I booked the Grand Canyon Sunset South Rim tour with Grand Adventures on the recommendation of a friend . We went on April 23 and I cannot stop thinking or talking about this tour and the tour guide Alphonso. Simply ahh-mazing!
Tour guide: Going to the Grand Canyon was a bucket list item but it was Alphonso who helped make this day even more memorable. He was friendly, knowledgeable and very personable. We were picked up from our hotel promptly at 7:45am. The group size is small and Alphonso took the time to introduce everyone as we would be spending the day together. Along the way, Alphonso shared with us interesting details about each location, weaving the details together like a story that was both creative and informative. Finally, Alphonso took us to the best spots to take photos at each location and took photos of us - it was like having a personal photographer! - and now we have beautiful photos that will forever memorialize this special day.
Other stuff...
Be rested: 15+ hours is a long day and it’s a long ride! Be sure to get a good night’s sleep the night before, though it’s ok to snooze along the way. We did. You might want to bring a neck pillow if you do plan to grab a few zz’s.
The ride there: The bus holds 10 people, including the driver. It’s not a big coach and doesn’t have plush seating but it’s comfortable enough for this type of excursion. Plus, there’s ample opportunity to stretch your legs.
Breakfast: We went to McD’s and you could order whatever you wanted. We sat down together to eat; it was a nice start to the day.
Snacks: The tour provides water. You’ll definitely want to buy some snacks and beverages if you want something other than water.
Lunch: I chose the turkey sandwich and to be honest, I thought it was going to be a “regular” sandwich. To my surprise, it was hearty with lots of turkey breast on whole grain artisan-style bread. Grapes and cheese/crackers were also available, if you wanted some.
Stops: We stopped for photos at Hoover Dam and Route 66. If you want to see more of Hoover Dam, you may want to do a separate excursion. I would have preferred a bit more time at Hoover Dam and less time at Route 66, as we spent quite a bit of time in the general store.
The Canyon: Wow...it was so beautiful, breathtaking, awe inspiring and yet so peaceful. The view of the sunset at the Canyon is like none other so this tour was perfect. If you are using your smartphone as your camera, bring an external charger with you to ensure you have enough juice for those perfect photos you’ll be taking. Three hours in the Canyon goes by really fast. While you’re trying to capture the beauty of the Canyon on your camera, don’t forget to take some time to be in awe of the majesty and splendor, to be inspired, to praise God who created this place and finally, to simply “be” there.
Also, be on the lookout for wildlife. We also saw elk and deer that were none too shy about walking in front of our tour bus. We stopped for them...of course.
The ride back: The only downer of the tour was that we didn’t have time for dinner. We were a little behind schedule leaving the Canyon and had we stopped, we wouldn’t have gotten in until well past midnight. The only stop on the way back was at the Kingman gas station but it didn’t have dinner worthy food. It might be a small thing but I’m the type of person who needs to eat three meals a day. This is especially true since we ate breakfast around 9ish and had our picnic lunch after arriving in the canyon around 4:15ish. We returned to our hotel shortly after midnight. Someone had mentioned in an earlier post that he/she saved half of their sandwich for the ride back and in hindsight, I wish I had heeded that advice.
Overall, I had one of the best days ever of my life on this tour thanks to Alphonso, Grand Adventures and great weather. This was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip and yet, I’m already thinking of when I can go back to the Grand Canyon and be there for a full day. If you’ve never been to the Grand Canyon, you gotta go and when you go, go on the sunset tour with Grand Adventures!