Things to do in Death Valley

5 hours across open Mojave desert. Entry costs 30 dollars per vehicle for a 7-day pass, and the park accepts card payment only, no cash.

The valley holds the world's official record high air temperature, 57 degrees Celsius, and summer daytime highs routinely pass 45-50 degrees Celsius, with heat-related deaths reported most years, sometimes on short, easy-looking trails in the middle of the day. Visit between October and April if you can.

Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America, is one of the park's best-known stops and takes only a few minutes on foot from the car park to reach the salt flats.