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5/5Excellent
25 reviews
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Group Tour
This 87-mile section of the Colorado River is an excellent introduction to the Grand Canyon as the rapids progress from moderate to extra large and the cliffs and rock layers rise higher and higher. We see some of the most striking and vibrantly colored limestone cliffs as we pass Arizona's Marble Canyon. Our Grand Canyon adventure includes visits to Native A...
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Overview
Trip type
Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Extreme
Trip pace
Balanced schedule
Highlights
- Grand Canyon Rafting on the Colorado River
- Explore Redwall Cavern & Nautiloid Canyon
- Hike to Nankoweep & explore Native American ruins
- Raft 19 major rapids like Unkar, Hance, Sockdolager & Grapevine
- Lees Ferry rafting to Phantom Ranch ends with a hike out on Bright Angel Trail
What's this trip about?
This 87-mile section of the Colorado River is an excellent introduction to the Grand Canyon as the rapids progress from moderate to extra large and the cliffs and rock layers rise higher and higher. We see some of the most striking and vibrantly colored limestone cliffs as we pass Arizona's Marble Canyon. Our Grand Canyon adventure includes visits to Native American ruins, the fern-fringed spring of Vasey’s Paradise, the cool recess of Redwall Cavern, ancient fossils and a swim in the turquoise blue Little Colorado. At the end of the week of floating, hiking and camping in the Grand Canyon's majesty, we arrive at the boat beach near Phantom Ranch, deep in the Granite Gorge. After a final night in the canyon, this Grand Canyon rafting trip concludes with a dramatic 9.7 mile hike up to the South Rim the following morning. O.A.R.S. Grand Canyon, Inc. is an authorized concessioner of Grand Canyon National Park.
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Details
Itinerary focusActive and Outdoor Sports
Group sizeIntimate group - 12 max
Age range12 years and up
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityFlagstaff
End CityLas Vegas
Travel Themes
- High Adventure
Destinations
- North America
- United States
Attractions
- Grand Canyon
Activities
- Canoeing
- Hiking
Trip includes
- Transportation by van from Flagstaff to put-in at Lees Ferry
- Expedition equipment, including highest quality rafts, two-person shared tent, personal flotation
- device (PFD), helmet, waterproof bags, camp chair, eating utensils, plates and cups
- Skilled, professional, experienced guides
- Meals from lunch on day 1 to a sack lunch on your last day while hiking out of the canyon.
- Overnight at Phantom Ranch on last night in a dorm (bunk beds, air cooled, shower, sink and toilet
- facilities) or continue camping when not available*
- Transport of one (1) duffel per person by mule from Phantom Ranch to the South Rim
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Itinerary
Shuttle from our meeting point in Flagstaff, AZ to our put-in below Glen Canyon Dam at Lees Ferry We enter Marble Canyon and within the first few miles of the trip we see the first signs of the fascinating geology of the canyon as the Kaibab and Toroweap formations make their appearance, followed by Coconino Sandstone Raft Badger and Soap Creek rapids before stopping to camp at a sandy beach The first signs of Esplanade Sandstone appear in the canyon walls followed by the Wescogame, Manakacha and Watahomigi formations as we negotiate a series of 8 medium intensity rapids As we float deeper into the canyon past Vasey’s Paradise we reach Redwall Cavern, a vast chamber in the canyon wall that Powell estimated would seat 50,000 people Deeper still, we raft through Mile 36 Rapid and Mauv Limestone appears in the canyon walls followed by Temple Butte Limestone and Bright Angel Shale A hike to the ancient Native American granaries at Nankoweap rewards us with one of the best downriver views in the Grand Canyon The canyon begins to spread out in front of us as we encounter Tanner, Unkar, Nevills and the formidable Hance Rapid Black Vishnu Schist and pink Zoroaster Granite (some two billion years old) appear in the canyon walls Spend our last night in the canyon at Phantom Ranch before hiking 9.7 miles out of the canyon on the Bright Angel Trail the next morning
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Dates & Availability
Price From $2,578
Price per day$368
Last Updated:
8/2/2018
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with O.A.R.S.
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
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Aug 2019
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The entire OARS staff was easy to work with. The reservation staff was super helpful. The trip on the Merced River was a blast! Many thanks to our guide, Alicia, who...
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Incredible experience for both seasoned and novice campers/kayakers!
We took our family of five to Wyoming for 8 days. My husband is a seasoned hiker/camper but the rest of us ...well... let’s just say, AREN’T. We had a fantastic time...
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Jul 2018
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Well organized
Just completed the Gates of Lodore whitewater rafting trip 4 days 3 nights of pure fun! Best family event ! The guides were so personable, professional and fun ! Wel...
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Tour Operator
O.A.R.S
preferred
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O.A.R.S. was the first exclusively oar-powered rafting company permitted to operate trips on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Through our four decades in the adventure travel industry, we have become the largest and most diverse family of river-based adventure travel companies in North America, operating on over 1230 miles of rivers in the continental U.S. In addition to our signature Grand Canyon trips, we offer adventure vacations in Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming, as well as in British Columbia, Chile, Galapagos, Fiji, Baja and Peru. The heart and soul of O.A.R.S.—from president and founder George Wendt to the more than 300 dedicated guides and employees on our team—is that we are all genuinely invested in every passenger, every trip and every lifetime memory.
We consider our O.A.R.S. outdoor adventure guides to be among the best in the industry! Some began their river-guiding careers more than 30 years ago; others were born into it. They are entertainers, historians, geologists, botanists, chefs, medics, anthropologists, event planners, authors, photographers, wilderness pathfinders, and they are the single most complimented component of our organization. Our guides are also professional, playful and ever mindful of your wants and needs, and their enthusiasm for the natural world is contagious
Our Adventure Consultants and our year-round office staff who provide you with all the trip-specific tips, trip planning assistance and adventure travel trip logistical support have more than 100 years of combined experience in the adventure travel industry, as well as close to 1000 river trips between them.
You concentrate on fun. We brew the coffee, cook the meals, pump the boats, provide the gear, plan the day, find the best camp spot, and we strive to fill each day with excitement, discovery and the attention to detail you deserve. O.A.R.S. provides the best average guide-to-guest ratio in the adventure travel business (1:4).
Outdoor adventure vacations are our specialty, and we work hard to provide our guests with the best travel experience of their lives. If part of your trip under our control wasn’t everything you expected, we will work with you to make it right.
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Logistics
What's excluded
- Transportation to Flagstaff and back from the South Rim
- Pre- and post-trip accommodations and meals
- Grand Canyon National Park Entrance Fee
- Items of a personal nature (an equipment list will be provided)
- Sleeping bags and pads (these items may be rented from O.A.R.S.)
- Insurance of any kind, including travel insurance
- Alcoholic beverages
- Gratuities
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circ*mstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Age Requirements
12 years and up
Additional Information
Trip ID
oars-gracanoar
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