self tour of grand canyon

Grand Canyon South Rim Self-Guided Driving Tour by Action Tour Guide

Grand Canyon South Rim Self-Guided Driving Tour

An audio guide, map, and tour book — all in one app!

Rich Stories

Engaging, entertaining stories narrated by an award-winning artist!

Location Aware

Automatically plays when you approach an interesting site! The tour knows where you are & where you’re going.

At Your Own Pace

No crowded tours, no set start times, and the freedom to take any breaks you want!

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Grand Canyon South Rim Self-Guided Driving Tour

• Fully Guided Personal Tours
• Professionally Narrated Stories
• Tour Valid Forever
• Works Offline
• Tour At Your Own Pace
• Location Aware, Plays Automatically
• Don’t Miss Any Sightseeing Points
• No Groups. No Tips

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Wild Canyons Self-guided tours by Grand Canyon Guru

Hand-crafted one-day south rim tour.

All of our Wild Canyons Tours are custom trips, designed by our destination experts and trip coaches. Read on to check out this sample itinerary for a 1-Day Self-Guided South Rim Tour. Grand Canyon’s South Rim is best experienced from the park’s scenic Desert View Drive (Hwy 64). Driving this 26-mile long route will give you access to some of the canyon’s most famous overlooks including the Desert View Watchtower, Grandview Point, Mather Point and Grand Canyon Village, with convenience of driving your own vehicle. There are multiple options for short hikes throughout this itinerary that will get you to even better viewpoints if you’re willing to put in a little work to get there. This itinerary is best started from Flagstaff, Sedona, Williams, or Tusayan, AZ and will take you from Desert View to Grand Canyon Village. Read the full one day itinerary below to learn more or book a custom self-guided or fully guided Grand Canyon tour.

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One-Day South Rim Tour Itinerary 

The best locations to begin this trip from are Flagstaff, Sedona Williams, Tusayan or Grand Canyon Village ( South Rim ), but you can also start from place like Phoenix or Las Vegas if you don't mind a longer day. Once you're on the road and ready to explore, you can begin this itinerary from either the South Entrance station and head toward Desert View or you can start at the East Entrance station and head toward Grand Canyon Village. If you want to do a self-guided trip you can follow the itinerary below, or book a custom private tour with a private vehicle and guide to take care or everything for and create a bespoke Grand Canyon experience.

• We’ll assume that you’re entering from the South Entrance where you will then follow signs and park at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center. A short walk will take you to the first breathtaking view of the canyon at Mather Point.
• From there, you can either choose to walk along the easy, paved Rim Trail (.7 miles) or take the park’s free Orange/Kaibab shuttle bus to the Yavapai Geology Museum. Yavapai Geology Museum includes in-depth exhibits about how Grand Canyon formed, but most people just marvel at the view through the incredible windows that look right down at the bottom of the canyon. Looks closely and you’ll be able to spot two small glimpses of the Colorado River below you.
• From the museum, hop onto the park’s free Orange/Kaibab shuttle bus and explore the other canyon overlooks including Pipe Creek Vista, South Kaibab Trailhead and Yaki Point.
• Hop back in your car and head east along Hwy 64/ Desert View Drive . Keep a close eye on the mile makers and a little past mile marker 246 you’ll see a small dirt parking lot on the left side of the road with a locked metal gate that leads down an old dirt road. This is the unmarked trailhead to Shoshone Point, one of the best views of Grand Canyon and well worth the flat and east 2-mile hike that it requires. This is great place to escape the crowds and have a relaxing few minutes to yourself and makes for a great picnic lunch on the rim.
• Once you’re done hiking, continue to drive east. Honestly, you’ll want to stop at all of the signed overlooks including Grandview Point, Moran Point, Lipan Point and Navajo Point. If you have enough time, you will also want to check out the Tusayan Ruins and Museum, where you’ll see the ancient stone ruins of the ancestral Puebloan people who inhabited Grand Canyon hundreds of years ago.
• The last stop is at the world-famous Desert View Watchtower, perhaps architect Mary Jane Colter’s best masterpiece sitting at the edge if Grand Canyon. Soaring 70 feet above the canyon rim, you can ascend the watch tower stairs and enjoy incredible paintings by famous Hopi artist Fred Kabotie throughout the different levels. Standing at the top of the watch tower, you’ll look down at a large expanse of the Colorado River below you as well as a vast view of the Painted Desert and the Navajo Indian Reservation to the east. If you can time seeing the sunset at Desert View, you’ll certainly be glad that you did!
• Both guided and self-guided tours have the option to add helicopter flights, mule rides, hikes and jeep rides to the tour.

Design your custom tour

Custom wild canyon's tour.

Have our Destination Experts design your tour, so you can have a unique and hassle-free experience. Each tour itinerary is a hand-crafted journey designed specifically for the way you like to travel. Not only will custom tours include your wish list for activities, destinations, lodging and meals, but you can also make changes on the fly during your trip based on what you and your group want to do each day.

•  Free consultation with the Guru, no credit card required
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•  Great for Families, Groups, Special Occasions, Luxury and Adventure Travel
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Custom Self-Guided Tour

Have our Trip Coaches design a custom itinerary that will be your roadmap for a self-guided adventure. Each itinerary is a bespoke travel guide designed for the type of experience you want to have and includes options for activities, destinations, lodging and meals. With a Trip Coach you’ll get insider tips and local knowledge, save time and money, avoid common pitfalls, and plan a better trip.

•  Private 30-minute trip review session with your Trip Coach
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•  Great for DIY, FIT, Solo, Independent and Budget Travelers

Design a self-guided tour

Add-On Tours and Lodging Options

Grand Canyon Discovery Air Tour

Duration: 40 minutes Rating: 4.6 out of 5 from $159 on Papillon

Grand Canyon IMAX Movie Tickets

Duration: 34 minutes Rating: 3.75 out of 5 from $14 on Viator

Grand Canyon Signature Hummer Tour

Duration: 2 hours Rating: 5 out of 5 from $108 on Scenic Airlines

Grand Canyon South Rim Lodging

Location: Grand Canyon Village Rating: 4.5 out of 5 from $80 a night

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Have our Destination Experts design a hand-crafted private tour for a fully guided Grand Canyon experience.

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Grand Canyon South Rim with Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour

• Downloadable multimedia audio tour on the WeGoTrip app (in English)
• Live GPS map on your smartphone, route from stop to stop
• Offline functionality, audio narration and written text explanations
• Advice on trasportation options depending on a season
• A tip on the location to watch the sunset
• Personal guide — you will get the tour on the mobile app
• Earphones not included — bring your own
• Entrance (vehicle permit) to Grand Canyon National Park — 35 USD
• Entry/Admission - Grand Canyon South Rim
• Grand Canyon Visitor Center, S Entrance Rd, Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023, USA The tour will start near the Grand Canyon Visitor Center.
• Hermit's Rest, Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023, USA The tour will finish near the Hermit's Rest.
• Not wheelchair accessible
• Near public transportation
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Note: a part of the Hermit Road after Kolb Studio is closed to vehicles except for the free shuttle buses from March to the end of November.
• The mobile app is available on the App Store and Google Play and works offline
• Most travelers can participate
• Offline Mode: Download tours in advance to listen without WiFi
• Location-Aware: GPS map allows you to enjoy the tour without getting lost
• After payment, you will receive an SMS and an email with detailed instructions. Download the app from the App Store or Google Play. All you need is a mobile phone. Internet access is not required
• This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
• You'll start at Grand Canyon Visitor Center S Entrance Rd, Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023, USA The tour will start near the Grand Canyon Visitor Center. See address & details
• Pass by Grand Canyon Visitor Center South Rim
• 1 Grand Canyon South Rim Stop: 10 minutes - Admission excluded See details
• 2 El Tovar Hotel Stop: 20 minutes See details
• 3 Hopi House Stop: 20 minutes See details
• 4 Kolb Studio Stop: 20 minutes See details
• 5 Bright Angel Lodge Stop: 20 minutes See details
• 6 Powell Point Stop: 20 minutes See details
• 7 Hopi Point Stop: 20 minutes See details
• 8 Hermit's Rest Stop: 20 minutes See details
• 9 Maricopa Point Stop: 20 minutes See details
• You'll end at Hermit's Rest Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023, USA The tour will finish near the Hermit's Rest. See address & details

• James M 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles The extra time was worth it Excellent tour with a friendly, knowledgeable guide. We really enjoyed this tour and getting to know some of the Navajo culture and traditions that our guide Joe described so well. We were taken to some lesser visited spots open only to guides and these were worthwhile. Joe recommended the best spots for photos which was really helpful. I'd thoroughly recommend this tour. Read more Written May 30, 2022

More to explore in Grand Canyon National Park

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Grand Canyon South Rim with Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour provided by WeGoTrip Phoenix | In-App Audio Tours

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Can You Do a Self-Guided Tour of the Grand Canyon?

Yes! Action Tour Guide offers a self-guided Grand Canyon tour that you can affordably and easily download straight to your phone.

Modern, self-guided tours are actually one of the best ways to experience this park. The Grand Canyon is notoriously crowded, so taking a traditional tour where you’re traveling with a bunch of other people will only make it harder to get good views of the canyon. Plus, you’d likely have to travel in a bus, which means that you’d have to follow the tour’s schedule in order to make sure you’re not left behind. You want to make sure that you can spend your time soaking in the views at your own pace in a place as stunning as the Grand Canyon! Action Tour Guide’s Grand Canyon Tour allows you to spend as much or as little time as you choose at each stop. The tour uses GPS to start narrating what you see in real time. So once the audio for the stop you’re at finishes playing, the next stop’s narration won’t start until you reach the next point on the map. And if you’re in a rush, you can easily skip stops that you’re less interested in.

Grand Canyon Tour

Taking a Grand Canyon tour like this one means that you experience the park in a unique way. Many people who visit the Grand Canyon only look at the views and take pictures. But with a tour, you get the opportunity to learn about this amazing natural wonder when it’s right in front of your eyes. In addition, you’ll hear about the Grand Canyon’s vibrant history from the time before the park existed to today.

Essential Travel Website:

• Where is the Grand Canyon?
• What is the best month to visit the Grand Canyon?
• Can You go to Grand Canyon without a tour?
• Planning your visit to the Grand Canyon – South Rim?
• How to tour the Grand Canyon by Car?

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Grand Canyon South Rim Self-Guided Driving Tour

• Fully Guided Personal Tours
• Professionally Narrated Stories
• Tour Valid Forever
• Works Offline
• Tour At Your Own Pace
• Location Aware, Plays Automatically
• Don’t Miss Any Sightseeing Points
• No Groups. No Tips

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Sedona Grand Canyon Itinerary

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Don't leave Sedona without making a trip to the nearby Grand Canyon.

Sedona-grand canyon experience.

See a wonder of the world. Stay in a world of wonder.

It’s hard to imagine traveling to the Southwest and not visiting Grand Canyon or Sedona. So why not do both? We believe when you have one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World in your backyard, take advantage of it. By making Sedona your base camp for a Grand Canyon expedition, you’ll enjoy a much wider array of creature comforts. In Sedona you’ll find more places to stay and eat, not to mention spas, shops, galleries and more.

Visiting Grand Canyon National Park

At Grand Canyon National Park designated overlooks provide visitors with awe-inspiring views. Walk along the rim in Grand Canyon Village. Snap a photo of mule riders moseying towards the river and peer into the abyss to hear what secrets are echoed there.

Then it’s time to come back home to Sedona, where all the incredible sights are just outside your door. Blessed with a beauty that’s epic yet intimate, grandiose yet personal, people seem to make a very special connection to Sedona. No overlooks or mule rides are required.

Sedona is so close to the Grand Canyon. Here’s a two day itinerary with suggestions for things to do as you are stopping in Sedona, Arizona during your Grand Canyon vacation. We’ve included a handy map and driving directions to help you on your way.

Day 1: 

• Go on A Trolley Ride
• Visit the Sedona Heritage Museum
• Walk through Red Rock State Park or cool down in the water at Slide Rock State Park
• Visit Art Galleries and Shops. Here are a few of the top shopping destinations in Sedona:
• Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village
• Hillside Sedona
• Shops at Hyatt Pinon Pointe
• More  shops and galleries  in Uptown, West Sedona, Village of Oak Creek

Day 2: A Day Trip to the Grand Canyon

Experience a self driving tour through Oak Creek Canyon ~ Flagstaff ~ Grand Canyon National Park. This scenic drive is stunning, with many points of interest along the way.

• Participate in a guided van tour to the Grand Canyon National Park.
• Go on a train ride between Williams and the Grand Canyon National Park.
• Have lunch at the Grand Canyon National Park. There are so many stunning visits and places to enjoy your meal.
• Get your heart pumping with some  hiking  in the dramatic Red Rock Country.
• Visit Red Rock Crossing.
• Take a Tour  in Sedona to view ancient cliff dwellings and petroglyphs or visit some of the famous rock formations and vortices. Here are a few of the top tour options:
• Horseback Riding Tour
• Jeep Tour, ATV Tour, Hummer Tour
• Vortex Tour

Other Options:

• Go on an early morning hot air balloon tour.
• Enjoy Native American culture.
• Pamper your body and soul at a spa.
• Visit Camp Verde’s Casino for some gaming action.

Fun and Exciting Things to Do in Grand Canyon National Park

T ake the time to take in the beautiful and breathtaking views of the Grand Canyon. Raft the Colorado, take an air tour, and enjoy the sights.

The Grand Canyon National Park stretches about 300 miles across the northwest part of Arizona. The Colorado River is at the bottom of the canyon. It is not just a big hole in the ground to go see for a few minutes. There are lots of things to do in and around the entire area of the canyon.

Although many people flock to the Grand Canyon in Northern Arizona to behold its views, there are many other activities to do in the park. The south rim of the canyon is the largest point of interest among tourists, although there are viewpoints from the north rim.

People who visit may hike, fish, watch wildlife, and raft or boat the Colorado River in the park, as the area offers much more than breathtaking scenery. The Grand Canyon is the second deepest Canyon in North America (after Mexico’s Copper Canyon) and the fourth deepest in the Western hemisphere, as Colca Canyon and Cotahuasi Canyon, both in Peru, are over twice as deep. The Grand Canyon, however, is certainly one of the most spectacular natural wonders on the planet.

You can attend ranger programs, nature walks, geology talks, kids’ programs, archeological tours, history tours, and more. There are hiking trails or you can go into the canyon by mule. To go on a mule trip you will have to reserve your spot far in advance. These sure-footed mules will take you right along the edges of the trails and to areas of great beauty. You can take short trips or long trips depending on how much adventure you wish to experience. There are even air tours to see the canyon from a bird’s eye view.

Getting to Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon National Park is located in Northern Arizona. The north rim of the canyon is accessible from places to the north, such as Las Vegas, although the more popular south rim is about an hour (by car) north of Flagstaff.

Getting to the Flagstaff airport is probably best for out-of-towners, as shuttles, and rental cars make the south rim a short trip from town. Once at either rim, the physically fit may travel from one rim to the other, via the Bright Angel and North Kaibab Trails. When visiting the upper Grand Canyon, Lee’s Ferry is the place to go, and many float trips begin there. Lee’s Ferry is about two hours from Flagstaff.

Grand Canyon National Park is more than just a sight to see. There are of plenty activities to do in the park, in addition to observing the scenery.

Historic Structures

The south side of the Grand Canyon is home to a number of historic structures. It’s on the South Rim where you can take a peek at the historic El Tovar hotel, the Hope house (which has been featuring Native arts and handiwork for over 100 years), the 1906 Verkamp Visitor Center, and the 1905 Victorian Kolb Studio.

For people willing to travel further afield, there are also some historic structures found at Desert View, some 25 miles east of the Grand Canyon village. Along with a 70-foot watchtower observation center with splendid views of both the Grand Canyon and the Painted Desert, visitors can walk through the Tusayan museum and the Tusayan ruins.

And talk about museums! Almost everywhere we went during our stay at the Grand Canyon had a mini museum or a set of interpretive panels to explore. The main Visitor’s Center has outdoor and indoor exhibits to help plan your trip, plus a 20-minute movie and an assortment of exhibit cubes. One mile east of the market center is the Yavapai Geology Museum has panoramic views of the Grand Canyon and tells the geologic story of the area. The Tusayan Museum at Desert View provides a glimpse into Pueblo Indian life at Grand Canyon some 800 years ago.

Ranger-Led Tours

If this is your first time to the Grand Canyon, you might enjoy one of many ranger tours that the Grand Canyon has to offer. Most ranger-led tours originate from either the Yavapai Geology Museum or the Verkamp Visitor Centers. There are also a handful of audio tours available for visitors and an assortment of self-guided tours for those who prefer to set their own schedule.

Hiking in Grand Canyon National Park

When visiting Grand Canyon National Park , hiking is a worthwhile activity. There are many public trails that may be explored, including the Bright Angel Trail (named for bright angel shale, one of the many rock types present in the canyon’s walls), which leads from the south rim to the river, and the other major trail, the North Kaibab, connects the north rim to the Colorado River. At the bottom of these trails, along the Colorado River, lies Phantom Ranch, a hotel for hikers, although reservations must be made to spend the night there.

There is also the Bright Angel campground, which may service hikers not wishing to go down and up on the same day. Hiking from the rim to river, or river to rim (either way) will probably take the average hiker about five or six hours (one way), so doing so is certainly a physically demanding feat. Hikers closer to the bottom of the trail (closer to the river), will be away from drones of people and may see spectacular wildlife.

Wildlife Watching in the Grand Canyon

Anyone into nature will certainly have a ball when visiting Grand Canyon National Park. Even from the rim, people are likely to spot California condors cruising the thermals of the upper canyon.

Ravens, jays, vultures, hawks, warblers, and occasionally, golden eagles may also be seen from the rim. Desert bighorn sheep inhabit the park and may be seen from the river to the rim, along with many other interesting creatures. There are also many species of plants in the Grand Canyon, including several types of cacti. Wildlife in Grand Canyon National Park is everywhere, and people visiting the area are sure to spot many types of plants and animals.

Grand Canyon National Park really does offer more than just spectacular views. The natural beauty is overwhelming, but the wildlife and desert atmosphere add to the feel of the canyon. Although there is lodging along the south rim at Grand Canyon Village, a rafting or float trip on the Colorado is certainly the best way to get up close and personal with the canyon, and the plants and wildlife that it holds.

The trail from the Visitors Center to Yavapai Observation Station will give you fantastic views. When you get to the Observation Station you can see exhibits on geology that will explain how the canyon was formed. From here you can get a view of the Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the canyon. Take a shuttle trip to Hermit Road. Desert View Drive and Grandview Point is the best place to view the canyon. Yaki Point is the favorite place to view sunset and sunrise.

There are towns all around the canyon. The little town of Marble Canyon has the historic Lees Ferry. This is considered to be mile zero of the river and is where most rafts are put in. A rafting trip down the Colorado River can last from three days to two weeks.

The east end of the canyon has the Tusayan Ruins and museum. Ancestral pueblo people lived in this area around 1200 AD. The word Tusayan in the Hopi Native American language means country of isolated buttes. That is a good name for that area.

At the town of Desert View, on the east side of the canyon, is the Watchtower. It is a seventy-foot tall tower and from here you can view the 3,000-foot high cliffs that the canyon is known for. Desert View was originally a trading post but is now a museum and information center.

So, when you travel to Arizona be sure and see the Grand Canyon. Plan to spend some time there and appreciate one of the wonders of the world. Take the time to see the vermillion cliffs, learn the history and archeology of the area, and just do something like have a picnic at one of the most beautiful sites in the world. The IMAX Theater at Tusayan can take you on canyon trips visually. See the canyon as the eagles do. Be there early to see the most colorful sunrise and you will think you are standing on the edge of the world. The views will be breathtaking and again you will appreciate each new day when you awaken.

For visitors who are seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time, this isn’t the type of park where you can drive up to the rim for a peek and then go on your merry way. With all the interesting points of interest, rim trails, historic landmarks, and amazing views that the Grand Canyon National Park has to offer, it’s too easy to overlook popular spots without some help.

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