Grand Canyon Rafting Companies
Updated November 13, 2024 by Aaron Cavagnolo
All 17 Grand Canyon Rafting Outfitters
While each outfitter believes they are the best Grand Canyon Rafting Company, there isn’t a clear stand-out as all the companies run high-quality trips. Another equally common and challenging question is “What is the Best Grand Canyon Rafting Trip?” While both questions have merit, most people end up deciding upon a trip based upon what is available when they can take vacation time.
Introduction to Grand Canyon Rafting Companies
There are two types of Grand Canyon Rafting Companies. The first, called commercial rafting trip outfitters, are the 17 companies that provide guides and gear to take people on trips down the Colorado River through Grand Canyon. The second are the five Grand Canyon private raft trip outfitters also called the non-commercial trip support companies. These companies provide food and gear for groups that have won a private permit and plan to row the river themselves.
Due to the popularity of rafting the Colorado River through Grand Canyon it can be challenging to find space. While there is a rumor that you have to contact companies years in advance, every year there are many spaces that go unused. Below is contact information for all the Grand Canyon rafting outfitters as well as suggestions on how to find an available trip (even this year!).
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Grand Canyon National Park Licensed Commercial Rafting Outfitters
Here are the sixteen river outfitters that offer 3 to 18 day whitewater rafting trips through Grand Canyon National Park. The company location may or may not be in the same city where they meet trips. In addition, a seventeenth outfitter, the Hualapai Tribe, offers one-day and two-day Grand Canyon whitewater rafting trips. A word on outfitter reviews and the quality of guides for each outfitter, since the Grand Canyon is such a desirable place to work all the outfitters have knowledgeable guides.
Arizona Raft Adventures (AzRA)
Types of trips: motor, hybrid, all paddle
Launch Points: Lees Ferry, Phantom Ranch
Take-Out Points: Phantom Ranch, Diamond Creek
Trip Length: 6 to 16 days
Meeting Location: Flagstaff, AZ or South Rim Grand Canyon
Ending Location: Flagstaff, AZ or South Rim Grand Canyon
Cost: $2889 to $6150
Minimum Age: 10 years-old
4050 East Huntington Drive Flagstaff, AZ 86004
800-786-7238
info@azra.com
azraft.com
Arizona River Runners (ARR)
Types of trips: motor, oar
Launch Points: Lees Ferry, Phantom Ranch, Whitmore Wash
Take-Out Points: Phantom Ranch, Whitmore Wash, Lake Mead
Trip Length: 3 to 13 days
Meeting Location: Marble Canyon, AZ or Las Vegas, NV
Ending Location: Marble Canyon, AZ or Las Vegas, NV
Cost: $1775 to $5435
Minimum Age: 8 years-old
P.O. Box 47788 Phoenix, AZ 85068
800.477.7238
info@raftarizona.com
raftarizona.com
Canyon Explorations/Canyon Expeditions (Can X)
Types of trips: hybrid
Launch Points: Lees Ferry, Phantom Ranch
Take-Out Points: Phantom Ranch, Diamond Creek
Trip Length: 7 to 16 days
Meeting Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Ending Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Cost: $3500 to $6380
Minimum Age: 12 years-old
P.O. Box 310 Flagstaff, AZ 86002
800.654.0723
rivertrips@canyonexplorations.com
canyonexplorations.com
Canyoneers
Types of trips: motor, hybrid
Launch Points: Lees Ferry, Phantom Ranch
Take-Out Points: Phantom Ranch, Diamond Creek
Trip Length: 4 to 14 days
Meeting Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Ending Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Cost: $2125 to $5475
Minimum Age: 8 years-old
P.O. Box 2997, Flagstaff, AZ 86003
(800) 525-0924
answers@canyoneers.com
www.canyoneers.com
Colorado River & Trail Expeditions (CRATE)
Types of trips: motor, hybrid, all paddle
Launch Points: Lees Ferry, Phantom Ranch, Whitmore Wash
Take-Out Points: Phantom Ranch, Whitmore Wash, Lake Mead
Trip Length: 4 to 11 days
Meeting Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Ending Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Cost: $2100 to $5650
Minimum Age: 8 years-old
P.O. Box 57575, Salt Lake City, UT 84157-0575
(800) 253-7328
crate@crateinc.com
www.crateinc.com
Grand Canyon Discovery
Types of trips: motor, hybrid, all paddle
Launch Points: Lees Ferry, Phantom Ranch
Take-Out Points: Phantom Ranch, Diamond Creek
Trip Length: 6 to 16 days
Meeting Location: Flagstaff, AZ or South Rim Grand Canyon
Ending Location: Flagstaff, AZ or South Rim Grand Canyon
Cost: $2889 to $6150
Minimum Age: 10 years-old
4050 East Huntington Drive Flagstaff, AZ 86004
800-786-7238
info@azra.com
www.grandcanyondiscovery.com
Grand Canyon Dories (Dories)
Types of trips: dory
Launch Points: Lees Ferry, Phantom Ranch,Whitmore Wash
Take-Out Points: Phantom Ranch, Whitmore Wash, Diamond Creek, Lake Mead
Trip Length: 5 to 18 days
Meeting Location: Flagstaff, AZ or Las Vegas, NV
Ending Location: Flagstaff, AZ or Las Vegas, NV
Cost: $3599 to $8799
Minimum Age: 12 years-old
P.O. Box 216, Altaville, CA 95221
(800) 877-3679
reservations@oars.com
www.oars.com
Grand Canyon Expeditions (GCE)
Types of trips: motor, dory
Launch Points: Lees Ferry
Take-Out Points: Lake Mead
Trip Length: 8 to 14 days
Meeting Location: Las Vegas, NV
Ending Location: Las Vegas, NV
Cost: $3300 to $5199
Minimum Age: 8 years-old
641 N hwy, US-89, Kanab, UT 84741
(800) 544-2691
info@gcex.com
www.gcex.com
Grand Canyon Raft Adventures
Types of trips: motor, hybrid, all paddle
Launch Points: Lees Ferry, Phantom Ranch
Take-Out Points: Phantom Ranch, Diamond Creek
Trip Length: 6 to 16 days
Meeting Location: Flagstaff, AZ or South Rim Grand Canyon
Ending Location: Flagstaff, AZ or South Rim Grand Canyon
Cost: $2889 to $6150
Minimum Age: 10 years-old
4050 East Huntington Drive Flagstaff, AZ 86004
800-786-7238
info@azra.com
www.azraft.com
Grand Canyon Whitewater (GCW)
Types of trips: motor, oar
Launch Points: Lees Ferry, Whitmore Wash
Take-Out Points: Whitmore Wash, Diamond Creek, Lake Mead
Trip Length: 3 to 15 days
Meeting Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Ending Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Cost: $1775 to $5435
Minimum Age: 10 years-old
PO Box 2848, Flagstaff, AZ 86003
(800) 343-3121
info@grandcanyonww.com
www.grandcanyonwhitewater.com
paddle rafting
Hatch River Expeditions (Hatch)
Types of trips: motor, oar
Launch Points: Lees Ferry, Phantom Ranch
Take-Out Points: Phantom Ranch, Whitmore Wash
Trip Length: 4 to 12 days
Meeting Location: Marble Canyon, AZ; South Rim Grand Canyon
Ending Location: Marble Canyon, AZ; South Rim Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, NV
Cost: $1864 to $5857
Minimum Age: 9 years-old
5348 East Burris Lane, Flagstaff, AZ 86004
(800) 856-8966
info@hatchriverexpeditions.com
www.hatchriverexpeditions.com
O.A.R.S.
Types of trips: oar
Launch Points: Lees Ferry, Phantom Ranch, Whitmore Wash
Take-Out Points: Phantom Ranch, Whitmore Wash, Diamond Creek, Lake Mead
Trip Length: 5 to 18 days
Meeting Location: Flagstaff, AZ or Las Vegas, NV
Ending Location: Flagstaff, AZ or Las Vegas, NV
Cost: $3499 to $8295
Minimum Age: 12 years-old
P.O. Box 67, Angles Camp, CA 95222
(800) 346-6277
reservations@oars.com
oars.com
Outdoors Unlimited (OU)
Outdoors Unlimited runs one of the faster oar and paddle trips through the canyon. They are know for running all-paddle trips where everyone is required to paddle the entire river.
Types of trips: oar, paddle
Launch Points: Lees Ferry, Phantom Ranch
Take-Out Points: Phantom Ranch, Lake Mead
Trip Length: 5 to 18 days
Meeting Location: South Rim, Grand Canyon or Las Vegas, NV
Ending Location: South Rim, Grand Canyon or Las Vegas, NV
Cost: $2570 to $6490
Minimum Age: 12 years-old
6900 Townsend Winona Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86004
(800) 637-7238
outdoorsunlimited.com
Tour West
Based in Utah, Tour West runs mainly motor trips and a few oar and paddle raft trips. Tour West also runs other rivers in the western U.S.
Types of trips: motor, oar
Launch Points: Lees Ferry, Whitmore Wash
Take-Out Points: Whitmore Wash, Lake Mead
Trip Length: 4 to 13 days
Meeting Location: Marble Canyon, South Rim, Grand Canyon or Las Vegas, NV
Ending Location: Marble Canyon, South Rim, Grand Canyon or Las Vegas, NV
Cost: $2195 to $5400
Minimum Age: 8 years-old
P.O. Box 333, Orem, UT 84059
(800) 453-9107
twriver.com
Western River Expeditions (Western)
Western runs mostly motor trips and runs a few oar trips. In addition, they run other western U.S. whitewater rivers.
Types of trips: motor
Launch Points: Lees Ferry, Whitmore Wash
Take-Out Points: Whitmore Wash, Lake Mead
Trip Length: 3 to 7 days
Meeting Location: Page, AZ or Las Vegas, NV
Ending Location: Las Vegas, NV
Cost: $2195 to $4395
Minimum Age: 9 years-old
7258 Racquet Club Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84121
(800) 453-7450
westernriver.com
Wilderness River Adventures – Aramark (Wilderness)
Aramark is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They have a warehouse and office near Lee’s Ferry. Wilderness runs mainly motor trips with a few oar trips sprinkled in.
Types of trips: motor, oar
Launch Points: Lees Ferry, Phantom Ranch, Whitmore Wash
Take-Out Points: Phantom Ranch, Whitmore Wash, Lake Mead
Trip Length: 3 to 14 days
Meeting Location: South Rim, Grand Canyon, Page, AZ or Las Vegas, NV
Ending Location: South Rim, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, NV
Cost: $2800 to $5700
Minimum Age: 8 years-old
P.O. Box 717, Page, AZ 86040
(800) 992-8022
riveradventures.com
Finding an Outfitter with Available Grand Canyon Rafting Trips
The best Grand Canyon rafting company is the one that has a right type of trip that works with your schedule and has enough spots. Some people find an outfitter with the right river trip for their group by calling a rafting company years in advance to set up a reservation. This option is best for larger groups with limited flexibility regarding when they can run the river. Even then large groups can struggle to find a launch. It is also key to know when outfitters are going to open up their next year’s dates.
Smaller Groups and Couples
Smaller groups and couples have an easier time especially when they have flexibility in their availability. This summer, like every summer still has space available. The difficulty for smaller groups is narrowing down the options from the 17 outfitters offering over 100 different rafting trips from 3 to 18 days.
Searching all the Grand Canyon Rafting Companies at Once
While people will call all the river companies until they find a trip that works with their schedule and needs, many find it easier to make one call or email to Rivers and Oceans (we book with all the companies). We guarantee the same price the outfitter is offering and can point you towards the best company and trip for you.
If you’ve read this far you may enjoy reading our Grand Canyon rafting reviews or an overview breaking down the Grand Canyon rafting options.
