Route 66 & Nelson Ghost Town tour from Las Vegas: Small group

Walk through a gold mining ghost town, then spend 90 minutes among wild burros on Route 66

A small-group Route 66 tour from Las Vegas visits Nelson Ghost Town, Oatman, Kingman and a restored 1940s locomotive, with a local guide driving a modern SUV or van and hotel pickup included. The day starts at Nelson's well-preserved mining buildings and equipment, moves south through Arizona to Oatman's Black Mountains for free time with the town's famous wild burros, then stops at the Arizona Route 66 Museum and Locomotive Park in Kingman.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Route 66 and historic towns

• Drive through Nevada desert to Nelson Ghost Town
• Explore Nelson Ghost Town historic buildings
• Optional guided tour of Techatticup Mine
• Travel south on Route 66 to Oatman
• Explore Oatman and see wild burros
• Free time for lunch and shopping in Oatman
• Continue to Kingman and visit Route 66 Museum
• Visit Locomotive Park and see steam engine

The experience

Nelson Ghost Town sits in the rugged landscape of Eldorado Canyon, a once-booming gold mining settlement where you'll spend about an hour walking among historic buildings, vintage vehicles and old mining equipment. The pace is relaxed, there's no rushing through, and if you want to go deeper, an optional guided tour of the Techatticup Mine brings the frontier history to life underground. From there, the route heads south into Arizona and picks up the iconic stretch of Route 66 itself, where the desert landscape opens up and the road trip feeling takes over.

Oatman is the heart of the day: up to 90 minutes of free time to wander the wooden sidewalks, see the wild burros (descendants of the miners' pack donkeys) roaming through town, browse shops, and eat if you're hungry. The town has kept its Old West charm without feeling staged. After Oatman, you'll stop at the Arizona Route 66 Museum inside Kingman's restored Powerhouse Visitor Center for 30 to 45 minutes, where vintage cars, classic road signs and historic photographs tell the story of America's golden age of road trips. A final brief stop at Locomotive Park shows off the fully restored Santa Fe Steam Engine No. 3759 from the 1940s, an easy outdoor moment with time for photos.

The tour runs 9 to 11 hours and moves in a modern SUV, minivan or van with air conditioning and bottled water. A local guide handles all the driving and navigation, so the day stays stress-free. Hotel pickup and drop-off from select Las Vegas properties are included, and the guide speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese or Hungarian.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle.
• bottled water.
• local guide.
• hotel pickup and drop-off from select Las Vegas properties.

Information

Lasts 9h–11h, runs every day at 07:00, from US$ 189 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Hungarian, in groups of up to 13 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

GroupUp to 13

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, Portuguese and Hungarian

Audio guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Hungarian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Book up to8h before

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by FORVENTURA Tours

Is this one for you?Small groups keep the pace relaxed and the stops personal (you're not herded through with a large bus), which works well if you want to linger with the burros in Oatman or spend time photographing the ghost town without feeling rushed.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Hungarian.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What are the wild burros in Oatman, and where do they come from?

The burros roaming Oatman's streets are descendants of the donkeys miners used to carry ore and supplies during the town's gold mining era. They've lived wild in the area for generations and are now a defining feature of the town, used to the presence of visitors.

Can I go inside the Techatticup Mine, or is it just a walk around Nelson Ghost Town?

Nelson Ghost Town itself is a walk through the outdoor historic buildings and mining equipment at your own pace. The Techatticup Mine tour is optional and separate. You can choose to add a guided underground tour if you want to see inside an actual working mine and hear stories of frontier mining life.

How much free time do I get in Oatman to see the burros and explore?

Oatman gives you up to 90 minutes of free time, which is enough to walk the wooden sidewalks, watch the burros, browse the souvenir shops and grab lunch or snacks without feeling rushed.

What does the Arizona Route 66 Museum show, and how long is the stop?

The Arizona Route 66 Museum, housed in Kingman's restored Powerhouse Visitor Center, displays classic cars, vintage road signs and historic photographs that trace the history and cultural impact of Route 66. The stop lasts 30 to 45 minutes, giving you time to walk through the exhibits at a comfortable pace.

Is this tour suitable if I'm not in peak physical condition?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels and involves mostly walking at a relaxed pace through Nelson Ghost Town and Oatman's streets. It is not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health due to the desert heat and elevation, so consider that before booking.