From Las Vegas to San Francisco, across the desert and along the Pacific coast. Nine days, nearly 2,000 kilometres, iconic America, vegan gastronomy, Kristóf & Nimi – and one question travelling with us all the way: what does it mean to us to be free?
A road-trip-style journey where big cities, desert landscapes, the
Pacific coastline and Northern California’s iconic locations unfold
one after another. The itinerary combines the classic “you have to see
this once in your life” sights with nature, vegan gastronomy, and
the creative, community-based and self-discovery experiences that are
part of travelling with Kristóf & Nimi.
9 days in California: 8 nights in hotels + 1 night on the return flight
Destination: USA, California
Dates: 18–27 March 2027
Group size: minimum 14 participants
Route / itinerary: Las Vegas → Death Valley → Los Angeles / Santa
Monica → Santa Barbara → Morro Bay → Big Sur / Carmel Valley → Santa
Cruz → San Francisco
Kristóf & Nimi: Games, shared experiences, moments of stillness and
unexpected situations – something a little different every day, together
with them.
Accommodation: 3–4-star hotels, iconic motels and boutique hotels,
in twin or triple rooms with private bathrooms, on a room-only basis.
Meals: Breakfast is not included at the hotels. The programme
includes four shared 100% plant-based meals. All other meals are at
participants’ own expense.
Flights: One European connection, flying into Las Vegas and
returning from San Francisco.
Getting around California: Private vehicle with driver between
cities; local public transport in major cities.
Tour leader, interpreter and programme coordinator: Eszter Horváth
About the journey
The central theme of this journey is freedom, and the different
personal, cultural and social meanings we give to it.
Over nine days, we travel through places that connect to this idea
in very different ways. Las Vegas plays with limits and the roles we
take on; Death Valley brings us closer to silence and letting go;
Los Angeles explores self-expression and reinvented identity; the
California coast reconnects us with nature; and San Francisco brings
us face to face with the stories of freedom shaped by counterculture,
the hippie movement and LGBTQ+ communities.
And of course, we are not skipping the places without which a first
great West Coast road trip simply would not be complete:
- the Las Vegas Strip
- Death Valley’s iconic landscapes
- the Hollywood Walk of Fame
- the Hollywood Sign
- Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive
- Santa Monica and Venice
- Morro Rock
- Big Sur’s legendary views
- Santa Cruz
- the Golden Gate Bridge
- the Castro and Haight-Ashbury
We will also follow in the footsteps of some of pop culture’s most
iconic figures, from Marilyn Monroe and Janis Joplin to Allen Ginsberg
and Barbie, while discovering the places and stories that made
California a symbol of freedom, self-expression and alternative
culture.
Alongside classic sightseeing and natural wonders, the journey includes
workshops, creative and drama games, guided meditations, community
challenges and food experiences led by Kristóf & Nimi. Sometimes
playful, sometimes more reflective, these experiences explore what
being personally free means to us – and what, or whom, we might like
to become a little more independent from.
We are not planning every evening to be quiet either. Where the local
culture calls for it, queer neighbourhoods, bars, music and dancing
will also become part of the journey. Vegan food, shared discoveries and
the spontaneity of a road trip tie it all together.
Detailed itinerary
Day 1 | 18 March 2027 (Thursday) | Las Vegas – arrival
Theme of the day: The Way I Arrived
A creative drama game with Kristóf & Nimi about the roles we have
brought with us to Vegas. Which ones did we choose ourselves, which were
assigned to us by others, and which would we happily leave behind on the
airport baggage carousel?
Iconic places and sights
- Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign
- Las Vegas Strip
- Bellagio and its fountains
- The Venetian area
- Fremont Street Experience
After landing, we check into our hotel and immediately throw ourselves
into a city built almost entirely around the idea that, for a few
hours, anyone can become someone else.
Our first shared activity is an unconventional introduction game. We are
not interested in job titles or what anyone writes about themselves on
LinkedIn.
Then comes classic Vegas: neon lights, Elvis, casinos, Bellagio,
kitsch, glitter and completely unnecessary buildings.
Kristóf & Nimi in the Vegas night: anyone who wants to can continue
the evening with us. The playful challenge for the night: do one thing
you would not normally do at home because you would worry about “what
people might think”.
Accommodation: Flamingo Las Vegas***
We spend our first night in one of the true veterans of the Strip, the
Flamingo. Opened in 1946, it remains one of the surviving icons of
old Las Vegas: pink neon, palm trees, flamingos, and exactly the
slightly over-the-top Vegas atmosphere we are looking for tonight.
Day 2 | 19 March 2027 (Friday) | Las Vegas – Death Valley
Theme of the day: Returning to Nature
Sunset meditation – returning to nature. Around sunset, Kristóf
leads a meditation of approximately 20 minutes. We are not manifesting a
new car and we are not trying to become better people. Instead, we look
at what we can genuinely influence – and what we keep trying to control
even though we cannot.
Iconic places and sights
- Zabriskie Point
- Badwater Basin
- Artist’s Drive / Artist’s Palette
- Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes – depending on time and light conditions
- meeting with the Timbisha Shoshone community in Furnace Creek
- desert sunset and starry skies
Leaving the lights of Vegas behind, we turn west towards Death
Valley. As we move deeper into the desert, the buildings,
advertisements, shops and people gradually disappear. The landscape
remains.
We explore Death Valley’s most important locations by vehicle and on
short walks. First we see the surreal, undulating golden rock formations
of Zabriskie Point, then descend to Badwater Basin, 86 metres
below sea level and the lowest point in North America. We walk across
the dazzling white salt flats before driving the winding, one-way
Artist’s Drive, stopping at the strangely coloured rocks of
Artist’s Palette.
If time and light conditions allow, we will also visit the dunes of
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes.
An important part of the day is a pre-arranged meeting with the
Timbisha Shoshone community in Furnace Creek. This is not a culture
that disappeared into history: the Timbisha Shoshone still live in Death
Valley today, on land that has been their home for generations.
If we are able to arrange the group programme, this time we will not
tell their story for them. They will tell us about their own history,
culture and traditions, and about what this extraordinary desert
landscape means to them. If local possibilities allow, we will also
taste fry bread.
In the evening we have a simple shared dinner, then return beneath the
desert sky. Far from the lights of the big cities, Death Valley reveals
a completely different face at night: silence, darkness and, in clear
weather, an astonishing sky full of stars.
Accommodation: The Ranch at Death Valley
We spend the night at The Ranch at Death Valley, in the palm-filled
oasis of Furnace Creek, right in the middle of the desert. The ranch is
deliberately simple and Western in atmosphere: a little like sleeping at
a desert stop in an old American road movie – only with a pool, palm
trees and Death Valley’s starry sky above us.
Day 3 | 20 March 2027 (Saturday) | Death Valley – Los Angeles / Santa Monica
Theme of the day: Reinvent Yourself!
My Own Barbie Box: everyone designs a limited-edition figurine of
themselves. What would it be called? What would the box say? Which three
accessories would come with it? What would its superpower be? And which
quality have you tried to treat as a flaw even though it may actually be
what makes you special?
Iconic places and sights
- Hollywood Walk of Fame
- Hollywood Sign – panoramic viewpoint
- Beverly Hills
- Rodeo Drive
- Sunset Boulevard
- Santa Monica Pier
A proper road-movie day: from the desert, we slowly return to
civilisation and suddenly find ourselves in Los Angeles, one of the
world’s biggest identity factories.
This is deliberately also our “big classics” LA day. Hollywood, the
stars of the Walk of Fame, the Hollywood Sign, Beverly Hills and
Rodeo Drive are followed by a westward drive along Sunset Boulevard,
all the way to the ocean.
Marilyn Monroe, Hollywood, Sunset Boulevard, Barbie and Santa
Monica: the whole city tells stories about how we create images of
ourselves and of one another.
At the end of the day, Kristóf and Nimi present their first joint
English-language cookbook, sharing the story behind the book. There
will be a signing, followed by a shared dinner.
Afterwards, anyone who wants to can continue the evening with us in
West Hollywood’s queer nightlife.
Accommodation: Gjelina Hotel Venice Beach****
We sleep close to the ocean at the Gjelina Hotel, a small,
characterful boutique hotel in one of Venice’s most atmospheric areas.
This is not a conventional large hotel: natural materials,
individually designed rooms and the relaxed, creative California
spirit that makes Venice a little universe of its own within Los
Angeles.
Day 4 | 21 March 2027 (Sunday) | Los Angeles, Venice Beach, Santa Barbara
Theme of the day: Play
The Freedom Laboratory – an improvisation and drama game with Kristóf
& Nimi. In pairs and small groups we act out absurd life situations:
“Your parents plan your life.” “Your 20-year-old self meets the person
you are today.” “Your 80-year-old self comes back because they urgently
need to tell you something.” “One of you is fear, the other is desire.”
You do not need to know how to act. Quite the opposite. The worse the
actor, the better.
Iconic places and sights
- Venice Beach
- an extra LA stop in the morning if one of the previous day’s iconic
sights was missed - Malibu and the California coastline
- Old Mission Santa Barbara
- Santa Barbara County Courthouse
- State Street
- Stearns Wharf and the beach
We start the morning at Venice Beach. Boardwalk, skateboarders, the
outdoor gym by the sea, street performers and that unmistakably Venice
mix where it can sometimes be difficult to decide whether what you are
watching is performance art or simply an ordinary morning.
If Los Angeles traffic prevented us from reaching an important stop the
day before, we will have an opportunity to catch up this morning.
Then we turn north, leaving Los Angeles behind and heading through
Malibu and along the California coast towards Santa Barbara.
Santa Barbara moves at a completely different pace:
Spanish-Californian architecture, palm trees, ocean and a more human
scale.
We visit Old Mission Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara County
Courthouse and its surroundings, walk along State Street, and
reach the ocean again at Stearns Wharf.
We also leave time simply to be there.
In the evening, we have a shared vegan dinner, and if we find an
interesting local option, an alcohol-free California tasting.
Accommodation: Drift Santa Barbara****
We stay in the heart of Santa Barbara on State Street at Drift, a
design hotel created inside a 1920s building. Natural materials, clean
spaces and Mexican and Californian influences – as if classic Santa
Barbara had been given a more modern, relaxed version of itself.
Day 5 | 22 March 2027 (Monday) | Santa Barbara – Morro Bay
Theme of the day: The Road That Leads Nowhere
On the road – shared challenge. We receive an envelope containing
tasks to complete during the day: photograph something that represents
freedom to you; ask someone what they would do if they were given an
entire year off; buy each other something for no more than five dollars
in a random roadside shop; choose a song to become your bus’s freedom
anthem.
Iconic places and sights
- California coast and Highway 1 / 101 views
- Pismo Beach – depending on time and mood
- Morro Rock
- Embarcadero
- Morro Bay harbour and waterfront
This will be one of our least workshop-heavy days. Minibus, California
coastline, music, spontaneous stops, ocean. The point is not to get from
Santa Barbara to Morro Bay as quickly as possible. If we see somewhere
worth stopping, we stop. If the day works out well, we make a detour to
Pismo Beach too.
When we reach Morro Bay, we naturally visit the town’s landmark, Morro
Rock, before walking along the Embarcadero and around the harbour.
In the evening, we meet by the ocean and show each other the “results”.
This should be more about laughing than getting deep.
Accommodation: The Landing at Morro Bay
We stay at The Landing at Morro Bay, just a few steps from the
Embarcadero and the water. It is a reimagined version of a classic
California coastal motel, but its greatest feature is the location
itself: step outside in the morning and Morro Rock, the harbour and
the Pacific Ocean are right there.
Day 6 | 23 March 2027 (Tuesday) | Morro Bay – Big Sur – Carmel Valley
Theme of the day: Silence
Silent walk. A shared walk of approximately 45 minutes in complete
silence. No phones, no photos, no talking. At the beginning, Nimi leads
a short grounding exercise, then everyone continues at their own pace.
At the end, nobody is required to share “what they learned”. Maybe
nothing. That is completely fine too.
Iconic places and sights
- Highway 1 scenic drive – depending on current road conditions
- Big Sur
- McWay Falls / Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park – if accessible
- redwoods and nature walks
- Bixby Creek Bridge
- Carmel-by-the-Sea – time permitting
One of the journey’s great nature days. Cliffs, Pacific Ocean,
bridges, redwoods, mist – the kind of landscape that does not need an
additional programme invented for it.
Our Big Sur route will always be adapted to current Highway 1
conditions; in March, weather and possible road closures may require
changes.
If road conditions allow, we travel through some of the coast’s most
beautiful sections: McWay Falls, Big Sur, the redwoods and Bixby Creek
Bridge.
If there is enough time, we will also visit Carmel-by-the-Sea; if
not, we start there the following morning.
Accommodation: Hidden Valley Inn – Carmel Valley
After Big Sur’s dramatic ocean coastline, we retreat inland for the
evening to the sunnier, quieter Carmel Valley. Hidden Valley Inn is
a small, peaceful Californian inn surrounded by gardens, a pool and
mountains – exactly the right place for the end of this day, when we
need no more programme, just dinner, wine or tea, and quiet.
Day 7 | 24 March 2027 (Wednesday) | Carmel Valley – Santa Cruz – San Francisco
Theme of the day: There Is No Right Direction
By now, we have been on the road for days. There has been desert, ocean,
play and silence – and today we do not want to give anyone another
“task”.
In Santa Cruz, everyone gets some free time with just one rule: you do
not have to do anything. Walk down to the beach, go on a ride at the
Boardwalk, have a coffee, watch people, or simply head in whichever
direction looks interesting.
On the way to San Francisco, everyone chooses a song that somehow
connects to the journey so far. Together, they become our road-trip
playlist, which we listen to during the final kilometres.
Because not every day needs to end with a lesson. And not every road
has to lead somewhere for it to be worth travelling.
Iconic places and sights
- Carmel-by-the-Sea – morning walk
- Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
- Santa Cruz Wharf and beach
- Golden Gate Bridge – depending on arrival time and light conditions
- Castro District in the evening
If we did not have time for Carmel-by-the-Sea the previous day, we start
there in the morning before heading north.
In Santa Cruz, we stop for one of California’s classic beach-town
experiences at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. In March, opening
hours for rides and attractions can vary, but the oceanfront Boardwalk
and surrounding area are worth the stop regardless.
When we arrive in San Francisco, if time and light allow, our first
big encounter with the city will be the Golden Gate Bridge. If not,
no problem: we begin there the next day.
EVENING: THE CASTRO. Queer history, bars, music and dancing.
Kristóf & Nimi Freedom Night. Anyone who wants to be in bed by ten
can be in bed by ten. Anyone who wants to dance with us is not allowed
to complain the next morning. 🙂
Accommodation: Metro Hotel
In San Francisco, we move into the Metro Hotel for two nights, a
small independent boutique hotel around Divisadero. It is not a sterile
downtown chain hotel: colourful, playful, slightly bohemian and very San
Francisco – a perfect base for the city we are about to discover.
Day 8 | 25 March 2027 (Thursday) | San Francisco
Theme of the day: The Summer of Love
Hippie Trail with Kristóf & Nimi: stories, music, pop culture and
local history as we walk.
Our Summer of Love – 2027: in small groups, we create our own
contemporary countercultural movements. What is it called? What is it
rebelling against? What does it believe in? What are its five rules?
What does its flag look like? What is its song? What is the one sentence
its followers would paint on the walls of San Francisco? We create
posters and slogans, then each group presents its movement. It can be
political, spiritual, absurd, sexy or completely idiotic.
Iconic places and sights
- Painted Ladies / Alamo Square
- Lombard Street
- classic cable car experience
- Fisherman’s Wharf / Pier 39
- Haight-Ashbury
- Hippie Hill
- the area around the Grateful Dead house
- the Castro – if we did not explore enough of it the night before
This day is part San Francisco bucket list, part countercultural time
travel.
We devote the morning to San Francisco’s classics. If we did not reach
the Golden Gate Bridge the previous evening, we begin there,
followed by the Painted Ladies, Lombard Street, a classic
cable car ride, and Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39.
In the second half of the day, we head to Haight-Ashbury: Janis
Joplin, Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Hippie Hill and the stories
of the 1967 Summer of Love.
We are not going to pretend it was all flowers and love. Alongside the
experiments in freedom came addiction, chaos, exploitation and many lost
people.
Evening: The Summer of Love – dinner + closing party
On the final evening of the trip, we celebrate making it together
from the neon lights of Las Vegas to San Francisco with a shared
three-course vegan dinner. Then the serious part is over: if we find
the right venue, we bring out our own Kristóf & Nimi playlist or mini
DJ set; if not, we choose a San Francisco queer club together.
We spend our second night at the Metro Hotel. By now, we are no
longer arriving at another new hotel; we return to the same place we
left that morning – something that can feel surprisingly good at the end
of an intense road trip.
Day 9 | 26 March 2027 (Friday) | San Francisco – SFO
Theme of the day: What Are You Taking Home?
We sit down together somewhere in San Francisco and take out what we
created on Day 1 during The Way I Arrived exercise.
Postcard from California. We write a postcard to ourselves. Not
about what we promise to change starting Monday, but this:
“When I forget again that I am free, I would like you to remind me
that…”
We collect the postcards and, a few months later, everyone receives
their own card in the post.
Today’s programme
- a final San Francisco walk and breakfast, depending on flight time
- possibly catching up on an iconic sight we missed
- transfer to San Francisco International Airport
You can travel from Las Vegas to San Francisco in nine days. What we
cannot promise is that anyone will “find themselves” along the way.
We believe something slightly different: we are not lost.
Sometimes all it takes is a little desert, an ocean, a minibus full of
strangers who have become familiar faces, a few terrible dance moves and
nearly two thousand kilometres to hear ourselves again.
Our accommodation – part of the journey, not just places to sleep
We selected our accommodation so that each place adds something to
where we are. We are not spending the whole journey in identical chain
hotels. There will be a classic Las Vegas icon, a desert ranch, design
hotels in Venice Beach and Santa Barbara, an oceanfront road-trip stop,
a Carmel Valley retreat and a small, characterful San Francisco boutique
hotel.
Las Vegas – Flamingo Las Vegas
True old-school Vegas: neon, palm trees, flamingos and that unmistakable
“a little too much, which is exactly why we love it” feeling.
Death Valley – The Ranch at Death Valley
A green oasis in the middle of the desert. At the end of the day, this
really will feel far away from everything.
Venice Beach – Gjelina Hotel
Small, stylish, relaxed and very Venice. The kind of place where the
hotel itself becomes part of the Los Angeles experience.
Santa Barbara – Drift Santa Barbara
Clean Californian design, downtown atmosphere and a touch of boutique
luxury – without unnecessary fuss.
Morro Bay – The Landing at Morro Bay
A classic California road-trip stop beside the ocean, next door to Morro
Rock. For one evening, we slow down to the rhythm of the coast.
Carmel Valley – Hidden Valley Inn
Gardens, mountains, quiet and Californian countryside. After Big Sur, it
is exactly what we will need: nothing.
San Francisco – Metro Hotel
A small artistic boutique hotel in a Victorian building, close to the
world of Haight-Ashbury. It would be difficult to find a better place to
finish a journey that has been about daring to live and travel a
little differently – and sometimes staying a little weird.
Prices and important information
Tour price
Package price: USD 3950 per person
The tour price is based on accommodation in twin or triple rooms.
Airfare is payable separately and is not included in the package price.
We can help you with flight booking.
Returning traveller discount
Previous Serpentin Tours travellers receive a 5% returning traveller
discount on the package price.
Early booking discount
Book by 31 October 2026 and pay 50% of the tour price to receive a
USD 150 discount per person on the package price.
Discounts cannot be combined.
Single occupancy
Single supplement: USD 1200 / person
If you are travelling alone but would be happy to share a room with
another participant, please let us know when booking. We will do our
best to find a suitable roommate.
If we are unable to find a roommate, Serpentin Tours will cover half
of the single supplement.
The number of single rooms is limited.
The tour price includes
- 8 nights’ accommodation at the properties listed in the itinerary
in Las Vegas, Death Valley, Venice Beach, Santa Barbara, Morro Bay,
Carmel Valley and San Francisco, in twin or triple rooms with private
bathrooms - transport between cities according to the itinerary in a private
air-conditioned vehicle - local public transport used as part of the programme in Las Vegas,
Los Angeles and San Francisco - airport transfers included in the itinerary
- a Hungarian-speaking tour leader throughout the journey
- the activities, workshops and creative/community programmes with
Kristóf Steiner and Nimrod Dagan listed in the detailed itinerary - four shared 100% plant-based meals, including the three-course
vegan farewell dinner in San Francisco - shared excursions and sightseeing listed in the detailed itinerary
- entrance fees and permits specified in the programme
- organisational costs
The tour price does not include
- airfare
- the cost of the ESTA electronic travel authorisation, or a US visa
if required - travel medical and baggage insurance
- trip cancellation insurance
- hotel breakfasts – breakfast is not included at the accommodation
- meals other than the four shared plant-based meals included in the
programme - drinks and personal consumption
- taxis, Uber, public transport or other transport used individually
during free time - optional activities and entrance tickets not listed in the programme
- gratuity for the bus driver: USD 75 per person (recommended
gratuity: USD 15 per person per day × 5 days with a driver) - personal expenses
- any service not specifically listed under “The tour price includes”
Meals: breakfast and dinner
Breakfast is not included at the hotels; this is common in the
United States.
What about breakfast?
Breakfast is not included at most of our accommodation – but in
California, we see that more as an opportunity than a problem. At almost
every stop, we will find a bakery, café or classic American breakfast
spot nearby, so everyone can start the day according to their own
appetite: a bagel with plant-based cream cheese, avocado toast,
granola with fresh fruit, oatmeal, a smoothie bowl, pancakes or a good
coffee with plant milk.
On road-trip days, we can do it the truly American way: stop at Trader
Joe’s or Whole Foods the evening before or in the morning and stock up
on fruit, pastries, hummus, plant-based yoghurt, granola and snacks for
the road. Instead of waking up to the same hotel buffet every morning,
we get to eat a little piece of whichever California we woke up in that
day.
The programme includes four shared 100% plant-based meals, including
a three-course vegan farewell dinner in San Francisco on the final
evening.
Vegan gastronomy is not a side character in California, so we are
planning four shared, fully plant-based meals along the way. In
Death Valley, we finish our desert day with a simpler shared dinner. In
Los Angeles, we sit down together after Kristóf and Nimi’s cookbook
presentation. In Santa Barbara, we are planning a vegan dinner with a
distinctly Californian feel. And in San Francisco, we celebrate the end
of the journey with a three-course shared dinner.
Our aim over these nine days is to show just how diverse plant-based
food can be: Mexican flavours, tacos and burritos, fresh Californian
ingredients, Asian inspirations, comfort food, burgers, exciting
desserts and modern restaurants can all be part of it.
On days when there is no pre-arranged shared meal, nobody has to dine
alone: anyone who wants to is welcome to join Kristóf and Nimi as we
find somewhere good together. One thing we can promise here too:
depending on what is available locally, we will always choose vegan
food, so anyone who joins us throughout can experience California’s
food scene as a fully plant-based adventure. The four pre-arranged
shared meals are included in the tour price; spontaneous shared meals
are paid for individually.
There will be plenty of opportunities to discover California’s
plant-based gastronomy, but being vegan is not a requirement for
joining the trip.
Insurance
We recommend taking out trip cancellation insurance and travel
medical, accident and baggage insurance.
Transport
This is a road trip – but not an
America-seen-entirely-through-a-bus-window kind of road trip.
Between cities, we travel in a private air-conditioned vehicle.
In Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco, we primarily explore on
foot and by public transport. The cost of local public transport used
as part of the programme is included in the tour price.
Taxi, Uber or other transport used individually during free time is not
included.
The itinerary therefore involves more walking than a traditional coach
tour.
Entry to the United States – ESTA
Travel authorisation, visa and the tour price
Obtaining the valid travel documents, ESTA authorisation or – where
required – a visa necessary for entry to the United States is always the
traveller’s own responsibility.
If a traveller’s ESTA or visa application is refused, or US authorities
deny the traveller entry either when the journey begins or upon arrival
in the United States, the resulting inability to travel is considered a
circumstance on the traveller’s side. Therefore, the tour price
already paid and the cost of non-refundable services incurred up to that
point are not automatically refundable.
For this reason, we recommend arranging ESTA, or a visa where necessary,
well in advance and taking out suitable cancellation insurance whose
terms may provide appropriate cover for the relevant circumstances.
Please check before booking whether you are eligible to enter the
United States using ESTA.
Certain personal circumstances, previous travel history or citizenship
conditions may mean that a traveller is not eligible for ESTA and must
apply for a US visa.
ESTA approval does not automatically guarantee admission to the United
States; the final decision on entry is made by US border authorities.
As the journey takes place in 2027, the US entry requirements in force
at the time of travel will apply.
We recommend applying for ESTA only through the official US government
website.
Passport
Travel to the United States requires a valid passport that meets the
US entry requirements in force at the time of travel.
Valid electronic (biometric/chipped)
passport that meets current US entry requirements. We recommend that the
passport remain valid for at least six months after the planned return
date. The rules in force at the time of travel will always apply.
The name on the airline ticket must match the name in the passport
exactly.
Please check your passport’s validity before booking.
It is the traveller’s responsibility to ensure that their passport has
the appropriate validity and that they personally meet the requirements
for entry to the United States.
What to expect from the road trip
Over nine days, we travel nearly 2,000 kilometres from Las Vegas to
San Francisco.
Several days involve longer drives, we change accommodation frequently,
some days begin early, and on occasion we may not reach our next hotel
until the evening.
This journey is for people who believe that the journey itself is part
of the experience and who are comfortable with regular hotel changes,
longer drives, city walking and using public transport.
What to pack for the California road trip
On this route, we may experience several seasons in nine days, so
layering is the key. Las Vegas and Death Valley can be pleasantly warm,
even hot, during the day, while Big Sur or San Francisco may call for
very different clothes because of wind and cooler evenings.
We are not preparing for a hiking expedition, but there will be desert
walks, city sightseeing, oceanfront time and light nature walks, so
comfortable shoes will be more useful than a third elegant outfit.
We recommend:
- comfortable, already broken-in trainers or walking shoes suitable
for a full day on your feet; optionally, bring a lighter second pair - layers: T-shirts, a long-sleeved top, sweater or fleece, and long
trousers - a lightweight windproof and preferably waterproof jacket,
particularly for Big Sur and San Francisco - sunglasses, a cap/hat and sunscreen
- a small backpack or daypack
- a refillable water bottle, especially for Death Valley
- a power bank
- a US Type A/B plug adapter; the US uses 120V electricity, so check
that high-powered European appliances also support 110–120V - a packable rain jacket
- swimwear – even in March, it may come in handy at one of the
hotels - a relaxed evening outfit for Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San
Francisco - personal medication and a basic travel medicine kit, with enough of
any regular medication for the entire journey - passport, ESTA and insurance documents saved electronically,
preferably with offline access
We would not overdo one thing: luggage size. On a road trip, we are
moving on almost every morning, so a well-planned medium-sized suitcase
is much more pleasant than unpacking and repacking half a wardrobe every
night. If necessary, we can look for laundry facilities near our
accommodation, so there is no need to bring a completely different
outfit for every day.
We also recommend a little “minibus survival kit” in your hand
luggage: water bottle, power bank, sunglasses, lip balm, hand sanitiser,
tissues, a light sweater, a few snacks and a neck pillow. We are
travelling nearly two thousand kilometres together – at some point
everyone will have a sweater, a water bottle and a completely
unnecessary bag of snacks somewhere around their feet. 😄
Physical activity
This is not a sports or hiking tour, but it is an active journey.
Expect longer city walks in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
In Death Valley, Big Sur and other natural locations, some walks may be
on uneven terrain.
An average level of physical fitness is required to participate in
the programme.
Kristóf & Nimi programmes
Throughout the journey, Kristóf Steiner and Nimrod Dagan lead the
creative, community-based and self-discovery games, workshops and
activities listed in the detailed itinerary.
These programmes are not therapy or psychological sessions.
Participation in exercises and games is voluntary – nobody is required
to open up or share personal experiences.
Tour leader
Eszter Horváth
head-counter • room-key hunter • driver negotiator • latecomer tracker •
lost-luggage detective • “what time are we leaving?” department • Google
Maps addict • ticket distributor • restaurant caller • problem solver •
peacekeeper • weather watcher • bathroom-break coordinator •
photographer • interpreter • emergency Plan-B generator • and the person
who always knows where we are supposed to be – even when nobody else
does. 😄
Changes to the itinerary
The journey passes through several areas where weather and current road
conditions may affect the programme.
Road closures and restrictions may occur particularly around Death
Valley, Highway 1 and Big Sur due to weather, roadworks, landslides or
other circumstances.
Opening hours of national parks, attractions and other locations may
also change.
If an itinerary item cannot be visited for reasons beyond our control,
we will arrange an alternative route or activity where reasonably
possible.
We reserve the right to change the order of the programme and, where
justified, individual programme elements.
The planned meeting with the Timbisha Shoshone community is subject to
advance local coordination and confirmation.
Minimum group size
Minimum group size: 14 participants.
The tour will operate once the minimum group size has been reached.
If the minimum group size has not been reached by the specified
deadline, we may cancel the journey. In this case, the booking deposit
and tour payments already made will be refunded.
Booking and payment terms
You can book the programme using the booking form on our website or by
email.
Booking deposit: USD 200 / person
The deposit counts towards the tour price.
Your place is considered reserved once your booking has been confirmed
and the deposit has been received.
Deadline for payment of 50% of the tour price: 15 December 2026
Deadline for payment of the remaining tour price: 1 February 2027
Detailed payment information will be sent with the booking confirmation.
Cancellation terms
Cancellation by the traveller must be submitted in writing.
Until 15 December 2026: amounts paid are refundable, except for the
booking deposit.
16 December 2026 – 1 February 2027: cancellation charge is 50% of
the tour price.
After 2 February 2027: cancellation charge is 100% of the tour
price.
Once the airline ticket has been issued, any changes, cancellation or
possible refund are subject to the airline’s applicable conditions.
Refusal of an ESTA or US visa does not in itself exempt the traveller
from the applicable cancellation terms.
For this reason, we strongly recommend suitable trip cancellation
insurance.
Important
The accommodation, restaurants, transport and individual programme
elements listed in the itinerary may change for reasons beyond our
control. Where necessary, we will endeavour to provide an alternative of
the same or a similar category.
Any driving times stated in the detailed programme are approximate.
Traffic in Los Angeles and San Francisco, as well as current California
road conditions, may significantly affect the daily schedule.
The detailed itinerary is for information purposes; we reserve the right
to change the order of activities and, where justified, their content.
By booking, the traveller accepts the current travel terms and
conditions of Serpentin Tours Kft.