excursions in vegas?

Question

going to vegas from england next week. has anyone been on the horse riding excursion in the grand canyon. if so is it reconmended

Answer 1

The National Park Service runs mule rides (not burros or horses - there were wild burros left over in the canyon from the miners, but that is not what you ride on) into the Grand Canyon down both the Bright Angel trail (the one near Grand Canyon village on the main south rim) and also down the North Kiabab trail from the north rim.

For the rides down the Bright Angel trail, you can either do a day trip part way down (to Plateau Point near Indian Gardens) or all the way down and spend the night at Phantom Ranch (returning back the next day). Both options generally require reservations long in advance (particulary staying at the bottom which often requires a year or more advanced reservation). You can sometimes get lucky with the day trips by picking up somebody's last minute cancellation (see info below).

Are you going by tour bus or renting a car? If you are going by bus, they will probably not give you enough time to take the mule ride even if you got a reservation. Renting a car (my recommendation) would allow you more freedom to go where you want and stay as long as you want, but it is a long 5 hour drive to either rim.

As for which rim to visit... I prefer the North Rim during summer as it is cooler (higher elevation) and less crowded, providing a more quiet and intimate experience while the popular and more developed South Rim can be a bit of a zoo with lines at the gate and hard time finding parking. The north rim is also a prettier drive if you are coming from Las Vegas and you could stop at Zion National Park along the way. The North Rim is closed (due to snow) from mid-October to mid-May. If you are planning on spending the night at either rim, you will want to get reservations in advance (especially the north rim which has only one lodge and no large towns near by).

As for helicoptor tours... to each, their own... it is definitely the quickest way to see the canyon from Vegas. But in my opinion, the Grand Canyon - like most natural wonders - is best experienced first hand on the ground with the rock beneath your feet, the wind in your hair and the call of ravens around you. The best experience by far is to hike (or mule) into the canyon a ways (you don't have to go all the way to the bottom) and feel the canyon walls towering around you - be IN the canyon and part of it.

Also, tourist flights over the famous main part of the canyon (where most of the classic formations are) has been banned for the last 20 years due to safety concerns and noise pollution. As a result, most air tours either skirt along the edge of the park boundaries or fly over the extreme western end of the canyon outside the park boundaries - pretty but not the Grand Canyon that you see in the post cards (many of the Vegas tour operators will try to imply otherwise).

Taking a helicoper tour over the extreme western edge of the canyon without seeing the main part or standing in it with your own feet is like touring London by taking a helicopter tour over Reading.

Answer 2

You can actually hike or ride a mule down the Canyon trail either to the Indian Garden, which is half way down, or all the way to the river. Its a strenuous hike, especially coming back up. You can take a mule ride which goes down and back up the same day or another which will go to Phantom Ranch, a group of cabins, at the bottom and spend the night, I did that many years ago. Its a great trip but you have to reserve it six months or more in advance. If you don't reserve you can forget doing that.

The drive to the Grand Canyon is 5 long hard hours on mostly two lane roads with trucks and campers (only a short way on I-40). You can drive there and back in one day if you leave early morning, like 6:00-7:00 AM. That will put you there about noon and you will have 4 or 5 hrs before starting back and getting back to Vegas about 11:00PM. I recommend staying overnight at the Canyon (there are plenty of motels near there, like Best Western, Ramada, Quality inns) and drive back the next day.

Answer 3

It's really really hot in Arizona right now, so once you go down into that canyon, it'll be hotter. But at least you won't be doing the walking. The Grand Canyon is a spectaculer site that most Americans get to see and your a lucky Brit to be able to make that excursion. Bring plenty of water!

Answer 4

Yes but it is a long and hot excursion.
I much prefer the helicopter view where you fly into a remote canyon and have a champagne and cheese, snack then see much more of the area, all in one afternoon.

http://www.papillon.com/popris/show_categories.aspx?category_id=8&lang=en-US

Answer 5

IT'S NOT HORSES, IT'S BURROS, HIGH PRICED, BUT WELL WORTH THE MONEY, BRING LOTS OF FILM... SEE YOU IN THE CASINOS...

Answer 6

I love teddies

Answer 7

NOT NOW TO HOT