Grand Canyon South & East Rim Self-Driving, Walking & Shuttling Tour in Grand Canyon National Park booking from $16.99

Grand Canyon South & East Rim Self-Driving, Walking & Shuttling Tour

Overview

Witness one of the natural wonders of the world in all its glory. The Grand Canyon is so massive, so awe-inspiring, that you simply have to see it with your own two eyes to truly understand its scale. This self-guided tour takes you to all the best vistas and hiking trails on the canyon’s South Rim and fills you in on the fascinating history of the canyon and the Native people who once lived there. So get out there and see something incredible!

Hermit Road isn't accessible by private vehicle during the summer. The tour will instruct you to park at stop 15 and walk from stops 16-22, then take the shuttle for stops 23-31. The stops after 31, on the eastern side of the park, can once again be accessed via private vehicle.

After booking, you can check your email before downloading the Tour Guide App by Action, enter your unique password, and access your tour. The preceding steps require good internet/wifi access. Simply follow the audio instructions and the route from there.

City: Grand Canyon National Park

Wed 11 Jun

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Starting at $16.99

Make a reservation

Wed 11 Jun

Starting at $16.99

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone

Great value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!

Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!

Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!

Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.

Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!

Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How to access: Once you book a tour, you’ll get a confirmation email and text with instructions: • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password • Download the tour MUST DO while in strong wifi/cellular Works offline after download
How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.

What To Expect

Grand Canyon National Park

Welcome to Grand Canyon National Park! This awe-inspiring natural wonder is unlike any other place on earth, and your narrated driving tour will make sure you get the most out of your visit. Full of astonishing vistas, unbeatable hikes, and some surprising history, this national park is an absolute must-see for anyone in the USA. Note: This 45-mile-long tour covers the essentials of Grand Canyon in 2-3 hours. Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.

Grand Canyon Visitor Center South Rim

You'll arrive first at the Visitor Center, where you can find maps and other park info, as well as restrooms and snacks.

Mather Point

Your first overlook will be Mather Point, one of the park's most popular spots. The views here are simply incredible, offering clear line of sight up to 30 miles across the canyon!

Yavapai Point

The next viewpoint is Yavapai Point, where you'll get more great views from the canyon's south rim and learn about the tribe for whom the point is named.

Yavapai Geology Museum

Want to get hands on with the Grand Canyon's geological history? Just stop by the Yavapai Geology Museum for some educational exhibits!

Hopi House

The first stop within the village is the Hopi House, an incredibly accurate recreation of the ancient Hopi dwellings one might have found here while the tribe still occupied the area. This building is also the perfect place to pick up some handmade souvenirs from your visit!

Kolb Studio

As you continue on to Kolb Studio, the competitor to Lookouot Studio, you'll hear all about the bitter rivalry between the two which almost drove them both to ruin back in the 1900s.

Lookout Studio

Up ahead are two buildings perched on the canyon’s edge. The one you can see right now is Lookout Studio, and you’ll find one just a little beyond it called Kolb Studio.

Hermit Road

For the next part of the tour, you'll hop on board the park's free shuttle. Don't worry, your audio tour guide will instruct you on exactly how to do this!

Trailview Overlook

The first stop on Hermit Road is Trailview Overlook, which offers views of the famous Bright Angel Trail, the grueling path which leads all the way down to the bottom of the canyon. You'll probably even see some exhausted hikers climbing it!

Maricopa Point

Next up is Maricopa Point, which was once the site of a uranium mining operation. Get the unexpected history behind this while you appreciate the gorgeous views.

Powell Point

After that is Powell Point, which offers more canyon magic and honors the explorer who risked life and limb to chart the Colorado River.

Hopi Point

The shuttle route brings you next to Hopi Point, where you'll learn about bald eagles, their importance to the Hopi tribe, and how to spot them.

Mohave Point

If you've been hoping for a great view of the Colorado River, that's up next at Mohave Point. Here, you'll get a bird's eye view of this tremendously powerful river.

Pima Point

The next stop on your right is Pima Point, which sports one of the best views of Colorado. When you’re there, stop and listen. If the vista’s quiet, you can hear the rushing sound of water moving along the river.

Hermit's Rest

So where does all this stuff get its name? Well, back in the mining days, one particular miner had no interest in being around other people. He far preferred the rhythms of nature. He spent most of his life living near this spot, content to while away his days with only the rocks and birds and squirrels to keep him company.

Pipe Creek Vista

After the shuttle, the tour continues east along Desert View Drive. The first stop along this road is Pipe Creek Vista, a favorite for birders hoping to spot the canyon's rarer specimens, including even the ultra-rare California condor!

Grandview Point

After that is Grandview Point, and the view seriously is grand. This is also the trailhead for a hiking trail which leads below the canyon's rim and features some truly remarkable sights.

Lipan Point

After that you'll come to Lipan Point, offering another great river view along with some fascinating facts about the park's geology.

Navajo Point

The final viewpoint along this drive is Navajo Point, and last certainly isn't least in this case. Navajo Point is actually the highest viewpoint on the entire southern rim, standing at a staggering 7,500 feet above sea level!

Grand Canyon Desert View Watchtower

At last, you'll arrive at the iconic Desert View Watchtower, a truly impressive stone structure perched on the canyon's edge. Depending on the season, you can even climb to the top for a view unlike any other. The tour concludes here.

Yaki Point

A popular place for viewing sunrise & sunset, this remote lookout & shuttle stop offers restrooms.

South Kaibab Trail

The South Kaibab Trail is a hiking trail in Grand Canyon National Park, located in the U.S. state of Arizona. Unlike the Bright Angel Trail which also begins at the south rim of the Grand Canyon and leads to the Colorado River, the South Kaibab Trail follows a ridge out to Skeleton Point allowing for 360-degree views of the canyon.

Tusayan Ruins and Museum

Tusayan Ruins and Museum is a great stop for learning more about ancient cultures. We particularly enjoyed the walk through the ruins with the signage.

Show 21 more stops

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (91)

Daniel_S

Dec 2024

It was fairly easy to download the Action App, but somewhat difficult to follow some of the directions along the route. We felt that the shuttle portion was not worth the time and some of the sights along the way were missed. We walked along the route and were able to have a better feel of the area and sights vs. using the App. Some of the narrative information was helpful and informative.

Response from Host

Dec 2024

Daniel, I’m glad you found some of my Grand Canyon South & East Rim Self-Driving, Walking & Shuttling Tour informative and appreciated the helpful narratives. Once you download and set up the tour, starting from the correct point is key, as a slight detour can cause difficulties. Choosing the right shuttle route that aligns with the tour path is also essential for a smoother experience. Don’t worry about the missed sights—my tour is valid for a year after booking, so you can revisit anytime and explore the Grand Canyon with full flexibility!

Becky_Q

Nov 2024

Wasn’t able to use this tour at all as it was intended/advertised. Downloaded and made sure it was working prior but when at the starting point it didn’t start and attempted to start it at several stops along the way and it wouldn’t start correctly .

Response from Host

Nov 2024

Becky, You should have received a tutorial video (available in the app, instruction email, and Viator booking confirmation voucher) to guide you through the setup. My support team is always available to assist if you run into issues. The good news is that my product is valid for a year, so you’ve got plenty of time to give it another try. Let me know if you’d prefer a replacement or a refund—I’m happy to help!

Gina_M

Nov 2024

The background information on the various stops along the tour were interesting. The challenging part for us was when we needed to hop a shuttle to complete the tour stops. We got confused, took the wrong shuttle, and had to spend 30ish minutes getting back on track.

Response from Host

Nov 2024

Gina, I'm glad you enjoyed the background info on the Grand Canyon tour stops! That shuttle part can be tricky, so I suggest checking the schedules beforehand. I'm unsure what happened with the wrong shuttle, so feel free to email me with more details—I'd love to help figure it out. My tour is valid for a year, so you have plenty of time to give it another go. Let me know if you have any other questions!

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Grand Canyon South & East Rim Self-Driving, Walking & Shuttling Tour

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