SummitPost.org

I'm planning to go on a combined rafting and sidecanyon hiking trip in the Grand Canyon next year. At least for 10 days in all. For the moment I have hundreds - it seems so - of companies hoping for me to buy a trip with their company. Because they are the best, have the best guides, magnificent food etc.

Which company would you recommend and why. I will be 60 next year and in very good shape, and with many years of hiking experience in the Alps, ferrata climbing etc.

It will be my first and maybe last time in the GC, so I want to se the best parts of GC and the sidecanyons.

Hope to hear from you in SP.

JHP
Copenhagen

I've rafted the Canyon ten times, and cannot recommend it too highly. I would strongly suggest an oar boat trip for the longest duration possible (probably 14 days). If you can't manage the time or money for the whole thing, I'd say the lower half has the better hiking, though the upper certainly isn't at all bad.

As for companies, I can certainly recommend Arizona Raft Adventures (AzRA). I'm sure plenty of others are good as well, standards are generally pretty competitive down there, but they're the ones I have personal experience with. Excellent guides, good food. I think they even offer hiker special trips.

One more thing to consider is what season to go. The summer months have more water in the river (so the river miles go fast) and longer daylight hours, and hence more time for hiking. The hot weather (very hot indeed!) also makes the many wet hikes and swimming opportunities much more appealing, not to mention the whitewater. On the other hand, monsoon season (July and August) can keep you out of certain side canyons due to flash flood danger. Spring and fall have fewer people on the river, and the cooler temperatures open up a lot of dry hikes you could never even contemplate in summer. The green grass, flowers and blooming redbuds and ocotillos in spring are really nice. Overall, though, I'd say June to early July probably gives the best overall experience if you've never been before.

Whenever you go, it'll be an amazing trip. Rafting the Grand is everything people say it is!

Hi Leghorn and Frishman.

Thanks for the links and some very useful advise. I'm sure they will be used. As a matter of fact, the AzRa was one of the companies that I noticed in my research as being kind of honest in their marketing. Well, it seems so. I'm very excited about it all.

Thanks again!

JHP
Copenhagen

Hi 1000Pks
Thanks for the link to SC. There's definitely some useful info here. And the price is very interesting.....

and mattski.
maybe you are right, if there's still some single malt in it.

JHP
Copenhagen

If you run the river, don't go with Hatch River Expeditions.

hi Scott
thank you for the advice, but why not?
jhp
copenhagen

thank you for the advice, but why not?

Unfortunately, thye support the following group who's goal is to literally get rid of all wilderness in the SW:

http://www.usaall.org/

See them on the supporters list:

http://www.usaall.org/?supporters.htm

Do more reseach on the group and you will see what they stand for.

They (USA-All whom Hatch River supports) even have official gatherings where 500 ATVers illegal roar through wilderness study areas just to "make a point".