From the moment I booked our Grand Canyon tour with All Star, I was impressed with their service! I booked in the evening, and within minutes, they had already sent me a text to ask for our lunch order. We booked 6 months in advance, so I didn’t expect to hear from anyone until much closer to our travel dates.
As we approached the travel dates, they communicated to us what to expect on the day of the tour. We felt well-prepared and were excited for our tour.
On the morning of the adventure, our tour guide, Jeff, arrived right on time! He introduced himself to everyone in our group and tried his best to get the more quiet of the teenagers to come out of their shells. He is super personable, so it was easy for the younger members of our group to warm up to him.
The vehicle was clean and comfortable for our group of 8. One member of our group is a very anxious passenger, especially on roads unknown to her, but Jeff’s driving was perfect. She managed to survive the entire day without screaming or grabbing an “oh s*#%” handle even once! 😉 The van was packed with fresh fruit, snacks, and beverages to keep us hydrated and satiated throughout the day.
Jeff engaged with our group during the entire trip, making the drive time go by quickly. He told us about the history of the area, as well as sharing scientific information, and he even shared stories about his personal life. By the end of the day, we felt like we were leaving an old friend. His experience in backpacking and guiding other adventure tours made us feel safe and comfortable throughout the day, and also kept us entertained with the stories he relayed.
Because we were staying to the east of Flagstaff, I believe he took us on a little different route than his usual. Our first stop was Cameron Trading Post. We were able to find some items made by members of the Navajo tribe to take home as souvenirs. I could sense Jeff’s passion for the indigenous people in the area and for their well-being.
After our brief shopping stop, we ventured on to our first glimpse of the Grand Canyon. This was my third visit, and it was just as awe-inspiring as the first. Our first stop was near the observation tower, so we got to experience that, as well. While we wandered and surveyed the views, Jeff ventured to the picnic area, where he laid out our lunch for us.
Lunch was terrific! We had actual plates and silverware, a tablecloth, and cloth napkins. The meal consisted of sandwiches that we had pre-ordered (turkey, roast beef, and PB&J were the options). I had low expectations of “just” a sandwich, but they were really wonderful. Served on a soft sourdough bread, with provolone cheese and a mound of juicy turkey, my sandwich would have been spectacular even plain, but we were also provided lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, mayo, Dijon, and honey mustard as options to dress it. Everyone enjoyed their lunch, as they all devoured the food quickly. In addition to the sandwiches, we had a very tasty balsamic pasta salad and gooey (in the best way!) chocolate chip cookies for dessert.
We stopped at many different vista points and were able to look through Jeff’s spotting scope to get a closer glimpse at the inside of the canyon. We loved that Jeff let us move at our own pace, whether that was meandering through one area or rushing through the next. He led us but let us determine the tempo for the day.
Our last stops were at the Village. We first stopped to see the mules, and even got to share some of the apples we had left over from the van ride. A couple of the teens in our group are equestrians, so they very much enjoyed their time with these beautiful creatures.
Finally, we went to the south rim and explored the rest of the Village. We did a little more shopping and took in our last views from there before getting in the van to head back to the house.
On the drive back, we were thrilled to catch a glimpse of the wild horses that roam the park, and even spotted 6 elk in two different locations.
Oh! I should also mention that the weather was FABULOUS on the day of our tour. I don’t know how All Star Grand Canyon Tours called in an order for flawless weather to Mother Nature that day, but I’m sure they’re responsible for it, as their company was able to make everything else about our tour picture-perfect!