Grand Canyon Basecamp Adventures

Basecamp Adventures combine the enjoyment of hiking and camping without the need to carry a heavy backpack everywhere you go. Explore amazing trails by day and relax in a comfortable campsite each evening with delicious meals prepared by your guide.

The Grand Canyon Summer Tour features day hikes along and below the rim of the canyon and our basecamp is set-up in the cool Ponderosa pine forest on the North Rim. Enjoy all the comforts of a well-appointed campground, including spacious tents, restrooms, showers, campfire pits, and a small general store. Explore quiet trails through lush forests leading to incredible, secluded Grand Canyon views. Venture below the rim to get up close perspectives of towering cliffs. Visit the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, perched directly on the canyon’s edge, and venture out on the knife’s edge trail to Bright Angel Point offering spectacular views across the canyon and into its depths. Relax in the evening around the campfire, toasting marshmallows and gazing upon the impossibly dark skies of this remote location.

For a more strenuous adventure, our Bright Angel Loop ventures to the bottom of Grand Canyon for 2 nights camping near the Colorado River. Descend nearly 5000 vertical feet on the South Kaibab Trail to explore the Inner Gorge. Pack mules will carry the camping gear in and out of the canyon, but we’ll still have to carry our clothing and personal items. After the journey down, we will have a full day to explore the canyon bottom, discovering the hidden secrets unknown to those who never venture below rim. The Bright Angel Trail is our route out of the canyon on Day 3, climbing about 4400 feet in just over 9 miles.

This trip spends two nights at famous Bright Angel Campground, a comfortable little oasis beside Bright Angel Creek. Campsites are relatively basic but there is access to fresh drinking water and flush toilets.

All Grand Canyon basecamp adventures include the use of top-quality hiking daypacks, trekking poles, tents, air mattresses, sleeping bags, all food for the duration of the trip, ground transportation to/from trailheads, and a licensed, professional Grand Canyon guide. The only things you need to bring are your personal clothing and footwear, raingear, personal toiletries, and water bottles or hydration bladder.

Grand Canyon Summer Tour

Trip Type: Basecamp hiking + one night lodging

Duration: 4 Days

Distance: 20 miles

Difficulty: Intermediate

Price: starting at $1,750

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Bright Angel Loop

Trip Type: Basecamp

Duration: 3 days

Distance: 23 miles

Difficulty: Intermediate +

Price: starting at $1600

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Testimonials

“”This was my first time using a guided tour company and I am so impressed! It was an amazing experience. Our guide, Owen, was so passionate about the Grand Canyon and shared with us the history, geology, flora and fauna – I learned so much. This is the best way to see the Grand Canyon – you’ll be safe, informed, and well fed. You’ll sleep under the stars and eat delicious meals on the trails. Owen showed us the best places to take photos, found shade when I was sure none existed, and pointed out so many things I would have missed on my own. He knew where all the best views were, away from the crowds. The Grand Canyon is an amazing place to visit, but a guided hike adds so much more to the experience. Four Season Guides – and Owen – made this a trip I’ll never forget!”

More About the Basecamp Experience

A basecamp trip is a fantastic way to explore incredible landscapes and enjoy a rewarding outdoor experience while maintaining your preference to not fully abandon the comforts of home. These trips provide the best option for combining full days of hiking beautiful backcountry trails during the day with the comfort of returning to a fully outfitted campsite in the evenings.

As a guest on a Basecamp Adventure, expect to stay in established campgrounds with spacious tents and comfortable sleeping arrangements. We provide inflatable air mattresses for a comfy sleeping experience and our wide collection of sleeping bags ensure you will be cozy and warm no matter what the weather serves up.

Since we’re not carrying everything on our backs, we can indulge in the food department. Expect to enjoy healthy and delicious meals prepared with abundant fresh ingredients. A variety of hot and cold breakfasts and wonderful camp dinners are skillfully prepared by your guide. Tasty lunches are prepared on the trail with epic scenery as a backdrop.

Basecamp trips are wonderful options for folks that are new to the outdoors but want to introduce themselves to the joys of camping. You benefit from the immersion of spending full days in natural beauty but without the burden or hassle of having to plan and pack all of the essentials for the trip. These “all-inclusive” vacations mean that every logistic and chore is taken care of by your guide leaving the parents free to simply enjoy every moment with their family.

What time of year is best?

To determine what time of year of best, you first need to decide if you want to camp in the bottom of Grand Canyon or if you want to camp on the rim. The summer and early fall months (June through September) are the best time of year to camp along the North or South Rims. We prefer the North Rim for summer camping, where daytime high temperatures tend to hover in the 70s (Fahrenheit) and nighttime lows remain very comfortable, rarely dipping below the mid-40s. The bottom of Grand Canyon tends to be excessively hot in June, July, and August so sticking to the rims is ideal.

If you want to camp down by the Colorado River, mid-September through May is the best time of year. September through mid-November and March through May will generally see the most favorable temperatures. But as long as you dress for the weather, the winter months at the bottom of the canyon ca offer an excellent experience. There are far fewer people on the trails during the winter and the campgrounds are sparsely populated, leaving you with a much quieter experience.

Group of Grand Canyon backpackers.