Itinerary
- Day 1
Flagstaff to North Rim
You'll get picked up at your hotel in Flagstaff and head out on a 4-hour drive to the North Rim. Along the way, there's a stop at the Old Navajo Bridge, a historic structure from the 1920s that spans 467 feet above the Colorado River, so watch for California Condors while you're crossing it. After breakfast at the bridge, you'll continue on to Grand Canyon Lodge to check in, then hike to Bright Angel Point for views of the canyon. Following lunch, you'll descend the North Kaibab Trail to Coconino Overlook. The day ends with dinner at the lodge with canyon views.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at the Old Navajo Bridge), Lunch (Hearty lunch), Dinner (Dinner at Grand Canyon Lodge overlooking the canyon)
Included Activities
- Walk across Old Navajo Bridge (historic 1920s structure)
- Hike to Bright Angel Point
- Hike North Kaibab Trail to Coconino Overlook
Landmarks/POIs Old Navajo Bridge Bright Angel Point Coconino Overlook Grand Canyon Lodge - Day 2
North Rim
After breakfast, you'll drive a short distance to the trailhead for a hike through pine and aspen forests at 8,000 feet elevation. The route takes you past ancient fossil beds and out to canyon viewpoints where you might see elk, deer, coyotes, and possibly wild buffalo. You'll have a picnic lunch overlooking the canyon while exploring the rim, then head back the same way. Later, your guide will prepare a sunset dinner at Point Imperial viewpoint.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Big breakfast), Lunch (Picnic lunch prepared by guide overlooking the canyon), Dinner (Sunset dinner cooked by guide at Point Imperial)
Included Activities
- Hike through North Rim forests and fossil beds to canyon edge
- Explore rim viewpoints with extended hiking options
- Wildlife viewing (elk, deer, coyotes, fox, mountain lions, buffalo)
Landmarks/POIs Point Imperial North Rim - Day 3
North Rim to South Rim
You'll check out and make the 4-hour drive to the South Rim, crossing the Colorado River again at Lee's Ferry. There's a stop at the Desert View Watchtower, which replicates a Native American tower, and time to explore Desert View Drive. Then you'll hike the Grandview Trail with views that can stretch over 100 miles on clear days. This historic mining trail passes prehistoric sites and remnants of the Last Chance Mine from 1890, including old miners' cabin walls and fireplaces. After checking into your South Rim hotel, dinner is at a historic rim-side restaurant.
- Meals
- Dinner (Hearty dinner at a historic rim-side restaurant)
Included Activities
- Visit Desert View Watchtower
- Hike Grandview Trail with views of mining history and prehistoric sites
Landmarks/POIs Desert View Watchtower Grandview Trail Horseshoe Mesa El Tovar - Day 4
South Rim
Following breakfast, you'll head to the Hermit Trailhead for a hike built by the Santa Fe Railroad. The trail winds through fossil beds in limestone and sandstone to Waldron Basin, then continues along the top of the Red Wall with views of the canyon. A real highlight is seeing reptile prints from 260 million years ago with tail marks etched into sandstone. Your turnaround point is Dripping Springs, a desert spring flowing from a sandstone alcove. You'll have time for a short rim walk before or after dinner as the sun sets.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast), Lunch (Lunch (timing flexible with hike))
Included Activities
- Hike Hermit Trail through fossil beds to Waldron Basin
- View 260+ million-year-old reptile prints in sandstone
- Reach Dripping Springs desert spring
- Rim walk during sunset
Landmarks/POIs Hermit Trail Waldron Basin Dripping Springs - Day 5
South Rim to Flagstaff
Start early for your final hike on the South Kaibab Trail, which goes down the spine of Cedar Ridge and gives you spectacular panoramic views with drop-offs on both sides and in front of you. This highly photographed trail offers some of the best vistas in the Grand Canyon, and you'll want to watch for California Condors and geologic formations along the way. After the hike, you'll take a 1.5-hour shuttle drive back to Flagstaff, where you can relax and think back on five days of hiking.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Early breakfast)
Included Activities
- Hike South Kaibab Trail along Cedar Ridge
- View panoramic Grand Canyon vistas
- Wildlife and geologic site viewing
Landmarks/POIs South Kaibab Trail Cedar Ridge
