Planning your trip




Your Trip Begins & Ends in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS - MAY 12 : Welcome to fabulous Las Vegas neon sign with Las Vegas strip road background View of the strip on May 12, 2015Our 8, 9, 14 & 16-day expeditions begin and end in Las Vegas, Nevada. Be sure to arrive the afternoon or evening the day before for your river trip. Las Vegas is served by many major airlines, making travel arrangements easy.
Our river trips end on the 8th, 9th, 14th, or 16th day at Pearce Ferry, where a bus will be waiting to pick you up. You will be back in Las Vegas in the evening, giving you an option of staying in Las Vegas or scheduling a late evening flight.

Where to stay that night.

For your convenience we have partnered with the Residence Inn Las Vegas Hughes Center as our preferred hotel. Of course you do not have to stay here but this is the location you will be picked up and have a pre trip meeting the night before your departure. Grand Canyon Expeditions will make your room reservation for the night before and the night after your trip. If you wish to book extra nights before or after your trip, reservations should be made directly with the Residence Inn by calling 702-650-0040 or email Yvonne.Mauro@marriott.com.

PLEASE NOTE – Some restrictions do apply. We are unable to include hotel accommodations on any discounted or Travel Agent commissioned GCE trip.

Pre Trip Meeting

Our representative will meet you at the hotel the evening prior to your trip at a pre-arranged time to answer last-minute questions, and to give you waterproof river bags in which to pack your clothing. If you are driving to Las Vegas, you may leave your vehicle at the hotel for the 8, 9, 14, or 16 days while you are on the river.

What should you bring

Travel light, travel happy! One of the most appealing aspects of a Grand Canyon river trip is that you need to bring very little with you to be comfortable. The climate in the canyon is mild, and just a few changes of clothes are needed.
We supply all camping equipment, waterproof river bags, and waterproof camera boxes, and these are included in the cost of your trip. You can view the detailed list of recommended items here or below. This list will also be sent to you again when your reservation is confirmed.

What To Bring | A Grand Canyon River Rafting Checklist






The following are included in the cost of your trip:

  • 01

    Round-trip transportation from Las Vegas, Nevada
  • 02

    Sleeping bag, sleeping pad, ground cloth, camping cot, camp chair and tent
  • 03

    Waterproof river bags for your sleeping bag and clothing
  • 04

    Waterproof box for camera or personal items
  • 05

    All meals while on the river, prepared with fresh meats and produce
  • 06

    A generous supply of soft drinks, and fruit juice

Suggested Clothing:

  • 01

    Waterproof rain jacket and pants *see note in trip details
  • 02

    Light weight jacket or sweatshirt (usually not needed during summer months, but unexpected cool weather does happen)
  • 03

    Sleepwear / Campwear (including underwear and bras)
  • 04

    Two or Three pairs of ankle socks (good sun protection)
  • 05

    One or two swimsuits (two-piece suits for women make going to the bathroom easier )
  • 06

    One pair of lightweight long pants

  • 07

    Three pairs of quick dry shorts
  • 08

    Three shirts (at least one with long sleeves for sun protection; hooded shirts work great)

  • 09

    Two pairs of rubber-soled shoes, multi-sport river sandals, and flipflops or lightweight walking shoes *see note in trip details
  • 10

    Skirt or dress (nice in camp – makes changing easier)

Other items to Bring:

  • 01

    32oz (or larger) water bottle (an insulated bottle is nice in hot weather as it will help to keep your water cool) *Shop our Store
  • 02

    Sarong (a piece of lightweight material that can be used as a cover-up; can be used wet to keep cool and for sun protection; is recommended for all genders) *Shop our Store
  • 03

    Towel and washcloth (thin options dry the quickest)
  • 04

    Two hats or caps with brims and ties (one is a spare) *Shop our Store
  • 05

    Carabiners (for clipping water bottles and backpacks to the boat) *Shop our Store
  • 06

    Two pairs of sunglasses with a retaining strap (one is a spare)
  • 07

    Headlamp and extra batteries (red light option recommended)
  • 08

    8 zip-loc plastic bags – gallon or quart size (for personal trash, photo supplies, etc. during the day)
  • 09

    Pocket-sized tissues or a bandana

toiletries

  • 01

    Medications

  • 02

    Body lotion (16 oz. per person.; sun, water, and heat dry skin quickly)

  • 03

    Hand cream or salve (we are required to use bleach in our handwash water which contributes to dry hands)

  • 04

    Toothbrush and toothpaste

  • 05

    Brush or comb

  • 06

    Hygiene products

  • 07

    Biodegradable shampoo, conditioner and soap

  • 08

    Wet wipes (nice for cleaning up)

  • 09

    Sunscreen (generous supply and water resistant)

  • 10

    Lip balm with sunscreen

Optional Items

  • 01

    Binoculars

  • 02

    Lightweight gloves (for sun protection and hiking over hot rocks)

  • 03

    Grand Canyon guidebook *Shop our Store

  • 04

    Twin-size cotton sheet (for sleeping on top of the sleeping bag in hot weather; a sarong also works well for this)

  • 05

    Camera, extra batteries or charging pack

  • 06

    Eletrolyte supply – suggested use, one per day per person (ex: Liquid IV, Vitalyte Vitalyte, Other)

  • 07

    Small camp or travel pillow

  • 08

    Urination device (can use it to stand up to pee instead of squatting: pStyle makes a good one.)

  • 09

    Hair ties

  • 10

    Small mirror

  • 11

    Reading materials and/or journal

  • 12

    Bandana

  • 13

    Insect repellent (occasionally needed)




additional items for Spring and Fall Trips

  • 01

    Warm jacket

  • 02

    Polypropylene Long Underwear (Two Pairs)

  • 03

    Warm hat

  • 04

    Gloves

  • 05

    Wool socks

  • 06

    Neoprene socks and gloves (nice for keeping hands and feet warm during the day)

additional items for dory Trips

  • 01

    Additional 32oz water bottle

  • 02

    Splash top/pants (work better for keeping you dry while running rapids in dories and are especially important in the spring and fall.)

Make your reservations early




An early reservation is your best assurance of getting the date you want, so we encourage you to make reservations as soon as possible. We recommend that you call our office before sending us your reservation form to confirm that the date you want is available. If it is, we'll be glad to hold your reservation for 10 days while your deposit is en route by mail.

However, cancellations do occur, so we can frequently accommodate late reservations.