'Grand' doesn’t cut it. Mind-blowing? That’s more like it.
At 29 kilometres wide, 1.5 kilometres deep and 446 kilometres long, nothing can ever prepare you for the vastness of the Grand Canyon. The views from the lookouts along the rim will take your breath away, but we like to go a little deeper — like hiking into the canyon depths and seeing the burnt-orange cliffs soar above you, falling asleep under spectacular night skies, and learning about the park's Indigenous history to connect with this ancient landscape. Make sure your camera's fully charged... you won't be able to put it down.
Havasu Falls is a famous waterfall that tumbles over burnt-orange cliffs into a turquoise swimming pool. It's a desert oasis in every sense of the word. The water is geothermally heated and remains a pleasant 21°C throughout the year. Jump in and soak up the beauty surrounding you or swim behind the cascades to hear the water rumble and echo off the walls.
This is the Grand Canyon’s most popular hike, and for good reason (it's epic). Zig-zag down steep switchbacks to the river at the base of the canyon. Your leader will fill you in on all the geological and ecological phenomena that make up the landscapes here, including its unique desert plants, wildflowers and wildlife.
This trail offers an incredible journey into the lesser-visited inner canyon of the North Rim. This challenging but rewarding hike leads you past diverse desert ecosystems and showcases incredible views, including the Coconino Overlook, where you can see down to Roaring Springs Canyon.
Have your camera at the ready because the South Rim boasts some of the best viewpoints. Here, you'll get a front-row vista of the enormity and grandeur of the Grand Canyon. It's hard to believe your eyes when you see the tapestry of colours and textures created by millions of years of geological activity and erosion by the Colorado River.
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Western USA National Parks Loop
Rosemarie · Traveled April 2024
What a mind blowing experience. Amazing views. Fell in love with hiking from this trip!
Review submitted 23 Apr 2024
Western USA National Parks Loop
Calla · Traveled April 2024
This was my first intrepid trip, and I would do it all over again in a minute. Our group was so appreciative of all of the sites that we were able to see in such a short amount of time. All of the accommodations were clean and comfortable., some even including some seriously good breakfasts. Our tour guide., Indy, was fun, friendly, and very knowledgeable about all of our destinations. I highly recommend intrepid to anyone who is on the fence.
Review submitted 19 Apr 2024
Western USA National Parks Loop
Catherine · Traveled April 2024
Superb trip packed with interesting and fascinating destinations ; great accomodation and an amazing , friendly and knowledgeable guide. Five days really well spent with a fun group of travellers.
Review submitted 13 Apr 2024
Western USA National Parks Loop
Barbara · Traveled April 2024
This National Parks trip is a can't miss! The agenda is jam-packed in the best way, visiting Zion, Bryce, Monument Valley, Lake Powell, and Grand Canyon in the span of 5 days. Indy, our guide, was experienced, knowledgeable, and highly enthusiastic leading our group of 9 women. Certainly time well spent with a group I enjoyed getting to know. Some advice for those considering: it can get cold in the spring, so watch the weather. Bring snacks-- you'll work up an appetite staying active. If you can, do Antelope Canyon-- words don't do it justice.
Review submitted 13 Apr 2024
Western USA Family Holiday
Claire · Traveled March 2024
Our holiday to Western America was nothing short of amazing! We travelled as a multi generation family, ranging from 67 to 13. We saw some of the best scenery ever, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley, and the Grand Canyon just to name a little of what we saw. Our tour guide Indy was brilliant, his knowledge of the area was absolutely incredible. We would 100% book an Intrepid trip again, we are already looking at where to go next.
Everything about our trip was just amazing! We've seen some of the best scenery Western America has to offer. Our tour guide Indy was just the best, super organised, and very knowledgeable. We would 100% recommend an Intrepid Trip to everyone :-)
From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).
However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.
Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.
The Grand Canyon is one of the seven wonders of the world. It’s a 29 kilometres wide, 1.5 kilometres deep and 446 kilometres long gorge carved by the Colorado River over 5-6 million years. Scientists estimate that humans have lived there since the last Ice Age.
The closest airports to the Grand Canyon are Las Vegas and Phoenix, but you can also fly into Flagstaff (a one-hour drive from the South Rim) or Salt Lake City (about seven hours away by car). Public transport is limited, so the best option is to drive or join us on a tour.
The Grand Canyon has a free shuttle bus around the South Rim. The shuttles take you to the best viewpoints which are inaccessible to private vehicles.
There is also a Trans-Canyon-Shuttle service between the North and South Rims between May and October.
Guided bus tours also operate in the park, as well as taxi services between the South Kaibab Trailhead, Grand Canyon Village and Tusayan/Airport.
The best time to visit the Grand Canyon in terms of weather and avoiding huge crowds is between March and May, and September through November.
During the peak season (June-August), thousands of tourists flock to the park for the summer vacation. That being said, all hiking trails and park facilities are open, so it's the best time to experience all the park has to offer.
Temperatures drop in the winter and it snows in some areas, but it’s a great time to visit as there’s hardly anyone around and you’ll have the trails and views mostly to yourself.
No matter what season you visit the Grand Canyon, bring a sturdy pair of hiking boots or trainers with good grip, light and comfortable layers, a waterproof jacket, warm layers, a fleece, a sun hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.
Also, make sure you bring a reusable water bottle and plenty of snacks to refuel throughout the day.
Some animals you might encounter include desert bighorn sheep, deer, coyotes, mountain lions, mules, gray foxes and bears. There is also a diverse range of reptiles, amphibians and birds.
Your mobile phone will probably have coverage near the park’s main tourist hubs, but there will be little or no coverage once you start hiking past the canyon rim.
We are committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. We do our best to help you see the world, regardless of physical or mental limitations.
We are always happy to talk to travellers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them toward the most suitable itinerary for their needs and, where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.