a mountain range filled with rocks and boulders

A Las Vegas to Death Valley excursion is among the finest day trips you can take from Las Vegas. This park is simply 2 hours from Sin City, so it’s the nearest national park to Las Vegas.

Death Valley is one of the most unique areas on earth, a location filled with salt flats, dunes, and impressive scenic viewpoints. It’s also an exceedingly hot and arid desert that experiences extreme temperatures, so taking safety measures is crucial. Do not be concerned; if you stick to the major attractions and ready yourself accordingly, you’ll successfully navigate your way through the park without any issues.

a mountain range with mountains in the distance

It’s possible to visit Death Valley from Las Vegas on your own (we did it during our West Coast Road Excursion), but if it’s your first time and you want to see all the highlights, I suggest taking an escorted tour. There are just a few options, and they all depart from Sin City. To assist you, I’m recommending the best one-day trip from Las Vegas to Death Valley.

Death Valley full-day tour, the best Death Valley day trip from Las Vegas

Spend a perfect day making an excursion from Las Vegas to Death Valley on this full-day guided tour. It includes roundtrip transportation on a private bus, making the 2-hour journey to the park simple and relaxed. Once there, you’ll stand before notable landmarks in Death Valley, like Dante`s View, Devil`s Golf Course, and Mule Team Canyon.

The guided tour involves driving scenically to view the Artist’s Palette, where you can capture remarkable photos of the colorful landscape. You will also witness the breathtaking perspective from Zabriskie Point and travel to the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere, Badwater Basin.

a desert landscape with mountains and mountains

Your small group will stop to have a picnic lunch at Furnace Creek Visitor Center, where you can rehydrate and explore the exhibits. With a maximum of 14 participants, this tour maximizes personal attention and includes additional destinations. Plus, a knowledgeable and passionate guide will keep you informed and engaged at each destination as the desert flora and fauna are examined.

  • Highlights: Badwater, Artist’s Palette, Dante’s View, Zabriskie Point, Devil’s Golf Course, Furnace Creek, Mule Team Canyon
  • Duration: 1 day
  • Price: $239+
  • Description: This full-day tour to Death Valley from Las Vegas includes hotel pick-up/drop-off and park admission. Go to the most iconic areas of Death Valley, enjoy a picnic lunch in the park, and spot wildlife in the harsh desert.

Departure & return of this day trip to Death Valley from Las Vegas

This Las Vegas visit to Death Valley leaves at 8 am and comes back to the city around 6 pm.

Itinerary of this Death Valley tour from Las Vegas

Your excursion from lodgings in Las Vegas to Death Valley National Park gets underway around 8 am with pick-up from several Vegas hotels. You`ll board a comfortable tour bus and travel through the Mojave Desert terrain to reach Death Valley National Park located in California.

Once your group reaches the park, you’ll tour Dante’s View, a 5,500-ft lookout point with beautiful vistas of Badwater Basin and Devil’s Golf Course, the two destinations you’ll go to next.

Badwater Basin is one of the most renowned places in Death Valley. The 200-square mile salt flat is the world`s largest, and Badwater sits at the lowest point in the country, at 282 ft below sea level. From there, you’ll go to Devil’s Golf Course, an extensive salt pan with jagged halite salt crystals. The big chunks of salt were left behind after Lake Manly evaporated, and the name β€˜Devil’s Golf Course’ comes from the chaotic landscape it creates.

a large amount of snow on a cloudy day

The subsequent part of the tour is a scenic drive through Artist’s Palette, an area of the Black Mountains where the rock faces range in hue from pink, red, and purple, to yellow, green, and gray. The colors are caused by oxidized iron, mica, and manganese, and create one of the most incredible attractions in the park.

Next, your group will stop at Furnace Creek for a picnic meal and some leisure period to explore the Visitor Center. There, you can gain more understanding about the surrounding Furnace Creek region. The fertile desert oasis is home to the highest recorded temperature on earth (134.1Β° F). The Visitor Center has displays, weather predictions, educational introductions, and other convenient facilities.

After the lunch recess, your group will continue the excursion by visiting Zabriskie Point. Its recognizable yellow and brown landscape stems from sediment broken down from Furnace Creek Lake.

a mountain range with mountains

Finally, you’ll journey to the nearby Twenty Mule Team Canyon, which additionally has distinctive yellow and brown hills. The caves and aged mine shafts were left in the wake of the prospecting time of the 1880s.

From there, the tour bus will transport you back to the Vegas Strip, arriving around 6 pm.

Death Valley tour from Las Vegas price

This day trip from Las Vegas to Death Valley costs $239 per person.

What’s included on this excursion to Death Valley National Park from Las Vegas

For $239/person, you’ll get round-trip transportation from Las Vegas to Death Valley, national park admission, lunch, snacks, water, and expert guides. Hotel pick-up/drop-off is also incorporated.

Las Vegas – Death Valley tour reviews

Our experience in Death Valley was amazing! We visited in August, and while it was hot, the heat was tolerable. Just be certain to bring adequate water!

We opted to explore the park ourselves, and I would advise allocating two days here to see all the attractions. However, if you’re short on time this single-dayDeath Valley tour out of Las Vegas is the best choice.

We appreciated the scenery from Zabriskie Point and Dante’s View in Death Valley, as well as the colorful stroll through Artist’s Palette. Another recommended sight is Badwater Basin, although it`s one of the hottest locales in the park.

a pile of rocks on top of a mountain

One of the most peculiar things we saw was Devil’s Golf Course, and it was enjoyable seeing it up close as well as from above at Dante’s View. And, of course, we kept an eye out for desert creatures like tortoises, wild rabbits, and coyotes.

Since we allocated additional time here, we were able to view some other attractions like the Mesquite Flat, the most famous dunes within the park. We wrote a guide on locations to reside in Death Valley, in case you are preparing to lease an automobile in Las Vegas and spend some additional time within the park too.

While a short visit may not allow seeing all this national park has to offer, even a one-day tour from Las Vegas can reveal some of its incredible highlights. Don`t worry if a longer trip isn`t possible – a brief time there is better than none at all.

Death Valley – Las Vegas map

You can view all of the attractions you`ll visit on this powerful Death Valley – Las Vegas tour using the map below.

FAQ – Tour to Death Valley from Las Vegas

For anyone uncertain about taking a day excursion to Death Valley from Las Vegas, I’ve answered some common questions you may have.

Entrance fees for Death Valley National Park are $15 for individuals and $30 per vehicle. Any Las Vegas tour to Death Valley will have the park admission cost included as part of the trip package.

Death Valley has hot and arid conditions all year, especially in summer. The most suitable time to explore Death Valley from Las Vegas spans late autumn through early spring. Between March and April, visitors can observe desert flora come alive while temperatures stay fairly pleasant, rendering it one of the better times to visit.

Death Valley is about 126 miles northwest of Las Vegas. It takes about 2 hours to arrive there.

You can take the picturesque path on NV-160 through Pahrump and Death Valley Junction. An alternate choice is taking US-95 through Indian Springs and Amargosa Valley.

Whether embarking on an expedition through Death Valley starting in Las Vegas or exploring independently, preparation is key:

  • Bring at least 1 gallon of water per person daily
  • Pack provisions and snacks for sustenance
  • Don`t forget sun-protective lotion
  • A hat is a must for shielding from the sun
  • Light, breathable layers allow flexibility in changing conditions
  • Feet need supportive hiking footwear
  • A first aid supply kit provides peace of mind
  • Backpacks help carry essential gear comfortably
  • Shades safeguard eyes from harsh sunlight
  • Mobile devices plus backup battery (reception is sparse in much of the park)
  • A camera captures scenic spots for reminiscing later

There are few Death Valley tours offered from Las Vegas, and the one recommended is the most budget-friendly ($240).

Exploring Death Valley on your own necessitates extreme care and thorough planning as running low on provisions or losing your way is easier than anticipated. For this reason, I suggest reserving a Death Valley excursion from Las Vegas.

Now you know how to travel from Las Vegas to Death Valley and all the attractions there. If you do want to experience all this place offers, I strongly recommend doing the Death Valley day tour from Las Vegas. Also, feel free to reach out if you have any questions; I’m happy to help. Have a safe trip!