Arizona

Treasured Landscapes: Hiking Organ Pipe and Saguaro National Park

Program No. 22724RJ
Join experts in southern Arizona to hike among the signature cacti of Saguaro National Park and Organ Pipe. Experience stunning landscapes and a dazzling array of life.

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Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Nov 4 - Nov 10, 2024
Starting at
1,849
Nov 10 - Nov 16, 2024
Starting at
1,849
Nov 17 - Nov 23, 2024
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1,849
Jan 13 - Jan 19, 2025
Starting at
1,999
Jan 19 - Jan 25, 2025
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1,999
Jan 26 - Feb 1, 2025
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1,999
Feb 10 - Feb 16, 2025
Starting at
1,999
Feb 16 - Feb 22, 2025
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1,999
Full Inventory
Nov 3 - Nov 9, 2025
Starting at
1,999
Full Inventory
Nov 9 - Nov 15, 2025
Starting at
1,999
Full Inventory
Nov 16 - Nov 22, 2025
Starting at
1,999
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Filling Fast!
Nov 4 - Nov 10, 2024
Starting at
2,299
Filling Fast!
Nov 10 - Nov 16, 2024
Starting at
2,299
Filling Fast!
Nov 17 - Nov 23, 2024
Starting at
2,299
Filling Fast!
Jan 13 - Jan 19, 2025
Starting at
2,519
Jan 19 - Jan 25, 2025
Starting at
2,519
Jan 26 - Feb 1, 2025
Starting at
2,519
Feb 10 - Feb 16, 2025
Starting at
2,519
Filling Fast!
Feb 16 - Feb 22, 2025
Starting at
2,519
Full Inventory
Nov 3 - Nov 9, 2025
Starting at
2,519
Full Inventory
Nov 9 - Nov 15, 2025
Starting at
2,519
Full Inventory
Nov 16 - Nov 22, 2025
Starting at
2,519

At a Glance

The Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona is like a great sea of mighty cacti and windswept brush — its vast desert basins lap against isolated mountains that stand like lost islands. These swaths of desert may look barren to the untrained eye, but beneath that facade lay hidden oases and spectacular vistas teeming with life. Join local experts to explore Saguaro National Park and the magical lands of Ajo — one of Arizona’s hidden gems. Enjoy forays on the winding trails of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, and discover an incredible diversity of life as you hike these majestic landscapes.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Spirited
Daily hikes of 3-7 miles over varied terrain. Elevation changes of 500–1,000 feet. Elevations above 3,000 feet.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

What You'll Learn

  • Enjoy an introduction to the Sonoran Desert with a hike among the iconic cacti of Saguaro National Park.
  • Explore Ajo with four days of invigorating hikes in the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and the surrounding Ajo area.
  • Stay at the newly-designed Sonoran Desert Conference Center in the heart of Ajo and near the town’s historic, Spanish-style plaza.

General Notes

Due to the nature of this program, listening devices are not available.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Profile Image
Mike Masek
Mike Masek is a wilderness skills instructor, herbalist and ethnobotanist living in Flagstaff, Ariz. In addition to his current work with Road Scholar, he is adjunct faculty at Northern Arizona University where he teaches traditional uses of native plants and outdoor survival skills. He also teaches programs at the National Parks and Coconino Community College. He has spent a lifetime exploring the canyons and deserts of the American Southwest and loves to share these treasures with others.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Mike Masek
Mike Masek View biography
Mike Masek is a wilderness skills instructor, herbalist and ethnobotanist living in Flagstaff, Ariz. In addition to his current work with Road Scholar, he is adjunct faculty at Northern Arizona University where he teaches traditional uses of native plants and outdoor survival skills. He also teaches programs at the National Parks and Coconino Community College. He has spent a lifetime exploring the canyons and deserts of the American Southwest and loves to share these treasures with others.
Profile Image of Stewart Lasseter
Stewart Lasseter View biography
Stewart Lasseter completed studies in geo-science, natural history and Spanish at the University of Arizona. He then studied as the protégé of a Native American healer, learning from her practices of wholeness, kinesiology, mind-body medicine, and dyslexia correction. He has years of experience bringing groups in touch with the natural world and has completed post-graduate studies in health sciences at Prescott College.
Profile Image of Bruce Banker
Bruce Banker View biography
Bruce Banker is a graduate of Northern Arizona University, where he studied natural sciences and geology. He lives in Flagstaff and has worked for the National Park Service as a naturalist on the north rim of the Grand Canyon, Chaco Canyon National Historic Park and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Bruce also serves as an outdoor educator for the Grand Canyon Field Institute. Bruce has taken students to many of the far-flung corners of the Southwest and has a few good stories to share.
Profile Image of Mike Young
Mike Young View biography
Mike Young has lived in Arizona for 40 years, and taught math and geology at Yavapai College prior to his work with Road Scholar. To convey the Arizona landscape, Mike uses a broad range of topics including botany, natural history, and geomorphology. He has worked as a commercial boatman, designed and constructed his own home, and conducted field exercises throughout the intermountain West. He is an accomplished hike leader who inspires hikers of all skill levels.
Profile Image of Brendan O'Brien
Brendan O'Brien View biography
Brendan O’Brien holds a Master of Science in Geography degree from Northern Arizona University and calls Flagstaff home. He has held jobs in the outdoor education field for much of the last decade with time spent as a Park Ranger in White Sands National Monument and a forest technician in Flathead National Forest. Brendan loves all the outdoor activities that Northern Arizona offers and especially its crystal clear night skies where he can enjoy his passion for star gazing.
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