How Far Is The Grand Canyon From Phoenix?
To get to the Grand Canyon from Phoenix, drive time is roughly three and a half hours to cover the scenic 222.6 miles of the journey. If you have just one day to spare, you can venture out on any of several Grand Canyon day trips from Phoenix. You drive in comfort aboard a modern tour bus with a friendly and knowledgeable tour guide. Your guide ensures that you are never bored, filling you in on interesting facts and folklore about the locations along the way.
On Phoenix day trips to the Grand Canyon you pass through the Sonoran Desert – the hottest desert in North America. You can catch a glimpse of the distinctive Saguaro cactus and then the world famous mystical Red Rocks of Sedona are up next. Especially if you are on a multi-day tour, you will get the chance to explore Sedona and snap pictures of the beautiful land formations that take on magical hues in the sunlight.
The Painted Desert is the next attraction and it does not disappoint at all! Just as the name suggests, the landscape treats you to a magnificent rainbow of colors. Radiant red, pink, lavender and orange are just a few of the colors you will be dazzled by as you move closer to the Grand Canyon.
As you approach the South Rim of the Canyon your first taste of its grandeur is at Mather Point. You can stand at railed platform and look out over several of the canyon’s most famous landmarks including Garden Creek and O’Neill Butte. Another lookout point at the South Rim is Yaki Point – close by the Grand Canyon Visitor’s Center. From here you can see several of the trails you can take to explore the canyon’s wonders.
Multi-day Grand Canyon Tours From Phoenix
The best way to take in all the Grand Canyon has to offer is to book a Grand Canyon tour package. These packages bundle cost for travel, hotel stay, meal and at times may also cover admission to different attractions. Staying overnight at a hotel in the Grand Canyon National Park means you get to see it at the two best times of the day – sunrise and sunset. Indescribable color patterns play across the sky and landscape. It makes picture-taking a pleasurable task, indeed!
On multi-day tours from Phoenix you can:
visit the Navajo Indian Reservation and stop to shop for authentic Native American art and jewelry at Cameron Trading Post
take jeep tours from Sedona or leisurely move around its many boutiques and galleries
explore the Grand Canyon completely, including the East Rim’s Marble Canyon which gets its name from the intense colors of the limestone rocks
take a tour of Antelope Canyon (also at the East Rim) where the rocks seem to flow like water
At the end of your Grand Canyon tour, as you make your way back to Phoenix, you will feel a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. The images will remain with you for a long time to come and a return trip to refresh them in your mind becomes a distinct possibility!