As we had hoped, this was the highlight of our entire trip, but you need some advance knowledge and preparation. Read the cancellation policy closely when you book—no refunds for any reason.
This is a “Frankenstein” tour: 3 different tours by 3 different operators combined into a single package. You need mobility to do all these things: climb into/out of the plane, onto/off trucks, walk across loose sand and over rocks, and down narrow steps. The temperature can vary widely from dawn at the canyon rim to mid-day in Page to afternoon on the river. Dress in layers, and check the forecast highs & lows for the Grand Canyon/Tusayan and Page, AZ to plan how many layers!
The flight is early in the morning, probably to avoid winds and turbulence as things warm up. Check-in time was 6 a.m. Expect a phone call if you’re not there by 6:05. Their website says “2 meals included” but that is not the case--it’s BYOB (bring your own breakfast). You’ll meet your bus driver for later in the day, and seats on the plane will be assigned as necessary to balance the weight of the airplane.
The flight lasts about an hour. Headphones provide music and occasional narration in English, French, Spanish, and German. The pilot will S-turn along the canyon so both sides get good views thru the enlarged windows of the Grand Canyon, Glen Canyon, the Vermillion Cliffs, and Lake Mead. You’ll see Lee’s Ferry, Horseshoe Bend, and Glen Canyon Dam—all landmarks for your river trip.
After landing, we were met by our Antelope Canyon tour guide. We traveled to the canyon on bench seats in open-bed trucks—plan for wind, dust, and hot/cold. Masks are still required at all times on the Navajo reservation. If you’re lucky enough to get Tori as your canyon guide, she will not only point out the great photo spots, but also advise/help you to adjust the settings on your smartphone camera to get the best shots! The canyon tour lasts about an hour. Time permitting, you may get to clamber thru a smaller slot canyon which is much less accessible than the main canyon.
Next you return to Page, to the Wilderness River Adventures office. Don’t check in at their counter—your wristband shows you’re already processed and it will just confuse everybody. Your bus/van driver will show up and give you a run-down of the afternoon. You’ll be issued a box lunch, then process thru a TSA-like security check (You can leave non-compliant items and things you don’t want/need on the boating trip with your bus driver) prior to boarding a WRA bus to travel to the river.
The raft trip is smooth and relaxing. It lasts about 3 hours, with a stop after about 1.5 hours for lunch and to visit ancient pictograms. Our guide ‘Tia was cheerful and informative. At Lee’s Ferry, you’ll dock and meet your driver in the parking lot.
On the drive back to Tusayan (2-3 hrs), the bus will stop at Cameron Trading Post. You’ll only have 20 minutes or so to browse, so you might feel pressured to choose hastily. The selection seemed large (jewelry, pottery, blankets, leather, souvenirs), but prices seemed high. If you’re looking to buy jewelry your best strategy is to check the stores in Williams, AZ first (they focus on jewelry, with much smaller selections of pottery and other crafts). That way you can do a price/selection comparison.