Utah Tours & Vacations

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travelers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travelers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

Utah is a landlocked state in the Western United States. Its neighboring states include Wyoming to the north, Arizona to the south, Colorado to the east and Nevada to the west.

Getting to Utah is relatively easy with a number of different transportation options available.

These include flying into one of their seven commercial airports such as Salt Lake City International Airport and Provo Municipal Airport, embarking on a road trip from one of the neighboring states, or catching public transport in the form of a bus or a train with several routes taking you to various destinations within the state. 

If you were to drive from California to Utah, it would take you roughly 12 hours. If you'd prefer to fly, it'll take you just under 2 hours from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City.

While Utah also has a good bus and train system between Salt Lake City, Ogden and Provo, you'll struggle to get around if you want to venture further.

Joining a tour or driving is the way to go as you'll be able to see way more. Driving around Utah is fairly straightforward as major highways are easy to navigate and well-maintained.

Utah has a dry, semi-arid and desert climate. This means summers are very hot (although it's a dry heat as humidity is very low) and winters are cold. In fact, Utah is one of the driest states in the USA. Despite the desert-like climate, Utah still experiences four distinct seasons with heavy snowfall in the north.

What to pack for Utah depends on what time of the year you're traveling in. Regardless of the season, there are some items you should always pack.

Some of these items include sensible and comfortable walking shoes (most likely, you'll be doing a lot of hiking during your time in Utah), a sun hat or cap, and some sunscreen (especially in summer).

If you're traveling in winter, pack trousers, sweaters, waterproof jackets, and thick coats to keep yourself warm.

The best time to visit Utah is generally in May, September or October as you'll avoid large crowds and extreme temperatures. However, with four distinct seasons and lots of activities on offer, it really depends on the type of trip you want to have.

Utah has a dry, semi-arid and desert climate with sizzling summers that often exceed 100°F and freezing winters — particularly in northern Utah which gets an average of 13 metres of snow per year. However, as one of the driest states due to low humidity, the heat and cold are more palatable than other states.

Most of Utah's national parks have reception areas or tourist hubs where wi-fi access is available. However, if you're hiking through the parks or you've stopped at a high-altitude viewpoint, you probably won't be able to get cell phone data coverage.