South Kaibab Trail Private Tour
South Rim Village, AZ
5.0 (163 reviews)Trip Highlights
- BIG Grand Canyon Views
- Historic Hiking Trail
- Mesmerizing Ridge Hiking
- Top-shelf Backpack & Trekking Poles
- Mind-blowing Geologic History
- Tasty Trail Snacks & Picnic Lunch
Description
This tour is our most popular! It features stunning views at every step as it follows an exposed ridge into the depths of the Grand Canyon. One of the most photographed trails in the country, it’s the trail to hike if you’re not going to see anything else.
This tour meets at Grand Canyon National Park. If you’d prefer transportation from Flagstaff to the Canyon and back, check out our Grand Canyon Discovery Tour.
There are two main turn-around options on the South Kaibab Trail. The first is Cedar Ridge, which is a broad saddle with stunning views, bathrooms and a bit of shade. Turning around at Cedar Ridge make the hike 3 miles round trip. The other option is Skeleton Point, which offers a breathtaking lunch spot and an incredible vantage point from which to view the Colorado River and Phantom Ranch. Either way, this trail offers mind-blowing views and exciting hiking, much of which is in the first half of the hike.
(Important: We run hikes in almost all weather conditions and very rarely cancel. See our terms and conditions for information on cancellations and refunds.)
$190-$550 Per Person
Season: Year Round
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 2
Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult
This hike is on a well maintained, well traveled trail. Logs across the trail make for high steps up and down, which adds to the difficulty. We are hiking near cliff edges, but are able to stay several feet away most of the time.
Hiking Distances:
Up to 6 mi
Backpack Weight:
10-15 pounds
Terrain:
Lightly Rugged
Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:
Up to 2000 ft
Heights Exposure:
Moderate
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THIS TRIP
- Hiking uphill and downhill with a 10-15 pound backpack for 5-7 hours
- Maintaining balance and footing on variable, uneven terrain
- Hiking in 95+ degree fahrenheit temperatures (May-Sept)
- Hiking with moderate heights exposure
SOLITUDE LEVEL 1
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Grand Canyon hike a solitude 1 because it follows one of the most popular trails in the Canyon. You can expect to be around other hikers most of the time.
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Rates
- 1 person: $550
- 2 people: $290 per person
- 3 people: $260 per person
- 4-5 people: $215 per person
- 6-9 people: $190 per person
- 10 and younger: $135 per person
Private day hike tours are only open to your party.
*Prices do not include gratuity for your guide
TRIP DATES & BOOKING
AVAILABLE TO BOOK
This trip is available and bookable online! Click on the date to register now or contact us online to book through our award-winning customer service team!
GOING FAST
This trip has 1 or 2 spots remaining and is bookable online! Click on the date to book now or contact us online to book through customer service.
REQUEST A RESERVATION
This trip is exclusively booked through customer service due to logistics with lodging, permits, staffing, availability, or something else. Please contact us online or call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to request a reservation.
Tour dates reflect general availability. You will select your desired hike during the registration process. The season for this hike is Year Round.
Don't see your dates? Call us! We may be able to add new trip dates.
800-715-HIKE (4453)Trip Details
What's Included
- 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.
- A commitment to make the tour as exciting, challenging, informative, and full as you’d like, and as is possible in a day
- Trail snacks and a picnic lunch
- Use of a top of the line, technical day pack
- Use of trekking poles
- Use of crampons in the winter
- Mandatory 5% national park fee that passes through directly to Grand Canyon
What's Not Included
- Clothing and personal items
- Water (3 liters capacity)
- Transportation to the trailhead
- Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Food: What To Expect
Day hike tours include energizing trail snacks and a delicious picnic lunch. Your guide will customize the food for your hike, but a typical lunch consists of gourmet sandwiches or wraps, fruit, veggies, chips, drinks and a dessert. On wintery or cold days you may be treated to soup or a hot, freshly cooked lunch (if you’d prefer a hot meal, please let us know!)
We regularly accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and will make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee.
Trip Logistics
Where Do We Meet?
You will rendezvous with your guide outside The Grand Canyon Association Park Store at the Visitor Center at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Start Times
- October 1 to March 31: 8am
- April and September: 7am
- May and August: 6am
- June and July: 5am
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:
- 5 and older to join private tours, with final approval on a case by case basis
Weather in the Grand Canyon
The weather in the Grand Canyon varies tremendously from the rim to the canyon floor, with as much as a 30 degree Fahrenheit difference. For this reason, the Canyon is truly a year-round hiking destination. To be fully prepared, please follow the recommended clothing list closely (this list comes as part of your trip packet when you register). Read below for average high and low temperatures at the South Rim and the Canyon bottom:
Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit)
| Month | South Rim | Canyon Bottom | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hi | low | hi | low | |
| Dec-Feb | 41° | 18° | 60° | 38° |
| March | 51° | 25° | 71° | 48° |
| April | 60° | 32° | 82° | 56° |
| May | 70° | 39° | 92° | 63° |
| Jun-Aug | 82° | 53° | 108° | 75° |
| September | 76° | 47° | 97° | 69° |
| October | 65° | 36° | 84° | 58° |
| November | 52° | 27° | 68° | 46° |
Trip Reviews
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Samantha D
I’d highly recommend working with this company and guide again!
We had a phenomenal experience working with Wildland Trekking. Prior to the trip, packing lists and instructions were clearly communicated, enabling us to properly prepare. The team was also accommodating our of request to meet at 8am vs. the initially scheduled 6am time, due to our travel needs. Day of, Kenny provided clear instructions on where to meet and was at the meetup spot before we arrived. He had snacks and packs available if needed (we had our own packs) prior to starting the hike. For the hike, he guided us to Skeleton Point and back. During the hike, he was very friendly and enjoyable to hike with, talking with us the whole time. He was encouraging and supportive when we needed breaks, and provided lots of great educational info about the trail and canyon. The lunch he provided was incredible. He followed our preferences exactly and it was just what we wanted - healthy and delicious. I’d highly recommend working with this company and guide again!
Nancy K
Awesome Hike
Michael was a great guide, knowledgeable and friendly and great w our kids! You can tell he really loves what he does and his enthusiasm made the whole experience even better. Would definitely recommend Wildland Trekking And especially Michael!
Meggan M
Excellent Experience
We had an excellent experience hiking the South Kaibab trail at the Grand Canyon with Nick. He was knowledgeable about the canyon and shared numerous details about the formation and history. He was also deliberate in ensuring we had adequate breaks and opportunities to rest, as well as preparing an excellent lunch. We would recommend Wildland Trekking and Nick to anyone seeking a memorable Grand Canyon Hike.
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