Meeting traveler demand, Grand Canyon Water Rafting announced today that it's broadening its tour line-up to include one-day, smooth-water float tours at the West Rim and the South Rim of the National Park. “We are excited to offer these float trips,” said Erik Magnus, owner of Grand Canyon Water Rafting.
“These are one-of-a-kind activities that will make your trip to the Park even more unforgettable.” The smooth-water trips run from March through November. High season is the summer months, a time when tours often sell out. "I regularly remind clients to book these trips weeks in advance," Magnus said. "There's a finite number of these rafts available and each is limited to 19 people."
South Rim float tours depart from Grand Canyon National Airport in Tusayan, a small town located minutes from Grand Canyon Village. Guests are required to arrange their own transportation to the terminal. Two trips are available at South Rim. The most popular and affordable comes with a bus tour to Page, AZ, home of Glen Canyon Dam, the starting point for all float tours. The other includes an airplane flight to Page, a Jeep tour to Antelope Canyon and then the 15-mile raft tour. "It's an incredible three-hour journey from the Glen Canyon Dam to Lee's Ferry," Magnus said. "You'll see Horseshoe Bend, ancient Indian rock art, secret side canyons and Eden-like waterfalls."
The West Rim trip, which is perfect for Las Vegas-based travelers, combines a helicopter ride to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, a bus trip to the base of iconic Hoover Dam and an 11-plus-mile rafting trip to Willow Beach in Arizona. "Vegas travelers are in for a real treat," noted Magnus. "The trip kicks off with a 3,500-foot helicopter descent to the canyon's base. Then, just when you think you’ve seen it all, the raft segment kicks in!”
These float tours are one-day events and involve no whitewater rapids. Trips are open to visitors of all ages, and, because the water is smooth, children as young as 4 years of age are allowed. "Smooth-water rafting is great for groups and families," Magnus said. "There's not fitness or height requirements, which makes them perfect for seniors and kids. Plus these trips are all-inclusive. The key things you need to remember to pack are sunglasses, sun block, a hat and a set of dry clothes."
Grand Canyon National Park comprises more than 1 million acres of wilderness. The Colorado River, which splits the canyon into South Rim and North Rim, created the gorge, which is one mile deep and up to 18 miles wide. The West Rim, which is located some 120 miles from Las Vegas, NV, encompasses a 100-mile swath of Mojave Desert owned by the Hualapai Indian tribe. This rim’s largest draw is the Grand Canyon Skywalk, a glass bridge that lets intrepid visitors walk 70 feet past the edge.
"The scope of the canyon is epic," Magnus noted. "Sure, you can check it out from a lookout point on the rim. But if you really want to sense how gargantuan this place is, take a rafting tour."
For more details about these trips, please visit: https://www.grandcanyonwaterrafting.com/smooth-water-float-tours
