Arizona rewards travellers who keep moving. Beyond the Grand Canyon, the landscape shifts constantly: giant saguaros surround Tucson, red cliffs rise above Sedona, slot canyons cut through sandstone near Page and desert roads lead deep into Navajo Nation.

Two weeks is ideal for this route. A standard car is enough for most of the journey, although Monument Valley’s unpaved loop can become rough after storms, so checking road and rental conditions before driving it is essential.

Begin In Tucson

Spend the first two days in Tucson rather than treating the city as nothing more than a place to collect a rental car.

The surrounding Sonoran Desert is the main attraction. Saguaro National Park is divided into eastern and western districts, both filled with enormous cacti and walking trails. Entry costs about €22 per private vehicle and remains valid for seven days.

Visit early in the morning or towards sunset, especially outside winter. Summer temperatures can become extreme, and exposed desert walks offer little shade.

Tucson is also a strong food stop, with Sonoran influences shaping many local dishes. It is worth leaving one evening free simply to explore rather than beginning the long drive north immediately.

Spend Two Nights In Sedona

Sedona provides the route’s first dramatic change of scenery. Red sandstone formations surround the town, making it easy to combine short drives with hiking.

Cathedral Rock and Boynton Canyon are among the best-known routes, while Sedona Airport Scenic Lookout is an easy choice near sunset.

Accommodation is noticeably more expensive here than in much of Arizona. A budget hotel averages around €119 per night, while the overall hotel average can rise above €220. Booking early matters, particularly in spring and autumn.

Two nights are enough to see the highlights, but hikers could easily justify staying longer.

Take The Quieter Canyon Route

From Sedona, continue towards the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.

The area is still recovering from the 2025 wildfire that destroyed the Grand Canyon Lodge and forced major closures. The campground reopened in June 2026, along with access to several routes and viewpoints, including Cape Royal and Point Imperial.

That makes flexibility important. Check current access before travelling and avoid building the entire itinerary around one specific trail.

The North Rim sits at higher elevation than the South Rim and generally feels quieter and more remote. Allow two nights if access conditions are good.

Use Page As An Adventure Base

Spend two nights in Page for Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend and the landscapes around Lake Powell.

Antelope Canyon can only be visited with an authorised Navajo guide, so advance booking is essential. Tours vary considerably in price, but many fall between roughly €55 and €140 per person depending on the section, time and group size.

Horseshoe Bend is far cheaper and requires only a short walk from the parking area. Visit near sunrise or late afternoon to avoid the harshest heat.

Page can also be one of the more affordable overnight stops. Three-star rooms average around €160 per night, with lower rates often available outside spring.

Use Page As An Adventure Base

Spend two nights in Page for Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend and the landscapes around Lake Powell.

Antelope Canyon can only be visited with an authorised Navajo guide, so advance booking is essential. Tours vary considerably in price, but many fall between roughly €55 and €140 per person depending on the section, time and group size.

Horseshoe Bend is far cheaper and requires only a short walk from the parking area. Visit near sunrise or late afternoon to avoid the harshest heat.

Page can also be one of the more affordable overnight stops. Three-star rooms average around €160 per night, with lower rates often available outside spring.

Slow Down In Monument Valley

Monument Valley deserves more than a quick photo stop.

Entry to the Navajo Tribal Park costs roughly €9 per person. The famous 17-mile Scenic Drive passes formations including the Mittens and John Ford’s Point, but the surface is entirely unpaved and can become deeply rutted or sandy.

An SUV or truck is preferable after heavy rain, and rental agreements should be checked before entering the loop.

Staying overnight is worthwhile because early morning and late afternoon bring softer light and fewer day visitors.

Add Canyon De Chelly

Canyon de Chelly offers a quieter combination of monumental scenery and Navajo heritage.

The South Rim Drive reaches several overlooks, including Spider Rock, a sandstone spire rising around 244 metres from the canyon floor.

Rim viewpoints are free to visit. Access deeper into the canyon is more restricted, and many areas require a Diné guide.

This is a good place to spend two nights rather than squeezing it between longer driving days.

Finish At Petrified Forest

Petrified Forest National Park makes a memorable final stop before returning south.

Entry costs about €22 per vehicle and is valid for seven days. The park road can be driven in around an hour, but rushing misses the point.

The 2.5km Long Logs trail passes some of the park’s largest concentrations of petrified wood, while Blue Mesa leads through striped badlands. Painted Desert viewpoints provide some of the most unusual colours on the entire route.

Plan A Realistic Budget

Accommodation is the largest variable. Across Arizona, a double room averages around €180 per night, but Sedona can be significantly more expensive. Page and Tucson generally offer better value.

For two people sharing a room and rental car, a realistic mid-range budget is around €140–190 per person per day, including accommodation, meals, fuel and several paid attractions.

Travellers choosing simpler motels, free hikes and fewer guided tours can aim closer to €100–130 per person per day.

Fourteen days works particularly well: two nights in Tucson, two in Sedona, two around the North Rim, two in Page, two in Monument Valley, two at Canyon de Chelly and one night near Petrified Forest before returning south.

The strength of this route is its variety. Arizona never settles into one landscape for long, and the most memorable parts often come between the famous stops — on empty desert roads, at quiet overlooks and on trails where the scenery changes completely within a few hours.