If you ever wanted to experience the ultimate Western USA tour- this is it! A scenic motorcycle tour through America's most pristine and iconic natural wonders. You will encounter the sun baked beaches of California to the sun baked sands of Death Valley; the tall green Sequoia groves, to the lush green Cascades; the monoliths of Yosemite N.P., to the creators of monoliths at Glacier N.P.; and the highest and lowest geographical points of America. Visiting over 10 National Parks, wineries, spas, galleries, and options for ballooning, river rafting and trout fishing- this is a motorcycle tour that allows you to ride the best roads the west has to offer, as well as immersing yourself in the great outdoor lifestyle.

The tour is designed for sightseeing and taking time to enjoy the areas visited. We have allocated appropriate rest/explore days, and provided you with the best accommodation an area has to offer. People can ride at their own pace, or with the tour leader. Bring a friend! They can join you on the motorcycle, or as a passenger in our support vehicle.

For those with less time, the 28 day motorcycle tour can be divided in to two shorter, and very distinctive tours- the western coastal route (12 days) and the western mountain route (17 days). Whichever tour you decide upon, it will leave you in awe of America's western beauty.

Quintessential USA Best of the West Tour
28 days up the west coast, returning via the Rocky Mountains.

Ultimate West Coast Dreaming Tour
12 days from Los Angeles, CA to Seattle, WA- coastal route.

America's Western Greats
17 days from Seattle, WA to Los Angeles, CA- inland mountain route.

Days: 28
Ride days: 21
Approx. distance: 4,905mi/ 7,630km
Daily average: 229mi/ 363km
Riding difficulty: Easy
Start – Finish: Los Angeles – Los Angeles

(click on any of the days below for more detail)

NOTE: indicated ride times and distances do NOT account for time spent sightseeing, poor weather or traffic conditions.

We love LA! Greeted at airport and transferred to the hotel. In the afternoon we will finalize paperwork and familiarize ourselves with the motorcycles. Welcome dinner.

The fun begins as we head up the glistening coastline along Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway). Follow the famed highway passed Malibu and Point Dume to Santa Barbara- the 'American Riviera'. With its rich history, Spanish architecture, array of restaurants, Main Street shopping area, cultural activities and natural beauty, this coastal town is a welcome weekend retreat for Los Angeleans. Enjoy your time here with a walk along the beach or in to the hills, visiting art galleries or the historic Mission, an afternoon kayak or sit back with a pinot gris and soak up some sun.

Note: the Santa Barbara Channel is home to over 30 species of whales and dolphins, and the summer months are the best times to see Blue Whales and Humpback Whales.

Delightful drive up the CA coastline. About 150mi from Santa Barbara (just passed Cambria) is the imposing Hearst Castle (a CA State Historical Monument). Built by William Randolph Hearst, an American newspaper magnate, whose life was fictionally immortalized in Orsen Welles' 'Citizen Kane'. There are 165 rooms and 127 acres of gardens, terraces, pools and walkways to explore.

The afternoon ride will take us through the towering redwoods of Big Sur and alongside the CA Sea Otter Refuge… those are not large rocks on the beach! We stay overnight at the romantic coastal town of Carmel.

Wake to the morning sunrise beauty of this small coastal town. It is a short ride day, so you can take your time to enjoy breakfast, swim in the ocean, or give yourself time to explore Carmel's famed artist colony. For the golfing enthusiast, how about a morning round at Pebble Beach? After lunch we head to 'only in San Francisco'!

No Californian motorcycle trip would be complete without a ride across the Golden Gate Bridge! There is so much to see and do in SF (and while you may not experience all that the city has to offer in one day), some top attractions for you to visit include- the tiled steps of 16th Street, The Castro, Pier 39 Fisherman's Warf, Alcatraz, Golden Gate Bridge and park, Chinatown, Baker Beach, Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory, SF Museum of Modern Art, California Academy of Sciences and a ride on a cable car!

World-class wineries, amongst the rolling hills of the Napa Valley, are only a short ride away- allowing us plenty of time to explore, sip and eat! We will spend the night in Napa, so for those of us who want to indulge, we can swap our bikes for a seat in the support vehicle and enjoy some grape 'nectar.' There is also an opportunity to relax in hot tubs at one of Calistoga's spas. There is no shortage of world-class restaurants either- essentially Napa is a wine and foodies paradise. Options- cycling winery tour, ballooning, hot tubs and spa (Calistoga), shopping in Sonoma, visit to the Culinary Institute of America.

Having enjoyed the grapes of Napa, we head back to the wind swept coast. Today's treat will be the afternoon 33mi/53km serpentine ride through the 'Avenue of the Giants' or sequoia sempervirens - the 350ft/ 106m tall redwoods. The Humlboldt Redwoods State Park is also known as 'the Lost Coast' as the Kings Range ensures that the 101 Hwy must head inland. With redwoods taller than the Statue of Liberty, the old growth forests are a step back in time.

Enjoy a morning walk through the 'giants' at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. The following the Redwood Highway, we leave the coast and cross in to the lush State of Oregon. We ride up to the 'explosive beauty' of Crater Lake National Park- one of the Oregon Cascade's most dramatic features. Enjoy the evening sunset and reflections over the crater's deep blue lake.

We ride around the massive crater's rim, departing via the north entrance. Now on the drier east side of the Cascades, we ride back over them through the beautiful Willamette National Forest, along the McKenzie River Valley- famed for its fruit and nut orchards, and some great trout fishing. The area is also Oregon's wine country, and a blissful ride following the meandering river. We pass through Oregon's second largest city (Eugene), on route to the coastal dunes near Florence, before ending our day at the laid-back coastal town of Newport.

The desolate Oregon coast is dotted with small declining fishing villages, but the exquisite and diverse coastal scenery provides opportunities to see elephant seals, harbor seals, puffins and herons while continuing to ride under cedar, spruce and Douglas fir make for a lovely coastal ride. Once we reach the mouth of the Columbia River, we follow it inland towards our destination- Portland.

Although Seattle is only 175mi/282km from Portland up the 5 Fwy, we ride around the imposing, and ominously explosive Mount St Helens, and the remote Mount Rainier National Park. These volcanic peaks form part of the Cascade Mountains- separating the wet forested sea-facing regions from the scorched prairies of the east (which we will experience in our ride through Zion and Bryce National Parks). Mt. St Helens is more recently know for its 1980 devastating explosion, while the glacier clad Mt. Rainier is revered for its hiking and ski/snowboarding in the winter. * Option- ride the 99 (also known as 'Windy Ridge) up to the mouth of St Helens then the 7 Hwy to the 5 Fwy into Seattle.

Seattle is an extremely prosperous city being the host to major corporations like Microsoft, Nike and Boeing. It is scenically positioned on Puget Sound and it is definitely worth catching a local ferry to see Seattle and its surrounds from the water. The city's good fortune also provides it with a thriving cultural and gastronomic scene. Of course no visit to Seattle is complete without a stroll down to Pike Place Market- for a Starbuck's (although Peets is a favorite!).

This concludes the 12 day 'Ultimate West Coast Tour', and is the beginning of the 17 day 'America's Western Greats Tour.'

We embark on the northern ride over the Cascades on Hwy 20 (opened in 1972) and only accessible during the summer months. Originally the east-west trading route for Native Americans across the seemingly impenetrable mountains, it is now recognized as "The Most Beautiful Mountain Highway in the State of Washington", and a riding haven for motorcyclists. We will follow numerous rivers, cross passes and generally meander east through the remote and beautiful North Cascades National Park.

We continue today through Washington's remote northern region. There are few towns, and those that do exist are relics from logging and gold eras. We wind our way through the mountains, and ever so briefly travel across the top end of Idaho, before crossing in to 'the big blue skies' of Montana. Sit back and 'cruise' because the "Crown of the Continent" awaits our arrival.

The town of Whitefish, MT is only 40mi/64km from Glacier N.P. aka "Crown of the Continent". This charming town is perfect to stroll around and purchase locally made gifts. However, today is really all about the national park that crosses the continental divide. For our one-day visit to the area, the 100mi/80km ride through the Glacier N.P. on the "Going-to-the-Sun Road" is a must. This spectacular ride will provide breathtaking scenery either way. Even the shortest of hikes are well worth the stop to really appreciate the alpine-zone plant and wildlife. If you are up for a much longer rider, rather than returning via "Going-to-the Sun Road", you could continue down the east and then southern park borders, returning to Whitefish (190mi/306km, 4h 30m), but there are so many sights to soak-in, you will find yourself stopping to gaze at the Park's scenery. Alternatively, you can spend the day on a wildlife tour, fly fishing, rafting, or just looking at the glaciers!

Today will be another lovely ride through the remote areas of Montana. Officially within the Rockies, we ride south alongside the deep, alpine waters of Flathead Lake and National Park to Bozeman. Bozeman is Montana's outdoor capital and launching point to our next American icon- Yellowstone N.P. When we arrive in Bozeman, some of us might like to indulge in one of their famous microbrews.

Scenically, this may be the most amazing day of the tour. Period. From Bozeman we ride to America's oldest National Park, Yellowstone, then on to the towering Grand Tetons and Jackson Hole.

Riders will be able to choose from a few different options for our route in to Yellowstone - all are scenic, it is more a mater of riding time.

Yellowstone N.P. is an American icon, esteemed for its wildlife and geothermal activity (Old Faithful Geyser a popular feature). The park is centered over the largest caldera or super-volcano, on the continent, and there is plenty of evidence of lava flows. The park is abound with wildlife, it is not uncommon to see herds of bison and elk by the roadside- you can also go in search of Grizzly Bears and wolves!

After taking your time to explore Yellowstone, we follow the J.D. Rockefeller Memorial Parkway along the imposing Grand Tetons. The prominent jagged peaks of the Grand Tetons (13,770ft/4,197m) are a prime example of fault-block mountain formation. These crystalline rocks are a favorite for climbers in the summer, and offer skiers the most grade of any ski resort in America. With Jackson Lake at their feet, the Grand Tetons reflection are an awesome photographers image.

This tour is all about enjoying the best of America's natural beauty. So lets take a day to immerse ourselves in this spectacular wilderness. You are free to explore the area on your own, but here are a few suggestions- a) take the aerial tram up Rendezvous Mountain (10,450ft/3,185m) for a 360 degree views of the Snake River and Grand Teton National Park. Enjoy a waffle at the café or head off on a day hike with the possibility to see moose, deer, marmots and pikas. (b) Launch yourself on an adrenaline filled tandem paragliding flight from the summit down to the village- breathtaking views & one of the highest vertical drops in the U.S. (c) A scenic or whitewater raftering trip down the Snake River. (d) A guided fly fishing trip in the crystal clear river waters (e) 4WD eco/wildlife tour.

A day of Rocky Mountain riding! We head to Utah via Hwy 89 and through the Cache National Forest, where the mountain scenery is only interrupted by the intense turquoise-blue water of Bear Lake

. Salt Lake City is the first major U.S. city we encounter since departing Seattle. SLC is a beautiful city with the Wasatch Mountains to the east and the Great Salt Lake to the west. Given the city's cultural/ religious Mormon heritage, it has some unique places to visit around Temple Square. However, we spend the evening in Park City- a hub for outdoor mountain activity, shopping and dining. Wonderful restaurants abound! Enjoy wandering the main street of this quintessential American gold mining-era town.

A wonderful ride out of Park City towards Heber Valley offering spectacular views of the Tipanogo Mountain and range. A very scenic day of touring ensues as our mountain landscape becomes mixed with a more arid environment. We ride Highway 12 which passes through Red Canyon, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and over Boulder Mountain in the Dixie National Forest and Capitol Reef National Park to Bryce Canyon National Park.

Bryce Canyon National Park exists within three distinct climatic zones, and this diversity of habitat provides a high level of fauna diversity- over 100 species of birds, dozen of mammals and thousands of plants species. However, it is the uniqueness of the rocks that make Bryce so visually stunning. Thousands of rock spires, called "hoodoos," are formed when ice and rainwater wear away the weak limestone rock.

It is a short but very scenic ride over to Zion N.P. along Hwy 9 and past many of the Park's features. A short ride enables you time to explore the park's natural beauty. Walk among the towering cliffs or squeeze through incredible canyons that have attracted canyoneers from around the world. Or swap your motorcycle for an ATV tour or horseback ride around the surrounding area, or just sit with your feet cooling in one the many beauty emerald pools.

We follow the picturesque (and appropriately named) Virgin River Valley as we descend in to 'sin city'. We ride a side-route to Lake Mead that is the largest reservoir in the U.S. (as a result of damming the Colorado River and the formation of Hoover Dam). Now it is time to relieve yourself from desert dust, and sprinkle yourself with some Vegas gold!

"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!" There is so much to see and do in Vegas from shows, 'the Strip', to shopping! There is something happening 24/7. We can certainly advise you on shows, assist you with bookings and other activities. However, if you have always wanted to see the Grand Canyon National Park, then taking a sightseeing flight from Vegas over the Canyon is a must. Expect to pay around US$200, bookings should be made in advance. Vegas is a world of entertainment- the hardest decision will be what to do first!

It's a hot day. Maybe the hottest you will experience as we will be crossing Death Valley National Park. A part from record heat (134F/56.7C), it is also the lowest point in the USA (-86m/-282ft). It pays to get up early and cross the area before the midday sun. When we escape from Death Valley by crossing the Inyo Mountain Range, the imposing Sierra Nevada's will show us some of America's highest peaks, including Mt. Whitney (4,418m/14,195ft). So today you will see America's lowest and highest points!

The road corridor we follow to Bishop, is where most of Hollywood's western movies were filmed (Alabama Hills). The Lone Pine Film History Museum is a fascinating stop. Another interesting historical stop is the National Historic Site of Manzanar, where tens of thousands of Japanese-Americans were forcefully deported during WWII.

We climb out of the hot flats of the Owen Valley in to the Eastern Sierras. Today is an exceptional ride over Tioga Pass in to America's greatest National Park- Yosemite. We will take a short detour around some of the high country's lakes before entering the Park. Then it is a phenomenal ride up Tioga Pass Road in to Yosemite. You will find yourself stopping at staring at the numerous monoliths (and the rock climbers climbing them), and we encourage you to stop and relax in the flower filled meadows filled with birds, dear and bear… yes, this is bear country.

Yosemite accounts for over 20% of the Sierra regions flora and 250 species of vertebrates- so you can venture out on a trail and see an abundance of nature. This park is so vast and has so many icons (that have claimed World Heritage Listing status), that you will love your day in the park with either a one day hike up to Vernal, Yosemite Falls or Half-Dome, or ride up to Glacier Point or enjoy white water rafting down the Merced River. There are numerous Park activities organized by the Rangers too, or you can sit back and relax at the historic Ahawanee Hotel. This park truly is an American treasure.

Top sites- El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, Tuolumne Meadows, Half Dome, May Lake, Giant Sequoia groves.

A lovely twisting ride out of Yosemite through its beautiful dense forest. However, we leave the spectacular mountains and national parks of America, and descend in to the flats of California's agricultural heartland. We could ride all the way in to Los Angeles, but then we would miss the opportunity to take a leisurely ride tomorrow down the Hwy 1 coastal route! So we enter Los Padres National Forest to spend our final night and Farewell dinner in the picturesque town of Ojai- perhaps with a glass of wine from Ojai Vineyard!

This can be a 1.5h ride or an all day ride! There are several routes back in to Los Angeles and things to see. Spend the morning exploring Ojai and its art galleries, go for a scenic hike, enjoy a morning at the spa, or head to the ocean for a swim, or visit Ojai Vineyard… basically there is no rush to get back to L.A. (unless you have a plane to catch!)

END OF TOUR - please consult us for additional nights or activities in Los Angeles, CA

Harley Davidson motorcycle (BMW and Ducati bikes additional rental fees). HD bike model subject to availability at time of booking.

Daily fuel fill and maintenance check.

Support/passenger vehicle with bike trailer to carry luggage and transport non-riders.

Mechanic and basic motorcycle spare parts.

Unlimited mileage

Bike and personal accident insurance (if using own bike, must provide evidence of insurance).

Mostly 5-4 star accommodation.

All breakfasts. Every day we select a location for lunch & dinner but people have the freedom to ride/stop & explore too.

Welcome & farewell dinners.

Professional tour guide.

U.S.A. National Park Annual Pass.

US$655 one-way bike transportation fee (12 & 17 day tours).

Airport transfer

Deposit of US$2,000 on a major credit card.

Fuel on route (however, every night we fill your tank, check oil).

Lunch, dinner and all beverages.

Medical travel insurance (compulsory requirement for tour participation. We offer insurance for US residents).

Fees in to tourist attractions (however, includes National Park entry fees)

GPS navigation device and mounts rental $17.50/day

US cell phone and sim card rental $70 per tour

All the tours have rest days, not only to rest, but to give you the opportunity to explore an area and enjoy some other activities. Examples include-

Grand Canyon Flight
Shows in Vegas
Dinner at Sundance- UT
Fly fishing- MT, UT, WA
River rafting- CA, MT, UT, WA
Wildlife sightseeing tours
Quad riding in UT