GRAND CANYON RAFTING
8 days , from LAS VEGAS to LAS VEGAS
| Trek Code: | FGC |
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| Destination: | USA West |
| Departure Months: | Jun - Aug |
TREK IT OUT!!
- Once in a lifetime adventure!!
- Stunning scenery and wildlife
- No previous rafting experience required
TOUR OVERVIEW
Grand Canyon offers the most spectacular geological extravaganza on earth. This grandest canyon of them all, stretching 280 miles in length, measuring from four to 18 miles in width, and averaging 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.
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.
Due to the length of river that will be covered on this tour, we will be using specially crafted motorized rafts. These rafts allow us to bring ample supplies for the entire journey. Motorized 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.
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. (A detailed list of recommended clothing and personal items to bring on the trip will be sent approximately 90 days before departure).
TREK TIP: Unlike other shorter rafting trips down the upper canyons of the Colorado, the total number of raft trips allowed down the full length of the Grand Canyon are very limited, and as such, we strongly urge you to book early to avoid disappointment.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Services of two rafting guides/boatmen
- Roundtrip transportation from/to Las Vegas
- 7 nights camping fees & equipment including sleeping bag, sleeping pad and ground cloth.
- A generous supply of soft drinks and juice (alcoholic drinks paid separately)
- All meals on the river prepared with fresh meats and produce including all utensils, cups and plates
- Waterproof box for camera or personal items
- Waterproof river bags for your sleeping bag & clothing.
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES (paid locally)
- The Grand Canyon offers an infinite variety of sights, sounds, sensations, and experiences. Whether you come to hike, fish, play in the waterfalls, or sit quietly and read by the river's edge, the Grand Canyon offers precisely what you want.
- It is our task to bring you in comfort and safety to the grand feast of the senses. What you select from its peerless menu is up to you.
| At a glance |
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FLEXIBLE ITINERARY
Our routes have been carefully chosen to include the best night stops and highlights. However, as local conditions and passenger requests vary, no two trips will ever be the same. With the help of your Trek Leader and fellow trekkers you may modify certain nightstops and highlights to give a truly unique experience!
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BEGINNERS WELCOME
No previous rafting experience is required; however, we do suggest that you are confident in and around water and that you are willing to live without a mobile phone signal for the duration of the trip!
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CAN'T SWIM?
No problem. Neither can many of the people who raft the Canyon. We will supply U.S. Coast Guard-approved life preservers, and each person is required to wear one at all times aboard the boats.
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A TYPICAL DAY ON THE RIVER
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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6:00 P.M
We make for Nankoweap, site of ancient Indian ruins, and our campsite tonight.
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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.
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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.
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EATING ON THE RIVER
The design of our boats enables us to carry several hundred pounds of ice, which will last the entire trip. Every meal is prepared with fresh meats and produce. All food is prepared by our boatmen, who have mastered the art of Dutch-oven cooking. We provide generous quantities of cold soft drinks, fruit juice, and filtered water, which are available to you throughout the day. Dinners include a meat course served with a fresh vegetable, salad or soup, and a dessert. Our food is great-and plentiful
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NATURALLY RESPONSIBLE
We will ask that all travellers contirbute a local payment of $1.00 per person per day to support the Grand Canyon Conservation Fund - a non-profit organisation working directly with worthy conservation groups such as Friends of the River, Grand Canyon Trust and others the money is used to further research and protection of the Grand Canyon.
TOUR: FGC GRAND CANYON RAFTING departing from LAS VEGAS
You can book your trek online in minutes using our secure live booking engine. Your reservation & payment will be automatically processed & confirmed immediately by e-mail.
Click here to view our Late Booking Discounts and Late Availability pages
Status Key
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Available
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: Seats are available |
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Limited
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: Limited seats only. Book Online now! |
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Contact Us
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: Seats are on waitlist. Please contact us. |
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Closed
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: No further bookings accepted on this date |
How to Book Online
1. Pick your chosen available departure date.
2. Select the number of passengers to book
3. Click on the book button to be taken to our secure online booking engine
4. Complete all personal details and credit card information
5. Your tour will be confirmed immediately by e-mail
PHOTO GALLERY
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COMMUNITY
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