First the pros: The tour guide did a fine job keeping the tour on schedule. She kept us entertained by playing trivia with us. Morning snack (i.e., energy bars) were provided. The lunch was simple but delicious. The bus was equipped with electric outlets, which are a plus.
Now, the cons: We were picked up at the hotel at 5:40 am. I had no complaint, knowing the ride can be long. Soon after the bus left the Stripe, there was a potential mechanical issue with the bus and it had to go back to the yard for inspection just to be safe. The caution was appreciated, although the vehicle could have been checked before departure. Fortunately, it's only a short delay. Then we headed to Boulder City to pick the pre-ordered lunch. The food was not ready and everyone had to get off the bus and line up to pick up his sandwich. It wasn't until almost 8:45 am we left Boulder City, which is only 30 min away from Vegas. When we arrived Grand Canyon South Rim, it was almost 2 pm (mountain time)--you lose one hour from NV to AZ. From LV to Grand Canyon South is only 4.5 hour but the ride took about 7 hours.
On the way, the tour guide entertained the group by sharing some Las Vegas history/facts and playing some documentaries from a DVD. The information was great--the picture quality was a bit disappointing though.
We opted for a non-guided tour. That means you got essentially no introduction about Grand Canyon other than a map from the National Park. I was expecting a bit more information, even though it was non-guided tour.
From Mather Point to Bright Angel Point was an easy hike. The view was spectacular. It took about 2 to 3 hours to finish, because you would stop to take pictures from time to time. We left Grand Canyon about 5:20 pm, when the sun was about to set.
That day, the weather was chilly even in the afternoon. On our way back to LV in the evening, for some reason, the AC on the bus was blowing cold air (at least at the outlet above me) which made me very uncomfortable. I had to buy a throw blanket at a convenience store. I was trying to take a nap but they were playing movies to keep people entertained. The volume was high enough to keep me from getting rest.
Overall, it was a mixed experience. The reason we joined the tour was I did not have to drive myself. Looking back, I am not sure I felt more rested sitting on the bus for some many hours. Had we driven ourselves, it probably would not have taken that long.
Response from Host
Nov 2022
Hello,
We are happy that you had the opportunity to experience the Grand Canyon. Thank you for taking the time to write a review. We value every clientās opinion regarding our tours. We pride ourselves on customer satisfaction and the safety of all our passengers. It does take 5 1/2 hours to get to the Grand Canyon with the stops that we make. We sincerely apologize about the miscommunication regarding the stops. We can only allow 3 hours to explore the Grand Canyon due to length of the tour. Also, there a limitation to the number of hours drivers are allowed to driver by law.
Unfortunately we do not operate or own any motor coaches. We charter our buses thru a third party. We are so sorry there was a delay in leaving Las Vegas, our customer safety is our number one priority. We have just started using this restaurant and have passed on our comments to their management. They are in the process of creating a different plan on how to make things go more smoothly without causing delays. When you purchase the walking tour guide, you not only get an in-depth shared knowledge of the canyon but also beautiful pictures are taken by your tour guide to create lasting memories of your Grand Canyon tour. The walking tour is totally optional and is offered way in advance before getting to the park. We sincerely apologize and completely understand if you felt our tour guide did not provide enough information. We are continuously working with our tour guide on how to handle different type of situations. We will surely take note of the events that occurred on your tour and address them to improve our service.
Thank you,
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