Grand Canyon | Tours | 1-Day Rafting

In search of something great to try while seeing the Grand Canyon? Why not consider a Grand Canyon rafting tour? This post covers the 1-day smooth water float tour and why it's the best pleasure trip for couples, families, and groups as they visit the South Rim.

When considering rafting the Grand Canyon, most consider expensive seven-day whitewater river excursions. The alternative? The one-day smooth water float excursion. Stress-free and fun, these South Rim trips are so affordable that even the most economical traveler will be happy.
This kind of float trip starts off by boarding a luxury bus and heading 140 miles east from Grand Canyon National Park to Glen Canyon Dam in Page, AZ. Here your bus will drive through the dam's two-mile access tunnel until you get to the base and board your adventure-class raft.
Next you'll launch into smooth water and drift among canyon walls until you reach spectacular Horseshoe Bend, the famous "U" that mixes the very best of the region's orange sandstone cliffs with the river's gleaming emerald waters. Onward, you'll get out at a sandy beach and take a brief walk to a cliff wall where ancient inhabitants left petroglyphs.
Among the great things about these all-inclusive trips are the boatmen. These river guides get through the river with skill and ease. Most are experts in geology and natural history and are happy to answer the questions you have about the area's one-of-a-kind rock formations, plentiful wildlife, and past explorers like Major John Wesley Powell. It is common to tip your guide if you found him or her particularly helpful.
The river begins to widen and the vegetation starts to thicken as you head further west toward the historical town of Lee's Ferry, gateway to the Grand Canyon. This is actually the only place for the next 260 miles where you can cross the Colorado River. Still standing are an old fort and a trading post. John D. Lee, under a commission from the Mormon Church, built and ran the ferry, which became outdated in 1928 when the Navajo Bridge was built. The town now serves as the beginning for all white-water trips.
At Lee's Ferry, you'll transfer to your luxury bus and begin the return trip to your South Rim accommodation. On the way, you'll see the magical Navajo Indian Reservation and the surreal Painted Desert, and you will probably stop at the Cameron Trading Post, an awesome place to acquire genuine Native American handicrafts.
The Grand Canyon smooth water float tour with luxury coach is all-inclusive and comes along with free hotel shuttle service, lunch, and drinks. Summer trips can get hot and I strongly suggest you bring sunscreen and a hat and stay well hydrated. Take a swimsuit or wear one under your clothes if you wish to take a swim. This is all-day tour is appropriate for ages four years and up.
The retail cost of this tour is a bargain. If you want the best bargain, purchase your trip over the internet. I recommend this strategy to family and friends. It isn't really uncommon to discover this package offered with a 35% discount. Get your seats in advance, too. Rafts carry between 15 and 22 travelers. Being that this is among the best day trips on the South Rim, seats sell out quick.
Grand Canyon float tours are perfect for travelers who want no rapids as they go down the Colorado River. The 15.5-mile trip starts at Glen Canyon Dam and concludes at Lee's Ferry. Throughout, you will experience some of the most incredible scenery in Western U.S. You'd think an outing such as this one would break the bank. Not so! So come aboard everyone, and discover the Colorado River in all its calm elegance.

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