Grand Rails Express Overnight Tours from Phoenix
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TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Soak up the the unique history of Route 66 and the Grand Canyon on your two-day tour including a ride aboard the famous Grand Canyon Railway.
Day one will tour you through Arizona’s scenic highways to the famous town of Williams, AZ where travelers would turn north off Route 66 and drive to the Grand Canyon. Day two begins with the famous Grand Canyon Railway, which takes you to Grand Canyon Village, offering incredible viewing opportunities of the widest and deepest part of the Grand Canyon.
This overnight tour departs Phoenix/Scottsdale between 6:00am and 7:00am the first day and returns between 7:00pm and 8:00pm the following day.
*Beginning in 2019, lunches on day one will be offered as an option for additional cost. We highly recommend purchasing your lunch through us prior to your tour so you have optimal time to experience the amazing views of the Grand Canyon.
Packages with lodging start at $658
TRAVEL INFO
Departure Location:
Most hotels in Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe
Cancellation Policy:
Immediate non-refundable deposit of $150.00 is due at time of booking and will be applied to the final balance. The final balance is due 7 days prior to tour departure. The final balance is non-refundable. Cancellations made more than 7 days prior to tour departure will forfeit $150.00 deposit.
Private Tour Option:
This tour can also be operated as a private tour. Contact a tour specialist for details.
Group size:
Our vehicles are designed to carry up to 13 passengers on individual captains’ seats, and groups range from 8-13 passengers.
Accommodation/Lodging:
The Grand Canyon Railway Hotel is 3 stars. The accommodation has been chosen to give passengers the best access to Williams and the surrounding area. For those traveling alone there are single occupancy rates available.
Activity Levels:
This tour offers a wide range of walking opportunities, which require a reasonable level of fitness mostly due to possible elevation changes. The level of activity can be suited to and catered for almost all levels of fitness. It is not an activity holiday, just an active holiday.
Baggage Allowance:
Individual luggage must be kept to a maximum of one piece of luggage less than 50 pounds or one daypack less than or equal to 40 litres. It is recommended to travel with a small day pack for easy access to camera, sunblock, and clothing. Most hotels can arrange to store bulky items pre-tour. We advise our clients to pack as lightly as possible.
Temperature/Weather:
Temperatures in Grand Canyon are typically 15-30°F cooler than Phoenix and vary by season. We recommend our guests bring jackets in the event of changing weather patterns.
Notes:
Due to the developing tourism industry in the area changes can and do occur in this type of program. Weather conditions, sometimes severe enough to limit where we can drive or walk, can also alter the program. As visitors, we will respect this, and remain flexible and open to local conditions, safety concerns and unforeseen opportunities. Our guides will do their best to keep things on track and in the event that our schedule changes, they will try to keep disruption to a minimum, consider your wishes and organize other options as far as it is reasonable and practical to do so.
TOUR ITINERARY
Departs: between 6:00am and 7:00am
Returns the next day: between 7:00pm and 8:00pm
Day 1:
To see Arizona’s rich history, the Grand Rails Express Overnight Tour gives you an excellent chance to marvel at the spectacular landscapes of the Grand Canyon, admire the craftsmanship of local and Navajo artisans, and best of all enjoy riding the Grand Canyon Railway.
After departing the Phoenix metro area, our tour travels through the expansive Sonoran Desert filled with the native saguaro cactus. The scenery begins to change as we increase in elevation and views of the cactus fade into pine trees. As we continue further into Northern Arizona, we will travel the outskirts of the Route 66 town of Flagstaff and from the highway, see the San Francisco Peaks among the seemingly endless Ponderosa Pine Forest, the largest contiguous forest of ponderosa pines in the world.
We will travel the outskirts of the Route 66 town of Flagstaff on our way to the historic Route 66 town of Williams, Arizona. Your DETOURS guide will assist in your check-in to the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel at approximately 11:00am. You’ll have the remainder of the day on your own to enjoy Williams, AZ. Explore the Railway Depot, Native Pueblo Gallery, do an afternoon horseback ride with one of the local vendors or visit Bearizona, Arizona’s premier drive-through wildlife park! Lodging upgrades are available for additional cost.
Overnight at Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, Williams, AZ
Day 2:
Rise and shine! You will check in for your Grand Canyon Railway tour at 9:00am for a 9:30am departure from the train depot located adjacent to your hotel. Along this 65 mile trek, you will enjoy views of the Coconino National Forest from your seat on the train. Once you arrive at Grand Canyon National Park, you’ll take in the magnificent views that open up in front of you while standing on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Spend some time in the Grand Canyon South Rim Village and don’t forget to visit the historic El Tovar Lodge and Hopi House! Your DETOURS guide will meet you at at the famous El Tovar Lodge at approximately 2:00pm to explore more.
While at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, you will have opportunities to walk the rim, shop, capture an unlimited amount of photographs, and relax with the best seat in the house.
A $150 non-refundable tour deposit is due at the time of booking. This deposit is included in the tour’s final price.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
-
- Lodging at Grand Canyon Railway Hotel*
- Grand Canyon Railway Coach Class Boarding Pass**
- Lunch on day one (for tours in 2018)
- Unlimited bottled water
- Entrance fees to National Parks, tribal parks, or other named activities
- Experienced and professional tour guide
*Based on availability.
**First Class and Observation Dome upgrades available (pending availability)
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
- Additional third party tours and activities not listed above
- Meals not listed above
- Lunch on day one (for tours in 2019)
- Incidental hotel fees
- Travel Insurance
- Guide gratuities
TRAVEL TIPS
Temperatures in Grand Canyon are typically 15-30°F cooler than Phoenix and vary by season. We recommend our guests bring jackets in the event of changing weather patterns.
UPGRADES AVAILABLE WITH TOUR
Click on the images for more details
PHOTO GALLERY
FAQ
No, the Skywalk is at the West Rim of the Grand Canyon. Our tour covers the South Rim only.
Pick up times range from 6am-7am. We will contact you between 4-6pm the evening before the tour to confirm your exact pick up time.
Pick up times range from 2-2:30pm. Your guide on the first day of the tour will let you know what time to be ready the next day for pick up and our office will contact you between 4-6pm the evening before the tour to reconfirm your exact pick up time.
These are all approximations, please check the weather prior to your tour. Winter temperatures at the Grand Canyon can range from 0-40 degrees fahrenheit. Spring and fall temperature range from 40-70 degrees fahrenheit. Summer temperatures range from 70-90 degrees fahrenheit.
We recommend closed-toed shoes year round. During the winter, we recommend layers, long pants, winter coats, gloves, and hats. During spring and fall, we recommend jackets.
Weather appropriate clothing, camera, snacks, government issued ID (driver’s license, passport, etc.)
The Grand Canyon Railway Hotel located in Williams, AZ.
No, the Grand Canyon Railway will take you on a 2 hour, one-way scenic route from Williams to the Grand Canyon. Once you disembark the train, you will be at the rim of the Grand Canyon.
There will be about an hour and a half of free time once you arrive at the canyon, but we highly recommend staying along the rim. The trails into the canyon can take over 4 hours to reach the bottom and take twice as long to come back out.
For tours in 2018, we provide a boxed lunch on the first day of your overnight tour with choices of different sandwiches and side options. Meal options given morning of the tour.
For tours in 2019, a boxed lunch is an add-on option on the first day of your overnight tour for an additional cost. We highly recommend purchasing your lunch through us prior to your tour so you have optimal time to experience the amazing views of the Grand Canyon. We provide a boxed lunch on the first day of your overnight tour with choices of different sandwiches and side options. Meal options given upon booking.
The Grand Canyon Railway Hotel is approximately 3 hours from the Phoenix and Scottsdale area. With stops made along the way though, we typically arrive around 11am. Your train on the second day of the tour is about 2 hours long, departing Williams around 9:30am and arriving at the Grand Canyon around 11:45am.
Approximately 3 hours.
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