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When planning a vacation, one of my top priorities is to find activities to create memories that will last forever. When looking back at my pictures or videos I always find it so much fun to remember the amazing time spent with my loved ones.
If you feel adventurous, renting a UTV or booking a guided tour when you are in Las Vegas to go off-road on trails in the middle of nowhere is an excellent idea.
Many people who look for fun things to do while in Las Vegas often get as a suggestion UTV rentals, a UTV tour, or an ATV tour. But what is the difference between renting a UTV or having a tour guide, and what is the difference between a UTV, an ATV, and a sun buggie? Is this activity good for me? Is it hard to drive these vehicles? Do I need to have some off-road experience? How do I choose the best company?
You know the feeling you get when you finally find an amazing activity and then you realize that you have a new challenge: How to choose the best company?
In this article I will guide you and help you make the decision on how to choose the best UTV tour in Las Vegas to fit your needs.
In this article
Exploring the Las Vegas Desert off-road Style
Choosing the Perfect UTV Experience: Factors to Consider
Introduction: Crafting Unforgettable Vacation Memories with UTV Adventures.
When my husband and I used to go on vacation in Vegas, we would always go off-roading because we are both passionate about it. We are so passionate that we decided to open our own company, OUI Experience, that offers off-roading tours.
We opened in 2017 and since then we have learned so much about off-roading. We want to share our knowledge with you. We are not the only tour company, and our off-road tour is not designed for everyone. But one thing is certain, our tour guide is the Best!!! Because it is my husband Jake!
Exploring the Las Vegas Desert off-road Style
You know that feeling of excitement when you are sitting in the Plane on your way to Las Vegas and the pilot says on the speaker: "Ladies and gentlemen, we are now starting our descent to Las Vegas, the current temperature is 95 degrees, and the local time is 9 am. I hope you enjoyed your flight with us." You look out the window and see land. Lots and lots of land. What is hiding in all of this land?
What is the desert in Las Vegas?
Las Vegas is a city built in the middle of the Mojave Desert. The best way to explore the Mojave Desert is by off-roading through it! You can also hike but, you will not be able to discover as many different ecosystems as you would by UTV or ATV. Thats why one of our catchphrases is "why hike when you can drive?"
ATV, UTVs and Sun Buggie (Dune Buggie): Demystifying Off-Roading Vehicles
What if off-roading?
Off-roading is driving or riding in a vehicle on an unpaved road or trail. It can be any natural terrain like dirt, sand, gravel, mud, rocks... The Jeep in the picture bellow is at about 4500 feet above the sea level.
What vehicle can you off-road with?
Some people off-road with their truck or Jeep and others off-road with a Dirt Bike, rock crawler, sand rail or even a car (on simple dirt roads) but the best ways to off-road in my opinion is with an ATV, a UTV (or side by sides) or a Sun Buggie (or Dune Buggie).
ATV (all terrain Vehicules) are 4 wheelers with a handlebar. You sit on it like you sit on a horse. They are typically single-rider vehicles designed for rough terrain. They are small and agile, making them suitable for various off-road conditions. There are a lot of ATV tour companies to choose from when in Las Vegas.
UTV (Utility Task Vehicle) or Side-By-Side are larger than ATVs and can usually seat two or more passengers side by side. UTVs are often used for recreational off-roading and can handle more challenging terrain. My husband likes to call them golf carts on steroids. They are super safe with long travel suspension, automatic transmissions, seat belts and a roll cage. They are the perfect ride for an unforgettable adventure. Some UTV's even have doors for more safety. Each wheel has less air than on vehicles on the road to make a smoother ride.
Dune Buggies are lightweight, open vehicles with oversized wheels designed for sand dune adventures. They are great for dune bashing and desert exploration.
Choosing the Perfect UTV Experience: Factors to Consider
When you type in google: "UTV tours in Las Vegas", the list goes on, and on, and I don't even see our company OUI Experience. So, there are a lot of companies to choose from that are offering off-road tours near Las Vegas.
The first thing you have to ask yourself is what kind of vehicle do you want to drive or ride and what is your budget. The ATV tour is, generally, the cheapest, then you have the Sun buggy tour and finally the UTV tour which is the most expensive (it is also the most comfortable and the easiest to drive of all the off road vehicles).
When comparing prices, you will see that some companies offer different prices depending on the number of hours you choose to off-road. And you have to be careful because sometimes the time includes their complimentary shuttle service to and from your hotel.
In Las Vegas some companies only go in the Dunes, others only in the Mountains, and other companies offer more than 1 kind of terrain. It is usually a good idea to go with a company that offers different terrains unless you know that you love a certain type of terrain and only want to do that one.
You have to keep in mind what kind of experience do you want to live! Do you want incredible scenery or are you looking for pure adrenaline? Some companies will bring you in scenic valleys, others in sand dunes. Most companies will not let you speed and some even have regulators on their UTVs.
Most of the tours in Las Vegas are guided tours which mean that an experienced guide is driving a vehicle in front of you and you follow him. All the staff that I met while off-roading with all the companies are amazing and they love what they do! They are expert guides that have road experiences and will make your trip exciting.
Sometimes you are lucky to be in a small group, and even better a private tour, and sometimes you are stuck in a big group. When you are in a big group you should try to be as close as possible to the guide in Front so that you are not in a cloud of dust.
When planning your vacation and choosing an activity you have to consider the length of your stay in Las Vegas compared to the length of the activity. If you are only in Las Vegas for two night you probably don't want to spend a whole day off-roading. But if you are in Las Vegas for 5 nights you definitely want to consider to off-road for a couple of hours.
Renting a UTV vs. Vegas Guided off road tours: Which Is Right for You?
Most of the companies near the Las Vegas strip don't rent their machines without a guide. Their number one priority is safety, and they don't want their guests to get lost or break a belt or a tire and be stuck in the middle of nowhere. Imagine you are spending an awesome day with your family and friends and all of a sudden you get a flat tire.
Most of companies like our company (OUI Experience) want you and your family to have the ultimate adventure and show you the most breathtaking views. That's why a guided tour is a life changing experience. It gives you a break from having to decide everything and gives you a chance to live life.
If you want to rent a UTV, ATV or even a Jeep without a guided tour I suggest you look at Craigslist or Facebook marketplace. Take pictures of your ride, each wheel and the suspension.
Take the time to look at the trail you will be following and bring a lot of water. If possible, pin your location and your time of departure to a family member and tell them that you will write to them as soon as you come back. This way you protect your lives in case you get stranded in the desert and are not stuck waiting for days for someone to pass by as your family member can call someone to go look for you if they did not hear back from you.
Duration Matters: Picking the Ideal UTV Tour Length
Like I explained earlier if you are staying in Las Vegas for 2 nights for team building events or conventions, you will probably want to do a 1 hour off road tour with a company that is very close to the strip.
Some companies like ours are far from the strip and the 1-hour tour becomes a 3-hour event even if your off road experience is only one hour of drive time.
If you are in Vegas for five nights with your family, I would recommend you choose a longer off road tour because they are so much fun and you have time to see stunning vistas and sometimes you even see animals.
On the Full House Experience that we offer, you go 4500 feet up a mountain, down to the waterfront through canyons, to an old abandoned mine, and through 8 different terrains. We are probably the furthest tour, but we also offer the most awesome views. The views you will see when you spend the time in your car to come to us will also be worth the extra distance.
UTV Types: The Thrill of Choosing Your Vehicle
The two biggest companies that sell UTV's are Can Am and Polaris, followed by Arctic Cat, Kawasaki, Honda and Segway. Usually, UTV's have long travel suspension to make the ride smoother. Most off-road tours choose Can Am and Polaris because they are comfortable and reliable.
We use Can Am Maverick Sport 1000 DPS instead of RZR (from Polaris) because they do not have the high pitch noise like the RZRs.
You will see so many different terrains during your adventure in the desert. Your trip will not only be fun but will also be a reliable because your ride will be able to handle all the trails.
Conquering Diverse Terrain: Your Off-Road Adventure Options
Now that you know how long you have for your fun adventure it is time to choose between all of the off road tours that are suggested to you. It is time to shop around and hope you will find the best fit for you and your family. Before making a reservation don't forget to keep in mind what you are looking for.
If you want an ATV tour refine your research to only ATV off road tours near Vegas.
If you want speed make sure you get more info on if the UTV or ATV has a regulator. If you really want speed, I don't recommend an ATV because this ride is not as safe as the UTV.
If you want the ultimate adventure try to find a private experience (all of our Experiences are private by the way) where all the staff (in our case Jake) will give you all of their attention to create this fun adventure in an unforgettable way for your group.
If you love nature try to find a company that brings you through different terrains (like OUI Experience) and where you can explore outside of Vegas.
Your Guide: The Heart of Your UTV Adventure
When planning a fun adventure for your group in Vegas you want THE awesome guide. When you look back at all the experiences that you had in your lives you realize that what makes a day go from fun to awesome is the people you spend the day with.
I recently went to Italy with my husband and my mom for her 75th birthday (it was her dream country to visit) and our reservation got cancelled last minute so we found a last-minute place to stay. When doing the reservation, the owner of the place
told us that the house was in the middle of the mountain with no transportation to get to this place apart from by foot through the mountain. This was not ideal for my mom but we still rented it. There was a man, Andres, that was guarding the place 24/7 and he made our trip unforgettable. He took care of my mom, offered her all kind of food and drinks. The first thought that we have today, when thinking about our whole trip to Italy, is that man Andres who made our week at that place unforgettable.
So before making a reservation look at the reviews and make sure you get an awesome guide (like Jake, my husband) that will have safety as a priority.
Conclusion: Choosing the Best UTV Tour for Lifelong Memories
I hope you will have an unforgettable time in Las Vegas, and you will find your perfect adventure tour from ATV tours to awesome Jeep tours.
If you want more info about Vegas tours and Jeep trails you can always contact us
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Contact OUI Experience now to start your journey or follow us on social media for the latest updates and inspiration:
"The dirtiest fun you can have with your clothes on at any age!"
Ani and Jake Benz
Oui Experience LLC
763-218-8422