Grand Canyon Summer Tour 


Four Season Guides

Trip Description

This is the perfect vacation for a summertime visit to Grand Canyon! When the high temperatures in the bottom of Grand Canyon soar to triple digits, it’s time to explore the hidden gems around the rims. Our Grand Canyon Summer Tour offers you the opportunity to see it from many different perspectives: the South Rim, North Rim, and beautiful Marble Canyon, the true origin of Grand Canyon. Enjoy an array of different day hikes in each part of the park: the classic vistas from the famous South Rim, a hike through a narrow ‘slot canyon’, and the peaceful solitude of remote vantage points along the forested North Rim. You will spend one night in a lodge and a two nights of camping beneath the towering pines along the North Rim, where you will be treated to delicious meals prepared by your guide while relaxing by the fire and gazing upon the unbelievable night sky. Each day brings a new adventure and constantly evolving views. This outstanding adventure is a favorite of our guides and will undoubtedly leave you with memories to last a lifetime.

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Overview

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Type: Basecamp hiking + one night lodging

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Days: 4 Days

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Distance: 20 miles

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Difficulty: Intermediate

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Origin: Flagstaff, AZ

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Price:

$1,925/person

Single Supplement: $150

Itinerary

*Final itineraries are occasionally subject to change due to permit/campsite availability, park restrictions/closures, weather conditions and/or road closures.
  • Day 1

    Depart Flagstaff early for your scenic drive to the South Rim. We kick things off with a hike on one of the South Rim’s best trails. The South Kaibab Trail follows a ridgeline into the canyon, offering stunning views of the Inner Gorge, North Rim, and distant plateaus, making this an excellent beginning to your Grand Canyon exploration. After a picnic lunch along the trail, we return to the rim and begin making our way east to Desert View for its spectacular and unique views of the canyon and the distant Painted Desert. We then exit the park and drive through the Painted Desert to our cozy lodge in Marble Canyon. After some well-deserved showers, we will head out for a delicious dinner at one of the nearby restaurants.


    Drive Time: 1.5 hours to South Rim, then 1.5 hours to Marble Canyon

    Distance & Elevation:~6 miles, 1500-foot descent/ascent

    Light Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Day 2

    After an early breakfast we are off for a full day of exploring. We will take a quick drive to the trailhead for our first hike into an exciting narrow canyon that leads to the banks of the Colorado River in Marble Canyon. This fun hike involves a bit of scrambling over boulders and along rock ledges as it meanders through towering limestone cliffs on its way to the river. After some exploring, it’s back to the car for the beautiful drive up to the North Rim. Upon arrival, we will visit Bright Angel Point, an incredible viewpoint perched along a narrow ridge offering wonderful canyon panoramas. A quick visit to the North Rim Lodge is followed by a peaceful stroll along the rim back to our comfy campsite in the pine forest. Your guide will set everything up while you kick back and soak in the beautiful surroundings. Enjoy a tasty dinner by the campfire.


    Distance & Elevation: 6 miles, 350-foot descent/ascent

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Day 3

    Today we head out for a gorgeous hike through the North Rim’s ancient forests of firs, pines, and aspens. The Widforss Trail features terrific views, lots of fossils, relatively level hiking, and pleasant solitude. The trail contours the rim of Transept Canyon, a deep and stunning tributary canyon, whose floor is nearly 4000 feet below. Upon arrival at spectactular Widforss Point, we will enjoy a picnic lunch and savor the views before making our way back. Enjoy some free time around camp before dinner.


    Drive Time: 10 minutes

    Distance & Elevation: 10 miles, minimal elevation change

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Day 4

    An early start will allow enough time for your guide to pack up camp before heading out for one last scenic hike before the return trip to Flagstaff. Two great options present themselves: a hike below the Rim on the North Kaibab Trail to the stunning Coconino Overlook or Cape Final to a quiet and unique viewpoint offering views across the Painted Desert and Marble Plateau, and all the way to Navajo Mountain in southern Utah. We will explore through lunchtime before beginning our journey home. Expect to arrive back in Flagstaff around 5pm.


    Distance & Elevation: 3 to 5 miles, up to 800-foot descent/ascent

    Breakfast, Lunch

    Drive Time: 3.5 hours

Details

  • What's Included

    • A professional, licensed and medically trained guide
    • Lodge accommodations Night 1
    • All necessary gear: day pack, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, trekking poles
    • All necessary cooking/eating gear: bowls, cups, utensils
    • All meals from a light breakfast on Day 1 through lunch on the last day + trail snacks
    • Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Flagstaff, AZ to Grand Canyon
    • Entrance fees and camping permits
    • 5% National Park Service Commercial Fee (a required fee that passes through to Grand Canyon National Park)
  • What's Not Included

    • Transportation to/from Flagstaff, AZ
    • Lodging the night before/after the trip
    • Clothing, raingear, and footwear
    • Personal toiletries, sunscreen
    • Water bottles/hydration bladder
    • Headlamp or flashlight
    • Guide gratuity (suggested 10-20% of trip cost)

    *Upon Booking you will receive a detailed trip information packet

  • How Many People Are in The Group

    Most backpacking trips in Grand Canyon will accommodate 5 people plus one guide. On occasion, a group may be as large as 9 people plus 2 guides.

  • Are There Age Restrictions?

    Children under the age of 12 are generally not permitted on mixed-group trips. This restriction is negotiable on private tours or family-specific departures. Please contact us with any questions regarding this policy.

  • How Do I Sign Up?

    In order to confirm a reservation, we require an initial deposit of $250 per person, with the final balance due 90 days prior to the trip’s departure. If you book a trip within 90 days of the trip’s scheduled departure, then full payment is due at the time of booking.


    Once we confirm availability, you will be provided with an online registration link. Your deposit is payable online by Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or ACH transfer.

Travel Logistics

  • Where does the trip begin/end?

    This trip will begin/end in Flagstaff, AZ and you will need to spend the night prior to your trip’s scheduled departure in Flagstaff. You will want to fly into either Phoenix (2 hour drive) or Flagstaff. Please visit our Travel Resources page for information on airports, shuttles/rental cars and recommended hotels.

  • Where do meet our guides?

    We will hold a pre-trip orientation at 4:30pm the evening prior to your trip’s departure at the Embassy Suites hotel in Flagstaff. Departure times and logistics for the following morning will be discussed at the orientation.


    Most trips will depart between 4:30am and 6:30am. *This meeting is not mandatory, but highly recommended, as we will depart early the next morning. If you are unable to attend, please let us know in advance so that we can make alternate arrangements.

  • What do we do with our car and extra stuff?

    We will provide all transportation to/from trailheads for the duration of the trip. We will pick you up at your hotel in Flagstaff and return you there at the trip’s conclusion. Guests staying at the Embassy Suites (recommended) or Hampton Inn & Suites can leave their cars at the hotel. These hotels will often store your luggage for you, as well. If not, we are happy to store extra luggage at our warehouse for the duration of the trip. If you are staying at a different hotel, you will need to check with them as to whether you can leave your car there.

  • What time will we get back on the last day?

    Expect to be back in Flagstaff by 5pm at the latest on the last day of the trip. Many trips will return earlier but we cannot make any guarantees. In general, it is recommended that you do not plan to fly home on the same day your trip finishes. Since each trip has slightly different logistics, feel free to contact us with specific questions related to the expected return time for your trip.

Trip Dates

2024 Trip Dates

Click on a date to request a reservation! Or contact us to request custom dates.



2025 Trip Dates

Click on a date to request a reservation! Or contact us to request custom dates.


Don’t see your dates? Custom dates may be available!

Call 1-928-525-1552 or email us for details.

Guest Testimonials

5.0

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283+ Reviews

4.9

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161+ Reviews

5.0

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1,416+ Reviews

List of Services

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Top-Ranked Tour Company

Don’t take our word for it. More than a thousand 5-Star reviews on TripAdvisor will attest to the quality of our adventures.

Exceptional Guides

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Our guiding staff consists primarily of seasoned veterans who have been guiding professionally, full-time, for a decade or more. In addition to their extensive experience, our guides are fun, accommodating, approachable, entertaining, polite and just plain good people.

All-Inclusive Tours

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We’re at work, you’re on vacation! We take care of all the logistics associated with a backcountry adventure and handling all the dirty work. Gear, food, permits, transportation…we have you covered and it’s all included.

Local Experts

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The Southwestern U.S. is our home and our passion. We’ve been exploring this region for decades and know it intimately. This is our niche and nobody does it better.


Four Season Guides

Why Travel With Fsg

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