Grand Canyon West & Havasu Canyon

Havasupai Indian Village Below The Western Rim Country Of The Grand Canyon
(5 or 6 day; all-inclusive; open booking; departs every Sunday April, May, June, September; and October; off season open booking, group or custom tour also available, except winter)

We have revamped this affordably priced tour to, what some consider, the most beautiful part of the Grand Canyon. This hiking adventure now includes all expenses - lodging, entry and campground fees, pack horses, and all meals.

The price is just $795.00 per person, which includes the tax (single or double occupancy). There are also optional add-ons to this tour, such as gear rental and rafting.

These prices are listed below and can be added to the basic cost if the options are selected. The price of this or any of our other MD tours is subject to change; also, the price of tour will be confirmed at time of booking, although we are reasonably sure our suppliers will keep their prices (and our costs) the same for the upcoming season. (For all other general information about our MD tours and policy, please refer to the main (MD) page on our web site. Thanks.)

Are you coming to the Grand Canyon ? Hiking the trails in the Grand Canyon Lost and found (A Grand Canyon Hiking Saga) Archeological rules of the road Havasu essentials Art of Backpacking Grand Canyon Geology Display Twice the wings - Four times the fun

When booking this (or any other tour) we will always advise you what to bring with you so that your tour will be more comfortable, as well as to help cut down on your luggage. Directions and other particulars will be forwarded to our guests once the tour is booked. Kindly note there is no public transportation anywhere near this region. If you're not already planning to drive your own vehicle, we suggest renting one, either from Las Vegas or Phoenix.

Here is a day-by-day account of what we have in store for you on this full week's adventure. . .

DAY 01/SUNDAY:
We'll meet you around 5:00 at the Hualapai (pronounced "wall-la-pie") Lodge in Peach Springs (Az.), which is approximately a 3 hour drive from Las Vegas or a 4 to 4.5 hour drive from Phoenix. Your guide and host for the tour will meet and greet you as well as go over the details of the tour, including making sure you brought all the right gear with you for the upcoming trek. You'll be eating dinner at the lodge, which is arguably the best hotel and restaurant of its kind anywhere around. After dinner we will most likely meet one (or more) of the Hualapai Indians, who will share some of the Hualapai Indian culture with you. There will also be time for a group discussion and lots of questions and answers will no doubt follow suit. Before retiring to your rooms we will make sure all of your gear is packed in duffel bags which will be provided for us and transported, by horse, to Havasu Canyon (on Monday). You will only need to bring along a decent daypack for the long day's hike into the canyon. Otherwise, each guest is allotted 30 lbs. for all their personal and camping gear while in Havasu. (We will include free of charge all stoves and fuel for cooking our meals; you will need to supply your own tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad along with your own water bottles, flashlight, and preferred snacks and beverages. Just remember to bring your cameras, film, water shoes, and swimming suits!)

DAY 02/MONDAY:
It's about a 70 minute drive to the trailhead and we're going to have to leave early so that we can beat the canyon heat. We'll pick up some coffee, tea, or hot chocolate to go and supply the breakfast bars and/or Danish rolls so that we get an early start. In this part of the country we have a saying: "Lose sleep; beat the heat." We'll car pool to the trailhead in as few vehicles as possible. Once at the trailhead we'll drop off our duffel bags which will be picked up by our own wrangler, who will take the gear to and from the campground. It's about a four or so hour hike to the campground, but we'll be stopping off at the Supai Indian Village for lunch. All lunches will be on us and served at the village cafe. Breakfast and the evening meals* will also be on us, including the entry fees into Havasu and camp ground fees. Utensils are also on us.

Please note: if you do not have your own tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad, we can lease this equipment, all high quality stuff. A clean sheet insert also comes with the gear. Please see below for the slight added cost for this service.

Once you're at the campground you will have plenty of time to laze about and enjoy the wondrous blue-green water, and of course, those idyllic waterfalls that Havasu is known for. One of them is some 40 feet higher than Niagara Falls and another is nearly as tall. Simply breathtaking. There's lots to do while in Havasu and we'll provide our standard educational and informational format so that you will learn the geology, natural and people history, and all other facts and facets of this peerless part of the Grand Canyon. We'll even provide Havasupai Indians, as hosts, who will share with you the rich history of their culture.

DAY 03/TUESDAY:
After breakfast, we'll explore some of the area, and we do know places to get away from the other campers and hikers. Of course, if you would rather play in the water, instead, that's okay with us, too. We'll hike back to the village, which is about a 40 minute trek, for lunch, which, for some, can be utilized as the main meal of the tour. In the evening we prefer the highest quality freeze dried meal packets, which means just adding water and supplementing with delectable side dishes and/or treats. The afternoon and the rest of the evening will be spent either with other side treks or sharing stories with one of the Havasupai (pronounced, "hav-a-soo-pie") Indian hosts, or doing something aquatic or sunbathing.

DAY 04/WEDNESDAY:
While breakfast, lunch, and dinner is on us for the duration of the tour, we have found through experience that our guests prefer this day as their own personal day, which means you have an option of joining the guide on other Havasu adventures, or else hanging out by yourself and doing what you feel you want to do. For this reason we suggest you might want to take along some of your favorite reading material or a notebook to compose your thoughts. Anyway you look at it, and whether you're doing something with us or something by yourself, there's always something special to do while in Havasu. Even to sit and meditate with the beauty of the surroundings is profound!

DAY 05/THURSDAY:
We have an early start this morning, because, once again, there is a need to hike in the cooler part of the day. We'll be on the trail no later than 7 a.m. and most likely out by around 11 or noon. Havasu Canyon is one of the easiest trails in the Grand Canyon, but it's still a "grunt" and you'll have to be fit enough to hike the 10 miles each way. This tour is therefore only recommended for more physically fit hikers. But there is an option of riding a horse into and out of the canyon, if our guests prefer, which is an additional charge (see below for details and the cost). A weight limit of 200 lb. limit per person is necessary, however.
Once at the top we'll all drive back to the Hualapai Lodge where your rooms (and a hot shower) await you (followed by lunch). Dinner is once again on us, and this time we hope to introduce you to some very special friends of ours, so that your experience in this region is truly well rounded. In the morning you are free to leave whenever you desire, with breakfast on your own. But if you're staying for the all day rafting tour option (see below for details and the cost), you'll be up and at 'em early for this approximate 12 hour day, which includes transportation to and from the river, and lunch. Your dinner will be on your own, but we will be happy to book an extra night's stay for you (which we recommend you stay the night since the river tours get back to Peach Springs somewhere between 6 and 8 p.m.).

So, how does this adventuresome tour sound to you? We think it's one of the best Havasu tours anywhere around, especially because we'll treat you to the most personable tour of its kind as well as expose you to the rich culture of both the Hualapai and Havasupai Indians. Like all of our tours, the host and guide for the tour will provide a thoroughly enjoyable trek that comes with all the rich information the region is known for.

And if you elect to take any of the options for this tour, these costs are as follows and should be added into the basic tour price quoted above:

• camping gear rental: $50.00 (includes tax)
• horse (for riding): $175.00 (includes tax)
• all day whitewater rafting tour: $250.00 (our complimentary net rate to you, which includes tax). This exciting tour is considered Class III whitewater and is perfectly safe. Some age restrictions apply - please inquire.
• extra night's stay at the Hualapai Lodge: $80.00 (based on dbl. occ. and includes tax).

Please let us know which options you would like to take for this exciting week-long tour. HAPPY TRAILS from all of us here at ECOSOUTHWEST.COM and we hope to see your smiling face on this exciting adventure. Contact us (preferably by e-mail) and let us know if you need more information. We're good for it and a whole lot more.

P.S.: We limit the Havasu tour to ten or so guests, and because of the popularity of this tour we advise booking the tour far in advance, just so you'll have a place on the trail.

FYI: The following (average) mileage between the major scenic points is what highlights this particular tour:

Phoenix, AZ	Peach Springs	260 m.
Las Vegas, NV	Peach Springs	155 m.

Note: The closest public transportation drop off to Peach Springs, by bus, is Seligman or Kingman, AZ; by train, Flagstaff or Kingman. Otherwise, it will be necessary to supply your own transportation to/from our meeting place, in Peach Springs. Bicycling optional. But it's a long road's effort.

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