Packing for your Grand Canyon Vacation

It's important to be prepared for your Grand Canyon rafting vacation. You may encounter all types of weather and conditions. Planning ahead and having the proper gear will ensure you have a safe and enjoyable river rafting experience.Through several decades of experience on the river, Western knows what clothing and gear will keep you smiling every second of your adventure. Please check the weather carefully and note the "cold weather items" on the packing list, especially if you are traveling in April, May, late August or September. Some guests have suggested that we recommend packing a 'dry top' or paddling jacket in addition to your rain gear tops and bottoms. If you tend to get cold, you may want to consider it! On very cool or wet days it will provide additional comfort.

Splash Jackets on Redrock Outfitters: MENS | WOMENS

For your convenience, you can find all the other items on the packing list online with Western's retail division, Red Rock Outfitters.
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Print Your Grand Canyon 6-7 Day packing List

How to Pack for your Grand Canyon Rafting Vacation

Get a better idea of each of the items on your Grand Canyon 6 or 7 Day packing list. See an example of each item and understand why we recommend you pack it for the river.

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Choosing the right camera for whitewater rafting is an important decision. With so many options out there, we discuss the pros and cons of the more common cameras we see on the river.

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Western River Expeditions sent two of our intrepid guides to answer the question once and for all: "What is Quality Rain Gear and Why Do I Need it?"

Packing your Bags

Packing for your Grand Canyon rafting vacation is a bit different than your standard vacation, but it's fairly simple. Just pack the items from our packing list into a duffel bag and we'll take care of the rest. A few pictures show the recommended duffel and the water-resistant bags Western River will supply to you.

Duffel Bag
All of your personal items should be packed into a soft-sided duffel bag approximately 12" x 13" x 24" in size. Due to aircraft weight allowances and raft space, please limit your gear to 20 pounds, not including beverages (see note on next page regarding beverages).

Gear Bag
Also upon arrival at the launch site of your trip, you will receive a water-resistant gear bag. This bag will contain your sleeping bag, sheet and ground tarp. You will put your duffel bag inside this bag, roll the top down and clip it securely to avoid getting your personal gear wet. Your personal gear bag will be available at camp each night of your trip.

Day Bag
Upon arrival to the river's edge, you will be provided a water-resistant day bag (approximately 7" x 13"). In this day bag, you will want to put those items you wish to access during the day (raingear, camera, medications, sun block, lip balm, river guidebook, etc). We recommend packing these items in a simple plastic grocery sack inside your duffle for easy transfer to your day bag at the launch site.