10 Times Better Than I Imagined it Could Be – Grand Canyon Vacations

About a year ago, we were at a cocktail party and some friends suggested we should all book a Grand Canyon float trip. A couple at the party had been down the Grand Canyon with Western River Expeditions and had a good time, so they recommended we book with Western River for a spring trip in 2015.

The year went by quickly and soon our group of 14 friends were ready to go on our trip. Being from Alaska, we have all had a lot of great outdoor adventures so I was skeptical that I could be impressed with this trip. I thought the experience was probably over-hyped by people who hadn't experienced the outdoors the way we have in Alaska.

On day one, our guides Lucky and Wiley, told us this would be a trip of a lifetime filled with fun and excitement but may be the hardest vacation many of us had ever taken. I thought to myself yeah right, I'm going to be bored to tears for a week while we do little more than camp, eat and float a lazy river getting sun-burned. I told my wife that I'd wished we'd signed up for the 3 day trip instead of the 7 day trip. About an hour or two later we had just come through House Rock Rapids, and my impression started to change, this might actually be fun. After we picked a spot to stop for the night, we set up our camp while Lucky and Wiley prepared crab appetizers followed by a massive and tasty meal of barbecued grass fed beef steaks, salad, vegetables, scratch made breads and of course home made deserts. I was quickly changing my concept of what this trip might be.

Day two and three provided more BIG rapids, more fabulous gourmet meals and a lot of interesting stories about the canyon, the river and those that went before us. Days four and five held rapids but also some really awesome hikes; The Look-Out, The Patio, The Source, The Throne Room, Havasu, etc. Lucky and Wiley were extremely helpful and knowledgeable during all of the hikes as well as on the river. In my opinion, they both had the right balance of control, tolerance, kindness, humor and really good cooking skills. They were also sticklers for safety, which was necessary on such a powerful river.

The boat was outfitted with everything we needed to be comfortable, safe and well fed. We finished the trip in grand style with a helicopter flight out of the canyon to the Bar 10 Ranch for a shower, lunch and flight back to Las Vegas.

Overall the entire trip was well planned, well executed and a lot fun. Our entire group agreed the trip was worth every penny spent and we are already contemplating a reunion trip. I'd highly recommend Western River Expeditions to anyone contemplating a Grand Canyon experience and I promise you won't be disappointed.

Thanks Lucky, Wiley and Western Rivers for a great experience. See you soon.

Jim - Alaska
Arizona - Grand Canyon Rafting 6 & 7 Day