Winter Hiking and Backpacking in Grand Canyon: Rim to Rim
Winter Hiking and Backpacking in Grand Canyon: Rim to Rim
Winter Hiking and Backpacking in Grand Canyon: Rim to Rim
6 Days Starting and ending in Flagstaff
Visiting: Flagstaff/Grand Canyon National Park - South Kaibab Trail Hike, Grand Canyon National Park - South Kaibab Trail, Grand Canyon National Park - North Rim Hike (ascent), Grand Canyon National Park - Cottonwood Campground to Bright Angel Campground, Grand Canyon National Park -Bright Angel Trail to Havasupai Garden Campground, Grand Canyon National Park - Bright Angel Trail Hike & Flagstaff
Tour operator:
Tour code:
SKXWG
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
2 - 9
Age range:
12-99 years
Interests:
Tour Overview
Hike the Grand Canyon’s most famous trails, see both rims in winter and experience diverse micro-climates on an epic six-day hiking adventure. This trip takes you down the South Kaibab Trail, which has arguably the best views in the Grand Canyon, up the North Kaibab Trail to the North Rim and back to the South Rim via the spectacular Bright Angel Trail. Starting and finishing on the South Rim, you’ll see waterfalls, Native American ruins, box canyons and more – it’s an incredible adventure. Sleep under the stars, see all the best sights and take in spectacular Grand Canyon views without the crowds on this very special small group hiking trip.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Flagstaff/Grand Canyon National Park - South Kaibab Trail Hike
Location: Flagstaff/Grand Canyon National Park - South Kaibab Trail Hike
Accommodation: Camping
Meals Included: lunch, dinner
Meet your guide between 4am and 7am at the Little America Hotel in Flagstaff and begin your Grand Canyon adventure on the South Kaibab Trail, a popular hiking route that offers spectacular views both up and down the Grand Canyon. You’ll hike along a well-maintained trail to the Bright Angel Campground, your camping spot for the first night of the trip. This camp is one of the most charming in Grand Canyon National Park as it’s situated at the bottom of the Grand Canyon near the Colorado River and adjacent to Bright Angel Creek. Campsites are shaded by tall, spreading cottonwoods, piped drinking water is available, and nearby Phantom Ranch offers a snack bar if you feel like a treat. After you’ve settled into your tent, join your group for a hearty dinner.
Included Activities:
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Day 2: Grand Canyon National Park - South Kaibab Trail
Location: Grand Canyon National Park - South Kaibab Trail
Accommodation: Camping
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
After breakfast, break camp and join your leader and group for the hike via Angel Box Canyon to Cottonwood Campground. The box canyon's sheer granite walls rise hundreds of feet above us as we hike along the crystal clear Bright Angel Creek to reach our campground. After a delicious camp dinner you might want to turn in early to rest up for tomorrow's hike to the North Rim.
Included Activities:
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Day 3: Grand Canyon National Park - North Rim Hike (Ascent)
Location: Grand Canyon National Park - North Rim Hike (ascent)
Accommodation: Camping
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
After a hearty early breakfast, you’ll start your hike towards the North Rim. This hike is fantastic for natural history buffs as you’ll hike up through a semi-arid High Sonoran desert environment at mid-canyon to a dense mixed conifer forest on the rim. If you think the views are incredible near the bottom of the hike, wait until you get to the top! Once you arrive, you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the view before the hike back along the same route to camp.
Included Activities:
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Day 4: Grand Canyon National Park - Cottonwood Campground To Bright Angel Campground
Location: Grand Canyon National Park - Cottonwood Campground to Bright Angel Campground
Accommodation: Camping
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
After breakfast, you’ll break camp and retrace your steps to Bright Angel Campground. What goes up must come down so - unlike your previous walk along this trail - you’ll mostly be heading downhill this time around. Enjoy a different perspective on the stunning scenery that surrounds you as you hike to your camp for tonight.
Included Activities:
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Day 5: Grand Canyon National Park -Bright Angel Trail To Havasupai Garden Campground
Location: Grand Canyon National Park -Bright Angel Trail to Havasupai Garden Campground
Accommodation: Camping
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
After breakfast, break camp and set off on the Bright Angel Trail alongside the Colorado River and arrive at Pipe Creek where you’ll enjoy a rest. From here, you’ll hike up Pipe Creek past its junction with Garden Creek to Havasupai Garden – a spring site that watered seasonal Havasupai garden plots for centuries. After you’ve enjoyed a break, it’s a short final hike to our camp for the night – Havasupai Garden Campground – another enchanting Grand Canyon camp with shade and water.
Included Activities:
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Day 6: Grand Canyon National Park - Bright Angel Trail Hike & Flagstaff
Location: Grand Canyon National Park - Bright Angel Trail Hike & Flagstaff
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch
A relaxed morning and delicious breakfast will precede a beautiful hike as we continue our ascent via the Bright Angel Trail to the South Rim where we’ll look back over our trip and reflect on the beauty of this place and our accomplishment in achieving something that few hikers have experienced. On arrival, you’ll be transferred back to Flagstaff where your adventure began and your Grand Canyon hiking tour will come to an end at approximately 5 pm.
Included Activities:
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What's Included
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Accommodation
Camping (5 nights) -
Meals
5 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 5 dinners -
South Rim - South Kaibab Trail Hike
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Grand Canyon - North Kaibab Trail to Cottonwood Campground Hike
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Grand Canyon - North Kaibab Trail to Bright Angel Campground Hike
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North Rim - Traverse Hike
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Grand Canyon - Pipe Creek Trail to Indian Garden Campground Hike
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Grand Canyon - Bright Angel Trail Hike
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Grand Canyon - South Kaibab Trail via Angel Box Canyon to Cottonwood Campground Hike
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Grand Canyon - Cottonwood Campground to North Rim Hike
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Grand Canyon -Bright Angel Trail via Pipe Creek to Havasupai Garden Campground Hike
Transport
- AIRPORT TRANSFERS IN THE USA & CANADA
- We recommend taxis and rideshare services like Lyft and Uber when traveling to and from hotels in the USA and Canada. These services are widely available across North America, offering convenient and accessible transportation options. Private transfers in North America incur high costs and present an increased risk of missed connections due to their fixed schedules. In contrast, taxis and rideshares offer both cost-effectiveness and flexibility, ensuring a smoother journey. With transparent pricing, GPS tracking, and on-demand availability, we believe that taxis and rideshare apps not only offer a reliable alternative to private transfers but also provide a secure, trustworthy, and budget-friendly transportation option for our customers.
Accommodation
- You’ll camp in beautiful, well-located campgrounds and spend the night in premier 1-person, 2-person or 4-person backcountry tents with self-inflating sleeping pads and synthetic-fill sleeping bags which are professionally laundered after every trip.
Important Information
- It is strongly recommended to book your Grand Canyon backpacking trip 5 months in advance due to the Park’s permit system. Backpacking permits are issued on the first of the month 4+ months in advance. Permits for the most popular trips sell out very quickly during the initial lottery, so registering prior to the deadline of the month you’re interested in is highly beneficial.
- 1. Please note this trip requires a minimum number of booked customers to guarantee the departure. Your Booking Agent will advise at time of booking if the departure has met minimum numbers. If minimum numbers are not met, you will be advised no later than 30 days out from departure. We recommend arranging flights and related travel services once your departure is guaranteed. In the event that your departure is cancelled due to minimum numbers not being met, a full refund will be provided of monies paid.
- 2. A completed registration form is required to join these trips. You will not be confirmed for the trip until your form has been received and reviewed. We may ask for a medical release signed by your physician for medical conditions or circumstances which could possibly compromise your safety or the safety of others on this trip – please speak to your agent for further details.
- 3. A signed disclaimer (Acknowledgement of Risks Form) is required at the time of booking for this trip – please speak to your agent for further details.
- 4. To help ensure this trip is right for you, this trip is subject to additional ‘Essential Eligibility Requirements’ – see the ‘Itinerary Disclaimer’ section of the Essential Trip Information for further details.
- 5.This trip is operated and run by Wildland Trekking, an Intrepid company. You will be travelling with a mixture of both Wildland Trekking customers and Intrepid customers.
- 6. Please note, a pre-trip orientation meeting will take place at 5:00 PM day before trip starts at the Little America Hotel in Flagstaff. Early on the morning of day 1, between 4am and 7am, you will be picked up from that hotel and we also recommend you book a pre tour night there. This trip will conclude at approximately 5:00 PM on the last day.
- 7. A single tent is provided to all solo travellers at no extra cost.
- 8. Please Note: Due to a temporary trail closure of the Bright Angel Trail, this trip will be modified between December 1, 2023 and February 28, 2024. We will spend a layover day at Bright Angel Campground on Day 5, and then hike out the South Kaibab Trail on Day 6. You can still expect the same breathtaking views, time at the Colorado River, fascinating geology and amazing camping!
Check out our Q&As
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Is this trip right for you
This is a hiking and backpacking trip so a good fitness level is essential to participate in all the included hikes and activities.
This trip involves hiking from 4.8 to 13.6 miles (8 to 22 km) per day with a total trip distance of 44 miles (71 km). The maximum daily elevation gain/loss is 4800 feet (1463 m). Please check the trip itinerary for more details.
On this trip, you’ll be required to carry a backpack weighing approximately 35-45 lb (16- 20 kg).
The Grand Canyon is prone to sudden temperature and weather shifts. On winter trips, there can be snow and the temperature often drops to minus 7 degrees Celsius (18 degrees Fahrenheit) in the evening. It is important to be fully prepared and follow the recommended clothing list closely.
Winter weather can be unpredictable in the Grand Canyon so we may need to make itinerary changes to keep the group safe and well at all times. If this occurs, we will do our best to find comparable activities and experiences.
Please Note: Due to a temporary trail closure of the Bright Angel Trail, this trip will be modified between December 1, 2023 and February 28, 2024. We will spend a layover day at Bright Angel Campground on Day 5, and then hike out the South Kaibab Trail on Day 6. You can still expect the same breathtaking views, time at the Colorado River, fascinating geology and amazing camping! -
What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers around the world for over 30 years
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Since 2002, The Intrepid Foundation has supported over 130 organisations across the world. We’re creating positive impact through the joy of travel, community and connection.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Over 50% of traveller travel solo with Intrepid. You can choose to share a room with another solo travelle of the same sex for no additional charge, or choose to pay a single supplement if you’d like your own room. Please request this when booking, and we will secure you a single supplement wherever possible. Please note, if you are booking a last-minute trip, it may be harder for us to secure a single room
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Free Date Changes
Intrepid Travel allows you to make 10 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 56 days before the start of the tour.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Intrepid Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform intrepid travel, 56 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Intrepid Travel requires a minimum deposit of 400 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of intrepid travel charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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Terms and Conditions