Private Day Trip From LA

Joshua Tree National Park Private Adventure from Los Angeles. Rated 4.5 across 2 reviews. Runs 13 to 15 hours. From $1180.

Overview

Nik Adventures runs this private day trip from Los Angeles to Joshua Tree National Park, collecting your group of up to five people from your hotel or the airport and driving you out for a full desert day. The whole outing runs 13 to 15 hours, so it is a long one, and the private format means only your group travels together with the guide.

The route strings together a full day of stops. You start in Pioneertown, then call at the Joshua Tree Visitor Center before heading into the park itself. Inside, the tour covers Hidden Valley, Skull Rock, the Arch Rock Nature Trail, Keys View and Intersection Rock, with admission included at every stop.

Because it is private and capped at five, the day suits travellers who want a relaxed, intimate setting rather than a big bus experience. Photographers and nature lovers are the audience the operator names. One thing to plan for: food is not included, only bottled water, so you will need to arrange meals yourself across a very long day.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Pickup in Los AngelesThe operator collects your group from your hotel or the airport. Exact pickup details are shown at booking.
2. PioneertownThe first stop is Pioneertown, with an hour here. Admission is included.
3. Joshua Tree Visitor CenterA 30 minute stop at the visitor center, with admission included.
4. Hidden ValleyOne hour and 30 minutes at Hidden Valley, admission included.
5. Skull RockAn hour at Skull Rock, admission included.
6. Arch Rock Nature TrailOne hour and 30 minutes on the Arch Rock Nature Trail, admission included.
7. Keys ViewA 30 minute stop at Keys View, admission included.
8. Intersection Rock and returnThe final stop is Intersection Rock for one hour and 30 minutes, admission included, before the drive back to Los Angeles.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will shape how this day goes, based on the listing and what travellers have reported.

• Plan your food. Only bottled water is included. Food and other drinks are not, so bring your own or budget for a stop. One reviewer noted the water bottles were not in a cooler, so chilled drinks are not a given.
• Long day out. The tour runs 13 to 15 hours door to door. That is a big chunk of the day, so plan around an early start and a late return.
• Private group feel. The trip is private and takes up to five people. Only your group participates, which keeps the day uncrowded.
• Time at each stop. Stops such as Hidden Valley, Arch Rock and Intersection Rock each run over an hour, so the day is not rushed. The listing says most travellers can participate, but it is not wheelchair accessible.
• Weather dependent. The experience requires good weather. If it is cancelled for poor weather, you are offered a different date or a full refund, so have a backup plan for your LA stay.

Common issues. The tour is not wheelchair accessible, which rules it out for some travellers. Food and drinks beyond bottled water are excluded, so factor meals into a very long day. One reviewer felt the guide, while a kind and capable driver who knew the area well, was not strong on the geography, history, or plants and animals of the region. The day also depends on good weather, with cancellations possible.

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