3 Tips In Deciding The Length Of A Grand Canyon Rafting Trip

A Grand Canyon rafting trip may range from 3-18 days in length. There are 3 simple tips to help you decide which length trip is right for you:

1. To hike, or not to hike 9.5 miles via the Bright Angel Trail

You can Download Bright Angel Trail Information Sheet Here from the National Park Service

Here is a map of the Kaibab to Bright Angel Trail

2. Which raft type to choose

3. Don’t forget the pre-trip and post-trip travel day

Tip 1: Hike or No Hike?

The first tip to help you in deciding the length of Grand Canyon rafting trip that you should take, is to ask yourself if you would like to hike the Bright Angel Trail. If traveling on an Upper Canyon Route (3-8 days in length) or Lower Canyon Route (4-10 days in length) rafting trip, you will be required to hike the Bright Angel Trail. The Bright Angel trail is rated strenuous by the National Park Service, ranging 7.5 – 9.5 miles in length, with an elevation change of 5,000 vertical feet. Upper Canyon trips finish with a hike out of Grand Canyon, and Lower Canyon trips start with a hike into Grand Canyon.

If you decide that you would not like to hike the Bright Angel Trail upon the start or finish of your trip, you can elect to do a Full Canyon (6-18 days in length) which begins at river mile 0 and ends with a helicopter or drive out of the canyon, or Western Canyon (3-5 days in length) trip which begins with a helicopter ride into the canyon and a drive out at trip’s end.

Tip 2: Motor or Non-Motor Raft Type

There are many different raft types offered by the outfitters: Motor Rafts and Non-Motor Rafts which are made up of Oar, Paddle, combination of the two called a Hybrid and lastly Dory boats. Because the launch and take-out locations along the river are at minimum 88 river miles apart, a motor raft traveling 8-9 mph is able to cover more ground each day shortening trip durations to about half the time that it would take a non-motor raft traveling 3-4mph. This means that full canyon motor trips take 6-8 days compared to 12-18 days in a non-motor raft. Additionally, Upper motor trips take 3-4 days vs. 6-7 days and lower canyon motor trips take 4-6 days compared to 7-9 days in a non-motor raft trip.

Tip 3: Add a full day for both pre and post trip travel; you will appreciate the extra time!

When determining the length of your Grand Canyon rafting trip, don’t forget to add a full day travel to your pre and post trip logistics. With the exception of Western canyon trips, all Grand Canyon Raft trips require you to add a pre trip travel day, and most post trip logistics are made less stressful when you add another day for traveling home. If you are interested in a partial canyon trip (upper or lower canyon), you will also need to take a full travel day prior to your trip for Lower Canyon trips which begin at the south rim in Grand Canyon Village, or a full travel day post trip for Upper Canyon trips, which end at the South Rim in Grand Canyon Village. Western Canyon trips allow you the opportunity to fly into and out of Las Vegas on the same starting and finishing day of your trip.

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Why You Should Consider Going On Guided Rafting Trips In The Grand Canyon

I have always been a great fan of the outdoors. Whenever I have the chance, I like to go and drive to nature and enjoy activities such as camping and kayaking. As a present for graduating college, my parents decided to present me with a once in a lifetime trip to the Grand Canyon. I was absolutely elated to hear this, and was very excited to go and visit a truly amazing area such as the Grand Canyon. One of the most activities that I participated in at the Grand Canyon is guided rafting trips, and here is why you should consider going on one of these tours:

I have heard from lots of family and friends that the only true way to enjoy the Grand Canyon is to go on guided rafting trips. They told me that being on the water of the Grand Canyon and being able to enjoy the scenery from the water would give me a great appreciation of the entire area. Of course, hearing this, I immediately booked myself into multiple rafting tours in the area. I knew that going on these trips would be able to give me the real Grand Canyon experience which simply can’t be had from the other activities offered in the area.

The guided rafting tour that I decided to participate in took me all over the Grand Canyon. I was able to travel the area through the many different rivers and streams located throughout the entire canyon. It was very interesting to see the complex river system in the canyon. The tour took me around lots of areas in the canyon that simply can’t be reached without using a raft boat. The tour guide for the rafting expedition was also able to give me lots of very interesting facts about the canyon which further increased my fascination with the entire area.

During the trip I was also able to make lots of great friends who also had a huge appreciation for the canyon. We were able to enjoy the tour together and discuss all of the great things we had seen and heard during the tour. I have to say, all of the individuals that went on the tour were some of the most down to earth and friendly people I had ever met. It truly was an amazing experience being able to enjoy the Grand Canyon while on raft boats, surrounded by a bunch of great people. I was worried that going on a tour such as this by myself would leave me a little bit isolated, but that certainly wasn’t the case at all.

The guided raft trips that I went on in the canyon were some of the best experiences that I have ever had in my life. I am so thankful for my parents whom give me the opportunity to enjoy such a truly sublime and fascinating area such as the Grand Canyon. You can certainly expect me to visit the canyon once again in the near future. Furthermore, I would definitely recommend that anyone who has even the slightest interest in visiting the Grand Canyon do so.

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My Experience With A Rafting Tour In The Grand Canyon

Ever since I was a young child I had wanted to visit the Grand Canyon, and a few weeks ago with my family this dream of a rafting tour came true.  Over the years, I had seen incredible photos of the area, and read many books with stories about the pioneers who first ran the rapids down the Colorado river in Grand Canyon. I always had a great love for nature, making an area such as the Grand Canyon even more appealing. While we visited many areas in the southwest, one of the most entertaining and fulfilling activities that my family and I took part in was a rafting tour down the Colorado river.

Choosing a tour was work as there are so many options to select from including raft types, routes and number of days. Our tour included transportation to and from as part of the itinerary which made travel logistics rather simple – flew in and out of Las Vegas, Nevada. This meant that as soon as we stepped out of our hotel we were able to hop onto a comfortable, air-conditioned bus which would transport us straight to Marble Canyon, Arizona where we met our rafts.

We decided on a full canyon motor trip as we were limited to 7 days for our adventure.  There was a choice between an oar trip (non-motorized) and a motor and decided a motor was the right choice as it offered more comfortable seating and a more active and exciting daily itinerary as we would see more of the canyon each day. Of course, I initially imagined us paddle rafting down the Colorado river, as everyone else, but quickly learned we would either have to commit to a 12-18 day full canyon trip, or hike 9.5 miles at start or end of an upper or lower canyon 7-9 day trip. 7-day motor was definitely the way to go for us. The rafting tour was incredibly relaxing at times, and totally exhilarating when slamming into the rapids head on. The energy between the water and raft was intense, and literally felt like buckets of water were being thrown on top of us. Wow, what a rush!  I have to say, the amazing scenery we saw during the tour was spectacular and the food our guides prepared, was better then many restaurants I’ve frequented. These amazing memories are some of the things that I will keep with me for the rest of my life.

Overall, the rafting adventure was simply phenomenal. Myself and my family were all very glad that we decided to go on this for our annual family vacation. Being able to enjoy nature in such an amazing place such as the Grand Canyon, sleeping under the stars and waking up to the most amazing sunrise as it slowly made it’s way over the tall canyon walls was truly priceless. I would definitely recommend everyone to turn this bucket list idea into a reality with Advantage Grand Canyon.

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Grand Canyon River Rafting Adventures

There is something different about discovering the beauty and the power of the Colorado River on a Grand Canyon river rafting expedition. Typically undertaken as a group adventure, rafting trips can be arranged to suit the group’s preferences with regards to trip duration,intensity level and trip extras such as hiking, camping and exploring.

How to Experience Grand Canyon Rafting

The Grand Canyon is one of the most awe-inspiring natural wonders, revealing multilateral rock surfaces, unexpected grottoes and side canyons. Rafting down the river is not just for thrill seekers, but it is also for those who wish to commune with nature.

The type of raft will depend on the itinerary offered by the outfitter. Paddle rafts are inflatable rafts that have a seating capacity of between six to ​eight people, plus a guide. Each person on the trip is expected to paddle under the guidance of the trip guide who sits at the rear. Paddle rafts move quickly in the water regardless of the level of the rapids, and are among the smallest raft types allowing passengers to “feel more” of the rapids. Many commercial outfitters use paddle rafts.

An oar raft, an inflatable vessel, is among the most popular raft types and is maneuvered using a set of long wooden oars usually handled by the guide. Oar rafts can take up to ​four passengers as are dory boats.  Dory boats are usually made of wood or fiberglass and are more responsive among any vessel, while in the rapids.

A third trip option is a combination of raft types: oar with the guide handling the long oars, and a paddle raft  with passengers paddling downriver, all to be used on rotation among the group. This type of raft trip offered by very few outfitters and availability is limited.

Lastly, there are J-rig ​and S-Rig inflatable, motorized rafts which are the most popular raft type on the river. These quiet motor rafts travel twice as fast as the non-motor rafts (still only around 8-9mph) and can cut down the trip length considerably, making it an optimal option for those trying to fit a Grand Canyon raft trip within a tighter travel window.

Top Grand Canyon Rafting Trips

Rafting trips down the Colorado River require permits, the appropriate gear and experienced guides. This is especially true for multi-day trips. Advantage Grand Canyon Adventure Rafting is an aggregate working to match adventurers with 16 outfitters licensed by the National Park Service. Finding an open schedule to match your available vacation time can be a challenge especially if you are looking for a particular experience, but the pros at Advantage Grand Canyon know their way around rafting trip schedules and are in contact with the outfitters multiple times per day. The company has access to cancellation information, so they can book last-minute reservations for you. You can also ask to get on a waiting list ahead of your schedule to increase the chances of joining the rafting adventure of your dreams.

Rafting trips may be classified according to duration and the experience tends to be more profound with multi-day trips. These trips range from three- to ​eighteen-day adventures with a guide and a crew who  prepares incredible meals for you. Tents, sleeping bags, dry bags and all of your gear is included on these commercial Grand Canyon river trips. There is plenty of time to disembark and hike the trails and discover hidden canyons and falls with every raft trip.

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