of the larger companies operating on the river, it offers lots of different trips, including some focusing on natural history and others that double as yoga workshops. They also do trips in paddle rafts that allow you to help navigate and provide the power while shooting the canyon’s rapids.
Canyoneers, P.O. Box 2997, Flagstaff (www.canyoneers.com; 800/525-0924 or 928/526-0924); 3- to 10-day motorized-raft trips and 6- to 14-day oar-powered trips. Way back in 1938, this was the first company to take paying customers down the Colorado, and Canyoneers is still one of the top companies on the river.
Grand Canyon Expeditions Company, P.O. Box O, Kanab, Utah (www.gcex.com; 800/544-2691 or 435/644-2691); 8- and 9-day motorized trips and 14- and 16-day dory trips. If you’ve got the time, these dory trips are a fine homage to John Wesley Powell’s expedition 150 years ago; they’re among the most thrilling adventures in the world.
Grand Canyon Whitewater, 1000 N. Humphreys St. Suite 202, Flagstaff (www.grandcanyonwhitewater.com; 800/343-3121 or 928/779-2979); 4- to 8-day motorized-raft trips and 5- to 13-day oar trips.
Hatch River Expeditions, 5348 E. Burris Lane, Flagstaff (www.hatchriverexpeditions.com; 800/856-8966 or 928/526-4700); 4- to 8-day motorized trips and 6-, 7-, and 12-day oar trips. All of this company’s trips, except their upper-canyon expedition, end with a helicopter flight out of the canyon. In business since 1929, Hatch River claims to be the oldest commercial rafting company in the U.S. With so much experience, you can count on Hatch to provide a great trip.
Outdoors Unlimited, 6900 Townsend Winona Rd., Flagstaff (www.outdoorsunlimited.com; 800/637-7238); 5- to 15-day oar and paddle trips. This company has been taking people through the canyon for more than 40 years and usually sends them home very happy.
Wilderness River Adventures, P.O. Box 717, Page (www.riveradventures.com; 800/992-8022); 3- to 8-day motorized-raft trips and 5- to 14-day oar trips. The 4-day trips (actually 3½ days) involve hiking out from Phantom Ranch. This is one of the bigger companies operating on the canyon, offering a wide variety of trips—it’s a good place to start if you’re not sure what type of trip you want to do.
For information on 1-day rafting trips at the west end of the Grand Canyon, see p. 280. For information on half-day trips near Page, see p. 330.
Attractions Outside the Canyon
In Tusayan, outside the south entrance to the park, the National Geographic Visitor Center, 450 Ariz. 64 (www.explorethecanyon.com; 928/638-2468) shows a 34-minute IMAX film covering the history and geology of the canyon throughout the day on a six-story screen. Admission is $13.59, $12.50 seniors and military, and $10.33 for children. March to October, there are shows daily 8:30am to 8:30pm; November to February, shows are daily between 10:30am and 6:30pm. The visitor center also has interactive exhibits and a cafe.
