Grand Canyon Lodge-Based Tours

Determining which tour to join can be a difficult decision but perhaps the three key factors are: 1) the time of year you want to travel, 2) how many days you would like to spend hiking, and 3) what part of Grand Canyon most interests you.

North Rim, South Rim, or Down to the Bottom

Grand Canyon’s South Rim is by far the most-visited section of the park. Here you’ll find a multitude of lodges and restaurants, as well as easy access to a number of popular and scenic hiking trails. A South Rim Lodge-Based Hiking trip features three distinct hikes below the rim, each offering a different perspective of the inner canyon. The North Rim is more remote and offers far fewer lodging and dining options. However, that solitude is precisely the allure of this spectacular part of Grand Canyon. Hiking the quiet trails by day and retiring to the rustic cabins of the Grand Canyon Lodge in the evening.

If you would like to see Grand Canyon from multiple perspectives, we offer tours that visiting both the North and South Rims, as well as some of our favorite destinations in between. The Grand Canyon Complete and its cousin, the Marble Canyon & Vermilion Cliffs Lodge-Based tour, are fantastic options that provide a diversified hiking experience and will leave you with a better holistic understanding of what the greater Grand Canyon region encompasses.

With the beautiful red rocks of Sedona just a hop, skip, and a jump away, you can explore Grand Canyon and Sedona in a single trip. Our Grand Canyon & Sedona Lodge-Based tours are available as a 3-day or 4-day itinerary.

Phantom Ranch is the only lodge accommodation below the rim of Grand Canyon. It’s a strenuous 7-mile hike to the bottom of Grand Canyon, and you will descend nearly 5000 vertical feet to reach this historic site near the Colorado River. Of course, what goes down must come back up! While the allure of spending a night or two at Phantom Ranch appeals to many, it can prove overwhelming for the ill-prepared, so you will want to make sure you’re up for the challenge. If so, the Phantom Ranch Hiking Tour is the adventure for you.

Grand Canyon National Park is located in northern Arizona and the South Rim sits at a lofty 7000 feet above sea level, while the bottom of Grand Canyon is approximately 2400 feet. This results in major differences in temperatures between the rim and the bottom, sometimes in excess of 30 degrees Fahrenheit difference. Additionally, the weather varies significantly from summer to winter, as well as spring and fall conditions. The summer months (June to August) are best spent along the North and South Rims since the inner canyon tends to be scorching hot. Our Grand Canyon Explorer is therefore the ultimate summertime trip in Grand Canyon. But if you’re looking for a longer trip, and one that visits multiple National Parks, our Bryce, Zion, and Grand Canyon lodge-based tour is the perfect choice.

Spring and fall feature mild to cool temperatures on the canyon’s rims and are perfect for hiking on the rims, as well as the inner canyon. However, both early spring and late fall can see some sneaky winter-like weather creep up so being prepared with proper clothing (i.e. dressing in layers) is essential.

Winter (December to February) brings cold temperatures and snow to the Grand Canyon, particularly at higher elevations. In fact, the North Rim is closed and inaccessible from December 1 through May 14, largely due to its isolated location and the associated difficulty of keeping the access road clear of snow. That leaves the South Rim as the primary destination. But though winter snow is not uncommon, it’s not terribly frequent and there are many beautiful days that offer excellent hiking without the crowds.