Arizona Fly Drive Destination
Grand Canyon

Area navigation				Map of location The map to the right is interactive. Hold your mouse pointer over the highlighted places and they will be identified. Some of the places shown have a web page and can be accessed by clicking on them.

I would advise at least a one night stop on the south rim if you wish to see much of what there is to see. We stayed at Bright Angel Lodge which is adjacent to the much plusher El Tovar. Both properties are in the national park and fill up quickly. You will need to book with plenty of notice to get rooms.

The best time to view the canyon is dawn or dusk when the light penetrates at a shallow angle and the colours are exaggerated. At midday, the colours tend to be bleached by the intense sun.

This picture is at dusk when the light shines in from the west.






This is almost the same view the next morning. Look at the horizon and you can pick out the same shapes. The sun rises in the east over the Grand Canyon. You really should get up early one morning and see the sun rise and start to pick out the features in the canyon.

This picture shows the first sunbeams of the day to shine into the canyon.








If you like to see natural features you will be bowled over by this. This is the view about 30 minutes after dawn. You can see much of the canyon and the colours at at their most intense.












Just south of the park you can get a helicopter flight over the canyon. If your budget goes this far - go for it.

This view is from the helicopter and you can see into the central canyon and actually see the colorado river which is seen only in glimpses from the rim.

While you are at the helicopter pad, go to the IMAX cinema opposite. This experience complements seeing the canyon from the rim or the helicopters as many scenes were shot from a microlight just above the river.