US National Parks tours & holidays

Generally, you will not need a visa to travel to the United States for a period of up to 90 days under the United States Visa Waiver Program, however, a select few nationalities must obtain a non-immigrant visa.  

To enter the United States, you may need:  

• A passport valid for at least six months beyond your stay 
• An e-passport if travelling under the Visa Waiver Program 
• A visa or ESTA 
• Proof of onward or exit travel

Quick answer: All of them! But here's a few to put on your radar:

Yellowstone 

• Best for: geothermal features, wildlife and historic park architecture

Joshua Tree 

• Best for: desert landscapes, stargazing and accessible hikes 

Zion 

• Best for: canyon views, unique trails and big sandstone cliffs 

Grand Canyon 

• Best for: panoramic viewpoints, geological wonders and Indigenous stories 

Denali 

• Best for: wildlife, rugged wilderness and seeing North America’s tallest peak

Kenai Fjords 

• Best for: tidewater glaciers, marine life and paddling adventures 

Whether you’re coming from far away or you call the USA home, national park tours bring you deeper into the landscapes through storytelling, local know-how and the chance to veer off the main tourist trails. With a local leader, you’ll have all the logistics handled, including permits, entrance fees and transportation, so you can easily visit multiple places. Plus, they’ll bring you to their favourite spots for lesser-known experiences you won’t find in a travel guide. And when it comes to travelling with a small group of like-minded adventure buddies, there’s always safety (and more fun!) in numbers.  

There are 63 official national parks in the USA, spread across 30 states. So, visiting multiple parks on one trip requires a bit of planning. If you hop on one of our trips, we’ll help you tick off a few parks at once, and we’ll even drive you there so you can just sit back, relax and take in the scenery.  

To put it simply: self-drives, camping and guided trips. A road trip through the parks is an adventure, but you’ll need to do a whole lot of planning and driving. Camping is one of the best ways to get the most out of a park visit – sleeping right there in the heart of the wild. But a group trip combines all of this without any of the hassle, plus it adds local expertise to make your adventure even more immersive.  

The scenic areas and national parks in the USA are hard to reach without a car, and you can’t depend on local transportation outside of major cities, so you do need a car to visit the parks. If you travel with Intrepid, transportation will be handled for you, so you can just focus on the adventure and not how to get there.  

Yes, most national parks charge a fee for visitors entering the park. For travellers on an Intrepid trip, vehicle entrance fees and required permits are covered, but international visitors will need to pay additional nonresident entrance fees. Your local leader will help you understand the fees that apply to your trip and help you choose the best-value option for your itinerary and group. 

Nope! National parks are for everyone, and our trips offer a range of experiences from big hikes to short scenic walks. One of the best features of USA national parks is their balance of adventure and accessibility.  

What to pack depends on where and when you’re going, but you’ll want to bring clothes for changing weather, like a rain jacket, comfortable walking shoes or hiking boots, a reusable water bottle and a daypack for hikes. If you’re camping, bring warm layers and any personal essentials – but if you travel with us you don’t have to stress about the camping gear, we've got you.  

Absolutely! While we do have classic tent-camping trips, our trips also stay in lodges, hotels and nearby towns. Our Premium trips include Feature Stays like a canyon lodge in Yellowstone or a hotel right on the south rim of the Grand Canyon. If you still want the outdoorsy feel without pitching a tent, our glamping adventure has western-style wagons with proper beds, private bathrooms and a fire pit.  

National parks are great for solo travellers, but it does put the burden of planning, logistics and safety in your hands. If you want a solo adventure without the hassle, travelling with a local leader lets you shrug off the driving, trail conditions and safety stuff, so you can focus on the fun parts instead of figuring it out alone. Plus, you’ll be travelling with like-minded people, which makes it an easy way to meet others and share the adventure.