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Grand Canyon Backcountry Backpacking: Hermit Trail to Bright Angel
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Sleeping bag rental

You have to bring a sleeping bag as 3 nights will be spent camping. You can rent it now at an additional cost, price is per person.

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Redpoint travel protection
Weather shifts, flights cancel. Core and Premium include Redpoint travel protection to cover you when they do. Standard follows 57hours' booking policy. See full coverage
Every booking, whichever you pick
Cancel within 48h of booking 100% refund
Cancel 90+ days before departure (Any or no reason) 70% refund
Full coverage details
Basic Standard terms Most popular Core protection Recommended Premium protection
Cancel within 48h of booking
100% refund 100% refund 100% refund
Cancel 90+ days before departure (Any or no reason)
70% refund 70% refund 75% refund
Cancel any time (Covered reason)
75% refund 100% refund
Cancel any time (Any or no reason)
75% refund
Cancel under 90 days (Any or no reason)
75% refund
Travel: canceled flights, lost baggage, delays
Up to $1,000 p.p. Up to $1,000 p.p.
Rescue, evacuation, and medical coverage
Up to $100,000 p.p. Up to $100,000 p.p.
Basic Standard terms
Cancel within 48h of booking
100% refund
Cancel 90+ days before departure (Any or no reason)
70% refund
Cancel any time (Covered reason)
Cancel any time (Any or no reason)
Cancel under 90 days (Any or no reason)
Travel: canceled flights, lost baggage, delays
Rescue, evacuation, and medical coverage
Most popular Core protection
Cancel within 48h of booking
100% refund
Cancel 90+ days before departure (Any or no reason)
70% refund
Cancel any time (Covered reason)
75% refund
Cancel any time (Any or no reason)
Cancel under 90 days (Any or no reason)
Travel: canceled flights, lost baggage, delays
Up to $1,000 p.p.
Rescue, evacuation, and medical coverage
Up to $100,000 p.p.
Recommended Premium protection
Cancel within 48h of booking
100% refund
Cancel 90+ days before departure (Any or no reason)
75% refund
Cancel any time (Covered reason)
100% refund
Cancel any time (Any or no reason)
75% refund
Cancel under 90 days (Any or no reason)
75% refund
Travel: canceled flights, lost baggage, delays
Up to $1,000 p.p.
Rescue, evacuation, and medical coverage
Up to $100,000 p.p.
Cancellation policy

The percentages in the table above are of the full trip price, not of what you’ve paid at the time of booking.

Cancellations made within 48 hours of booking receive a full refund on all plans, including booking fees and insurance. After the 48-hour window, your refund depends on your selected protection plan and when you cancel. Core and Premium plans extend your cancellation rights beyond the Standard policy:

  • With Core, a covered reason gets you 75% of your trip cost back — even the day before you go.
  • With Premium, a covered reason gets you 100% of your trip cost back — and any other reason gets you 75%, right up to the day you leave.
What counts as a covered reason
  • Sudden illness or injury — yours, a travel companion’s, or an immediate family member’s, confirmed by a doctor
  • Death of a traveler or an immediate family member
  • A natural disaster affecting your destination or your departure point
  • A government travel advisory against travel to your destination

Changing your mind isn’t a covered reason. Premium is the only plan that covers that. Documentation is required for all insurance claims.

Everything the travel insurance covers

Both plans include travel insurance through Redpoint Travel Protection. Core insures 75% of your trip cost; Premium insures 100%.

Maximum per person:

  • Trip cancellation — up to 100% of your trip cost
  • Cancel for any reason — up to 75% of your trip cost (Premium only)
  • Trip interruption — 150% of the trip cost limit
  • Trip delay — $200 a day, $1,000 max
  • Itinerary change — $250
  • Single occupancy supplement — up to 100% of trip cost
  • Missed connection — $1,000
  • Travel inconvenience — $250 each, $750 max
  • Pet return — $1,000 per pet
  • Baggage and personal effects — $2,500, max $300 an item
  • Baggage delay — $600, after 12 hours
  • Baggage delivery — $100 per trip
  • Emergency medical expenses — $100,000
  • Medical evacuation and repatriation — up to $1,000,000

These are maximums. What a claim actually pays depends on what you can document and on the policy’s exclusions — pre-existing conditions and undeclared activities among them. We’ll send the full policy wording with your confirmation.

Reserve deposit (30%) $0
Second Payment Amount: $0
Grand Canyon Backcountry Backpacking: Hermit Trail to Bright Angel
Itinerary
Grand Canyon Backcountry Backpacking: Hermit Trail to Bright Angel
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1 Person
  • Grand Canyon Backcountry Backpacking: Hermit Trail to Bright Angel
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  • This 5-day guided backpacking trip takes us deep into Grand Canyon National Park on a classic inner-canyon route. After a pickup in Phoenix, we descend the Hermit Trail to Hermit Creek and spend two nights there, with an optional hike down to the Colorado River. From there, we follow a mostly flat trail to our next camp, then climb back to the South Rim on the Bright Angel Trail. We carry our own packs, while your guide brings the group camping equipment and prepares meals in camp. The trip wraps up with a shower, a farewell dinner, and a night in a 3-star hotel in Williams before we return to Phoenix.

    • Meet your guide at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport at 10 am, and from there we all jump in the van and hit the road to the Grand Canyon. At the trailhead, we do a quick pack shakedown to make sure everyone is carrying what they need and nothing more. Then we head down into the heart of the canyon on the Hermit Trail, a challenging 7-mile descent to Hermit Creek Campground. Once we arrive, we set up camp and sit down to a group dinner. Before heading to bed, look up, because the stars out here are hard to beat.

      Meals: Lunch, dinner
      Hiking: 11 km (7 mi)
      Accommodation: Hermit Creek Campground

      colorado river in the grand canyon

    • Today is an easier day, and we stay put at Hermit Creek. Anyone who wants to stretch their legs can join an optional hike of about 3 miles round trip down to the Colorado River, where we watch the water churn through Hermit Rapids. Along the way, your guide explains how this vast canyon formed and shares the human history of the area, which has been significant to people for millennia. The rest of the day is ours to rest, recover, and take in the quiet of the inner canyon.

      Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
      Hiking: 5 km (3 mi) round trip, optional
      Accommodation: Hermit Creek Campground

    • After breakfast, we pack up camp and continue to our next campsite along the Tonto Trail, which follows a broad bench partway between the rim and the river. At about 9 miles, this is the longest day of the trip, but the trail is mostly flat and easier on the legs. We take plenty of breaks along the way to enjoy the steep canyon walls rising around us. Once we reach camp, we set up for the night and refuel with a hot dinner.

      Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
      Hiking: 14.5 km (9 mi)
      Accommodation: Backcountry campsite

      view from tonto trail

    • It’s time for the long hike up and out of the canyon. We climb the Bright Angel Trail, the park’s best-known route between the South Rim and the inner canyon, taking plenty of breaks to catch our breath and look back at how far we’ve come. Back on the rim, we drive to Williams, a small Route 66 town south of the park. A much-deserved shower and a farewell dinner are waiting for us there.

      Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
      Accommodation: 3-star hotel in Williams

      panoramic view of Grand Canyon

    • It’s time to say goodbye to our newfound friends. After breakfast, your guide drives us back to Phoenix, arriving at the airport by 12 pm. If you’re staying on to explore the city, you can be dropped off at your Phoenix accommodation instead.

      Meals: Breakfast

      person hiking in Sedona National Park

    • Included:

        • An experienced, medically trained naturalist guide with extensive knowledge of the Grand Canyon
        • 5-day guided backpacking trip in Grand Canyon National Park (4 days of hiking), including interpretive talks on the canyon’s geology and human history
        • Round-trip transportation from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, with optional drop-off at your Phoenix accommodation on the last day
        • Group camping equipment — tents, cooking equipment, and water filters
        • 3 nights of backcountry camping and 1 night in a 3-star hotel in Williams, Arizona (double occupancy)
        • 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 4 dinners — most dietary requests and allergies catered for with advance notice
        • Grand Canyon National Park entry fees

      Add-ons (pricing shown at checkout):

        • Sleeping bag rental

      Not included:

        • Flights to and from Phoenix
        • Personal camping gear — see the packing list below
        • Non-US resident park surcharge (applies to visitors 16 and older)
        • Anything not mentioned above
        • Guide gratuities — optional
        • Insurance — recommended, available to add at checkout

    • In order to join this Grand Canyon backcountry backpacking trip, excellent fitness is required as well as previous hiking experience. The most you’ll hike within a day is up to 14.5 km (9 mi).

      Expect 3 to 6 hours of hiking per day with significant elevation change, all while carrying a full backpack. The terrain includes steep ascents and rugged ground, and the long descent on the Hermit Trail and the climb out on the Bright Angel Trail are the toughest parts of the trip. In spring and fall, daytime temperatures usually range from 60–80°F (16–27°C) with cool nights, though conditions can vary a lot between the rim and the canyon floor. Note that the itinerary may change due to park conditions, trail and road closures, or safety concerns, and your guide will always keep you informed.

      Want to see what else is there in the area? Discover more hiking vacations in the USA!

    • Required gear

        • Sleeping bag (available to rent)
        • Luggage — 1 small suitcase per person, can be left in the vehicle
        • Headlamp
        • Reusable water bottles or bladders (2–3 L total capacity)
        • Lightweight dish or bowl
        • Eating utensil
        • Lip balm with SPF

      Required clothing

        • Warm jacket (down, puffy, or fleece)
        • Rain jacket or shell
        • Breathable, wicking base layers
        • Lightweight hiking pants
        • Warm clothes to sleep in
        • Warm hat
        • Sun hat with a brim
        • Wool socks (1 pair per day of the trip)
        • Hiking boots
        • Sunglasses

      Recommended gear and personal items

        • Sunscreen
        • Earplugs
        • Insect repellent
        • Toiletries — biodegradable and scent-free
        • Small, personal first aid kit (including blister treatment)
        • Small, quick-dry towel
        • Pee cloth
        • Journal and pen
        • Trekking poles

      Recommended clothing

        • Rain pants
        • Buff or neck scarf
        • Comfortable clothes for camp
        • Sandals or camp shoes

      Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.

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    • Group sizes and pricing:

        • For this Grand Canyon backcountry backpacking trip, the usual client-to-guide ratio is 8:1.
        • The maximum group size is set at 8 participants.
        • This adventure is more than welcoming to solo travelers! This trip is designed to foster group bonding and the guides are pros at making sure everyone feels welcomed. Any given trip is usually a healthy mix of solo travelers, friends, and couples.
        • Grand Canyon backcountry backpacking trips can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

      Min. age requirements:

        • If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
        • Minors younger than 18 may be permitted to join a private backpacking trip on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.
        • If your group has participants under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

    • The starting point of your Grand Canyon backcountry backpacking trip is Phoenix, Arizona. To get there, most people fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Book a flight that arrives by 9:30 am on the first day. The trip ends back at the airport around 12 pm on the last day, so book a flight that leaves after 2 pm. You can also be dropped off at your accommodation in Phoenix if you’re staying on to explore.

      You will meet your guide at 10 am at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

    • We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with insurance. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, you’ll be offered to simply insure your trip with Redpoint at checkout.

      Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner—tailors protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations! Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.

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