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Grand Canyon white water rafting tour

country:USA
location:Grand Canyon 
trip type: A small group adventure
departures:2009: 22 Aug
price:From £1399 (8 days) excluding flights. Price includes transportation, services of a rafting guide & boatman, camping equipment, all camping meals, waterproof river bags, meals and drinks (alcoholic drinks paid separately).
vouchers:Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday
 
the amazing things you'll be doing
8 days white water rafting down the awe inspiring Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon National Park offers the most spectacular geological adventure on Earth. This incredible canyon stretches nearly 280 miles in length and averages a mile in depth. You will enjoy the scenic vistas, hidden waterfalls and exhillarating rapids as we cruise the mighty Colorado River; and delicious meals are served daily at camp to keep you fresh!

Food: We include all meals while camping and you will be sure to enjoy some fantastic international dinner parties on the road. Our professional guides are great in the kitchen and they prepare delicious, healthy meals for you to enjoy around a crackling campfire, so you can take that path less travelled... with a full stomach. We prepare plenty of good fresh food on our camping trips and anticipate hearty eaters. Meals consist of a variety of balanced dishes and, aiming for universal appeal, we avoid highly spiced foods (although chilli peppers will often be available on the side!)

Please note: Unlike other, shorter rafting trips down the upper canyons of the Colorado, the total number of raft trips allowed down the Grand Canyon are very limited, and as such, we strongly urge you to book early to avoid disappointment.
day-by-day itinerary
Day 1:Depart Las Vegas; embark on Lee's ferry.
Day 2-7:Colorado River/Grand Canyon National Park
Day 8:Las Vegas
a typical day
7:00 A.M
We waken to the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee. Although the sun will not flood our camp for some time, tops of the Grand Canyon's walls already are aglow with sunlight. While eggs, sausage, and muffins cook, sleeping bags are being packed.

9:00 A.M
We enter a series of rapids. A great blue heron takes off down-river, wings pumping. Both bird and its surroundings seem somehow prehistoric.

10:00 A.M
We stop to explore a narrow, beautifully sculptured wash named Shinumo. In shadow all but fleeting moments each day, its polished silver walls shed a light of their own. To see the sky, you must tilt your head back with great effort.

11:00 A.M
South Canyon intersects the river, signaling that Vasey's Paradise is just ahead. A paradise, indeed! Sunlight seems to explode from the fountains of water gushing from the Grand Canyon's wall. Lush growths of moss and ferns in this "paradise" seem strangely out of place in such a desert setting. We drift close to the gushing water, giving everyone aboard a welcome shower.

12:00 noon
Our boats stop for lunch in the shade of Redwall Cavern. Inside this great cave, there's room enough for a game of softball!

2:00 P.M
As two golden eagles soar lazily overhead, we drift quietly and our boatman tells us the story of Bert Loper's historic river run in 1949. We feel the heat, but soon a roller coaster rapid refreshes us.

4:00 P.M:
We sight moon lilies, abloom at the mouth of Saddle Canyon. A hike to explore Saddle is topped off with a cold soda.

6:00 P.M
We make for Nankoweap, site of ancient Indian ruins, and our campsite tonight.

8:00 P.M
After a dinner of filet, dutch-oven potatoes, green salad, and cherry cobbler, we hike to the ruins, and view the river below.

9:00 P.M
Those who cannot stay awake find their sleeping bags. Bed tonight is beneath the Milky Way, and a canopy of stars that dwarfs even the Grand Canyon.
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.
how this holiday makes a difference
This trip is designed for those who want to explore the Grand Canyon’s natural beauty via motorised raft and discover why visitors are so passionate about this beautiful and unique destination.

We travel in small, intimate groups (maximum of 14 passengers) and have the benefit of a professionally trained rafting guide and boatman who know the best places along the river to respectfully observe wildlife and appreciate the region’s natural and cultural history. Along the way, we may hike, fish, play in the waterfalls, or sit quietly and read by the river’s edge. The Grand Canyon offers precisely what you want and it is our task to bring you in comfort and safety from the journey’s start to finish. We overnight along the river, camping under the stars and enjoy freshly prepared, wholesome meals prepared by our local guides. During the trip, we provide all meals, beverages (non-alcoholic), sleeping gear, ¾-length sleeping pads, dry bags, tents, personal storage boxes (for easy access to personal items), and other necessary items (including a detailed packing list).

We have over 13 years of experience operating small-group adventure tours throughout North/Central/South America that foster understanding, appreciation and conservation of the cultures and environments we visit. We are committed to working with our clients and the peoples of our host destinations to ensure direct economic benefits at a community level. We aim to operate beyond best practice guidelines and to provide a tour programme that creates a positive impact on the lands that we visit and a lasting impression for those who travel with us.

We achieve this by implementing the following methods:
Working with Local Guides - The tour is led by one of our fully trained local guides. Prior to leading our groups, our established local guides must successfully complete an intensive training programme on the river, (including safety/first aid response) and log many hours on the river before leading actual clients.

Local Arrangements - Our local team provides all transportation and activities throughout the trip ensuring the economic benefit stays in the local community

National Park and National Monument Visits - On this tour, we include visits and entry admission to the Grand Canyon National Park. Fees support park upkeep and conservation projects, and we encourage our clients to visit the visitor centres for additional information about the region

Educating Travellers - Our published traveller’s code of conduct is further promoted by our leaders throughout the tour, and particularly in the first night’s orientation talk. If you would like a copy of our RT policy or traveller’s code of conduct, please contact us prior to your trip or alternatively, download directly from our website.

This includes policies on the following:
Recycling - Established policy to support recycling (and to educate our clients on recycling) on all of our tours in North/Central/South America. We aim to utilize properties that recycle glass and plastics. When this service is not available, we will pack and store recycling in our own containers and drive them to a suitable facility.

“Leave No Trace”- Leave No Trace is a national and international campaign designed to assist outdoor enthusiasts about how to reduce their impacts when enjoying the outdoors. Because this trip spends much time exploring the National Parks and "wilderness" areas, familiarizing clients with the "Leave No Trace" ethic will help minimize the impact on the natural environment.

Carbon Off-Setting - We partner with Climate Care to encourage clients to off-set domestic/international flights. We are committed to off-set vehicles’ emissions and as such, we match client contributions up to £5,000 per year.

Office Based Energy - 100% of our UK corporate headquarters’ power is green (renewable).

Charitable Project Support - We contribute to local charities and projects such as “Tourism Cares for America” (of which we are a founding member), “Friends of Big Bend” and the “Mojave Desert Land Trust”- organizations dedicated to improving and/or expanding national parks.

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