One of the most awesome things to do when visiting Grand Canyon National Park is to go on a 1-day float tour down the Colorado River. To help you make the most of this adventure, here are 5 tips that I\’ve collected over the years that make this trip one you\’ll never forget.

RSVP

My first tip is to book your float tour in advance. More specifically, try to buy it at least a couple of weeks ahead of time. By all means, avoid buying it within 24 hours of departure. If you do this, two things will result: 1) the price of the tour will increase (a lot); and 2) the tour will probably be sold out.

My second tip is always purchase your rafting adventure online. It\’s super convenient and safe, but most importantly, it\’s where the best deals are posted. In fact, I\’ve see water-rafting trips marked down by up to 35 percent during certain times of the year. And if you are considering paying cash, don\’t. Because you\’ll end up paying the full retail price and that\’s horrendously expensive.

Tip #3 is to consider the deluxe option. This is the one that gets you to Page, AZ, which is where the float tours start, by airplane. The reason why this is so great is that the plane only takes 60 minutes to fly to Page. This is significant when you consider that it takes 2.5 hours by bus. Further, the deluxe tour includes a 4×4 Jeep ride to the slot canyons, which are fascinating and ideal if you\’re into photography.

Fixed Price

My fourth tip is get a tour that\’s all-inclusive. The float tours that I recommend are, and they include all taxes, fees and permits, as well as all gear, lunch, water/soda and an expert river guide who will narrate the trip as you float down the River. If you fail to get a fixed-fare, all-inclusive tour, you could find yourself paying extra at each stage of the tour.

Tip #5 is bring a dry bag with clothing and items that will protect you from the sun. This is Arizona and it\’s hot. So pack a long-sleeved shirt, a brimmed hat, sunglasses and river sandals or running shoes. I also recommend you pack plenty of sun block that is no less than SPF 50. And make sure to reapply it throughout the trip. Lastly, bring a salty snack like trail mix and an extra bottle of water.

Bonus tip: Take the short hike into the hidden canyon and view the ancient Indian rock art. This is really special and the route is easy. Further, the art is 100% authentic and done by Native American\’s who amazingly called the bottom of the Canyon their home. I especially recommend you do this if you have kids in your group. From my experience, they love this part of the trip.

Conclusion

I hope these 5 tips on how to have a better 1-day Grand Canyon float tour helped you plan your adventure. If you need more information, I welcome you to stop by my website where I\’m available to chat. I also have a free Grand Canyon rafting guide that I can email you upon request. Have a great day and I\’ll see you on the River!

The author is an expert on Grand Canyon tours and recommends that readers go here for the best 1-day South float tours that start from the South Rim of the National Park: http://www.grandcanyondaytrips.com/float-trips/

The author is an expert on Grand Canyon tours and recommends that readers go here for the best 1-day South float tours that start from the South Rim of the National Park: http://www.grandcanyondaytrips.com/float-trips/

Author Bio: The author is an expert on Grand Canyon tours and recommends that readers go here for the best 1-day South float tours that start from the South Rim of the National Park: http://www.grandcanyondaytrips.com/float-trips/

Category: Travel
Keywords: grand canyon, grand canyon tours, grand canyon rafting, grand canyon float, national parks, tusayan,