Grand Canyon, mother nature’s two billion year old theatre is visited by five million tourists every year, where Colorado river has been hosting a play of carving the stone for past 70 million years. The natural spectacle is a visual treat for any nature lover, its visually overwhelming size and its intricate and colorful landscape would leave one awestruck in admiration of mother nature.

Native Americans have lived in the grand canyon for ages and lived in caves of the grand canyon, some of these caves are nearly 70 million years old. Today it’s a national monument and a national park, with one of the USA’s area with cleanest air quality.

Activities one can do at Grand Canyon

Popular activities are casual sightseeing , rafting, hiking, running, and helicopter tours. There is also a “The Grand Canyon Ultra Marathon which is a 78-mile (126 km) race over 24 hours”, if you are a running buff then run this race and see how fit you are.

You can also go to the floor of the valley by foot, muleback, or by boat or raft from upriver, but hiking down to the river and back up to the rim in one day is not advisable due to distance, change in elevation and steep and rocky trails.

For camping enthusiasts who want to stare at the stars in the night sky without any light pollution from city, there are established campgrounds on the North and South rims. Backcountry permit is required for overnight camping below the rim and one can obtain it from the Backcountry Office, it is on first come first serve basis.

Skydiving is also possible with the first Grand Canyon Skydiving operation opening up at the Grand Canyon National Park Airport, on the South Rim which is approximately seven miles from the South Rim.

There is a glass-bottomed Grand Canyon Skywalk in Grand Canyon West. The Skywalk is about 400 kms by road from Grand Canyon Village at the South Rim. The skywalk has been attracting thousands of visitors a year.

Travel planning for Grand Canyon

Approach Side:

If you are travelling with children and are novice traveler then South Rim is advisable due to hotels, services and activities, also it open year round.

North Rim is only open from mid-May through mid-October and for those who are looking for little bit adventure and looking for a quieter and down to earth Grand Canyon experience.

If you want to have Grand Canyon experience in limited time and willing to go to the bottom of the Grand Canyon then Grand Canyon West on the Hualapai Indian Reservation is the best area for you to explore, it is open year-round.

Best time to go:

For south rim approach summer is the busiest time of year. Best weather is Late spring and early fall. Late fall is slightlyless crowded. Winters is the quietest time of year in the park due to cold and snow, if you want to save some money theplan your visit for the winter months (November through February), when many hotels offer sizable discounts.

How to reach

Grand canyon is accessible through car and plane, but always plan a trip beforehand because of distance from the airport.