Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour in Death Valley National Park

Explore Death Valley with a self-guided audio tour. Discover hidden gems, local tips, and fascinating stories at your own pace.

Duration: 16 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Death Valley National Park - Known for being the hottest, driest, and lowest national park in the U.S., Death Valley is also the largest in the contiguous United States. Driving through Death Valley National Park offers a mesmerizing and sometimes surreal experience. The park’s vast landscapes, extreme temperatures, and stunning geological features make it an unforgettable adventure.

As the audio guides provide commentary based on your GPS location, you can customize your itinerary along the tour route to suit your interests and schedule.

  • Artists Palette - This scenic detour along Artist’s Drive, off Badwater Road, feels like a roller coaster ride on a narrow one-way road that winds between mounds of multicolored rock. You’ll see a full spectrum of colors, from coppery green to terra-cotta yellow, brick red, and even pink. These pigments come from various mineral deposits. The Artist’s Palette is the most concentrated area along the drive and offers fantastic photo opportunities.
  • Badwater - Here, you can stand at the lowest point in North America, 282 feet below sea level. This area is a large salt flat characterized by a small natural pool of undrinkable water beside the road. Occasionally, after rare rain events, the basin may have more standing water, but it quickly evaporates, returning to dry, patterned salt flats.
  • Dante’s View - Just after entering the national park from Death Valley Junction, you can take a magnificent 13-mile side trip to Dante’s View, which sits at an elevation of just over 5,000 feet. The views are breathtaking, and it’s a great place to appreciate the region’s changing elevations. From Dante’s View, you can look down to Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the USA, and see the Panamint Mountains, which peak at over 11,000 feet. On a clear day, you might even spot Mount Whitney, the highest point in the Lower 48, at 14,505 feet. That’s a lot of value from one viewpoint!
  • Devil’s Golf Course - Another of Death Valley’s stunning landscapes, Devil’s Golf Course is a vast area of giant salt crystals that expand and contract with temperature changes. If you listen closely, you might hear the crystals popping.
  • Father Crowley Vista Point - This overlook offers perhaps the best view across Death Valley on the western side of the park. It’s a must-see whether you’re arriving or leaving the park. In addition to the superb panorama of Death Valley, you can also glimpse Rainbow Canyon to the north, with its striking red oxidized volcanic rock fields. Father Crowley was a Catholic priest from Ireland known as the Padre of the Desert, who served the communities of Inyo County in the early 20th century.
  • Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes - Nothing says desert like sand dunes with no vegetation that change shape with the wind. Death Valley’s Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes offer a fantastic landscape. Be cautious about venturing too far without ample water on a hot day, as the sand can become scorching hot.
  • Ubehebe Crater - Ubehebe Crater is a significant side trip off the main road into the remote northern corner of the park. Expect to drive for over an hour on an unpaved road to reach it. We’ll guide you to the right path, but there won’t be commentary all the way. Ubehebe is the largest of a dozen craters formed by explosive interactions between groundwater and hot magma. If you’re adventurous and have a suitable 4x4 vehicle, you can drive further to Racetrack Playa, a salt flat known for its moving 600-pound boulders. Also in this area is Scotty’s Castle, a remote ranch. Check current pre-booking requirements and road status before visiting.
  • Zabriskie Point - One of the most famous views in Death Valley, Zabriskie Point offers an easy view of stunning badlands and is not to be missed. The colors and contours change playfully with the sun at different times of day. For those looking to hike, there are great options, including a 3.5-mile trek to Golden Canyon.
What's Included
  • Toll free phone, chat and email support
  • Pre-download and tour offline
  • In-app, web and PDF trip planners
  • Location-based stories, tips & directions that autoplay
  • No time or date use limit or expiry
  • GuideAlong (GyPSy Guide) Audio Tour with 220+ points
  • Suggested itineraries or create your own flexible routes
What's Not Included
  • Optional: National Park Passes: $30 per vehicle (vary depending on length of stay, ages, group size)
Additional Information

Download the GuideAlong self-guided audio tour and you’ll discover more on your Death Valley National Park road trip. Hear fascinating behind-the-scenes stories, local tips, and directions play automatically, all based on your location.

You’ll be guided to all of the park’s famous highlights as well as lesser-known gems including the lowest point in North America that sits 200 feet below sea level, the park’s most photographed vista, and a narrow one-way road that zigs and zags between mounds of multicolored rock.

Enjoy the freedom to explore offline at your own pace, spending more time at places that interest you and bypassing any that don’t.

  • Stories, tips, and directions play automatically based on your location.
  • Travel at your own pace
  • Tour offline using GPS, no cell service or WiFi needed
  • Suggested itineraries for half, full, or multi-day use
  • No time limits or expiry, and free updates
  • Like having a tour guide along for the drive

Purchase one tour per vehicle.

Location
Death Valley
Start at one of the official tour introduction points (from Lone Pine, CA or Pahrump, NV) or join anywhere along the route and pick up the commentary at the next audio point. Open the GuideAlong app to preview the tour route and browse the suggested itineraries and trip planner.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
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(1 Rating)
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1 star
672janicek
Apr 21, 2024
A Must-Have!! - A fabulous experience! This guide made our visit to Death Valley so much richer and more informative than if we had just wandered around on our own! The practical information, driving instructions, and stories of the history of the area were all nicely interwoven - it felt like we had a very well-informed friend in the car with us!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 8 guests
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September 2024
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