"I just wanted to tell you what a wonderful experience my grand canyon rim-to-rim hiking trip was last week. Shayne was a spectacular guide and I will fall short of telling you how wonderful our hiking trip was with him. He has such love, passion and knowledge of the Grand Canyon and he imparted those onto us. He truly embodies the spirit and wonder of the magnificent Grand Canyon and I cannot imagine a better person to share my first Grand Canyon experience with. It was truly a spectacular experience because of him.

Every guide we met a long the way told us we had the best guide. We knew that already.

Thank you for him, for accommodating my rim-to-rim trip request on a short notice and for adding me to a wonderful group of people who were adventurous, fun, energetic and equally inspired and in awe of the magnificent Grand Canyon, again because of Shayne.

It was one of the best times of my life. I will recommend your company to anyone anytime." -Ghayda Mirzaa

"Scott and Steve, We just got back from the June 17 hike to Havasu Falls in the Grand Canyon. It was wonderful and more than we expected! I wanted to send you two an e-mail giving high compliments to Matt and Stewart, who were our guides. The two of them were so knowledgeable about the region and so accommodating. They made sure that we had an enjoyable time, that we were well fed and hydrated and just filled our heads with information. They made our exploration of the Canyon unforgettable." - Mary Davis

"Our Grand Canyon trip was incredible – a trip of a lifetime! Our guide, Shayne, was wonderful. He is very knowledgeable, fun, conscientious, and just a terrific guy. Oh yes, and a very good cook! We enjoyed making new friends on our trip and can’t wait for another trek"! - Jen Rinaldi, Dave DeHaan and Jim Cook

"I had the BEST time! I rate the trip third on my top ten list. 1. meeting my husband 2. having my kids and 3. The Grand Canyon trip that Bob lead us on. Thanks so much for everything! Bob took incredible care of us!" - Lesley Platek

"I would have to say that the best part of my trip (lol was everything...) I was amazed at the ability to have such great food with the experience of Bennett, we had more amazing food then I have ever had while backpacking, let alone the Grand Canyon.
{The worst part was} having to leave!!!! Oh yeah, also being the MULE!!!!" - Peter Tostaine

"The whole experience was the best! Bob was fantastic and we would love to plan another trip with him next summer to Yellowstone. Let us know!" - Kelli Taylor

"I don’t usually use a guide for my backpacking trips (mostly Sierra, Eastern Oregon and Idaho), but my hiking partner Jim Robinson was more comfortable having a guide. Margaret “Margi” Erhart was our guide, and she did an OUTSTANDING job and really made the trip for me. Margi is very experienced, technically sound, mature, a “reader” of people who is able to communicate effectively with everyone. She is knowledgeable but not arrogant. She took the time to hike with each person in her group and get to know them better. She knows how to relate to hikers of all experience levels. I think the least experienced person had great confidence in Margi, as did I. Her knowledge of the flora and fauna was extensive, and her knowledge of the geology of the region made this trip a wonderful learning experience. This was an unexpected delight, as Margi “taught” as we hiked. Sometimes we stopped to view an interesting plant, vista or bird, and it was often about the time the guys were ready for a break but nobody wanted to say it first. Margi obviously cares about keeping the Canyon pristine for future generations, as she taught everyone key backpacking techniques that further that goal.

Margi was observant of her group without being overbearing. On the last day of the trip on the way up she noticed one hiker having a little difficulty (but trying not to show it). Her training allowed her to realize that the hiker was dehydrated and had too much sun. Without making a big deal out of it, she got the hiker rehydrated, rested, and out of the sun. She split the pack contents amongst a few of us, and carried the pack herself the remainder of the way up the trail. While everyone was resting, she continued to point out interesting plants and geological features which, I think, took the attention off the hiker who was having trouble and decreased any embarrassment the hiker may have had.

I hope to return to the region in the next year or so, and would request Margi as my guide and I would recommend her to my friends.

As I’m sure you know, how people think about your company is 95% dependent on their experience with the guide. They are the face of your company. Margi represents you extraordinarily well, and she would be the primary reason for me to use your company a second time." - Gary Huber

"Great guide, good food, VERY scenic. It was all excellent" - Joseph Domin

"We had a great time and truly enjoyed learning from our guide. Looking forward to more trips and more backpacking. Life changing experience for our kids…. Food was great, Guide was great--patient, friendly, professional, put up with our kids! My 14 year old, who is more of an introvert, stated she found the backpack "empowering" and wants to be a wilderness guide." - Lori Stevens

"I wish to express my sincere appreciation and thank you for making arrangements for Shane to guide myself and my sister on our recent trekking tour to the Grand Canyon. Shane was great. It was easy to develope a rapport with him, he was very kind and encouraging towards my sister who struggled to complete the trek. He was prepared for all eventualities. His rucksack had almost everything (including the kitchen sink). He was very patient and we were able to stop to rest or just to take in the breathtaking views.

I also wish to express a big thank you to yourselves and to Shane for arranging with my daughter my birthday surprise. I have special memories of my 50th birthday drinking champagne in the Grand Canyon. What better way to celebrate this milestone. Please convey our thanks to Shane. He was a great guide." - Marilyn McKay

"Bennett was outstanding. I would heartily recommend this company to anyone looking for a guided trip to the canyon." - Jim and Carol McDowall

"I am a bit embarrassed as I had meant to contact you first when I returned home! Let me just say that I had a fabulous time and also to let you know how impressed I was with Rohan! I am glad he enjoyed the experience as well – I tried not to be too whiny! LOL! So, I can easily get over my embarrassment! I have so many wonderful images that I will retain for a long time about the hike, the different experiences, the food and the vistas of the Grand Canyon." - Bill Younger

"I had a wonderful trip. Thank you for all your services. I found it very easy to get all the information I needed from you and to get all my questions answered. I can tell you that I found all the services offered by your company as excellent. Jill was a wonderful guide. As it was just the two of us this was obviously very important. She was professional, friendly and great company. We had a lot in common. I found the hiking stretching but not beyond me and I hardly ached the following day. We had a nice relaxing day in the canyon but Jill gave me a choice on what to do. She was also really helpful in picking me up from my hotel in Tusayan etc. The food was great and the camping equipment was very comfortable. I was warm in my sleeping bag. All the arrangements went very smoothly.

If I were ever to do a similar trip again I would certainly use your company and I would certainly recommend you to others but sad to say not many of my friends or family would contemplate hiking or camping ( which is why I went alone, life is too short not to do your own thing). I wish I could make some positive suggestions on how to improve things but I think you've got it just right." - Linda Ahearne

"Outside of the obvious (seeing the Canyon for the first time), the professionalism and preparedness of Bennett as my guide was over the top. He took care of meals, small injuries, and educating me on both the Canyon and many of the camping techniques and theories that I was new to. I can think of nothing that even comes close to worthy of being mentioned {as far as what to improve}." - Tim Whitecotton

"We really loved the guides. They were great. First class." - Doug Villhard

"Anna was awesome!!! She is professional, fun, knowledeable and very enthusiastic. I appreciated the planning phone calls from Rowan and their pre-trip attention to detail. With all of us arriving at different times, arranging the pre-trip planning meeting was challenging but that was a function of schedules more than anything else. I have already recommended your company to other folks! It was a great experience." - Terri Les

"The hike itself {was the best part}. We didn't experience anything negative. Matt made the trip! His cooking was excellent and his experience is awesome. If we come back, I hope Matt is still there, because he will be requested!" - Jeff Trout

"It was a great experience and it was so worth it. I feel really lucky for living in Arizona - I can go back to the Grand Canyon pretty much anytime I want to (time and money permitting ;-) Jill and I were actually joking that I could be a future Grand Canyon guide (so if you ever need someone that speaks German & Italian, let me know), but I have no idea what the requirements are to become a guide." - Natascha Hebell

"Rohan was awesome. And the office folks were really helpful putting things together and very responsive." - Joe DeSipio

"Matt was very well informed about all aspects of the trip. He looked after those with foot "issues" very well and made sure that the pace of the party suited all members. As an experienced expeditioner, I recognised a good party leader when I saw one. Very competent, very professional. There weren't any bad moments. Four days was exactly the right amount of time and I found the physical exertion much less than I anticipated. Fortunately, my knees held up okay as well. We were well advised not to take tents, which saved a useful bit of weight. It was a bit of a pain in the arse having to take a shuttle bus back to the North Rim. It meant that the return journey felt longer and more of a hassle than it could have been. It also meant that I didn't have enough cash to present Matt with a proper gratuity." - John Thorogood

"While we were all in a group, it was so small and well put together, that it was still a very private experience and just a whole new world to be seen and loads of fun - I guess we were just really lucky. Nothing {negative} I can blame the company for; I got some blisters, if that counts, and we had to leave the canyon again, which really sucked. I loved it, loved it, loved it and would do it again in a heartbeat." - Christina Schafer

"Our trip more than met my expectations – it was a wonderful experience and I couldn’t fault anything. Matt was friendly, enthusiastic, always cheerful and extremely well informed – and a very good cook. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide. And our co travelers were great too. I hadn’t expected the food to be so good! That was real plus!

I am just so pleased that we chose Wildland Trekking. I had a Lonely Planet and looked at the listed web sites and also looked on Google. Your prompt e-mail reply (and the fact that you had availability at rather short notice) was encouraging – and I also liked your web site." - Clare Thorogood

"Chase's coordination and planning of arrival times at various rest stops {was the best part}. Insuring that we drank plenty of fluids: melissa said the excellent planning and coordination of our meals and snacks {was the best part}. The whole experience was wonderful!" - Tom Francomano

"Everything was great..you can't control the mosquitos and the cold weather so can't say anything about that. Bob and Mac were great guides and kept us motivated. The food was better than we expected for a camping trip…nice to have fresh veggies and fruit. Thanks so much for coming to our rescue at the last minute. When we found out our other trip was cancelled we were so upset and thought we were stuck doing a trip on our own which would never have matched what we experienced with you…So thank you so so much for finding us some great guides." - Laura Ekizian

"I just finished the Grand Canyon hike that was led by Jill. Despite the incredibly bad weather conditions my wife and I had the time of our lives. Jill was just the perfect guide. I really can't say enough about her. She set the perfect tone for the entire trip. She was always upbeat and positive despite the fact that she herself was hurting and that the weather conditions were not exactly ideal. My wife, who was a little skeptical about this trip, is now a firm believer in the backcountry vacation. That is entirely Jill's doing. We will come and see other spots with the company because Jill was such a great representative. You are lucky to have her." - Tom & Bernice Irwin

"The Grand Canyon was a quest that taught me to accept the impossible; that stirred my imagination, assuring me that the world is full of venues and possibilities.

Like a child, I was enthralled by the minuscule, the grandeur, and the magic surrounding us at all times.

Grand Canyon tested the character of us all. With its steep walls, temperature extremes and weather conditions, it literally challenged our bodies and our souls.

As we struggled down and up its rocky trails in the hot sun, gasping for air and water, the Canyon's grandeur and utter indifference humbled us.

It is an archetype of the natural world, or in the words of the poet Keats: a vale of soul-making.

Thank you for sharing this experience with me." - Maria Rittner