due to the fact that it is controlled and owned by Navajo nation, it is still protected space that is ultimately one of the most unique areas on earth as well as one of the most visually stunning.  This slot canyon located just to the east of Page Arizona was created by the rushing water of flash flooding over many thousands of years.  This is unique to only a few places on earth, because the majority of large canyons like this are created by the flowing water of rivers or streams.  Antelope canyon was created by flooding that comes and goes, meaning that the bottom of the canyon floor is dry when you tour it.  This also means that there are going to be times when you’re not allowed to enter to do the fact that flash flooding is unpredictable and can cause damage or death.  There have been several instances of tourists hurt or killed over the years by being overcome by flash flooding that was not able to be visually seen from the entrance to the canyon.  There’ve been the installation of safety devices over the years as well as a policy put into place where Navajo nation does not allow for tours to happen if there’s any chance whatsoever of rain in the area that can contribute to a flash flood through the canyon.  If they run their own weather service in addition to the national weather service in order to maintain this policy.  You’re also not allowed to tour the area on your own, needing a Navajo guide or a person who has been certified by Navajo nation as being familiar with the area.  This is for the safety of the patrons who want to tour.  It can be quite frustrating if you drive all the way from Las Vegas only to find out that the area is closed, especially if you cannot see rain developing overhead.  They will not take any chances and there are no exceptions to this rule.

Is highly suggested that if you plan on visiting antelope canyon you do so by utilizing a tour company that will be able to visit a different area would this particular canyon be closed.  It is almost impossible to predict whether antelope canyon will be open or closed until the morning that you would plan on touring it, and even though you have to buy tickets in advance if you were to avoid getting shut out of the tour on the day you were there, there’s still a good chance that you will not be able to tour when you get there.  Only professional tour companies are able to create packages that will ultimately visit other areas if their patrons cannot visit antelope canyon.  Leave it to the professionals.

About Antelope Canyon


About Antelope Canyon

Antelope canyon is one of the most unique places on earth, a slot canyon carved from sandstone by rushing water over thousands of years, making it a photographer’s paradise.  Most canyons are created by Rivers which will run over the course of the same area for many thousands of years, but antelope canyon is different.  When you tour this area you will notice that the floor of the canyon is dry, and you may wonder how this crack and the earth was created if there is no flowing water moving through it.  As surprising as this is, antelope canyon was created by the rushing waters of flash floods over a soft rock surface.  This is why antelope canyon has the look that it does, with flowing and smooth rock walls which tower above the floor of the canyon itself.  One of the most unique aspects of antelope canyon is that during certain times of year when the sun is directly overhead, light beams will travel all the way from the opening at the top to the canyon floor.  When photographed with the wide open aperture, they can be captured in stunning photographs that are not able to be recreated anywhere else on earth.  With the colorful background of this move canyon walls, and the completely unique look of light beams coming through the dark to the sand floor, even the photographs do not do it justice.  It is something that you must see in person to truly appreciate, but this can be more difficult and challenging than you might expect.  The very thing that created antelope canyon is in play today, and any moment flash floods can create a dangerous situation that could trap tour groups inside the canyon and ultimately harm them.  This is happened in the past, leading to some very strict regulations to happen regarding the tours.  Safety equipment has been installed and there are no tours available on any day when the possibility of rain is there, I even within many miles of the canyon itself.  Many people do not understand that you do not have to be able to see the rain in order for it to ultimately arrive in the canyon, which is why Navajo nation operates their own weather service in order to make determinations on whether the canyon will be able to be toured on that day.  In a nutshell, you must go to antelope canyon in order to be able to tour it, even though you might not be able to make a determination until that day if the tour will be available.  You’ll also need to buy tickets in advance due to the fact that the tours sell out quickly.  You’re not allowed to self tour, an ultimately have to have either a Navajo guide or a qualified field guide leading your tour.  This is why it is suggested that you do not attempt to do this on your own, and leave the tour plans to the professional groups.

Friday, September 21, 2018

The Grand Canyon From Las Vegas

If you plan n touring the Grand Canyon and leaving from Las Vegas, it is important that you understand that there are two different areas that are offered as tour locations for the Grand Canyon. The reason it is important is that they are completely different locations with very different landscapes and activities offered, and many people who have dreamed of seeing the Grand Canyon that they have seen in books and magazines have the possibility of booking a tour to the wrong location. The marketing from tour companies will generally say "Tour The Grand Canyon" with little to no explanation of the area they are going to, and there is a good possibility that people who have booked a tour from some companies will regret their decision when they find out too late. It is important to understand that the "South Rim" of the Grand Canyon and the West Rim are two very different places, and you have to make your decision based upon what you are looking for in a tour instead of if it is simply going to the Grand Canyon. They are both the Grand Canyon, as is everywhere in between them. Each is simply a different viewpoint with different aspects that will appeal to different types of tourists.

The South Rim of the Grand Canyon is the traditional view point that you have seen in pictures for decades. It contains the Grand Canyon national park, which is the area protected by the federal government as part of our effort to preserve historic and important areas and landmarks. The national park area is very scenic and lush, with hundreds of species of plants and animals that will be able to be observed at any point, as well as offering hiking and rafting, donkey rides and helicopter adventures. The South Rim has traditionally been considered the area that is referred to when you say you are taking a Grand Canyon tour. In recent years, a marketing campaign from the Navajo Indian tribe has provided an alternative area to tour, equipped with a manmade glass bridge for viewing. This area is located in the West Rim, and has struggled to receive tourist traffic due to the fact that it is less scenic and more desert landscape. It is not within the national park system, and as a result there is less to do there, and fewer amenities. The Skywalk Bridge was constructed as a way to lure Las Vegas tourists to the location instead of the traditional national park, and the proximity to Las Vegas was the biggest benefit. This location is 2 hours from Las Vegas instead of 4, and has become the choice for people with extremely limited time who only want a few pictures.

In our opinion, it is worth the extra driving time to visit the actual Grand Canyon National Park instead of the area which is simply "closer." Yes, the manmade bridge is interesting, but the area is generally appreciated for the natural beauty and not for tourist attractions that are much like a ride at a theme park. The Grand Canyon National Park offers outdoor enthusiasts a far wider range of activities that would be considered "adventurous" and also offers the backdrop for the photography that everyone who visits will want to take. If you only have an extremely limited time then the West Rim tours might be the answer, but if you actually want to visit the Grand Canyon we suggest the South Rim. Buyer beware.

Portions of this article were written using information from Bindlestiff Tours at
https://www.bindlestifftours.com/package/grand-canyon-overnight/

The Best Grand Canyon Tours From Las Vegas

Visitors to Las Vegas have an enormous amount of choices when it comes to entertainment during their vacation. A city that started as a simple town that was positioned to provide the things that travelers needed as they were traveling across the desert eventually grew into a destination of it's own, due to the fact that you could do things here that you could not do elsewhere. Las Vegas became the place where people actually traveled to in order to be entertained, as opposed to a place they stopped over while going to that place. Over the years the levels of entertainment and the amount of choices has grown to a level that is far beyond nearly every other place on earth, and as a result travelers have more hotel and restaurant choices, more shows and gambling, more sightseeing and music options than everywhere else. There are also more flights in and out of Las Vegas than most other airports, and the flights can be had from nearly all cities for low prices.

People that love the outdoors also have a soft spot for Las Vegas, even though some might not understand why because it is primarily an "inside" city filled with casinos and shows. In reality, the positioning of Las Vegas that made it a perfect place to use as a stopover also makes it the perfect place to start from if you are touring southwestern national parks. There are more than five national parks within a half-day drive of Las Vegas, and because driving is really the only way to reach the majority of these parks it serves as the perfect starting point. Many people fly into Las Vegas and book a hotel room simply to use as the starting point for the travel to the national parks of their choice. The most popular destinations from Las Vegas are Zion Canyon and the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon is so popular from Las Vegas that there are almost 15,000 searches for information about it on Google every month, and the competition between tour companies that provide Grand Canyon tours is fierce. One interesting aspect of this competition is that these companies do not all provide the same tour product, and many of them tour a completely different area of the Grand Canyon than the traditional national park area. For this reason, tourists must research which tour they are being offered in order to avoid disappointment.

It is important to understand that there are two very different Grand Canyon tours that are offered by companies in Las Vegas. Some tour the "West Rim" which is an area of land that is controlled by the Navajo Indian tribe and features a manmade glass bridge. The other tours go to the "South Rim" which is the traditional viewing point within the national park, and offers a wide range of activities like hiking and helicopter rides. The two areas are part of the same canyon, but are very different. The West Rim is less scenic and is more of a desert landscape. The South Rim is more green and scenic, and is probably the area you have seen in pictures. Both of these areas are offered by tour companies under the title "Grand Canyon Tours" and many people can be mislead into thinking they were going to the scenic national park area by not paying attention. The West Rim is more designed for Las Vegas tourists short on time, because it only takes two hours to get there instead of four. The South Rim, however is far better of an area to tour, as it has more scenery and wildlife to view, more hiking and rafting, and more exploration opportunities. Choose your Grand Canyon tour carefully!

Aspects of this article were researched using Bindlestiff Tours at
https://www.bindlestifftours.com/package/grand-canyon-overnight/

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Las Vegas Foodie Tours For Food Lovers

When you come to Las Vegas for a vacation, you are probably looking for a few specific things, namely gambling and entertainment in the form of shows.  However there is another type of tourist that comes to Las Vegas that is not necessarily looking for any of these things, this person actually using the city as a starting and ending point for national parks tours. Because of the close proximity of the city to numerous southwestern parks, many outdoors enthusiasts who have no interest in gambling book plane tickets and hotels in Las Vegas every year. They are actually interested in the entertainment that happens outside of the city in the wide open spaces that surround the city, and they are only really interested in the fact that Las Vegas as a tourist attraction itself offers them cheaper flights and hotels in a logical place to start their journey. If you do not live within a few hundred miles of the national park you want to visit, then you are going to probably spend more time driving than exploring, unless you fly into a nearby city and start the trip from that point. Las Vegas is a logical starting point for Zion, Bryce, Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon. Because of the large number of tourists who undertake this type of trip every year, there are opportunities for tours to be offered within the city as well, and this is exactly what Bindlestiff Tours is doing.

A large amount of the guests that Bindlestiff Tours escorts from Las Vegas to national parks in the region will also book a few extra days to explore the city itself. When you have come to a place like Las Vegas, it would be a shame to not explore the city for at least a few days, but the tourists that are interested in things like national parks are rarely going to spend too much of their time doing research on the best things to do in Las Vegas. As a result, they end up doing the most obvious tourist things, and ultimately will probably not enjoy themselves very much.

Bindlestiff Tours is now offering "foodie" tours of downtown and the strip. These are walking tours of several of the most iconic and famous restaurants in the area, where the group gets to take in the ambiance of the restaurant as well as sample several of the best dishes. These types of tastings are not available to single people who book a reservation, so they are perfect for the person with limited time to spend exploring the city and a desire to try some of the best food that is offered.  There are no reservations necessary at the locations, and the large bills that would typically be part of a fine dining experience in Las Vegas do not apply. You will get to sample the best the city has to offer, and go home talking about all the great restaurants you tried and all the famous chefs who you ate their favorite dishes.  Book your foodie tour today on Bindlestiff Tours website here: https://www.bindlestifftours.com/package/downtown-lip-smacking-tour/