Havasupai Gardens 

This beginner’s Grand Canyon hiking tour begins at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and the Bright Angel Trailhead. The trail descends along an ancient Native American route following the Bright Angel Fault Line down to Havasupai Gardens Campground, our home for the next 2 nights. Upon reaching camp, feel free to relax by the nearby creek while your guide sets up and prepares a delicious lunch. In the late afternoon, the group will take the enjoyable 3 mile roundtrip stroll out to Plateau Point for some of the finest views Grand Canyon has to offer. Don’t forget your camera…sunsets out here will leave you breathless!

Drive Time: 1.5 hours

Distance & Elevation: 4.5 miles, 3000 foot descent

Light Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Enjoy a hearty breakfast before heading out for a fantastic day hike to the bottom of the Canyon at Pipe Creek Beach, on the banks of the mighty Colorado River. You will hike through beautiful sandstone narrows, past tempting pools and be treated to memorable views as you head further into the Canyon’s depths. If time and energy allow, we can traverse along the River Trail for a mile or so, enjoying the memorable views up and down the Colorado River. After soaking it all in, we will make our way back to camp for another delicious dinner and some evening star-gazing.

*Due to a temporary trail closure from October 21, 2024 through May 14, 2025, this day will be spent traversing the Tonto Trail East through stunning Pipe Creek Canyon to its junction with the South Kaibab Trail at The Tipoff. Epic views unfold all day as we explore this seldom-traveled section of the inner canyon.

Distance & Elevation: 7-10 miles day hiking, 1400 foot descent/ascent

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast and packing up camp, we will retrace our steps back to the South Rim. As you make your way, pause to look back over the terrain you’ve just explored and reflect on your experience. Keep an eye out for the endangered California Condor, the largest bird in North America. They frequent this part of the canyon. A big, tasty lunch and some time on the rim will allow you to celebrate your accomplishment before the drive back to Flagstaff.

Distance & Elevation: 4.5 miles, 3000 foot ascent

Breakfast, Lunch

Drive Time: 1.5 hours

• A professional, licensed and medically trained guide
• All necessary gear: backpack, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, trekking poles
• All cooking/eating gear: bowls, cups, utensils (your guide will prepare all meals)
• 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 backcountry permits
• 5% National Park Service Commercial Fee (a required fee that passes through to Grand Canyon National Park)

• 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

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.

Children under the age of 13 are generally not permitted on backpacking trips. This restriction may be negotiable on private tours. Please contact us with any questions regarding this policy.

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.

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.

We will hold a pre-trip orientation at 4:00pm the evening prior to your trip’s departure at the Little America 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.

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 Little America Hotel (recommended) can leave their cars at the hotel. The hotel 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.

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.