What an amazing trip! Brian is an excellent tour guide who is so passionate about touring and the places he takes you to. We learned a lot about the area and got to see amazing views. We went in the summer, so we left early at 4:30 am. The pickup time and location was confirmed the night before, so you knew when and where to meet. Brian was punctual, and the van is immaculate. The windows were kept clean, so we could always see the views. The pickup time is early, but you need to leave early to get to Zion to beat the heat. We were able to hike two out of three trails in the shade and cooler temperatures by leaving early. Our last trail was in the direct sun, and it was so hot. Be sure to bring your hat and sunscreen. Brian will provide you with water. There are also plenty of water bottle refill stations in the park. We followed Brian's advice and hiked the Riverside Trail with a view of the Narrows (you can hike part of the Narrows, but you will be walking through the river) which was a paved and fairly flat trail with gorgeous views all around in just over an hour. We then hiked the short and steep Weeping Caves trail, which only takes 15 minutes, for a different set of gorgeous views. For our last trail, we hiked to the Lower and Middle Emerald Pools. There are some nice views along the way, but this trail has a lot of steep steps and is in direct sun if you hike it later, which we did. I'm sure the views are better in the spring after the rains, but we liked the views from the other two trails best. The free shuttle system in the park is convenient and easy to use. We went at the end of August and never had to wait for a shuttle. This took about five hours. We then left the park an hour early for extra adventures, which was so kind of Brian to offer. Extra adventures make the day longer, but it was so well worth it as we got to see so many incredible views beyond what the original tour offers, which is a great deal in its own right. Do not make plans for the same night as this trip or early next morning, so you have the time to take advantage of the extra adventures if they are offered.
As others have said, if you are given the chance of extra adventures, take it! Brian knows all the best places, including pie, as others have shared. We then went for lunch/early dinner and pie before going to Bryce Canyon to see the views from Bryce Point and Sunset View. Wow! These were our favourite views, and we are so happy Brian offered us the opportunity to come here too. We then drove to Escalante National Monument for unspoiled views of more off the beaten path Utah with no other tours, and really few people at all, in sight. We got to see another change in landscape and stayed to watch the sunset from a high viewpoint. We came back quite late, but again, if you want to see a lot of beautiful spots, the extra time is worth it. Throughout the entire trip, Brian made sure we were comfortable and enjoying ourselves. There were rest stops for comfort breaks and to buy drinks and snacks, which you could eat in the van. Brian, thank you for such an amazing experience. Your passion for your job and this part of the US shines through and truly brought this experience to another level. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and love for the land. We were originally booked for the Death Valley tour, which was cancelled as the park was closed due to damage from flooding, and we are so glad we took the chance to sign up for your Zion tour instead. We will be back to take your Death Valley tour in the future. Don't hesitate to book with Brian. The trip is worth every penny!