Grand Canyon white water rafting tour
| country: | USA |
| location: | Grand Canyon |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2008: 19 Jul, 16 Aug |
| price: | From £1369 (8 days) excluding flights. Price includes transportation, services of a rafting guide & boatman, camping equipment, waterproof river bags, meals and drinks (alcoholic drinks paid separately). |
the amazing things you'll be doing
8 days white water rafting down the awe inspiring Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon offers the most spectacular geological extravaganza on earth. This grandest canyon of them all stretches 280 miles in length, measures from four to 18 miles in width and averages a mile in depth. Erosion relentlessly attacks its primeval floor and its age-old walls, carving bizarre land forms. A veritable rainbow of hues is displayed from its two billion-year-old base of black Vishnu Schist to the dazzling white Kaibab Limestone at its rim, and in between, every colour found on nature's palette.
Awe inspiring scenery
Though this is a desert setting, plants and wildlife nonetheless abound. Cactus and wildflowers dot the river's shores. Cool glens where waterfalls tumble to the river can be seen, lush with ferns. Bighorn sheep, mule deer, coyotes, and ringtail cats may be seen along the banks and in tributary canyons, while overhead, many species of birds may be observed, including hawks, golden eagles, falcons, great blue herons and egrets.
Top of the range rafts
Due to the length of river that will be covered on this tour, we will be using specially crafted motorised rafts. These rafts allow us to bring ample supplies for the entire journey. Motorised rafts are roomier and more stable than rowed boats, so travellers of all fitness levels can enjoy this incredible experience. Motor trips also traverse the Canyon in eight days, while row trips take fourteen days (excluding travel days). Many - perhaps most - people cannot afford to devote so much time to this type of holiday. Row trips are also substantially more expensive than motor trips, both because they take twice as long and because they require many more crew members.
Travel comfortably
One of the most appealing aspects of a Grand Canyon Colorado river trip is that you need to bring very little with you to be comfortable. The climate in the canyon is mild, and just a few changes of clothes are needed. Travel light, travel happy! We supply all camping equipment, waterproof river bags, and waterproof camera boxes, and these are included in the cost of your trip.
Grand Canyon offers the most spectacular geological extravaganza on earth. This grandest canyon of them all stretches 280 miles in length, measures from four to 18 miles in width and averages a mile in depth. Erosion relentlessly attacks its primeval floor and its age-old walls, carving bizarre land forms. A veritable rainbow of hues is displayed from its two billion-year-old base of black Vishnu Schist to the dazzling white Kaibab Limestone at its rim, and in between, every colour found on nature's palette.
Awe inspiring scenery
Though this is a desert setting, plants and wildlife nonetheless abound. Cactus and wildflowers dot the river's shores. Cool glens where waterfalls tumble to the river can be seen, lush with ferns. Bighorn sheep, mule deer, coyotes, and ringtail cats may be seen along the banks and in tributary canyons, while overhead, many species of birds may be observed, including hawks, golden eagles, falcons, great blue herons and egrets.
Top of the range rafts
Due to the length of river that will be covered on this tour, we will be using specially crafted motorised rafts. These rafts allow us to bring ample supplies for the entire journey. Motorised rafts are roomier and more stable than rowed boats, so travellers of all fitness levels can enjoy this incredible experience. Motor trips also traverse the Canyon in eight days, while row trips take fourteen days (excluding travel days). Many - perhaps most - people cannot afford to devote so much time to this type of holiday. Row trips are also substantially more expensive than motor trips, both because they take twice as long and because they require many more crew members.
Travel comfortably
One of the most appealing aspects of a Grand Canyon Colorado river trip is that you need to bring very little with you to be comfortable. The climate in the canyon is mild, and just a few changes of clothes are needed. Travel light, travel happy! We supply all camping equipment, waterproof river bags, and waterproof camera boxes, and these are included in the cost of your trip.
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 |
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
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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. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |