The Grand Canyon

[clueless]

Hi All

I'm from the UK and will be making my first visit to Las Vegas in September. My boyfriend and I want to take a trip to the Grand Canyon and was wondering if it would be best to book a trip before we go or wait until we're there and book the trip then?
Can anyone recommend a company or a type of trip? (I know there are different kinds of transport etc involved).
All comments appreciated

[ooen]

It's likely that you can book a trip when you get there and I've done it once in the past. However, if you already plan to go visit there, then there is no reason why you shouldn't make the booking now. Unfortunately, I don't know many travel agencies offering trips to Grand Canyon or what trips are actually offered ...
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[gcmaven]

Most of the tours from Las Vegas are only going to take you to the Hualapai reservation, which calls itself "grand canyon west". This is outside of the national park, close to Kingman Arizona. The cliffs are only about 2,000 above the river. They are also mostly brown/tan.

Grand Canyon National Park's south rim is a 5 hour drive from Las Vegas. There are a few bus tours that give you only an hour or two at the park before turning around to take you back. There are also some fixed wing airtours that land at Grand Canyon Airport, about 10 miles from the south rim's south entrance, and then they give you a bit longer bus tour, or some have a package that includes an overnight stay.

But your best way would be to rent a car in vegas and drive yourself to the park and spend a night. That way you could see a sunset and a sunrise, at 7,000' elevation, looking down a mile (5,000') into the technicolor Grand Canyon. Alternatively, if you're traveling between mid May and mid October, the park's north rim is also open. It's also about a 5 hour drive from vegas and is also near Bryce and Zion national parks.

Just remember, you can't fly below the rim of the canyon or land at the river within the National Park, which is the canyon you're expecting to see if you've ever seen a travel program or seen it in a magazine. So if a tour includes flying into the canyon and landing at the river, then you aren't going to the real GCNP. You'd just be going to the lessor GC West.

[zydeco joe]

Hi,
Make the effort if you have the time to get to the Grand Canyon to see both Sunset and even better Sun Rise as you will see one of the worlds best light shows.Driving on the wrong side is not a problem once out of Las Vegas the roads are all straight and wide, DON'T drive along the Strip as it takes all great deal of holiday time.For a view of the Strip and all of Vegas get up the Stratt tower at dusk and it only cost about £5.
We had a night at Grand Canyon south rim last year in a lodge with deer outside and only 5 mins from the rim,only booked when we got to the canyon at the toutist office near Bright Angel Trail cost,s about $100 but well worth it, pictures never show the canyon as it should be seen.

Zydeco Joe

www.johncartlidge.co.uk
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[Dawn Patrol]

Another vote for renting a car. Besides with the car you can also hit Bryce and Zion national parks, all three are just beautiful.

[ADLI]

We went down to the Grand Canyon April 2006 - it was truly spectacular. We didn't get to Zion but we did go to Bryce. I think I enjoyed Bryce as much as the Grand Canyon, it was a fabulous holiday. We also did a helicopter ride, we were fortunate with availability I think and booked it only a few hours ahead of going on the ride. Although you don't go over the main part of the canyon, the helicopter ride is over a spectacular part of the canyon and I would definitely recommend it. You might need to shop around a bit for a good price there was quite a bit of difference, sorry I can't remember who we used now.

We flew to Phoenix then RV'd (campervan) so I don't have any info on hotel/lodge accommodation, sorry.
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[clueless]

Hiya
Thanks for your replies. I appreciate that driving there would be nice for some, but its not really for us as neither of us want to drive in a foreign country. I for one lack confidence on the road as it is haha.

We were looking at tours that fly to the canyon rather than drive so we spend more time doing stuff than sitting on a coach (doesn't help much being travel sick hehe).

On the sundance website we were looking at this one (for example)-
The Airplane Quest
($349 per person + $40.00 fee)
Depart from Las Vegas enroute to the Grand Canyon by airplane. Descend to the bottom of the canyon by helicopter and then enjoy a pontoon boat ride on the mighty Colorado River. Return to the rim via helicopter and enjoy a barbeque-style lunch hosted by the Hualapai Tribe. Return to Las Vegas by airplane. (6 hrs hotel to hotel)

Is this good? good price/bad price? We were also looking at Papillon tours but there's so many on there we forgot which one we were looking at. We had heard its cheaper to book in vegas but then again if we booked in advance we've got that knowledge that we don't have to take $XXX amount extra with us for the trip as we would've paid in advance.

[BB139]

Hi

We're in Vegas Aug/Sept. www.looktours.com is a good site, theres also Papillion, Maverick, grandcanyontours.com. All have the sort of thing you want. We're doing the Air/ATV/ranch tour to the canyon.

[zydeco joe]

Hi,
You could be right or is that Left !!!.
I tell you that it's a lot better for me to come over and drive on your side of the road with all the space on your highways than it is to drive over in my part of the world in the midlands with our M6 motorway or shall I call it a car park !!. ( that much trafic it drives you nutttttt's )
See you
Zydeco Joe
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[clueless]

Hey BB139
Those sites were very useful thank you. We found one on looktours that might be good...
http://www.looktours.com/heliboatair.html
I like that this site is specific so you know exactly what you're going to get. Its alot of money to spend so we want to be sure we're getting the best deal etc hence this post on this forum

[Dawn Patrol]

[zydeco joe]

[Biggles2]

Roundabouts, DP, where is the problem? You do have two in the US, I believe, so it's not as though you can't practise ;-)

Joe, if you walked up to a lodge at the Grand Canyon you must be very lucky to find one free, I understood they were usually booked up a couple of years or more in advance, esp on the South Rim. I wouldn't advise the OP to rely on finding one on spec.

[zydeco joe]

[Dawn Patrol]

[quote="zydeco joe"]