Death Valley Explorer Tour from Las Vegas — Dante's View, Badwater & Artists Drive
Difficulty
easy
Duration
10 hours
Fitness Level
Suitable for most fitness levels; expect short walks on flat or paved surfaces and periods spent standing for views and photos.
Overview
Leave Las Vegas for a ten-hour sweep across extremes: Dante’s View, Badwater Basin, Devil’s Golf Course and the chromatic hills of Artists Drive. This guided Tour Trekker itinerary blends geology, mining history and accessible viewpoints for a full sampler of Death Valley National Park.
Death Valley Explorer Tour from Las Vegas — Dante's View, Badwater & Artists Drive
Select participants and date
The Tour Trekker pulls away from the neon glare of Las Vegas before sunrise and the highway begins to thin into a washboard of desert light. By midmorning the vehicle is threading a ribbon of asphalt that drops through warm, brittle air into a landscape that seems to exist under its own rules: ridgelines of baked rock, salt flats so white they glare, and canyons painted in mineral tones. The guide opens the day with context—how tectonic thrust and ancient lakes carved the valley—then steers toward Dante’s View, where you can feel the altitude change like a dial: 5,500 feet of thin, cool air above a basin that sinks to -282 feet below sea level.
Adventure Photos
Adventure Tips
Hydrate for a long, dry day
Carry at least 2 liters of water per person even though bottled water is provided—dehydration sets in quickly in desert heat.
Bring layered clothing
Temperatures can drop 30°F between Badwater and Dante’s View; pack a light jacket even in spring and fall.
Protect against glare and sun
Sunglasses, broad-brim hat and high-SPF sunscreen are vital—the white salt flats amplify UV exposure.
Respect fragile features
Stay on boardwalks and marked trails at Badwater and Devil’s Golf Course to avoid damaging delicate salt crust and desert soils.
Local Insights
Wildlife
- Desert bighorn sheep
- Kangaroo rats and various lizards
History
The valley’s late-19th-century borax industry—remembered in Harmony Borax Works and twenty-mule team lore—shaped the region’s early Euro-American economy; Timbisha Shoshone people have lived in the area for centuries.
Conservation
The park’s salt crusts and rare springs are fragile; visitors should stay on designated paths and minimize water use, while guided tours limit vehicle impact by consolidating visits.
Select participants and date
Adventure Hotspots in Las Vegas, NV
Frequently Asked Questions
Recommended Gear
2–3L water bottle or hydration pack
Keeps you hydrated during long stretches in dry air; refill options are limited.
spring specific
Sun protection (hat, sunscreen, sunglasses)
Protects against intense desert sun and reflective glare off salt pans.
summer specific
Sturdy closed-toe shoes
Provides traction on uneven ground at viewpoints and salt edges.
fall specific
Light insulating layer (windbreaker or fleece)
Useful for high-elevation stops like Dante’s View where winds and cool temps can bite.
winter specific