Grand Canyon National Park tours & vacations

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

The Grand Canyon is one of the seven wonders of the world. It’s a 29 kilometres wide, 1.5 kilometres deep and 446 kilometres long gorge carved by the Colorado River over 5-6 million years. Scientists estimate that humans have lived there since the last Ice Age.

The closest airports to the Grand Canyon are Las Vegas and Phoenix, but you can also fly into Flagstaff (a one-hour drive from the South Rim) or Salt Lake City (about seven hours away by car). Public transport is limited, so the best option is to drive or join us on a tour.

The Grand Canyon has a free shuttle bus around the South Rim. The shuttles take you to the best viewpoints which are inaccessible to private vehicles.

There is also a Trans-Canyon-Shuttle service between the North and South Rims between May and October.

Guided bus tours also operate in the park, as well as taxi services between the South Kaibab Trailhead, Grand Canyon Village and Tusayan/Airport.

The best time to visit the Grand Canyon in terms of weather and avoiding huge crowds is between March and May, and September through November.

During the peak season (June-August), thousands of tourists flock to the park for the summer vacation. That being said, all hiking trails and park facilities are open, so it's the best time to experience all the park has to offer. 

Temperatures drop in the winter and it snows in some areas, but it’s a great time to visit as there’s hardly anyone around and you’ll have the trails and views mostly to yourself.

No matter what season you visit the Grand Canyon, bring a sturdy pair of hiking boots or trainers with good grip, light and comfortable layers, a waterproof jacket, warm layers, a fleece, a sun hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.

Also, make sure you bring a reusable water bottle and plenty of snacks to refuel throughout the day.

Some animals you might encounter include desert bighorn sheep, deer, coyotes, mountain lions, mules, gray foxes and bears. There is also a diverse range of reptiles, amphibians and birds.

Your mobile phone will probably have coverage near the park’s main tourist hubs, but there will be little or no coverage once you start hiking past the canyon rim.

We are committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. We do our best to help you see the world, regardless of physical or mental limitations. 

We are always happy to talk to travellers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them toward the most suitable itinerary for their needs and, where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.