Grand Canyon Classic Hiker
Arizona
USA
Hike the Grand Canyon and Havasu Canyons - an Inn-to-Inn Hiking Adventure into one of the World’s Greatest Natural Wonders
Theodore Roosevelt called the Grand Canyon "the one great sight which every American should see." No other place captures the spirit and fascination of the American West more than this magnificent wonder of the world. There is no better way to experience it than on foot, at a pace that invites exploration, awakens the senses, and captures the essence of the outdoors.
Inn Highlights
Our first three nights are spent at Yavapai Lodge, nestled within the pinyon and juniper woodlands, only a quarter mile from the rim of the Grand Canyon. Located in one of the most beautiful and remote corners of the Grand Canyon on the Havasupai Indian Reservation in Supai, Havasupai Lodge is accessible only by foot, horseback or helicopter.
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Meeting:
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Flagstaff - Little America Hotel
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Airport:
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Flagstaff / Phoenix
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Transfer:
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Flagstaff
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Riders:
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Min
4 riders
Max
16 riders
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Trip Rating
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Rates and Dates for 2010
Rates include:
All meals (lunch Day 1-lunch Day 6), all accommodations (double occupancy), T-shirt, water bottle, support vehicle, National Park fees, professional guides.
| A | 2010 | 6 day trip | 6d / 5n | $2298 |
Meeting Time and Place: 8:00 a.m. at Little America, Flagstaff, AZ. Please have breakfast prior to our meeting and arrive ready to hike. We recommend wearing hiking boots with ankle support that have been broken-in, and wool or wool-blend socks coupled with a thin liner sock.
Trip Conclusion: Approximately 5:00 p.m. at the Flagstaff Airport or at Little America, Flagstaff, AZ.
Rates do not include:
Airfare, personal insurance, miscellaneous hotel expenses (phone, fax, laundry, etc.), additional optional tours, services not specified in the tour itinerary, and guide gratuities (An appropriate gratuity to each trip leader is $75-$100 per guest).
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Day 1. West Rim Trail, Yavapai Lodge on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon (private bath)
Our group assembles at 9:00 a.m. at the Little America hotel in Flagstaff, Arizona. After a shuttle across the Kaibab Plateau to the Grand Canyon, we’ll have a brief orientation at the rim of the Canyon. Following lunch we walk along the West Rim Trail. Our route leads us to a series of viewpoints, each offering a different perspective of the ever-changing, colorful 5,000-foot chasm. If the timing is right, we will watch the setting sun dance across the temples and intricate sandstone formations.
Following dinner, enjoy a walk under the clear star-lit skies along the canyon rim. Our home for the next three nights is Yavapai Lodge, located a short walk from "land's end."
• Rim Hike [4.5 miles, elevation gain negligible]
Day 2. South Kaibab Trail, Yavapai Lodge
This morning we descend into the heart of the Grand Canyon on the South Kaibab Trail. Our winding path leads us to Cedar Ridge and the spectacular Skeleton Point. For those looking for a leisurely day, we will return to the lodge for an evening of relaxation and exploration along the rim.
After sunset, enjoy a gourmet dinner at the acclaimed 5-star El Tovar Restaurant, overlooking the canyon’s rim!
• Shorter Option: South Kaibab Trail to Cedar Ridge [3 miles round trip, 1160 feet of elevation loss, then gain]
• Longer Option: South Kaibab Trail to Skeleton Point [6 miles round trip, 1800 feet of elevation loss, then gain]
Day 3. Hermit Trail, Yavapai Lodge
Today we hike the historic Hermit Trail, named after Louis Boucher who mined copper in this small side canyon for over 20 years at the turn of the century. Our descent passes through a visual timetable of geologic formations. Santa Maria Springs is our lunch time destination. As an option, we may continue on to Dripping Springs, a spectacular panorama of the canyon's North Rim.
In the evening, we will dine in one of the South Rim’s restaurants after watching the setting sun light up the canyon.
• Hermit Trail [7.5 miles round trip, 1400 feet of elevation loss, then gain]
• Optional hike to Dripping Springs [additional 2.5 miles, 400 feet of elevation loss, then gain]
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Day 4. Hualapai and Havasu Canyons, Havasupai Lodge (private baths)
Today we begin our three-day exploration of Havasu Canyon, an oasis of lush vegetation, sparkling cascades and waterfalls, and turquoise pools encased in travertine. We experience a culture lost in time as the Havasupai Indians have wisely decided not to allow a road to invade their wild and pristine canyon home. The only way in is by foot, mule or helicopter. We descend the different sedimentary layers carrying only light daypacks (our luggage will be transported by mule train) to the remote and unique village of Supai and the Havasupai Lodge. This hike follows Haulapai Canyon, twisting beneath red desert walls down into lush woodlands set along the turquoise-tinted Havasu Creek that feeds the falls.
• Hualapai Hilltop to Supai hike [8 miles, 2000 feet of elevation loss]
Day 5. Navajo, Havasu and Mooney Falls, Havasupai Lodge
After breakfast at the local café, we walk beyond the village alongside Havasu Creek. You hardly notice the six-mile hike today as we pass a series of waterfalls in this Shangri-la setting: first cascading Navajo falls, then the twin towering falls of Havasu, and finally down the cliff's edge to the base of 200-foot Mooney falls. The travertine-encased pools beneath each waterfall provide ideal settings for a welcome swim. Havasu, the most picturesque, and Mooney, the most spectacular, can both make for perfect lunch locations, where the warmth of the sun is in direct counterpoint to the cool mist of the falls.
We take our time to relax this afternoon with a final stop at Havasu Falls before returning to Havasupai Lodge and a sumptuous barbecue.
• Navajo, Havasu and Mooney Falls [6 miles, 300 feet of elevation loss/gain]
Day 6. Havasu and Hualapai Canyons, Flagstaff
Bidding farewell to this canyon paradise, we hike back up to Hualapai Hilltop. Before you leave Supai, be sure to send off a postcard--Supai is the only village in America where mail is still transported via a mule pack train and they provide a special, commemorative stamp. Back on the plateau rim, we shuttle back to Flagstaff, stopping in Seligman on historic Route 66 for lunch, before concluding our action-packed and fun-filled week at approximately 5:00 p.m.
• Supai to Hualapai Hilltop hike [8 miles, 2000 feet of elevation gain]
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Meeting:
Flagstaff - Little America Hotel
Airport:
Flagstaff / Phoenix
Transfer:
Flagstaff
Meeting Time and Place: 8:00 a.m. at Little America, Flagstaff, AZ. Please have breakfast prior to our meeting and arrive ready to hike. We recommend wearing hiking boots with ankle support that have been broken-in, and wool or wool-blend socks coupled with a thin liner sock.
Trip Conclusion: Approximately 5:00 p.m. at the Flagstaff Airport or at Little America, Flagstaff, AZ.
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Tack:
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Horses:
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Pace:
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Moderately Easy with Moderate options
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Level:
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(2
to
3
out of 5)
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Riders:
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Min
4 riders
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Max
16 riders
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Passport and Visa Requirements:
Valid passport required by all nationals referred to in the chart ; validity varies - for most countries the passport must be valid for at least six months from the date on which the holder enters the. more
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Our first three nights are spent at Yavapai Lodge, nestled within the pinyon and juniper woodlands, only a quarter mile from the rim of the Grand Canyon.
For day 5 and 5: Located in one of the most beautiful and remote corners of the Grand Canyon on the Havasupai Indian Reservation in Supai, Havasupai Lodge is accessible only by foot, horseback or helicopter.
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Tack:
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|
|
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Horses:
|
|
|
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Pace:
|
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Moderately Easy with Moderate options
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Level:
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(2
to
3
out of 5)
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Riders:
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Min
4 riders
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Max
16 riders
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Passports
Valid passport required by all nationals referred to in the chart ; validity varies - for most countries the passport must be valid for at least six months from the date on which the holder enters the USA. If not, the holder will be admitted until the expiration date on the passport; check with the embassy (see Contact Addresses).
Passport Note
(a) For nationals included in the Visa Waiver Program (see below), passports must be valid for at least 90 days from date of entry.
(b) All travellers entering the USA under the Visa Waiver Program require individual machine-readable passports. Children included on a parent's passport also now require their own machine-readable passport. Travellers not in possession of machine-readable passports will require a valid USA entry visa.
(c) Passports issued on or after 26 October 2005 will need to have a biometric identifier in order for the holder to travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Machine-readable passports issued between 26 October 2005 and 25 October 2006 require a digital photograph printed on the data page or an integrated chip with information from the data page. Machine-readable passports issued on or after 26 October 2006 will require an integrated chip with information from the data page (e-passport).
The US has announced new measures that require all travellers to provide details online 72 hours prior to travel.
ESTA: The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) came into force on 12 January 2009. It is a fully automated, electronic system for screening passengers before they begin travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. ESTA applications must be submitted at least 72 hours before travel to the USA. Some websites may charge you for the service but you can apply online for free at www.dhs.gov. The granting of an ESTA does not guarantee entry to the USA.
New Requirements for Travellers: As of 23 January 2007 all persons, including US citizens, travelling by air between the USA and Canada, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda are required to present a valid passport, or other approved document, when entering or re-entering the USA. Similar requirements for those travelling by land or sea will be introduced on 1 June 2009.
For further details about the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, visit the website of the US Department of State: (website: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html).
Visas
Not required by nationals referred to in the chart above for stays of up to 90 days except:
1. nationals of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania and Slovak Republic, who do require a visa.
Visa Note
(a) Landed Immigrants of Canada and British residents of Bermuda who are citizens of, and have valid passports from, Commonwealth countries or Ireland are not eligible to enter the USA without a visa. (b) All passengers using US airports for transit purposes are required to obtain a transit visa. This does not affect qualified travellers travelling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program. (d) To qualify for visa-free travel under the Visa Waiver Program, nationals must travel on a valid passport, for holiday, transit or business purposes only and for a stay not exceeding 90 days. (e) Passengers must have the full address and ZIP code of where they are staying in the USA to be able to fully complete the I-94W form. Note: Airlines are also required to collect passenger details, including the address of their first night's accommodation in the USA, before they board the aircraft. (f) 2. Holders of UK passports with the endorsement British Subject, British Dependent Territories Citizen, British Protected Person, British Overseas Citizen or British National (Overseas) Citizen do not qualify for the Visa Waiver Program. A passport which states holder has right of abode or indefinite leave to remain in the UK does not qualify for visa free travel. (g) A visa does not expire with the expiry of the holder’s passport. An unexpired, endorsed visa in an expired passport may be presented for entry into the USA, as long as the visa itself has not been cancelled, is undamaged, is less than 10 years old and is presented with a valid non-expired passport, provided that both passports are for the same nationality. (h) Nationals of countries not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).
Types of Visa and Cost
Tourist, Business, Transit and Student: US$131.
Validity
Visas may be used for travel to the USA until the date it expires. Some visas are valid for multiple entries. The length of stay in the USA is determined by US immigration officials at the time of entry but is generally six months; there is, however, no set time.
Applications to:
Embassy or consulate (see Contact Addresses).
Working Days Required
Usually five after interview. Some cases may take up to 12 weeks – check with embassy/consulate.
| Passport Required? |
| British |
Yes |
| Australian |
Yes |
| Canadian |
Yes |
| USA |
N/A |
| Other EU |
Yes |
| Visa Required? |
| British |
No/2 |
| Australian |
No |
| Canadian |
No |
| USA |
N/A |
| Other EU |
1 |
| Return Ticket Required? |
| British |
Yes |
| Australian |
Yes |
| Canadian |
No |
| USA |
N/A |
| Other EU |
Yes |
This information is not being updated on a regular basis. Hidden Trails does not
take any responsibility for the accuracy of the above information. Please, consult
the embassy or consulate for updated info.
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