The Perfect Grand Canyon Tour with Local Expert Guides

We stop in Flagstaff at a gas station for people to stretch their legs, use the restroom, and then continue on up. From Sedona via Oak Creek Canyon Scenic Drive (Rte. 89A) is a 24-mile drive between Flagstaff and Sedona. The breathtaking road descends 4,500 feet from the top of the Mogollon Rim, winding through sandstone canyons and rock formations around every curve.

We drive the 90 minutes from Flagstaffs Kickstand Cafe to the Grand Canyon. Natural wonder is unlike anything on earth.

Modeled after the 1000 year old pueblo dwellings of the Hopi Village in Old Orabi, offering authentic American Indian crafts for over 100 years. Built in 1904 as concessioner facilities at the South Rim were being developed, it is the first of eight projects at the Grand Canyon that were designed by architect Mary Colter, along with Bright Angel Lodge, Hermit’s Rest, Lookout Studio, Phantom Ranch, Desert View Watchtower, Colter Hall and Victor Hall, (the latter two being employee dormitories). Hopi House was built by the Fred Harvey Company as a market for Native American crafts, made by artisans on the site. The Hopi, as the historic inhabitants of the area, were chosen as the featured artisans, and the building was designed to closely resemble a traditional Hopi pueblo. Hopi House opened on January 1, 1905, two weeks before the El Tovar Hotel, located just to the west, was opened.

Situated on the edge of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, it was operated from 1904 to 1976 as the photographic studio of ellsworth and emery kolb. At first glance, Kolb Studio appears to be just an old house perched on the rim of the canyon. However, if you step inside, or see it from Bright Angel Trail on your hike out of the canyon, you get the sense it is much more than that. This is the Victorian home of the Kolb Brothers who created a lasting legacy of adventure, exploration, family love, and amazing Grand Canyon photography that will last as long as the Canyon itself.

Mather point is the most popular viewpoint on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The view is absolutely jaw dropping! For many visitors coming to the South Rim, Mather Point offers the first glimpse of a world wonder. A short walk from the Grand Canyon Visitor Center and parking lots 1-4, Mather Point offers an expansive view of the canyon. On a clear day you can see 30+ miles (48 km) to the east and 60+ miles (96 km) to the west. Looking down into the canyon you can see a few small samples of the Colorado River, Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the canyon, and numerous trails crisscrossing the landscape.

Constructed in 1932, the Desert View Watchtower was designed by Mary Colter, who is often referred to as “The Architect of the Southwest.” Near the eastern edge of Grand Canyon National Park, where the Colorado River begins to turn north and the Painted Desert stretches toward the Navajo and Hopi Reservations, a 70-foot-tall circular stone structure perched on the South Rim draws visitors’ attention. What at first glance appears to be an ancient Native American ruin, made with reddish sandstone, this tallest structure on the South Rim is actually a well-planned, relatively modern building that architect Mary Colter designed for the Fred Harvey Company. The Desert View Watchtower was one of several construction projects the Company initiated in the 1930s. Like Hopi House, another Grand Canyon structure that Colter developed for Fred Harvey, this building played into the Company’s reputation as a purveyor/promoter of Native American arts, crafts, and culture.

Panoramic view point along the South Rim with exceptional views of canyon ridges & the Colorado River. Perched right on the very edge of the canyon rim at Yavapai Point, Yavapai Geology Museum offers one of the best vantage points for an overview of Grand Canyon geology. Annotated displays at the base of the panoramic windows show you where to look to see each group of rocks. You can walk between rock column models of the North and South Rims, learn the names of the various rock layers, discover information about the geologic history recorded in the rocks, and visualize the carving of the modern landscape.

Moran Point is a popular spot on the south rim for gazing into the canyon. A great place for group photos! Along with Desert View, Grandview and Yaki, Moran is one of the most visited points on the east rim drive, and offers far reaching views along a wide section of the Grand Canyon, approximately between river miles 87 and 72. The point is due south of Cape Royal on the North Rim – just 8 miles away in a straight line but 215 miles by road. The promontory is reached by a short spur road and was named after the landscape painter Thomas Moran who came here for the first time in 1873 and helped popularize the canyon, leading eventually to its incorporation as a national monument in 1908 (and a national park in 1919).

Now it's your chance to relax for the 2h 30min trip back to Sedona.