Highlights of Arizona & the Grand Canyon

After included VIP airport lounge access, take your flight from the UK to Phoenix and, on arrival, make your way to your hotel for the next two nights. You've got a full day on day two to explore the nearby delights of Phoenix, from live music venues and rooftop lounges to Roosevelt Row's art galleries and studios. Don't miss a few hours at one of the myriad luxury spa resorts, golf courses or natural splendours, such as the iconic Camelback Mountain or Desert Botanical Garden.

Stay: Westin Phoenix Downtown or Found:Re Phoenix (Superior)

Pick up your hire car and head to Sedona today, following wide open plains and vast ochre landscapes. Your home will be Orchards Inn, home to panoramic red rock views alongside an outdoor pool and hot tub – come back to cosy fireplaces after a day spent on a Jeep tour or hot air balloon ride. Many say they can feel the special spirits in Sedona – others say it's just the pristine beauty of red rock that makes this such as special place to visit. The town itself is set so far down among the rock formations that as you drive around its quiet streets, red-rock cliffs seem to tower above at almost every angle. Catch the Sedona Trolley for tours of the region and for a complete introduction to this spectacular corner of Arizona desert. 

As an alternative to Sedona, you might also consider a stay in Cottonwood, a charming town with a great food scene and easy access to the excellent Verde Canyon Railroad – a four-hour journey among the history and beauty of the wider Sedona region.

Stay: Orchards Inn (Superior)

Your drive today takes you via Flagstaff on a spectacular route, which contrasts vasts canyons with alpine forests on the way to Chinle. Here the Canyon de Chelly National Monument is the obvious highlight, a sprawling landscape belonging to the Navajo tribe. Features include the 800-foot tall Spider Rock spire and the soaring sandstone cliffs that surround the rippling canyon, and the area's habitation by Native Americans for millions of years means it's scattered throughout with prehistoric rock art. 

Stay: Thunderbird Lodge Canyon de Chelly (Standard)

On day five you'll drive to the iconic Monument Valley on the border with Utah, where you'll spend two nights. Having featured in such film classics as Easy Rider and Forrest Gump, the towering buttes and mesas of Monument Valley form one of the USA's most familiar landscapes, and one of its most spectacular. It's also a region steeped in Native-American history, once as the home of the Ancestral Puebloans and later the Navajo, who called this site the 'Valley Between the Rocks'. Take the 17-mile Valley Drive, which brings you through unending desert landscape to eleven marked stops, each one showcasing fine views of the park's iconic sandstone towers.

Stay: The View (Standard) 

The spectacular Lake Powell, edged and scattered with red rock stacks, is an otherworldly sight that wouldn't look out of place on Mars. Highlights here include swimming, boating and hiking among the flooded canyons, and the slit of Horseshoe Bend is a must-see, making for truly stunning photo opportunities. Discover neighbouring Page, too, exploring the slot canyons with a Navajo guide in the rippling Antelope Canyon. You could watch the dramatic lake from above by helicopter, or for the more adventurous, there's rafting opportunities to the iconic Glen Canyon dam. You'll stay at the Lake Powell Resort, perfectly situated for all available activities, with a pool and easy access to the docks, fire pits and dining at Driftwood Lounge, offering traditional food in a stunning setting, and Rainbow Room, all floor-to-ceiling glass walls overlooking the stunning rock-speckled lake.

Stay: Lake Powell Resort (Standard)

At 277 miles long and 6,000 feet deep, the Grand Canyon, a World Heritage site and natural wonder of the world, is a truly remarkable place. Taking the Desert View Drive – a 25-mile route along the canyon's south rim – you'll pause at a series of viewpoints to enjoy magnificent views across the layers of multi-coloured rock, some dating back millions of years, that form the canyon's sheer rock walls. The Grand Canyon will celebrate its centennial in 2019 with events throughout the year around the canyon and surrounding communities, making it an excellent time to visit. Your hotel, El Tovar, is right on the edge of the canyon, meaning wonderful sunset views, and the famous southern rim trail is practically on its doorstep. All local limestone and Oregon pine, each room is unique, with the historic Dining Room decorated with murals that reflect the customs of Native American Tribes – the signature dish is prime rib. Please note, El Tovar may be closed for renovations in late 2019 or early 2020. During this time, accommodation will be at Maswik North, comprised of cosy cabins and historic lodge buildings just moments from the canyon’s edge.

Catch your breath just outside the spa-strewn Scottsdale for your final two nights. Scottsdale's Sonoran desert setting offers visitors an indulgent getaway and has grown into one of the world's leading desert retreats, home to everything from boutique hideaways to world-leading golf and spa resorts. The walkable old town serves up shops, restaurants, galleries and museums, while the eastern border is perfect for hiking and biking along the red rock butts of Papago Park or among the winding trails though 16,000 acres of the Sonoran Desert. 

Stay: The Scottsdale Resort and Spa, Curio Collection by Hilton (Superior)

Take a final morning to stroll along the foothills of Camelback or browse the boutique shops – you're just 15 minutes from Phoenix airport. Drive there to drop off your hire car before your overnight flight back to the UK, arriving on day 14. Alternatively, extend your holiday with a ranch stay in the Sonoran Desert on the outskirts of Tucson. With a range of activities included, from horseback rides to mountain biking coupled with the likes of cowboy cookout barbecues, it's the ideal introduction to dude ranch culture. You'll find more details below.