Death Valley 2-Day Private Tour from Los Angeles

Two Days in Death Valley: From Zabriskie Point to Badwater Basin

You get picked up in Los Angeles and driven straight into Death Valley's main sights over two days: Zabriskie Point, Twenty-Mule Team Canyon, Ubehebe Crater, and Dantes View on day one; sunrise at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Mosaic and Golden Canyons, Artist's Palette, and Badwater Basin sunset on day two. The tour includes park entry, water, fuel, parking, and an air-conditioned vehicle with a private driver — you arrange your own hotel but the tour handles the rest. You can choose to end in Los Angeles or Las Vegas.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Los Angeles to Death Valley National Park

• Pick up from Los Angeles hotel
• Drive 4.5 hours with breakfast stop
• Visit Zabriskie Point for 30 minutes
• Explore Twenty-Mule Team Canyon for 1 hour
• Drive 1.5 hours to Ubehebe Crater
• Explore Ubehebe Crater for 1 hour
• Watch sunset at Dantes View for 30 minutes
• Head to hotel for overnight stay

Day 2 — Death Valley Exploration and Return

• Sunrise at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes for 1 hour
• Explore Mosaic Canyon for 30 minutes
• Hike Golden Canyon for 2 hours
• Visit Furnace Creek Visitor Center and lunch for 1.5 hours
• Explore Desolation Canyon for 30 minutes
• Visit Artists Palette for 1 hour
• Sunset at Badwater Basin for 1.5 hours
• Drive back to Los Angeles or Las Vegas

The Experience

You're picked up at 7:30 am from your Los Angeles hotel, and four and a half hours later you're standing at Zabriskie Point, looking out at badlands that don't look real. The colors shift from gold to rust to purple depending on the light, and the scale of it hits you — this is what the park is actually like, not a photo. You spend thirty minutes here taking it in, then drive to Twenty-Mule Team Canyon, where the rock walls narrow and the striations tell a story in stone that's millions of years old. An hour of walking, and you're already tired in the good way.

By afternoon you're at Ubehebe Crater, a volcanic punch bowl carved into the desert floor about 1.5 hours' drive from the canyon. The rim walk takes as long as you want it to, and the crater itself — deep, wide, silent — is the kind of thing you don't forget. Then comes Dantes View for sunset, thirty minutes of sitting with the whole valley spread below you, turning gold and pink as the sun drops. Your driver takes you to your hotel (you book this separately, but the park has options right there), and you collapse knowing tomorrow starts early.

Day two begins before dawn at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes if you're up for it — the sunrise hits the dunes and they glow, and the light is soft in a way that makes photographs look like paintings. If you'd rather sleep, you can skip it or go later; the tour adjusts. After that, Mosaic Canyon is a short walk through polished marble walls, then Golden Canyon opens up with a two-hour hike through colored rock if you want it, or you can stay in the car and rest. Lunch happens at Furnace Creek Visitor Center, where there's shade and palm trees and rangers who know the park's history. A ten-minute drive takes you to Desolation Canyon, stark and quiet, then Artist's Palette — an actual hillside painted in reds, pinks, greens, purples by mineral deposits — where you spend an hour walking and shooting photos. The tour wraps at Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America, where you watch another sunset over salt flats that stretch to nothing. After that, your driver takes you back to Los Angeles, or to Las Vegas if that's where you're headed next.

What’s included

• Private transportation from Los Angeles to Death Valley and back.
• admission to Death Valley National Park.
• bottled water throughout the tour.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• fuel surcharge.
• parking fees.
• stops at Zabriskie Point, Twenty-Mule Team Canyon, Ubehebe Crater, Dantes View, Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Mosaic Canyon, Golden Canyon, Furnace Creek Visitor Center, Artist's Palette, and Badwater Basin.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for heart conditions

Operated by Photravel Adventures

Is this one for you?This tour suits travelers who want to see Death Valley's main sights without renting a car or planning the route themselves — the private driver handles the 4.5-hour drive from Los Angeles, the timing between stops, and the choice of whether to end in Las Vegas or return home, which removes the logistics and lets you focus on the landscape.

Top questions

What time does the tour start from Los Angeles?

Hotel pickup is around 7:30 am, with a 4.5-hour drive to Death Valley and a breakfast stop along the way.

Is park entry included?

Yes, admission to Death Valley National Park is included in the tour price.

Do I need to book my own hotel?

Yes, accommodations are not included. The tour operator can help you book, and staying inside the park is recommended for convenience.

Can I choose to end the tour in Las Vegas instead of Los Angeles?

Yes, you can arrange drop-off in Las Vegas instead of returning to Los Angeles.

How much hiking is involved?

The tour includes optional hikes and walks. Golden Canyon has a two-hour hike, but you can skip it. Mosaic Canyon is a short walk, and Zabriskie Point and Artist's Palette are accessible viewpoints.

What's included in the tour price?

Private transportation, park entry, bottled water, air-conditioned vehicle, fuel surcharge, and parking fees are included. Meals and hotel are separate.

How many people can join a private tour?

This is a private tour, so it's customized for your group size.

Is there time for lunch?

Yes, lunch break happens at Furnace Creek Visitor Center on day two, where there are dining options and shade.