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Arizona

River Rafting & Railroads: The Grand Canyon With Your Grandchild

Program No. 5831RJ

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Everyone who has experienced the mind-boggling beauty of the Grand Canyon remembers the first time they laid eyes on this colossal wonder. Create an everlasting memory with your grandchild when you bring them to the Grand Canyon for the first time. Climb aboard the Grand Canyon Railway and ride to the canyon’s South Rim, but watch out for train robbers! Look for California condors as you explore canyon geology on a canyon trail hike. Plus, travel through the Navajo Reservation and visit secluded Walnut Canyon National Monument’s prehistoric cliff dwellings.

Best of all, you'll...

Raft the Colorado River beneath 800-foot towering sandstone cliffs, and stop for a short hike to see 1,000-year-old Native American petroglyphs.
See amazing animals at Bearizona Wildlife Park and participate in a fun, interactive activity about Native American culture and history at the Museum of Northern Arizona.
Enjoy a Western shootout show on your train ride to the South Rim and help the good guys capture the bandits on board.

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General Notes

Program is for grandchildren ages 9-12. Due to the remote locations in this program, some special diet requests may not be accommodated or will lack a variety of options.

Featured Expert

Eric Kee

Eric Kee was born and raised on the Navajo Reservation in Tuba City, Arizona. In addition to sharing his Navajo culture, Eric enjoys spending his spare time building Native American flutes, working with silver and hiking, kayaking and camping with his family. He met his wife in Florence, Italy during his three years teaching English and working Italian camps for kids. He, along with his wife and three children, currently reside in Tuba City.

Please Note:

This expert may not be available for every date of the program

Activity Level

Outdoor: No Sweat

Learn About Activity Levels

Walking up to 3 miles per day at a moderate pace of 2 mph over paved, unpaved, packed earth and uneven terrain. Standing up to 2 hours per day. Program will require approximately 9 miles of walking over 5 days. Optional hike into Walnut Canyon requires 185-foot elevation change (down and back up) over 240 steps with handrails; paved trail. Must be able to get in and out of a raft and ride for 3.5 hours with no back support. Must be able to step up onto a higher-than-normal step to board train. Daytime temperatures can reach over 100 degrees A coach bus is used for transportation, requiring up to 4.5 hours (270 miles) of driving time in a single day with breaks. Elevations up to 7,000 feet; high elevations have a fatiguing impact on the body. Due to the terrain and pace of this program, wheelchairs and scooters cannot be accommodated. Must be physically capable of participating in all planned program activities.

Suggested Books and Resources

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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

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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.

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Assurance Plan

Road Scholar is committed to the well-being of every participant, whether on a program in the United States or abroad. That’s why all participants are covered under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan, which provides 24-hour assistance in the event of an emergency during your program, as well as insurance for emergency medical evacuation.

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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.

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Sustainable Travel

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

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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 is committed to the well-being of every participant, whether on a program in the United States or abroad. That’s why all participants are covered under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan, which provides 24-hour assistance in the event of an emergency during your program, as well as insurance for emergency medical evacuation.
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.

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