Our Beginner Day Hike with Tour includes round trip transportation from all Hotels, Bed & Breakfasts, and RV/Campgrounds in Flagstaff, Williams, Tusayan, and Grand Canyon Village. This is a full day tour and pickup and drop-off times depend on your stay place!

After pickup you will enjoy a scenic drive to the Grand Canyon South Rim where there will be a short orientation before beginning the hike. Our Professional Guides are experts in the most incredible places and the best times to visit viewpoints in Grand Canyon National Park.

Our beginner dayhike and tour is a "best-of-both-worlds" tour of the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Guests will be guided on a "below the Rim" experience on the South Kaibab Trail* where you will enjoy a 3/4 mile hike out to Ooh Aah Point (known for its dramatic design and construction, and overwhelming views) followed by a South Rim sightseeing tour.

* Due to road construction at the Canyon and other unforseen circumstances there are occasional days where our guides will choose a different trail for the hike portion of this tour.

Possible Beginner Day Hike & Tour View Points

• South Kaibab Trail - This well maintained corridor trail offers spectacular views of the Grand Canyon. We use this trail for the hike out to Ooh Aah Point. We will enjoy lunch at this viewpoint.
• Grand Canyon Village - This section of the park contains a number of historic buildings, the Grand Canyon Railway Station, shops and restaurants.
• Yavapai Point - This vista is the most expansive view of Grand Canyon and is home to Mary Colter's Yavapai Observation Station.
• Mather Point - This viewing area is quite extensive - the point has two narrow, railed overlooks built on projecting rocks and is beside the Visitor Center.
• Grandview Point - This viewpoint was the original destination for Grand Canyon Tours, started in 1892 by Pete Berry as a copper mining operation. This view point is reached by a one mile side road, that juts out on a peninsula providing expansive views of the Grand Canyon.
• Moran Point - This viewpoint offers far reaching views along a wide section of the Grand Canyon, approximately between river miles 87 and 72. The point is due south of Cape Royal on the North Rim.
• Tusayan Ruins - The Tusayan Ruins and Museum are excellent places to take a glimpse into the lives of the native peoples of the region.
• Lipan Point - This vista has the best view of the Colorado River on our Daily Grand Canyon Tour, and is a favorite stop for our guides as well as guests.
• Desert View - This is the eastern most view point at Grand Canyon National Park and home to Mary Colter's historic Desert View Watchtower. The tower was built in 1932, right on the cliff edge and visible for many miles across this part of the Canyon.

We provide round-trip transportation to and from your stay place in Flagstaff, Williams, Tusayan, or Grand Canyon Village. Your tour is guaranteed at least 5 hours in the park! Your pickup time will vary depending on your choice of stay place. Drop off times depend on group size, traffic, and hiking ability. We will confirm your exact pickup time at booking and you will also receive an email confirmation containing these details.

• Flagstaff Pickup: 7:45 - 8:00 AM
  Flagstaff Drop-off: 4:00 - 5:15 PM
• Williams Pickup: 8:30 - 8:45 AM
  Williams Drop-off: 4:15 - 5:15 PM
• Tusayan Pickup: 9:30 - 9:45 AM
  Tusayan Drop-off: 3:30 - 3:45 PM
• GC Village Pickup: 9:45 - 10:00 AM
  GC Village Drop-off: 3:15 - 3:30 PM

Our tour is all-inclusive and we strive to provide you everything you need to have a great day hiking. This includes lunch, snacks, water & beverages, and gear such as hiking poles, backpacks, and crampons (for icy conditions). However there are some things you will want to bring:

Essentials

• Sturdy shoes (make sure they are broken in), any type of shoe with a good tread will work. ie: Hiking boots, tennis shoes, hiking shoes. Please no high heeled shoes, dress shoes or flat soled shoes such as Vans.
• Wide Brimmed Hat
• Sunglasses
• Sun block SPF 30+ (no large bottles)

Personal Items

• Camera
• Film
• Money for souvenirs
• Lip balm with SPF

Warm Season Clothing

• Light colored T-shirt, cotton or synthetic will work.
• Shorts or comfortable pants (jeans are not recommended).
• Light colored long sleeved shirt, to cover your skin from the sun.

Cool Season Clothing

• Warm hat
• Gloves
• *Layers*
• Synthetic Clothing (polypro, fleece).
• Thermal underwear.
• Long pants and shirt.
• Rain jacket / waterproof shell.
• Rain pants / wind pants.

Summer Heat

Grand Canyon is home to spectacular biological diversity, but it is unmistakably a desert once you are in it. Hikers who venture into the interior of the Canyon from May through September can expect daytime temperatures to regularly exceed 100°F (38°C). In fact, it is not uncommon for temperatures to climb above 120°F (49°C) during the hottest days in the summer. Such conditions will challenge even strong and fit individuals, so be ready.

Elevation

Below the Rims of Grand Canyon, hikers will find cliffs and steeply sloped terraces, and very little else. Almost any hike into Grand Canyon will require visitors to descend steeply down the trail, and your lower body and joints will work very hard to keep you balanced and keep your downhill momentum under control.

Since what goes down must come back up again, any elevation loss will be regained sooner or later. Grand Canyon trails are steep and rugged, but the important unique factor to consider when exiting the Canyon is the elevation of the Rims. As you ascend toward the end of a trip, you must achieve elevations of up to 7,400 feet (2,250m) back up to the South Rim. These elevations are higher than most people are accustomed to, and oxygen is more scarce. Uphill progress and breathing will typically become more difficult.

Training prior to trip

We believe it is important to be as physically prepared for your Grand Canyon hike as possible. Proper training will generally make your hike more safe, pleasant, and enjoyable. It may be important for you to visit with your primary health care provider (HCP) prior to a Grand Canyon hike, and even before you make any significant additions or changes to your regular exercise routine. This is especially important if you have known chronic health conditions. Conditions of the heart, lungs, or otherwise may put you at high risk as you prepare for the physical challenges of such a trip.

Outdoors

The best training for hiking is … hiking. Make time to go on regular “prep” hikes, preferably once a week or more. Start with a hike that is a comfortable distance for your level of ability. Work your way up gradually to a distance that is comparable to the distance you plan to do on your hike with us. Incorporate as much elevation change as possible into your hikes. Steep hikes with significant elevation gain and loss will be more comparable to Grand Canyon conditions, and will prepare you better for your trip.

Indoors

When you are unable to get on the trail for training, stadium bleachers and stairways in tall buildings are certainly useful. However, the majority of the training that most of our guests will do regularly will happen at the gym or health club. For your regular daily workouts, focus on five main categories: cardiovascular and pulmonary stamina, core strength, mid and lower body stability, overall strength, and flexibility.