Death Valley National Park in California is globally recognized as being one of the hottest places on earth. Even though the world record air temperature recorded there of 134 degrees at the beginning of the century has been debated and challenged by other areas of the world, it always remains on the list of the top hottest climates, also boasting some of the smallest amounts of rainfall on the planet. This combination of searing heat and almost no moisture makes it an intriguing place, but oddly enough does not make it completely barren and without life like one would expect. Instead, the area is actually home to thousands of species of plants and animals that have adapted over many hundreds of years to thrive in an environment like this one. Plants have developed thick leaves that process sunlight more effectively and root systems that go deep underground to pull water forth then store it for lengthy periods. Animals have developed skins that allow them to withstand extreme heat and sunlight, and systems that store water more effectively than others. What this brings together is a landscape that is unlike anything that most visitors have ever seen before. Many of our customers comment that the area looks like another planet, especially in the areas of wide expanse where there is literally no plant or animal life for as far as the eye can see. Yes, it is an extreme environment that becomes more extreme in the summertime. That is exactly why you should visit it during that very period.
Our tours of Death Valley are designed to take the heat into consideration. Our goal is to provide a way for our patrons to experience the beauty and unique aspects of the park without it being dangerous or uncomfortable. For this reason, we have created a tour that is more leaning toward sightseeing than exploration like our tours typically are. On other national parks tours we will take hours to hike and explore that unique features and trails, while in Death Valley we generally will move from point of interest to point of interest and only spend about 20 to 30 minutes exploring it before heading back to the air conditioning of the van to move on to the next. This is done completely out of respect for the extreme heat, and so that our visitors do not experience discomfort while on the tour. We will spend more time at Furnace Creek and in the Borax Museum than outdoors as those provide us with an air conditioned environment.
Our tours of Death Valley are available year round, and offer pickup from numerous Las Vegas locations and transportation to and from the park. The drive usually only takes a few hours and you have the ability to rest during the trip. We provide lunch and guidance to you, making your tour unique and pleasurable no matter how hot it is out. By the end, you will be able to say that you visited one of the hottest places on earth during the summertime, and how many people can really say that?