Trip Itinerary
Shuttle to the South Rim: 1.5-hour drive from Flagstaff
Hiking Mileage: 4.8 miles
Elevation Loss: 3,000 feet
This multi-day
Grand Canyon hiking tour begins on the Bright Angel Trail, where we wind our way down 3,000 feet of switchbacks to a broad bench called the Tonto Plateau. Becaue this trip is portered, we'll be hiking with light day packs, which makes for very pleasant hiking! Indian Garden is a perrennial spring that watered ancient Havasupai garden plots for centuries. Now it is a cool, shaded oasis that makes for a perfect summer camp or mid-canyon camp from which to access the Colorado River on a day hike. We'll set up camp and then hike to Plateau Point (1.5 miles along a mostly flat trail) for a sunset dinner at one of the most stunning viewpoints in all of Grand Canyon! This sunset dinner is for many guests the highlight of the entire trip. Following dinner, we'll hike back to camp and settle in for the evening.
Hiking Mileage: 6+ miles
Elevation Loss/Gain: 1,500 feet
After a hearty breakfast we’ll make an early departure to take advantage of the cool hiking hours of the morning. Today's destination is the Colorado River and the bottom of the Grand Canyon! We'll hike along Garden Creek, an enchanting spring-fed creek with hanging gardens and waterfalls. Our route will take us down a series of switchbacks called "The Devil's Corkscrew", then along another charming creek, Pipe Creek. Eventually we'll find ourselves on the shores of the Colorado River. If time and conditions allow, we may hike down to Bright Angel Campground and Phantom Ranch, or we may enjoy a picnic lunch at the River and then hike back to camp from there.
Hiking Mileage: 4.8 miles
Elevation Gain: 3,000 feet
Shuttle to Flagstaff: 1.5-hour drive from the South Rim
A casual morning and delicious breakfast will precede a beautiful hike out as we continue our trip back to the rim via the Bright Angel Trail. It’s a 4.8 mile hike from camp to the South Rim, where we’ll look back over our route and reflect on the beauty of the Grand Canyon and our accomplishment in achieving something that few have had the privilege of experiencing.
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary park restrictions, campsite availability, weather, road closures, guest ability/injury, and natural events like fires and flooding.
Trip Details
- Top-of-the-line tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, and technical backpack
- Porter service to carry the bulk of gear and food (Read more about the porter service on this trip)
- All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
- A professional, knowledgeable, certified Grand Canyon hiking guide
- Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Flagstaff, Arizona to the Grand Canyon and back
- Entrance fees and national park permits
- Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and satellite phone
- You will receive a Lifetime Hiking Membership entitling you, your spouse and kids to a lifetime discount of 10% off any Wildland Trekking hiking trip after your first one!
- Clothes, raingear, and footwear
- Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
- Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
- Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
See the
Packing Lists page for more information.
All of our hiking and backpacking tours include a diversity of tasty meals packed full of critical carbohydrates, proteins and fats. We carry foods that travel well in the backcountry – rice, pastas, lentils, beans, couscous, packaged meats, nuts, breads, oatmeal, granola, and more.
For optimal taste and energy, we supplement all our meals with spices, herbs, oils, cheeses, butter, sugar, and fruits and vegetables (fresh and dried). In addition, we provide you with with an assortment of trail mix, snacks, and dried fruits to eat at your own discretion.
We regularly accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and will make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee.
We provide all group gear which includes the following:
- Deuter or Osprey backpacks
- Sierra Designs, Kelty or Big Agnes tents
- Sierra Designs, Kelty, Big Agnes and Mountain Hardware sleeping bags
- Thermarest or Big Agnes sleeping pads
- Leki or Black Diamond trekking poles
- Cooking stoves and cookware
- Company-issued first-aid kit
- Satellite phone
We ask that you supply a couple of gear items on your hiking tour. These items are three 1-liter water bottles per person, a lightweight stuff sack for your belongings that will be going with the mules, and either a headlamp or flashlight per person. Basic items like sunscreen, bug repellent (where and when applicable), lip balm, and toiletries are also important. All of these items are available online at
Wildland Trekking Outfitters.
Please refer to the trip packet for a recommended clothing list (we email you a detailed trip packet when you inquire and when you register). All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots (reliable brands include Montrail, Lowa, Merrell, Vasque, and Salomon), rain gear, and non-cotton and cotton clothing layers. A minimum of three pairs of wool or synthetic hiking socks are also required. All of these items are available online at
Wildland Trekking Outfitters.
NOTE: See the
Packing Lists page for more detailed information on what clothes and gear to bring on your hiking tour. The trip packet you receive when you contact us will have the most accurate clothing and gear list for the tour you're interested in.
Trip Logistics
Ready to hike? Simply
click here and complete the form to get the ball rolling. Our adventure consultants will confirm availability, and if you're ready to register we'll email you a link to a registration profile. You'll have 72 hours to complete your profile (and that of any dependents) and pay the deposit ($500).
Feel free to call us for more info - we're here 7 days a week!
Unless we tell you otherwise, you will meet your guide and group at the Little America Hotel in Flagstaff (use this
reservation page for a 10-60% discount at Little America) for an orientation meeting at 5:00 PM the evening before the trip begins. We're happy to give you a ride to this meeting if you're not staying at Little America, but staying at one of our other recommended hotels. Your guide will then pick you up at your hotel the next morning for transport to the trailhead. For Private Grand Canyon Tours your guide will meet you at your hotel in Flagstaff at an agreed upon time.
Check out our
Travel Resources page for information on flights, shuttles, lodging and more.
Your guide will inform you of the first day's pick-up time at the orientation meeting. Generally, you can expect it to be between 4 and 7 am, although the exact time will depend on current weather and road conditions. We will drop you off at your hotel on the final day normally before 5 PM (this time is not guaranteed, as a variety of circumstances can influence our exact return time).
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT's, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. We've developed comprehensive risk management protocols that our guides adhere to in case of an emergency, and most tours carry a satellite phone. If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at
1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Your tour will be led by a trained, experienced professional with a solid guiding background, years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. Check out our
Meet Our Team page for staff bios.
Guides are required to take 8 hours off each 24-hour period to sleep, recuperate, take personal/down time...etc. In addition, as part of the 8 hours off they must sleep/rest or be in their tents/rooms
uninterrupted for a minimum of 5 hours each night. We ask guests to respect these requirements and to not interrupt guides' off time and sleep time unless there is a true emergency.
The standard group size on this trip is 6 guests and 1 guide, with a maximum of 9 guests and 2 guides. If you have more questions about group size, please give us a call at
1-800-715-HIKE (4453) and we'll answer all your questions.
Age restrictions are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 5 and older to join private tours, with final approval and specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis
The weather in the Grand Canyon varies tremendously from the rim to the canyon floor, with as much as a 30 degree Fahrenheit difference. For this reason, the Canyon is truly a year-round hiking destination. To be fully prepared, please follow the recommended clothing list closely (this list comes as part of your trip packet when you register). Read below for average high and low temperatures at the South Rim and the Canyon bottom:
| Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit) |
| |
|
|
| |
Month |
South Rim
|
Canyon Bottom
|
|
| |
|
hi |
low |
hi |
low |
|
| |
Dec-Feb |
41° |
18° |
60° |
38° |
|
| |
March |
51° |
25° |
71° |
48° |
|
| |
April |
60° |
32° |
82° |
56° |
|
| |
May |
70° |
39° |
92° |
63° |
|
| |
Jun-Aug |
82° |
53° |
108° |
75° |
|
| |
September |
76° |
47° |
97° |
69° |
|
| |
October |
65° |
36° |
84° |
58° |
|
| |
November |
52° |
27° |
68° |
46° |
|
