SAFARI SOUTHWEST

The Southwest is big and remote. We'll be staying somewhere new each night, and in some of these places there's only one hotel for miles. Booking in advance as a group is necessary to ensure that we can all stay together. Being so far from civilization also requires additional contingency planning, and pre-payment allows us to pool resources to ensure that we have the equipment and personnel in place to make the trip safe and fun.

Please contact us for information on pricing.

This is an adventure: every night will be a hotel, but don’t expect consistently five star accommodations. We’ll be staying in some fantastic places, but many are quite far off the beaten path. Similarly, don’t be surprised if the food isn’t always Michelin quality; we’ll have some great meals but will also grab some quick bites for the road. Note that the best rooms are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so if you want a room with a view, reserve your spot early.

​We’ll have a recovery vehicle and some recovery equipment. If your car is stuck, we’ll try to get it out, but you are responsible for recovery if your car is stuck beyond our capabilities or can not continue due to mechanical failure or damage. Obviously, we won’t leave you on the side of the road!

Most days will start early – expect to spend six to eight hours on the road, with stops for photos, gas, and meals. We’re covering a lot of distance, and we want to make sure we have plenty of time to enjoy the marvelous roads and scenery.

We won’t hold it against you: everyone makes mistakes. Nonetheless, mistakes do have consequences, and you’re responsible for your actions. This is an adventure, not a race, so please drive safely and within your limits.

No, the accommodations are booked as a package. You can depart early on the last day, if you’re arranging your own car transport.

The off-road driving is designed to suit a lifted rear-wheel-drive 911. Some sections are more technical and may present a challenge, but you might be surprised by what your car can do! Experience sliding around in the dirt is helpful, but not required.

You should expect that there will be media coverage of the trip, and lots of photos taken by other participants. We’ll do our best to minimize how this impacts us, except in positive ways (like ‘having’ to run the best sections multiple times).

​Be safe, have fun, do good.

The adventure includes route planning and leadership, hotel accommodations (single or double occupancy) for four nights, and basic recovery support. You are responsible for the cost of food and incidentals, as well as getting yourself and your vehicle to the start point and from the destination. However, if you are shipping your car from the East Coast, we may be able to help.

Yes. There is a reduced fee for your co-driver or passenger if you're sharing a room, but they will be treated as a full price participant if they need their own single occupancy room.

We aim to spend as much time as possible off-road while still covering enough ground to visit some of the most iconic spots in the American Southwest. In total, we plan to spend about half our time off-road and half on the road. While the specifics vary by day, each day will have a good amount of time in the dirt!

Adventures are more fun with friends, and we encourage you to bring a co-driver or passenger. Most days will include six to eight hours of driving, and you may find that it’s less fatiguing and more enjoyable to split your time at the wheel. Don’t worry, everyone will get a chance to drive the most exciting sections.

Cell phone service will be intermittent. We’ll have a satellite phone for emergencies, but you shouldn’t expect to be in constant contact with the outside world.

Most Americans need a car for work, but for some, a broken down car is more than an unexpected expense: it can start a spiral towards job loss and homelessness. The Lift Garage is a non-profit aimed to move people out of poverty and homelessness by providing low-cost car repair, free pre-purchase car inspections, and honest advice to those who need it most.

​While many of the participants have experience working on 911s, you’re ultimately responsible for ensuring that your car is mechanically ready to handle a multi-day adventure. We’ll bring some common spares and help where we can, but no mechanic is guaranteed.

​The desert can be hot during the day and cold at night. We'll also be doing some of our driving at altitude, and the high desert can be cool. Bring clothes for both extremes, and plan to dress in layers. Make sure you have sunscreen!

We wish you could, but Safari Southwest can only accommodate humans.

It’s going to get dirty, and that's good! Bring window cleaner, not quick detailer. You should also bring any spare parts you might need, like belts, extra quarts of oil, etc.

Chief route-planner, hotel-booker, and windscreen-cleaner is Dave Allison, who has racked up 10,000+ miles as co-driver of Safari 4. In addition to having reputedly excellent Yelp skills, Dave has experience in planning on- and off-road adventures and has made numerous trips to the Southwest (not to mention a background in leading military convoys in Afghanistan). He promises not to correct your radio etiquette too frequently.