Although you may have seen hundreds of pictures of the Grand Canyon, nothing will prepare you for when you see its awe inspiring majesty with your own eyes!

The result of erosion that has taken five to six million years to occur, the Grand Canyon runs one vertical mile from top to bottom and is up to 18 miles wide. Its bottom contains rocks that are at least two billion years old.

The force of nature that was responsible for carving this huge gash into the landscape is the great Colorado River - rising in the Rockies it runs through the canyon past Lake Mead, the largest artificial lake in the US, and the Hoover Dam, once the largest dam in the World, before flowing into the Gulf of California.

The south rim is the main tourist attraction with 90% of the five million annual visitors arriving here at Grand Canyon Village. The north rim is far more remote, being 215 miles by car from the south, although only ten miles as the crow flies.

Sunset across the canyon is magical to behold, as the rich reds of the canyon walls gradually change their hues as the sun sets.

Quick Tips/Suggestions:

The best time to come to the south rim is before May, or after October in the off season. We were there in February and, although cold, it was nothing we couldn’t handle. If you intend to hike, remember that the temperatures inside the canyon reach above 40 Celsius almost every day in summer. If coming in summer, then go to the north rim, which is far quieter and cooler with a higher altitude.

Book ahead if staying in or near the canyon, especially in summer. Outside of Grand Canyon Village, the nearest town with plenty of accommodation is Williams, 60 miles south on part of the original Route 66. Williams is also one end of the Grand Canyon Railway.

Another great place to stay nearby is Flagstaff, an attraction in its own right being an attractive and laid back university town. It has a real frontier town feel, and a vibrant coffee culture. ‘Flag’ is also where the planet Pluto was discovered at the Lowell Observatory.

Fill the petrol tank before setting out as stations are expensive nearby. Also remember the usual precautions such as plenty of spare water, etc - the usual common sense stuff…

Best Way to Get Around:

The best way to get around has to be the car if you have a tight timescale and want to see as much as possible. This can also be a liability in summer when it comes to parking, as the parking was already scarce in February, though it is the only way you can get to the north rim. Without a car, you can catch a Greyhound bus to Williams and take the steam train to arrive in style. Also there are plenty of deals to travel to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas as a day trip.

The best way to truly experience the canyon is either to hike, such as the 12.2 mile roundtrip Bright Angel Trail, or take a mule or rafting trip – there are plenty of companies operating these excursions, however they are extremely expensive and require at least three days for a ‘total immersion experience’. A quick way is to take a plane flight over the canyon - lasting for about an hour you can get these for under US$100.

Although you may have seen hundreds of pictures of the Grand Canyon, nothing will prepare you for when you see its awe inspiring majesty with your own eyes!

The result of erosion that has taken five to six million years to occur, the Grand Canyon runs one vertical mile from top to bottom and is up to 18 miles wide. Its bottom contains rocks that are at least two billion years old.

The force of nature that was responsible for carving this huge gash into the landscape is the great Colorado River - rising in the Rockies it runs through the canyon past Lake Mead, the largest artificial lake in the US, and the Hoover Dam, once the largest dam in the World, before flowing into the Gulf of California.

The south rim is the main tourist attraction with 90% of the five million annual visitors arriving here at Grand Canyon Village. The north rim is far more remote, being 215 miles by car from the south, although only ten miles as the crow flies.

Sunset across the canyon is magical to behold, as the rich reds of the canyon walls gradually change their hues as the sun sets.

Quick Tips/Suggestions:

The best time to come to the south rim is before May, or after October in the off season. We were there in February and, although cold, it was nothing we couldn’t handle. If you intend to hike, remember that the temperatures inside the canyon reach above 40 Celsius almost every day in summer. If coming in summer, then go to the north rim, which is far quieter and cooler with a higher altitude.

Book ahead if staying in or near the canyon, especially in summer. Outside of Grand Canyon Village, the nearest town with plenty of accommodation is Williams, 60 miles south on part of the original Route 66. Williams is also one end of the Grand Canyon Railway.

Another great place to stay nearby is Flagstaff, an attraction in its own right being an attractive and laid back university town. It has a real frontier town feel, and a vibrant coffee culture. ‘Flag’ is also where the planet Pluto was discovered at the Lowell Observatory.

Fill the petrol tank before setting out as stations are expensive nearby. Also remember the usual precautions such as plenty of spare water, etc - the usual common sense stuff…

Best Way to Get Around:

The best way to get around has to be the car if you have a tight timescale and want to see as much as possible. This can also be a liability in summer when it comes to parking, as the parking was already scarce in February, though it is the only way you can get to the north rim. Without a car, you can catch a Greyhound bus to Williams and take the steam train to arrive in style. Also there are plenty of deals to travel to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas as a day trip.

The best way to truly experience the canyon is either to hike, such as the 12.2 mile roundtrip Bright Angel Trail, or take a mule or rafting trip – there are plenty of companies operating these excursions, however they are extremely expensive and require at least three days for a ‘total immersion experience’. A quick way is to take a plane flight over the canyon - lasting for about an hour you can get these for under US$100.