Skip to Main Content
Road Scholar logo
Arizona

Grand Canyon Odyssey: River Journeys and Canyon Vistas

Program No. 2805RJ
Within the Grand Canyon’s mile-high walls lies a wealth of natural history and culture. Explore the Canyon's 277-mile length and rim via the Colorado River raft trips.
Watch VideoWishlistShare
Start
  •  
  •  
National ParksWater SportsOn the RoadNature & Environment
Length
8 days
Rating (5)
Activity Level
Starts at
2,899
Program
At a Glance
Duration
8 days
Program Begins
Flagstaff, AZ
Program Concludes
Flagstaff, AZ
Meals
19 ( 7B, 6L, 6D )
Activity Level
Experience the depth and majesty of Grand Canyon from both rim and river. Take not one but two different yet equally spectacular raft trips on the Colorado River, book-ending the incomparable Grand Canyon. Enjoy a smooth water float beneath the towering cliffs of Glen Canyon, alighting where the Canyon officially begins at Lee’s Ferry. Then explore the Canyon from the heights of Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim with its sweeping panoramas and historic village. The adventure culminates with a thrilling white water raft trip in mile-deep canyon (or flat water on select dates) through remote western Grand Canyon.
Best of all, you'll...
  • Enjoy two rafting adventures on the mighty Colorado River.
  • Gain a deeper understanding of the local geology while spending two nights inside the Grand Canyon's South Rim.
  • Experience Southwestern landscapes and Native American lifeways along the vast Navajo and Hualapai Reservations.
View Full Itinerary
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Karlyn Bunting
Karlyn Bunting grew up in Page, Arizona, after the construction of Glen Canyon Dam – at the heart of what is commonly called the Grand Circle. He loves to hike and explore the many natural wonders of the region, and is deeply interested those who traveled this region prior to our modern day — from the Ancestral Puebloans to the Mormon migrations. Karlyn is also an avid photographer and storyteller, and enjoys sharing his unique and multi-faceted perspective of the Colorado Plateau.
Please Note:
This expert may not be available for every date of the program
Please Note:
These experts may not be available for every date of the program
Karlyn Bunting grew up in Page, Arizona, after the construction of Glen Canyon Dam – at the heart of what is commonly called the Grand Circle. He loves to hike and explore the many natural wonders of the region, and is deeply interested those who traveled this region prior to our modern day — from the Ancestral Puebloans to the Mormon migrations. Karlyn is also an avid photographer and storyteller, and enjoys sharing his unique and multi-faceted perspective of the Colorado Plateau.
Carrie Calisay Cannon is a member of the Kiowa tribe of Oklahoma and also is of Oglala Lakota descent. She has a B.S. in Wildlife Biology and an M.S. in Resource Management. She is currently employed as an Ethnobotanist for the Hualapai Department of Cultural Resources. She administers a number of department projects and programs which promote the intergenerational teaching of Hualapai ethnobotanical knowledge. She works towards ensuring tribal ethnobotanical knowledge persists as a living practice and tradition.
Marjorie “Slim” Woodruff is a graduate of Northern Arizona University. She has worked in outdoor recreation and education for most of her adult life. Slim is a board member and outings chair for the Grand Canyon Historical Society. She is a senior instructor with the Grand Canyon Conservancy Field Institute. Living on the South Rim, her usual hangouts are inside the canyon. Her writings can be found in High Country News Writers on the Range and The Outdoor Journal.
Will McGough has spent the better part of the last decade seeing the world as a travel writer. His contributions have appeared in many magazines and online publications, including Alaska Airlines Magazine, AFAR, Conde Nast and Forbes. In 2017, he was the Hawaii Ecotourism Association’s Travel Writer of the Year for his local travel publication, Wake and Wander Hawaii. Will graduated from Virginia Tech. When traveling, he enjoys a combination of culture, adventure, and scenic beauty.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Daily walking of up to a mile, primary flat and on well maintained trails, longer excursions available during independent time. 37-mile whitewater adventure is on motorized pontoon raft (you will get wet!), and requires strength and balance to get on and off the raft. Elevations up to 7,000 feet.
Suggested Reading List
View Full List (6 Books)
You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?
We can help. Give us a call, and we can answer all of your questions!
Call 800-454-5768
Start Enrolling
Enroll with Confidence
Peace of Mind

We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. That’s why we go to the ends of the earth to give you peace of mind, from the moment you enroll until the day you return home.

Assurance Plan

Road Scholar's continued commitment to our participants and their well-being is exemplified whether participating on a program in the United States or on one of our International programs, every Road Scholar participant receives coverage under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan.

Want to Protect Your Investment?

Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.

Sustainable Travel

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.

  • Peace of Mind

    We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. That’s why we go to the ends of the earth to give you peace of mind, from the moment you enroll until the day you return home.

  • Assurance Plan

    Road Scholar's continued commitment to our participants and their well-being is exemplified whether participating on a program in the United States or on one of our International programs, every Road Scholar participant receives coverage under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan.

  • Want to Protect Your Investment?

    Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.

  • Sustainable Travel

    We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.