Serendipity is a funny word and an interesting experience when it happens to you. Looking for some more wisdom in my monkey mind, I stumbled upon BeCurrent meditation classes with the aerial meditation in green silk hammocks hanging from ceiling hooks. The first class is free (and got me hooked btw) and there is a table you congregate at afterwards to have some tea and chat if you feel like it. It was there that I met the mom of the owner of Grand Canyon Adventures and so starts the story of checking off another bucket list item.
Since tours begin at the Flagstaff, AZ location downtown, it is best to stay as close as possible and they will even pick you up at your hotel! I opted for a guest house at a ranch on AirBnB in the middle of nowhere in Parks, AZ about a half hour away where I met a handsome ham of a horse that had sparkling blue eyes. Meeting time was 8:30 a.m. at the Flagstaff address and I arrived early as usual and not very awake. Key things you will need on the tour: sunscreen all over any exposed body parts, drink tons more water than you think you even need and take your time – as much as you can, that is.
Grand Canyon Adventures offers daily Grand Canyon tours from Flagstaff to the South Rim, Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, as well as private tours and Grand Canyon Hiking Tours (which is what I thought we were doing). But instead we climbed in an air conditioned van with a cooler full of soda, water and basket full of snacks and headed out for a 75 mile drive to the South Rim area. It is important to note that normally one cars cost $35 to enter the Grand Canyon on your own, however seniors have special discounts available.
On the road again in the second row seat with Grand Canyon Adventures from Flagstaff, AZ which has snowy winters and is only two and a half hours from Phoenix, AZ.
Our very knowledgeable Google-like guide, Ryan, filled us full of fun facts along the way and broke things down for us from area laws to tourist traps. We had the inside scoop. Our first stop was a pit-stop at the Trading Post, where you can book a room and get some nice mini canyon views from the nearby bridge.
The adorable garden behind the trading post building. Make sure to hunt down the dinosaur paw prints in the cement!A little view of the side of the garden at the trading post with Grand Canyon Adventures.Some mini canyons nearby if you want to stay at a Native American owned location.
We hit the road again and eventually landed at the Desert View with watchtower on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Walking up the watchtower, we were all buzzing with excitement with Grand Canyon Adventures.My first view into the Grand Canyon with my new Lasik 20/15 eyeballs was amaze balls with Grand Canyon Adventures.The turquoise Colorado River snakes through the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.The third view of the Grand Canyon to the left of the watchtower with Grand Canyon Adventures.So many canyons for the eyes to see with Grand Canyon Adventures.The sightseeing watchtower at Desert View was our first stop on the Grand Canyon Adventures tour.We loved seeing the Colorado River and it’s pop of color with Grand Canyon Adventures from every angle.I could have probably taken 1,000 photos with Grand Canyon Adventures.But we were on a timetable tour and into the watchtower we went. It was packed full of pushy tourists so the earlier you go, the better with Grand Canyon Adventures.Native American artwork connected to the bottom floor kiva, a room used by Puebloans for religious rituals and political meetings, now an info center and slight gift shop.If you want to take a seat and soak it all in, make sure you have plenty of sunscreen and water with Grand Canyon Adventures.That is the true color of the Arizona sky, no Photoshop or editing needed with Grand Canyon Adventures.Some plant life grows from the canyons with Grand Canyon Adventures.My Arizona adventure buddy Melanie Albert soaking it all in with Grand Canyon Adventures.It seems like any view is a great view with Grand Canyon Adventures.The less crowded rocky side with Grand Canyon Adventures.Our very nerdy, knowledgeable tour guide Ryan tells us so many facts during our tour and of course, we had to give him a little bit of a hard time with Grand Canyon Adventures.Ryan tells us tales of Lipan Point, a quick stop on our tour with Grand Canyon Adventures.We felt like bad kids because we kept running away toward the canyon and taking photos and video with Grand Canyon Adventures.Our next path led us to the kivas of the ancestral pueblo at the Grand Canyon with Grand Canyon Adventures.Our next path led us to the kivas of the ancestral pueblo at the Grand Canyon with Grand Canyon Adventures.Some info on the kiva of the past with Grand Canyon Adventures.A sacred, spiritual space is not to be touched with Grand Canyon Adventures.Down another path we go for a picnic lunch catered by a local Flagstaff restaurant, next to the Tusayan Museum with Grand Canyon Adventures.The Tusayan Museum holds 2,000–4,000 year old artifacts along with the traditional handicrafts made by regional tribes.Probably my favorite part of the trip was Grandview Point with Grand Canyon Adventures.We were told to stay close but of course we all scattered like cats to see these views with Grand Canyon Adventures.The shadows started playing off the canyons with Grand Canyon Adventures.Move your camera an inch and it’s unique with Grand Canyon Adventures.Once I found out you could hike down into the Grand Canyon, that’s where I went solo.Starting from the top, easily accessible rock slab with Grand Canyon Adventures.A view from on the rock to the left with Grand Canyon Adventures.And to the right on the rock slab with Grand Canyon Adventures.Down the steps I went. Here’s a helpful tip: the elevation is 7,000 here and it’s hella dusty even if you don’t think so. Wear a scarf around your mouth and take it easy, plenty of water too.Looking back up the steps, the further down you went the less people you would see. I also found myself howling like a coyote and people further down or in the canyon would howl back.Climbing up onto a ledge allowed me to take a photo for a father and daughter duo hiking down the canyon.I’m not sure how far down it went but I wanted to keep going with Grand Canyon Adventures.I found another rock slab further down with no humans around and grounded myself here with Grand Canyon Adventures.I always seem to find the lone trees who are much like me with Grand Canyon Adventures.I knew the clock was ticking and hauled ass back up the steps to meet my crew. Going back up the canyon was a lot harder than going down and left me winded with Grand Canyon Adventures.Next stop was next to the Yavapai Geology Museum and just as beautiful as the rest.The cliffs here are a lot more man made and accessible with Grand Canyon Adventures.A view from each side of Yavapai as the locals call it with Grand Canyon Adventures.A pro tip is to bring binoculars and you can see there is a hotel in the canyon you can stay at with Grand Canyon Adventures.
Photos and video just don’t do the Grand Canyon justice, it’s truly breathtaking!
Ryan explains the tiny section we just saw of the Grand Canyon which runs from Vegas to Utah with Grand Canyon Adventures.We were then set free to walk along the South Rim and meet everyone at the next stop 3 miles away with Grand Canyon Adventures.If you see this little guy, I have no doubt he will climb your head for food as he almost did mine with Grand Canyon Adventures.Those clouds looking picture perfect with Grand Canyon Adventures.Melanie and I enjoyed our walkabout with Grand Canyon Adventures.We kept stopping every so often to take photos but stay on schedule with Grand Canyon Adventures.But those views will suck you in every other foot you walk with Grand Canyon Adventures.We finally met up with the gang at El Tovar Lodge and Hopi House where everyone was happily exhausted and super hungry!
We ate through the snack bag on the road back and some people even took a nap. I need to learn this witchery as I am sitting-up nap resistant. Melanie and I went to get some grub in “Flag” as the locals call it at Root Public House where I inhaled a chefs preference (always) cooked burger and fries. It’s amazing to me that this inspiring landscape is so close to me now and makes me happy to return, absorb and maybe stay in the canyon next time! For those who don’t like to DIY, we highly recommend these guys to explore Arizona.
Grand Canyon Adventures also offers Grand Canyon tours from Flagstaff, tours to Antelope Canyon and Horsebend (aka Horseshoe Bend), day hiking tours and tours to Sedona. And for those who aren’t so fancy, Grand Canyon National Park has an excellent bus system that will take to all major locations along the South Rim.
