Numerous types of tours are available for you to get the most out of your Grand Canyon trip.
The Grand Canyon stretches 277 miles long from one end to the other, up to 18 miles wide and one-mile deep. This natural wonder is easily Arizona’s most distinguishable landmark, according to ArizonaGuide.com. Although the Grand Canyon is a major tourist attraction, many visitors prefer planning a specific type of tour in order to see and experience as much as possible. A plethora of tours are available for visitors at the South Rim, which is the busiest section of the Grand Canyon. The North Rim is a quieter and more secluded section of the Grand Canyon.
Air Tours
Guided tours of the Grand Canyon allow you to obtain historic and geographic information from a trained tour guide while also being able to view and take pictures of the natural wonder from a variety of vantages points aside from ground level. Air tours provide you with the option of touring the Grand Canyon from either a multi-passenger airplane ride or an intimate helicopter ride, both offering you bird’s eye views of the Grand Canyon. Most air tours take off from Grand Canyon National Park, and the tours are available in a variety of lengths and group sizes.
Land Vehicles
If flying over the Grand Canyon doesn’t interest you, guided tours are also available on land vehicles. Interpretive tours are offered on motor-coach buses or trains so that you can enjoy the sights while someone else does the driving. You’ll learn history and geology about the Grand Canyon from knowledgeable guides. Numerous motor-coach tours are available to suit your interests, each with different itineraries and stops along the way; stops such as at lookout points or in ancient Indian towns. The Railroad Express takes you on a half-day tour on a vintage, 1950s diesel train.
Animal Rides
Another means of transportation around the Grand Canyon is by using animals. Mule rides are available at the South Rim for two to three hours rides through woodlands and along the rim of the Grand Canyon, or overnight rides down the trail that leads into the Grand Canyon and an overnight stay at an oasis near the Colorado River. Both of these tours get booked up to 13 months in advance and need to be reserved ahead of time. At the North Rim, one-hour rides along the rim or half-day rides into the Canyon are available on a daily basis. The Grand Canyon National Park also offers one-hour or two-hour horseback rides that include a twilight campfire.
Hiking
Touring the Grand Canyon on foot offers you the most rustic type of experience and gives you total control of your own tour. A variety of guided hiking tours are available from Grand Canyon National Park, from half-mile walks along paved trails and fossil beds at the rim of the Grand Canyon, to three-mile hikes along the unpaved trail that descends into the Grand Canyon. The hike into the trail is only for physically fit people without heart or respiratory conditions, and sturdy footwear. It is recommended that you bring one to two liters of water, food, hats and sunscreen. If you prefer independent tours, you can also hike along the rim or into the Grand Canyon on your own, taking in the sights, resting, eating and walking at a pace that you see fit.
Rafting
Whitewater rafting inside the Grand Canyon on the 277-mile-long Colorado River is an adventurous, thrilling experience that tours the Grand Canyon from a different perspective. Set one-mile deep from the rim of the Canyon and ground level, guided group raft trips allow you to view ancient caves, Indian carvings, sandy beaches and roaring rapids that tours from up above would never see. Overnight accommodations include sleeping under the stars on beaches along the route and eating an assortment of fresh produce and sandwiches. Most trips take four to 18 days on paddle rafts, but half-day or one-day trips are also available on motorized rafts and dories.
Tags: Grand Canyon, tours available, Canyon from, Canyon National, Canyon National Park
