Saturday, 25 June 2011

Things to Do at the Grand Canyon

Carved by the great Colorado River, situated in Arizona, United States of America, the Grand Canyon is one of the largest canyons of the world. It is about 446 km long, 29 km wide and is as deep as 6000 ft. The Colorado River has been establishing its course through the canyon for the past 17 millions years and has eroded more than half the Colorado Plateau to form the present day Grand Canyon. The canyon was populated by the Native Americans before the Europeans immigrated and captured the canyon.

According to the Grand Canyon facts, there are various geographical features such as caves and water bodies, to make the canyon rich in animal and plant diversity. Therefore, there are many things to see and do in the canyon which is also one of the largest tourist spots in the world. If you are thinking of taking a trip or a vacation to the Grand Canyon, you surely won't be disappointed. Here's a list of things to do at the Grand Canyon for your information. Keep reading!

Fun Things to Do at the Grand Canyon

All of us must have studied the Grand Canyon in our geography textbooks, but witnessing this wonder of nature in person can be a completely different experience! Over a span of 446 km, there is a lot to see and do, such as: the Grand Canyon National Park (a home to several flora and fauna), the brilliantly built Skywalk, walking trails on both North and South rims, the fierce Colorado River, Kaibab Trails, and many other famous points to visit. With so many things to do at the Grand Canyon, you are surely going to need a really long vacation. So, make sure you take some time off, as you are about to see some breathtaking sights and experience the level of fun you probably haven't even thought about. Take a look!

Hiking
The best way to experience the Grand Canyon is to hike through its trails. There are plenty of trails found in the canyon, some created by nature and some by man. The canyon is divided in sections like the north, south, east and west rims, which have their own trails that will guide you within the rims and towards the river. Therefore, you can see the points located on both the rims, camp at these sights and then hike down towards the river. There are hotels and campsites at every point in the Grand Canyon, so you won't run out of supplies while hiking. In case you get tired, you could rent mules, horses or bikes for your journey as well and enjoy exploring the canyon on their backs. The Grand Canyon Village, Tusayan Ruins, the National Park, Grand Canyon Skywalk, etc. are some of the things you can see while hiking.

Rafting
Once you hike down through the trails to the Colorado River, you can witness the beauty of this magnificent river responsible for creating the canyon. The Deer Creek Falls are the best place to go river rafting and kayaking as they can be immense fun when you are with friends and family. The Havasu Canyon is a valley with four beautiful spring-fed waterfalls smashing down the cliffs, creating swimming holes with relaxing sights. Fishing is also something you could do in these waters, if you are more of a quiet vacationer. There are various other waterfalls and bodies in the Grand Canyon, such as: Chevaya Falls, Thunder River, Mystic Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Elves Chasm, etc. that make rafting and fishing some of the best things to do at the Grand Canyon.

Taking Tours
Since, there are so many things to see in the Grand Canyon, tours have been arranged for tourists. These include air, land and railway tours which work in shifts at specific durations of time. In these tours, tourists are given a chance to see the Grand Canyon from the air and from the railway. Air tours include, helicopter and airplane services that fly tourists over the canyon for about 30 minutes and show them the various beautiful sights. Land tours include a shuttle service (bus and jeep tours), which take tourists to sights like the Kolb Studio, El Tovar, Lookout Studio, Hopi House, Bright Angel Lodge and Santa Fe Railway Station. The railway tours are held by the Grand Canyon Railway Depot that was built in 1909. The railway service operates from Williams, Arizona, to the Grand Canyon National Park south rim.

With these things to do at the Grand Canyon, you are surely going to have one of the best vacations of your life. So, are you ready to book your tickets?

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