How can you best travel around the Grand Canyon?

There are a number of tours that can be taken from the Grand Canyon South Rim. Details can be viewed at our Grand Canyon Tours page. Our top four recommended tours include Pink Jeep Tours, Papillon Helicopter Tours, Scenic Airline Tours and the Smooth Water Bus Trip offered by Papillon.



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Most people drive to the Grand Canyon—and a car is necessary if you plan to visit more than one area along the rim—but a fun, relaxed, and scenic alternative is to take the Grand Canyon Railway, which makes daily round-trips between Williams, Arizona, and the Grand Canyon Depot.

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The best way to tour the village is to park your vehicle once, then ride the Village (Blue) Route Shuttle around the South Rim. It connects the Visitor Center, lodges, campgrounds, Backcountry Information Center, and Market Plaza (Market, deli, outdoor ATM, and U.S. Post Office).

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How many days should you spend in the Grand Canyon? If you're visiting the South Rim, you'll want 2-3 days. For the North Rim, plan on visiting for 1-2 days. If you want to see both rims, give yourself 4-5 days!

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Village (Blue) Route, Kaibab (Orange) Route, Hermits Rest (Red) Route, and the Hikers' Express Shuttle. Details for each route are listed on this page. All shuttle service is free; the service is included with park entrance fees.

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The average distance across the canyon is only 10 miles, however, the drive between the park's South Rim Village and the North Rim Village is about 212 miles and takes about 4 1/2 hours to drive. It takes time, planning, and effort to visit both rims in one trip.

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Distance from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon The West Rim is the closest rim to Las Vegas. It is located about 130 miles from the heart of Las Vegas. On average, the drive takes approximately two and a half hours. Both the North Rim and South Rim are located over 270 miles from the Las Vegas Strip.

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Most Grand Canyon visitors fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport because it is the closest major international airport to the South Rim, the most visited part of the National Park; just over 3.5 hours' drive (231 miles).

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For people looking to book a Grand Canyon tour, it's best if you do it in advance. This will give you the chance to be more selective, searching for the best tour for your tastes. The popular tours won't be sold out yet and you'll have a wide range of dates to choose from. Plus, you're more likely to get discounts!

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It really depends on what you want to see and do! Some visitors stop by a couple of viewpoints and arrive and leave within a day but there are so many more fantastic things to do at the Grand Canyon. We recommend spending at least one full day at the Grand Canyon South Rim and ideally two if time permits.

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The town of Tusayan, which is just 15-20 minutes away from the main Visitor Center on the south rim, has a great selection of places to stay. Grand Canyon Junction (formerly known as Valle) is further out (about 30 minutes to the rim), but is another good option. If you want a hotel, stay in Tusayan, which has plenty.

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If you're planning to stay in Las Vegas, taking a day trip to the canyon is well worth it and can get you out of the city to indulge in a truly unique outdoor experience.

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Yes, you can do a day trip from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon! This popular excursion allows visitors to experience some of the most stunning sights in the American Southwest. From Las Vegas, you can drive to the West Rim or Grand Canyon National Park along the picturesque Route 66.

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For a Day and Go to Grand Canyon West. Did you know the Grand Canyon West Rim is about two hours from Las Vegas, Nevada? You can leave the city that never sleeps, travel to a world wonder and be back in time for dinner.

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Prefer coming mid-week or at the beginning of the week: not surprisingly, weekends are the busiest at the Grand Canyon. Mondays and Tuesdays tend to be the least busy days, followed by Wednesdays.

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The two major cities closest to the Canyon are Phoenix and Las Vegas. Flagstaff, AZ is only 1.5 hours from the South Rim and although it is a smaller city, it does have an international airport. Tusayan is the closest town to Grand Canyon Village and also has a small public airport.

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