A good level of physical fitness is required to enjoy hiking in these regions. With that said, we try to provide you with a lot of flexibility. There are longer and shorter hikes everywhere, bike rentals, scenic drives, and optional activities that can be booked locally.
Remember though, these are hiking tours, and many of the best hikes lead you into steep, mountainous terrain (or canyons). Flat walks are going to limit your activities. Prior aerobic conditioning is very important and will greatly enhance your trip. Everybody enjoys their trip more if they arrive in shape.
In general, we would assume a full day of hiking might cover 6-10 miles with 1500-3000 ft of elevation gain and loss.
Shortly after you sign up, you’ll receive a pre-trip packet with suggestions on what to bring and how to arrive at our meeting point. If you have any questions, we are always available by email or phone to help with gear and getting to your tour.
In order to get in shape for the tour, try to start exercising regularly before you come. Get out on weekends (preferably to hills), don’t skip the gym. The better shape you’re in when you arrive, the more enjoyable your tour will be. Even a little bit of prior training helps a lot!
Absolutely, although some tours are definitely better for non-hikers than others. Tahoe has wonderful boating activities and some nice, mellow lakeside walks. The canyons and red rocks of Arizona can easily be enjoyed from your hotel, or you might sign up for a local hot air balloon or helicopter trip to see the sights. Southern Utah is perfect for scenic drives, and e-bikes are a very popular way to enjoy Zion Canyon. Crested Butte and Aspen have easy walks near town, chairlifts that can take you high into the mountains, and charming small town cores that are great for relaxing and window-shopping. There’s always something to enjoy!
Our Self-guided tours include:
Self-guided tours do not include flights, car rentals, most meals, or extras charged to your room. Exact details vary from tour to tour, so see the individual tour descriptions for complete details.
Yes. Published prices are per person based on double occupancy, but singles are very welcome, or people traveling together can book separate rooms, if desired. This is what is covered by the single supplement fee on each tour.
We love kids! Most of our Self-guided tours are a great options for families, and we can plan short walks, family-friendly hotels, and a wide array of activities that will be memorable for kids of all ages! Many of us in the office have kids ourselves, and we’ve developed a lot of ideas about what works and what doesn’t, from choice of destination, to accommodations and activities.
We offer a 10% discount to groups of 10 or more, 8% for 8-9 people, and 6% for groups of 6-7 people. Please ask if you are coming with a group.
These are self-driving tours that assume you will either be coming with your own car, or renting a car a local airport if you are flying in. Car rental is not typically included in our tours, but please ask if you need help with this.
Whether you’re hiking all day or traveling by train, our inns and hotels are more than just a place to sleep, they are an integral part of the experience and are among the highlights of our trip. We look for comfortable rooms, spectacular settings, friendly service, and a cozy and authentic atmosphere. We think you’ll agree the intimacy and ambiance of these inns adds immeasurably to the quality of our tours.
Many of our tours are designed with mid-range hotels in mind, and our first choice hotels are normally listed on the tour itinerary. These can be customized to you needs, so please let us know if you are looking to upgrade to a spectacular spa retreat or have other options in mind.
You’ll be exercising all day, pleasantly tired, and ravenously hungry! Many of our hotels and B&B’s include breakfast in the morning, and for the evenings, we always have a few favorite local restaurants to recommend. You will typically be on your own for lunch and snacks during your tour.
We get this question a lot, and in short, there’s no way to really know. In the mountains, weather varies a lot by altitude and can (and does) change rapidly throughout the day. And of course, this will vary depending on your location. Take a look at typical weather patterns for your locations. Weatherspark is a good site for that.
The best approach is to expect some mixed weather, don’t worry about it, just come prepared. For most summer tours, you’ll want shorts, t-shirts, sun hat, and other sun protection for sunny weather of course, but also a warm fleece or jacket, rain gear, perhaps gloves and a warm hat just in case. Fall, winter and spring tours can definitely bring cold temps and snow, even in Arizona and Utah.
A deposit of $500/person is required to begin your reservations and will be applied toward your final trip cost. Your balance payment will be due 90 days before your tour starts.
For tours booked within 90 days of departure, we require a deposit of 50% of your tour price, with the balance due after your tour is confirmed. This will be due upon confirmation of your reservations. If final payment is not received by the due date, we reserve the right to treat your reservation as canceled.
When submitting your deposit you will also be asked to review and agree to our booking terms. Should you have any questions about any of these terms or documents please reach out to us by email at info@rubiconoutdoors.com.
After your deposit is received, you will be sent a welcome letter and acknowledgment that we are working on your reservations along with a due date for your remaining balance.
Your health and happiness is always our top priority, and travel plans can get tripped up in a variety of ways. For that reason, we offer generous change and postponement options to any tour. Postponement fees are quite a bit less than cancelling outright. Your new tour can be in a different country (including our Alps tours), later in the year, or a different year completely.
Travel insurance should cover you in the event you actually get sick right before or during tour, and is more important now than ever. Please cover your trip, not only for this reason, but for the many other unpleasant surprises that can come up.
Cancellations must be received in writing, and are subject to the following per person fees (1/1/25):
We very strongly recommend travel insurance. Cancelling a trip is no fun, and it’s very expensive. A lot of people have to cancel every year for various and unpredictable reasons. To protect yourself in the event that you have to cancel, trip cancellation and travel insurance is a pretty minor expense and a very good idea.
We always try to be fair to our clients who can’t come, but we do make substantial commitments that can’t always be reversed at the last minute. You’ll have flights and pre and post-trip plans to account for also. So don’t forget this important part of your tour.
For US and Canadian residents, we suggest you compare Travel Guard plans and choose among Essential, Preferred or Deluxe coverage. Travel Guard has worked well for our tour members for years, and is not that expensive – generally between 4-9% of your tour cost, depending on your age, the cost of your trip, and what kind of plan you get. It’s best to buy insurance within 15 days of your initial deposit, which gives you more comprehensive coverage, and the option to buy “cancel for any reason” coverage.
If you are forced to cancel a trip, you can talk to us about rescheduling, or carrying over a portion of your tour cost to a future tour and we’ll do what we can to help. But every year we have clients who regret that they didn’t get insurance, while nobody ever regrets that they did.
The published prices at the time you sign up are guaranteed, so lock up your trip early and you don’t need to worry about fluctuating prices or exchange rates. Group discounts and reduced prices for children are available. We also offer a 10% discount to returning hikers and on the second of two tours taken in one season.
At Rubicon Outdoors, we are committed to offering first-class trips at reasonable prices. What we will never do is skimp on the tours themselves or on your experience. Our goal is to provide you a combination of great locations, service and price that makes everyone happy.
You can find easy directions on our Sign Up page. We have an online reservation form for you to fill out, and ask for a deposit to confirm your booking. We accept personal checks, bank transfers or credit cards (Visa/MC/Amex) for both deposits and tour balances.
We are happy to work with travel agents, advisors and other industry insiders. If you have a client who would like to experience one of our self-driving tours, we can help with expert advice at every step. Discounted trips are sometimes available to photographers, bloggers and specialists. Please ask if you are interested.
