FAQs About Our Hiking / Backpacking Trips

Yes. We have received permits and authorization for each hiking / backpacking tour location as required by the National Park and Forest Services and the Bureau of Land Management. Before choosing a guide company, we highly recommend you check if it is authorized to guide in the area you wish to hike. See below for contact information. In addition, all of our expert guides have a Wilderness First Responder certification, which means they are trained to respond to emergency situations in remote settings.

- Grand Canyon National Park Concessions Office - (928) 638-7707
- Paria Canyon
- Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
- Aravaipa Canyon

We know the terrain, the gear and are trained to respond in an emergency. A guidebook can only take you so far. Our Guides can take you on hikes to secret spots that aren't known to the masses. Our clients come to us because they know they're going to have safe and unbelievably fun time.

We cater to all ability levels, so we offer a wide variety of tours from day hikes with little elevation changes to challenging Grand Canyon backpacking adventures for experienced hikers only. We can also adapt our tours to suit your allotted time frame.

Anyone from 12-years-old to 70 can go as long as the requested trip meets their physical ability. Contact Us so we can help you plan the right backpacking trip for you and your family.

Day and multi-day hiking or backpacking trips include roundtrip transportation from Phoenix, Sedona, Flagstaff, and Williams. Certain adventures may embark from Las Vegas for an additional fee. The price also includes all necessary Gear, certified guide and all meals and snacks while on the trail. Tips for your awesome guides are NOT included in the price.

Roundtrip transportation is included for all day and multi-day hikes from Phoenix, Sedona, Flagstaff and Williams.

For the Grand Canyon, we advise that you plan your hiking or backpacking trip at least five months in advance because many areas require permits, which are limited. The exception is Havasupai, which requires anywhere between two weeks and five months, depending upon the time of year. Other national parks and designated regions in Arizona and Southern Utah require permits too - many several months in advance - so we'll need as much advanced notice as possible. Other trips can be accommodated within a week or two. We will always do our best to handle last minute requests, but there are no guarantees. Please Contact Us for more details.

Depending on the number of days you decide to travel, you can expect to carry 25 - 35 lbs or 25% of your body weight - whichever is less. We can give you tips on how to pack lightly and efficiently.

Tips are generally between 10% to 20% of the price of your trip. Please tip your guide what you believe to be appropriate and what you can afford.

We take care of all the transportation. We have 4-wheel Chevy Suburbans that have access to many areas that vans do not. We also provide the option for a chartered plane flight to select locations.

We keep our adventure tour groups fairly small so that we can provide each person with individual attention. Grand Canyon tours have a 1-5, guide-guest ratio and other tours have a 1-7, guide-guest ratio. We can make your trip private for an additional fee.

While the popularity of certain trails vary from location to location and season to season, Our Guides have the knowledge and experience to give you a little "you" time on any adventure. Please inquire for more details.

Absolutely. Check out the Custom Options we offer on select trips. We are also open to new ideas. If you have a suggestion, please let us know.

We offer a guide-only option on most trips for experienced hikers. You provide your own gear, food and transportation, and we just show you the way.

Any of our tours can be turned into a Women's Adventure with advanced notice. See our Women's Adventure section for more details. Groups can request a male or female guide.

Yes. Check out our Trip Calendar page to find out which trips are already scheduled and can accommodate more people.

We provide all the food, gear and equipment you will need on the trip. Please visit Our Gear for a detailed list. Guests are responsible for their own personal items like clothes and toiletries, unless you choose our Personal Shopper Custom Options.

Our food is extremely tasty and we do more than just add water!  We are one of the few guide services nationwide to offer such an eclectic, mouthwatering menu. A local organic chef has developed the menu with delicious entrees that are prepared by the guide. We also offer the option for a private chef to accompany guests and prepare gourmet meals fireside or on a backpacking stove. Click here to see a Sample Menu.

We can pick you up from your hotel or a predetermined location in Phoenix, Sedona, Flagstaff, Williams, Tusayan (outside Grand Canyon National Park) or Las Vegas depending on the final destination. Please Contact Us for more information.

Pack horses are available at Havasupai only for an additional charge. We can arrange for you to have your gear or yourself carried roundtrip. You can only bring what you would normally carry on your back.

Some locations have outhouse-like toilets along the trail, such as parts of the Grand Canyon, yet most other rugged locations do not. You'll need to be a little comfortable with nature so to speak. In addition, there are no shower facilities.

The price for each trip can be found on the trip description pages. A non-refundable deposit of $250 or 50% of the total trip price (whichever is less) is due upon signing up. If you sign up less than 30 days before the trip departure, the full amount of the trip is due. Balance in full is due 30 days before trip departure.

You may transfer to another trip with at least 30 days notice before the scheduled trip departure date with a $60 administration fee. No refunds will be issued after 30 days before your departure date. Please Contact Us for information on Trip Insurance.

Pricing for all of our trips does not include guide gratuity. Our Guides are awesome - they deserve a little extra $! Tips are usually 10 - 20% of the total trip price, but not mandatory.

No; however, we do reserve the right to change the itinerary to avoid any dangerous weather conditions and make your trip safe and enjoyable.

On occasion, we will offer discounts for larger groups, off-season trips or if we have open spaces that we need filled a couple weeks prior to the trip date.  The discounted rate only applies to new bookings.