Fantastic cuisine, comfortable camps and expert guides
Description
It's hard to ask for a better spring break vacation for your family than to the Havasupai Waterfalls in the Grand Canyon. This once-in-a-lifetime backpacking trip has something for everyone and allows for bonding, free time, adventure and relaxation all in one trip! We take care of everything so your family can relax and focus on enjoying the hallmarks of Havasu Falls: stunningly beautiful turquoise water, plunging waterfalls (50-200 feet tall), idyllic swimming holes, desert wildlife, lush vegetation, comfortable camping, fascinating cultural history, and scenic Grand Canyon hiking.
For our spring break trips, we've created a perfect way for families (with dependents ages 12-22) to enjoy the trip along with other families. We provide roundtrip transportation from Flagstaff, nearly all your gear, wonderful meals, camping reservations (tribal fees are added separately), and professional family-friendly guides.
Due to circumstances beyond our control, we will not be operating Havasu Falls tours in 2019. We hope to continue operating tours to Havasu Falls in 2020. In the meantime, we offer award-winning hiking and trekking vacations to other incredible Southwest destinations! Check out more of our Southwest Adventures.
Due to circumstances beyond our control, we will not be offering Havasu Falls tours in 2019.
We're sorry for any disappointment this causes. However, not all is lost! We heartily recommend checking out some of our other award-winning Southwest Adventures! Arizona, Utah and California offer some of the best hiking vacations in the world, and there are no better guides than our team here at Wildland Trekking!
Day 1
Shuttle to Hualapai Hilltop: 3.5-hour drive from Flagstaff
Hiking Mileage: 10 miles
Elevation Loss: 2,400 feet
This family spring break special Havasupai Waterfalls Tour begins with hotel pickup in Flagstaff. We shuttle along historic Route 66 to our trailhead, where we will do a final fitting with our backpacks. We begin our hike downhill through a series of switchbacks before leveling off in a beautiful red sandstone canyon. After 4.5 miles of hiking this canyon intersects with Cataract Canyon and Havasu Creek, whose enchanting turqouise waters are some of the most inviting in the world.
We follow this creek for 2 miles to the village of Supai, where the Havasupai people have been living for approximately 800 years. The only way in and out of the village is via foot, horseback or helicopter as there are no roads here. We'll leave Supai and continue another 2 miles to the campground. En route to the campground we pass three of the five major waterfalls: Rock Falls, Fifty Foot Falls, and Havasu Falls. The rest of the afternoon is available for photographing, swimming and enjoying Havasu Falls.
After a hearty dinner we'll enjoy a moon-lit walk down to the top of 200-foot-tall Mooney Falls. The view looking down onto the falls is one of the most impressive anywhere.
Day 2
Hiking Mileage: 7 miles (optional day hiking)
Elevation Change: 500 feet
We'll spend day 2 exploring the stunning waterfalls that make Havasu a world-renown Grand Canyon destination. We'll hike/climb to the base of Mooney Falls, then continue hiking downstream another 2.5 miles to Beaver Falls, where the canyon becomes increasingly dramatic with small waterfalls cascading under ash and cottonwood trees. Big horn sheep are often an added bonus, as this area provides them with rare, valuable grazing habitat. Beaver Falls makes for a fantastic lunch spot before we hike back to camp.
Day 3
Hiking Mileage: 5+ miles (optional day hiking)
Elevation Change: 300 feet
After sleeping in and enjoying a great breakfast we'll have the rest of the day to hike and explore Rock Falls and Fifty Foot Falls, which are less-visited but equally as stunning as Havasu and Mooney Falls, and make for unforgettable swimming and photography. We'll be back in camp mid afternoon to relax and prepare for the next day's hike out.
Day 4
Hiking Mileage: 10 miles
Elevation Gain: 2,400 feet
Shuttle to Flagstaff: 3.5-hour drive from Hualapai Hilltop
After breaking camp and hiking back through the Supai Village, Cataract Canyon and up to Hualapai Hilltop, we'll enjoy lunch and cold drinks. Our drive back to Flagstaff is a time for reflection and will likely pass in a stream of memories as you relax and enjoy the natural scenery of Northern Arizona before arriving at our starting point in Flagstaff.
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes.
Trip Details
What's Included
Top-of-the-line tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, and multi-day backpack
Camping in a comfortable basecamp near Havasu Creek
Use of trekking poles
All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
Professional, certified Wildland Grand Canyon hiking guides
Havasupai camping reservations
Roundtrip transportation from Flagstaff to the trailhead and back
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!
What's Not Included
Havasupai tribal fees (mandatory per-person entrance, environmental, and camping fees) are added separately and collected at time of registration (more info above)
Clothes, raingear, and footwear
Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
A lightweight stuff sack for your belongings
Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
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.
Gear We Provide
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
What Gear To Bring
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 clothing and personal items (pack light!), 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.
What Clothes to Bring
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
How do I Register?
Ready to hike? In the Dates section of this trip page, the green dates are bookable online by simply clicking on the date, and blue dates must be booked through our customer service team for a variety of possible reasons. To email our customer service team, you can click here 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!
Where Do We Meet?
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.
Start/End Times
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).
Safety Considerations
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.
Guides
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.
Guide Working Parameters
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.
Group Size and Age Restrictions
The average group size for this Havasu Falls Tour is 12 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)
10 and older to join private tours
Weather in the Grand Canyon
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:
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 3+ Our difficulty ratings are based on a scale of 1-5, tours with a rating of 1 being least difficult, tours with a rating of 5 being most difficult
Backpack Weight:
25-35 pounds
Daily Hiking Distances:
7-10 miles
Most Elevation Loss:
2400 feet
Most Elevation Gain:
2400 feet
Quality of Trails:
Well used
Additional:
This trip requires hiking 10 miles (with 2400 feet of elevation loss) to the campground with 25-35 lb backpacks. Once in camp all hiking is done with light packs until we hike out on the final day (again, 10 miles, with 2400 feet of elevation gain, 25-35 lb backpacks).
The hiking trail begins with downhill switchbacks but after the initial descent is at a very moderate grade most of the way. On our day hike below the campground the trail descends a tall cliff at Mooney Falls on bolts and ladders. This section is very exposed but going below Mooney is optional.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Participants should:
be active and healthy
regularly exercise vigorously
be comfortable hiking 8-10 miles per day with a 25 pound backpack
SOLITUDE LEVEL 2 1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Grand Canyon hike a solitude 2 because the trail to Havasupai is well-used, but below Mooney Falls we'll see far fewer people. You can expect as much as an hour of solitude at a time once we're several miles into the Canyon. Weekends, and especially holiday weekends, tend to be very busy so if traveling during these periods expect to be around other hikers most of the time.
Havasu Falls Video
Travel from Phoenix to Flagstaff
WHY WE BASE IN FLAGSTAFF VS. PHOENIX VS. PHOENIX
Reduced drive time by 3 hours on first day of hiking
Guide support is only an hour away vs. 4-5 hours away in Phoenix.
Increased flexibility with unforeseen circumstances
Flagstaff is a scenic mountain town with great hiking and restaurants!
ARIZONA SHUTTLE
Arizona Shuttle (http://www.arizonashuttle.com) makes 9 dependable trips daily each direction between Phoenix and Flagstaff. The duration is 2.5-3 hours.
They pickup/drop off at Sky Harbor Airport and the Metro Center in Phoenix, and in Flagstaff at the Amtrak Station (near downtown) and the NAU campus.
Note: Arizona Shuttle also offers daily transportation (3 trips in each direction) from Flagstaff to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
CAR RENTAL
Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix has a fantastic car rental facility that is easily accessible and hosts a great variety of companies. We recommend checking Priceline.com as well for especially good deals.
ARIZONA EXECUTIVE TRANSPORT
Arizona Executive Transport offers private, reliable SUV service between Phoenix and Flagstaff.
This option is best if you're traveling in a group of 3 or 4.
As Wildland Trekking guests, your one-way cost for up to 4 passengers is only $275. Simply type "Wildland Trekking Company" in the Discount Code Box at the bottom of the online registration page.
You can go to http://www.arizonaexecutivellc.com to make your reservations online.
Add-on Porter Service
If you would prefer hiking with a light day pack (5-10 lbs) versus a full multi-day pack (25-35 lbs), we recommend utilizing our porter service. Each porter is able to carry 30 pounds plus their own gear for the trip. To reduce the weight for 2 people but limit costs, some guests hire a porter and have them take half of each person's weight.
The cost per porter is $1160 on a 3-day tour and $1600 on a 4-day tour.
All That's Included
Our Havasupai tours are all-inclusive packages that allow you to travel and hike stress-free to the Southwest's most amazing waterfalls! Here's a list of everything that's included:
Roundtrip transportation beginning and ending in Flagstaff, AZ
All your meals from breakfast the first day through lunch the last day (and our guests rave about our meals - check out Trip Advisor!)
Trail snacks for the duration of the trip
All your gear, which includes backpacks, tents, sleeping bags (professionally laundered), sleeping pads, trekking poles...etc.
Safety equipment (1st aid and satellite phone)
Havasupai camping reservations
Professional Grand Canyon guides (ratio of 1 guide for every 6 guests)
The personal attention afforded by small group travel (max group size of 12 guests)
Dedicated shuttle drivers during summer months for maximum safety
Confidence, comfort and convenience of hiking the Grand Canyon with an award-winning tour company
If you have any questions about what's included, please feel free to call us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453).
Havasupai Tribal Fees
Havasupai Tour rates (per person) are broken down into two fees:
The Wildland guided tour rate: this rate covers everything we provide, which includes local transportation, guides, meals, transport of supplies and personal items (not on backpacking trip), camping gear, camping reservations, safety equipment, and more.
Havasupai Tribal Fees: the Havasupai Tribal fees are added when you register and cover a per-person entrance fee, environmental fee, and per night camping fees plus 10% tax (the tribe's fees are higher for commercial companies than for individuals visiting on their own). These fees are dictated annually by - and passed in their entirety to - the Havasupai Tribe.
Please Note: all discounts apply only to the Wildland rate, not to the Tribal Fees.
If you have any questions about our rates or the tribal fees, feel free to call us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453)!
Why Wildland Trekking?
Exceptional Reviews
Our trips have earned #1 spots on 5 national park Trip Advisor pages, and 5-star status on Google and Yelp. We were also featured on the Discovery Channel as "The Best of Arizona" due in large part to our positive reviews, and have been featured in the New York Times, Mens Health, Sunset, Backpacker Magazine, Outside Magazine, AARP Magazine and more.
Always Small Group Adventures
Our hiking and backpacking tours are always small group adventures with never more than 12 guests, and most of the time between 5-10, per trip. What this means for you is you're joining a personalized hiking vacation that prioritizes quality of experience above all else.
Trip Support
With 8 field offices located near our areas of operation, we have local personnel able to provide support to trips if a problem arises. This level of support is virtually unmatched in the adventure travel industry.
Fantastic Gear and Food
On average Wildland guests go into the field with equipment valued at over $1000 per person, and our guests regularly comment on how exceptional their meals were in their online reviews and post-trip evaluations.
Exceptional Guides
Our commitment is to hire and train the best guides in the industry. To ensure this we seek out career-minded guides, conduct periodic staff trainings, and require current medical certifications. In addition to technical competency and credentials, we also require excellent people skills. These extraordinary men and women have the ability to turn a great get-away into an unforgettable, inspiring - and sometimes truly life changing - adventure
Risk Management
Every trip carries a field-issued first aid kit, comprehensive list of medical protocols, and a satellite phone. We require new guides to attend a comprehensive training to ensure they meet our standard of quality before putting them in the field, then we monitor their performance closely through post-trip evaluations and debriefs. Finally we have a 24-hour on-call line that our staff, guests, and family members of guests can call any time (literally) to speak with a company representative.
Forgiving Refund Policy
We understand life can be unpredictable at times, and that plans can change. Some companies require 50% or more non-refundable deposits, but we ask for only $500 deposits and have a tiered refund policy that allows you to cancel more than 60 days out with only a $100 administration fee. For last minute emergencies we offer future trip credits on a case by case basis.
Lifetime 10% Discount
When you hike with us you'll receive a Lifetime Family Membership entitling you, your spouse and your kids to a 10% discount off any future Wildland Trekking trip. Our diversity of trip offerings allows you to enjoy the U.S.'s and the World's inspiring landscapes in a variety of ways and at different times in your life, and at a discount!
PDF Trip Itinerary
Receive a PDF info packet via email which includes:
day by day itinerary
logistical and travel information
gear and clothing lists and more
* = REQUIRED FIELD
Request a Reservation
Please complete this form to request a reservation (we also offer online registration in the Dates section of this trip page). We will respond, in the order received, to confirm availability and/or provide other options. If there is availability and you would like us to register you immediately, please check the "Express Sign Up" box and provide the names and emails of your traveling companions. Your spot is not confirmed until you've paid your deposit and completed your registration profile. Feel free to call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453) with any questions or to confirm availability over the phone.
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Ask a Question
We're here to help! Please complete this form to email us a question. One of our Adventure Consultants will respond as quickly as possible (normally within 2 business hours). We're here 9 am to 4 pm Mountain Time every day, so you can expect a timely answer.
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Private Trips
Private Trip Rates Private Backpacking Rates*
1 person: Scheduled rate x 3 2 people: Scheduled rate x 2 3 people: Scheduled rate x 1.5 4 people: Scheduled rate x 1.2 5+ people: Scheduled rate *all rates are per person and do not include tribal fees
Inquire About a Private Trip
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