Arizona

Grand Canyon South Rim Tour

DurationDuration 8-12 hrs
DirectionTour Directions 2
tour Tour Stops 24
$9.99

Description

A place that needs no introduction, welcome to The Grand Canyon. More specifically, the South Rim. This massive National Park spans over 1.2 million acres and 1,904 square miles. With so much to do, we’ve hand-picked the best stops so you can make the most of your day. We’ll take you through the South Rim stopping at overlooks, hikes, scenic drives, museums and more!

Here are just a few of the fun things you can do on the tour!

• Take a selfie at the Grand Canyon Welcome Sign
• Watch the sunrise at Mather Point
• Hike to Grand Canyon Village
• Explore Hermit Road
• Visit Yavapai Geology Museum

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:
Recommended Start Time: Before 8:00 a.m. - this tour packs a lot in!
Tour Direction(s): Clockwise - northbound; Counterclockwise - southbound
Tour Starting Point(s): Flagstaff, AZ and Williams, AZ (northbound route only) and Page, AZ (southbound route only)
Time to complete: Approximately 1-2 days

*There are free, mandatory shuttles at Yaki Point and Hermit Road - don’t worry the tour will still work!*

You can find more information about the shuttles in our tour FAQ’s below!

All Shaka Guide tours come with customer support and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Tours never expire.

Tour Stops

Preview Audio

HOW TO MAKE A GRAND CANYON
HOW TO MAKE A GRAND CANYON PT II
HOW TO MAKE A GRAND CANYON
How to Build a Grand Canyon

Tour Route

Important Travel Info

Budgeting, Fees & Reservations
Suggested Packing List
Safety & Etiquette
Time & Schedule

Costs:

Car rental: $75-$150/day (prices fluctuate)

Lodging: $65-$300/night (prices vary)

Food: $10-$30 per meal

Park Entrance Fees: $35 per car for up to 7 days (if you’re visiting multiple parks, you may want to consider purchasing a yearly pass. Click here for more info)

Parking: Free inside the park

Park Shuttle: Free

Specialty tours: $50-300 per tour

Reservations:

Reservations are required for three campsites (click to book):

Desert View Campground

Mather Campground

Headphones - Required for listening while on shuttles!

Charger - Very important!

Layered Clothing - Easy on and off layers are a must for changing canyon temperatures.

Refillable Water Bottles

Hiking/Walking Sticks

Good Shoes/ Hiking Boots

Crampons/Spikes - Trails may be icy, even in the Spring.

Blacklight - Bring one if you want to spot the scorpions that live in the canyon.

Sunscreen

Snacks

Hats/Sunglasses

Camera/Phone Cleanser - The bottom of the canyon can be very dusty.

The Grand Canyon is a stunning, sometimes spiritual place, and one of the seven natural wonders of the world. To preserve that wonder for others, be sure to practice safe and respectful travel, the Shaka Guide Way. 

During your visit, be sure to adhere to the leave-no-trace principles. Pack it all out, pick up your trash, take nothing but pictures, respect the wildlife, and stick to the path.

Leashed pets are allowed on the rim trails. Only service dogs are permitted below the rim. If you need to bring your service dog below the rim, check the Backcountry Information Center first.

We recommend that you arrive at Grand Canyon South Rim by 8 a.m. After that, you may have to wait in line at the entrance gate - and with so many highlights closing in the early evening, it’s important to make the most of those precious early hours. Plus, parking tends to be scarce from about 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

 If possible, you should give yourself at least two days to explore everything that the South Rim has to offer, especially if you plan to come in the summer months.

Important closing times to note:

Grand Canyon South Rim Visitor Center closes at 4 p.m.

Yavapai Geology Museum closes at 6 p.m.

Various lunch restaurants close at 3 p.m.

Most National Park Service buildings close at 5 p.m., such as:

- Hopi House

- Lookout Studio

- Kolb Studio

- Hermit's Rest

- Desert View Watchtower

Tour FAQs

The Grand Canyon South Rim Tour has 29 stops. Check out the itinerary here for a complete list of stops and if you’re looking for more information to help plan your trip, here’s what you need to know before you go!

  • Headphones - Required for listening while on shuttles!
  • Charger - Very important!
  • Layered Clothing - Easy on and off layers are a must for changing canyon temperatures.
  • Refillable Water Bottles
  • Hiking/Walking Sticks
  • Good Shoes/Boots
  • Crampons/Spikes - Trails may be icy, even in the Spring.
  • Blacklight - Bring one if you want to spot the scorpions that live in the canyon.
  • Sunscreen
  • Snacks
  • Hats/Sunglasses
  • Camera/Phone Cleanser - The bottom of the canyon can be very dusty.
  • $10 per person: Snacks
  • $10-15 per person: Lunch
  • $20-30 per person: Dinner
  • $35.00 per vehicle: Grand Canyon Weekly Park Pass

The park is open 24 hours a day, but the visitor center, shuttle and other services have varying hours of operation. Learn more here: https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/hours.htm 


From March through November there is a mandatory shuttle along Hermit Road. Yaki Point has a mandatory shuttle all year round meaning no person vehicles are allowed on these roads. https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/shuttle-buses.htm. 

If you are taking the tour, the audio will work on these shuttles! Just put on some headphones and listen to interesting stories as you go. 


Yes! Feel free to join the tour along the route. Just make sure that you follow the numbers in chronological order from where you are starting from.  If you don’t begin at one of the tour starting points you’ll miss a few stories, but you’ll still have a great experience. 


Yes! The tour is available in both northbound and southbound routes. The northbound tour begins in either Flagstaff, AZ or Williams, AZ and the southbound tour begins in Page, AZ.

​​Still have questions? Send us an email at aloha@shakaguide.com or give us a call at 1-888-250-2261.

Purchase BundlePurchase Bundle & Save

Arizona Driving Tour Bundle

$34.99
$69.98 50% off

  • Grand Canyon South Rim Tour
    Grand Canyon South Rim Tour
  • Grand Canyon North Rim Tour
    Grand Canyon North Rim Tour
  • Petrified Forest National Park Tour
    Petrified Forest National Park Tour
  • Saguaro National Park Tour
    Saguaro National Park Tour
  • Mt. Lemmon Scenic Byway
    Mt. Lemmon Scenic Byway
  • Horseshoe Bend and Page AZ Tour
    Horseshoe Bend and Page AZ Tour
  • Sedona Arizona Driving Tour
    Sedona Arizona Driving Tour
Your purchase gives back
Your purchase gives back
Tours never expire
Tours never expire
Money-back guaranteed
Money-back guaranteed

Customer Reviews

Maui

So helpful to people who want to see the sights and see things we never would have known about!!

McNeal Family

What an excellent way to enjoy the Road to Hana. Excellent tips and details of history to enjoy and explore. This was extremely helpful!

Great app

My mom and I used this on our trip to Maui and we loved it. The guid was fun to listen too and we liked the music.

How It Works

how-it-work-sl.svg

Explore on Your Terms

It's your vacation - what you see and do is up to you. You choose where to stop on the tour and how long to stay.

Authentic Storytelling

Every tour stop, story and song has been carefully curated so you can make the most of your vacation.

Let Us Be Your Guide

We use GPS to give you reliable, turn-by-turn navigation to our favorite spots. We’ve done the research so you don’t have to.

Download App to your iOS or Android device

Tours work offline

Audio tours play based on your GPS location

Turn-by-turn navigation

Listen to interesting stories

shaka guide app qr code

Download The Shaka Guide App

Get The
Shaka Guide App

download-app-sec-img.png