Havasu Falls Explorer
Guided Backpacking Trips
4 Days, 3 Nights 27 MI / 43 KM
Trip Highlights
Our Havasu Falls Explorer backpacking trip into the famous Havasupai waterfalls and the canyon village of Supai is an adventurous, extended option for enjoying the Grand Canyon’s most spectacular waterfalls. We set off from Flagstaff, Arizona and head to the trailhead where we begin our hike into Havasupai. Our hike takes us across broad desert valleys and through serene, winding canyons to Havasu Creek. We follow the creek through the village of Supai and down to the campground, where we enjoy a comfortable basecamp. From camp we spend two days hiking, exploring, sight-seeing, and swimming up and down the canyon, visiting a total of 5 amazing waterfalls that are connected by one of the world’s most beautiful desert creeks.
The rate includes a professional Grand Canyon hiking guide, reservations, local transportation, nearly all your gear, and all your meals. Commercial tours are charged separate tribal fees by the Havasupai Tribe, which are detailed on this page in the pricing section, and are passed through directly to the tribe.
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Turquoise Water & Plunging Falls
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2 Full Days at the Falls
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All-inclusive Tour
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Amazing Natural & Cultural History
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Swimming in Idyllic Pools
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Descend Below Mooney Falls
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Fantastic Cuisine, Gear & Guides
Book This Trip
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Trip Details
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Trip Type
Guided Backpacking Trips -
Trip Length
4 Days, 3 Nights -
Daily Hiking Distance
7-10 mi -
Group Size
6-12 Guests
- day by day itinerary
- logistical and travel information
- gear and clothing lists and more
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Is This Trip Right For me?
By Grand Canyon standards the hike to the Havasupai Waterfalls is a moderate trip. Elevation change from the trailhead to the campground is 2400 feet but spread out over 10 miles, making it a gradual descent/ascent. There is an optional day hike to Beaver Falls that requires an extremely exposed, vertical down climb on bolts and ladders secured to a cliff. If you have a fear of heights, you may choose to stay in camp on this day.
Difficulty Level
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Solitude Level
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Trip Itinerary
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.
Day 1
Shuttle to Hualapai Hilltop: 3.5-hour drive from Flagstaff
Hiking Mileage: 10 miles
Elevation Loss: 2,400 feet
This Havasu Falls backpacking tour begins at Hualapai Hilltop. We’ll do a pack fitting/adjustment before beginning our hike downhill through a relatively steep series of switchbacks before leveling off in a beautiful red sandstone canyon. After 6 miles of hiking this canyon intersects with Cataract Canyon and Havasu Creek, whose enchanting turquoise waters are some of the most inviting in the world. We follow this creek for 2 miles to the village of Supai before continuing on another 2 miles to the campground. En route to the campground we pass three of the five major waterfalls, Rock Falls, Fifty Foot Falls, and Havasu Falls.
We’ll set up camp and save the rest of the day for photographing and enjoying Havasu Falls, or walking down to the top of Mooney Falls. Your guide will prepare a fantastic dinner before we turn in a for a great night’s sleep.
Day 2
Hiking Mileage: 7 miles (optional day hiking)
Elevation Change: 500 feet
Leaving camp set up, we’ll spend day 2 exploring the stunning waterfalls that make Havasu a world-renown Grand Canyon destination. We’ll hike downstream to Mooney Falls which is perhaps the most magnificent of all of them at 200 feet tall. We’ll then continue hiking downstream another 2.5 miles to Beaver Falls, where the canyon becomes increasingly dramatic with small waterfalls cascading under ash and cottonwood trees. Big horn sheep are often an added bonus, as this area provides them with rare, valuable grazing habitat. Beaver Falls makes for a fantastic lunch spot before we hike back to camp and another wonderful dinner.
Day 3
Hiking Mileage: 5+ miles (optional day hiking)
Elevation Change: 300 feet
After sleeping in and enjoying a hearty breakfast we’ll have the rest of the day to hike and explore Rock Falls and Fifty Foot Falls, which are less-visited but equally as stunning as Havasu and Mooney Falls, and make for unforgettable swimming and photography. We’ll be back in camp mid afternoon to relax and prepare for the next day’s hike out.
Day 4
Hiking Mileage: 10 miles
Elevation Gain: 2,400 feet
Shuttle to Flagstaff: 3.5-hour drive from Hualapai Hilltop
In the warmer months (May through September) we’ll get a very early start, which can be as early as 4 or 5 AM. We’ll hike back through the Supai Village, Cataract Canyon and up to Hualapai Hilltop, where we’ll enjoy lunch and cold drinks. Our drive back to Flagstaff is a time for reflection and will likely pass in a stream of memories as you relax and enjoy the natural scenery of Northern Arizona before arriving at our starting point in Flagstaff.
Trip Dates
Click on a date to register. You can also click here to request new dates or book through customer service.
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What's Included
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Top-of-the-line backpack, tent, sleeping pad, and sleeping bag
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Use of trekking poles
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All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
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Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See Guide Bios.
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Havasupai camping reservations
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Roundtrip transportation from Flagstaff to the trailhead and back
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Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device
What's Not Included
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Havasupai tribal fees (mandatory per-person entrance, environmental, and camping fees) are added separately and collected at time of registration (more info above) -
Clothes, raingear, and footwear
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Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
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A lightweight stuff sack for your belongings
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Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
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Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Accommodations
Backcountry Sleeping
Tent Camping
Sleeping on backpacking trips is in premier 1-person, 2-person or 4-person backcountry tents. Solo travelers, and anyone else who requests it, are issued single tents. Top-of-the-line self-inflating sleeping pads and sleeping bags (professionally laundered after every trip) are also provided.
Backcountry Cuisine
Fresh & Delicious
Meals from breakfast Day 1 through lunch the last day are fully included and prepared by your guide. We never use dehydrated backpacking meals, instead serving freshly prepared, delicious backcountry cuisine made with a variety of common and specialty ingredients that travel well in the wilderness.
Amazing Campsites
In the Action
Campsites vary by destination, trip and even by the individual day of a trip. However, you can expect to camp in beautiful areas that put you right in the action to make the most of your trekking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.
Trip Logistics & FAQs
Where Do We Meet?
Unless we tell you otherwise, you will meet your guide and group at the Little America Hotel in Flagstaff (use this reservation page for a 10-60% discount at Little America) for an orientation meeting at 5:00 PM the evening before the trip begins. We’re happy to give you a ride to this meeting if you’re not staying at Little America, but staying at one of our other recommended hotels. Your guide will then pick you up at your hotel the next morning for transport to the trailhead. For Private Grand Canyon Tours your guide will meet you at your hotel in Flagstaff at an agreed upon time.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Travel to Flagstaff
WHY WE BASE IN FLAGSTAFF VS. PHOENIX VS. PHOENIX
- Reduced drive time by 3 hours on first day of hiking
- Guide support is only an hour away vs. 4-5 hours away in Phoenix.
- Increased flexibility with unforeseen circumstances
- Flagstaff is a scenic mountain town with great hiking and restaurants!
Groome Shuttle
Groome Transportation operates an Arizona Shuttle that makes 9 dependable trips daily each direction between Phoenix and Flagstaff. The duration is 2.5-3 hours. They pickup/drop off at Sky Harbor Airport and the Metro Center in Phoenix, and in Flagstaff at the Amtrak Station (near downtown) and the NAU campus.
Note: Groome also offers daily transportation (3 trips in each direction) from Flagstaff to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Car Rental
Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix has a fantastic car rental facility that is easily accessible and hosts a great variety of companies. We recommend checking Priceline.com as well for especially good deals.
Arizona Executive Transport
Arizona Executive Transport offers private, reliable SUV service between Phoenix and Flagstaff. This option is best if you’re traveling in a group of 3 or 4. As Wildland Trekking guests, your one-way cost for up to 4 passengers is only $275. Simply type “Wildland Trekking Company” in the Discount Code Box at the bottom of the online registration page. You can go to http://www.arizonaexecutivellc.com to make your reservations online.
Start/End Times
Your guide will inform you of the first day’s pick-up time at the orientation meeting. Generally, you can expect it to be between 4 and 7 am, although the exact time will depend on current weather and road conditions. We will drop you off at your hotel on the final day normally before 5 PM (this time is not guaranteed, as a variety of circumstances can influence our exact return time).
Safety Precautions
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.
If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Age Restrictions
Age restrictions on this trip are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 5 and older to join private tours, with final approval and specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis
Reviews
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Brittany D.
7 years agobeyond phenomenal
Our trip to Havasu was beyond phenomenal. Wildland Trekking did a wonderful job to prepare us and our guides were even more incredible. We had a great time exploring and our guides were very friendly and outgoing. The comrodary in our group was great. To top it all off we ate very well down there! I would highly recommend this trip to anyone!
Gabby A.
7 years agoAwesome Guide!
Kevin was awesome! I would not have been able to experience Havasu to its full extent without him. He knew SO much about the area (and everything in general) that I did not have a dull moment the entire trip. I will definitely be doing another trip through Wildland, and hopefully with Kevin as our guide.
Paula I.
7 years agoReady to Book Again with Wildland Trekking
Paula and Rosie were both amazing guides. Extremely knowledgable about the Havasu tribe and the land we hiked through. They surpassed all of my expectations. The meals they planned were far beyond the typical backpacking meals I was expecting. Both were encouraging during our hikes in and out. Would highly recommend them to anyone wanting to book a hiking trip through Wildland Trekking.
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