Death Valley: Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour & Salt Flats

80 Miles Through Death Valley's Hottest Spots, Narrated on Your Phone

You download the app, load the tour offline, and drive 80 miles through Death Valley at your own pace while 55+ audio stories play automatically. You'll see Zabriskie Point, Artist's Palette, Badwater Basin, and Devils Golf Course, with the flexibility to stop for hikes, photos, or rest whenever you want. One purchase covers your whole car, and lifetime access means you can use it again on any future trip.

Step-by-step itinerary

• Download Tour Guide App and audio
• Start tour at designated starting point
• Learn about Death Valley's harsh beauty
• Discover borax history at Hidden Valley
• View salt flats from Dante's View
• Drive through Twenty Mule Team Canyon
• Visit iconic Zabriskie Point
• Stop at Furnace Creek Visitor Center
• Access Golden Canyon trailhead
• See Mars Hill rock formation
• Drive Artists Drive for colorful rocks
• View Artist’s Palette rock collection
• Drive to Devils Golf Course landscape
• Visit Badwater Basin salt flats

The Experience

You've just landed in Palm Springs. It's hot, you've got a rental car, and you've got the afternoon free. Death Valley is less than two hours away, and instead of driving blind or paying for a crowded bus tour, you download an app to your phone before you leave the hotel. That's it. No guide to wait for, no group schedule, no extra cost per person in the car. The audio starts playing automatically as you drive, triggered by GPS, and it keeps going offline even when you lose signal—which you will, because cell service in Death Valley is spotty at best.

The tour itself runs over 80 miles and includes more than 55 audio stories woven into the drive. You'll hit Zabriskie Point first, where the badlands drop away below you in layers of ochre and rust, then loop through Twenty Mule Team Canyon with its saffron-colored hills glowing at sunrise or sunset. Artist's Palette comes next—those wildly colored rocks that look painted but aren't—and then the unpaved road down to Devils Golf Course, where the salt crust has buckled into jagged formations that look nothing like a golf course. The whole thing takes about 4 to 5 hours if you drive straight through, but you won't. You'll stop at Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level, where the salt flats stretch 200 square miles across the desert floor. You'll probably get out and walk on them. Everyone does.

The app is straightforward—download it over WiFi before you enter the park, load the Death Valley tour onto your phone, and you're set. Once it's downloaded, the GPS map and audio work completely offline, so you don't need to hunt for signal while you're driving. The stories play automatically as you approach each stop, or you can pause, rewind, skip ahead. If you want to hike the Golden Canyon trail (about 3 miles, an hour round trip), you pause the audio, do the hike, come back to the car, and pick up where you left off. One purchase covers everyone in your car, not per person, which saves money if you're traveling with family or friends. And because it's lifetime access with no expiry, you can download it now and use it on a future trip to Death Valley, or lend the app to someone else planning a visit.

One thing to know: Death Valley charges an entrance fee (seven-day pass), and that's separate from this tour. Also, check the park's official alerts before you go—recent flooding has closed some roads, and conditions change. But if the main routes are open, this self-guided tour covers all the major stops without you having to figure out the route or worry about keeping up with a group. You move at your own pace, stop when you want, and the audio fills in the history and geology as you drive.

What’s included

• Self-guided audio tour with 55+ stories and GPS-triggered narration.
• 80-mile driving route covering Zabriskie Point, Artist's Palette, Badwater Basin, Devils Golf Course, and Twenty Mule Team Canyon.
• offline GPS map and audio that work without cell service.
• lifetime access to download and use anytime.
• one purchase covers everyone in your car.
• flexible pacing so you can pause for hikes, photos, or rest.
• planning tools and scenic stop previews in the app.
• customer support via chat, email, or phone.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Adventures with Action

Is this one for you?Right for anyone arriving in Palm Springs who wants to see Death Valley's main highlights without booking a group tour or navigating the park alone. The self-guided format lets you move at your own pace and stop whenever you want, which is what makes a full day possible without feeling rushed.

Traveler reviews

4.22★★★★★★★★★★

37 verified traveler reviews

5 ★21

4 ★8

3 ★5

2 ★1

1 ★2

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

How long does the Death Valley audio tour take?

About 4 to 5 hours to drive the full 80-mile route, but you can pause anytime to hike, eat, or photograph.

Do I need cell service for the audio tour to work?

No. Download the tour over WiFi or strong cellular signal before entering the park, and it works completely offline using GPS.

Does the price cover everyone in my car?

Yes. One purchase includes everyone in your vehicle, not per person.

What app do I need to download?

The Tour Guide App by Action. Download it before your trip and load the Death Valley tour while connected to WiFi or mobile data.

Can I use this tour more than once?

Yes. You get lifetime access with no expiry, so you can use it on any future trip to Death Valley.

Is the Death Valley entrance fee included?

No. The park charges a separate entrance fee (seven-day pass) that you pay when you arrive.

What devices work with the audio tour?

iPhone with iOS 15 or later, Android version 9 or later, or a GPS-enabled iPad or tablet with cellular capability.

Are there road closures I should know about?

Recent flooding has closed Badwater Road, North Highway, and Bonnie Clare Road. Check official park alerts before your visit, as conditions can change.