Grand Canyon South Rim tours at a glance
At the South Rim you can join a guided bus tour to Hermits Rest or Desert View, a sunrise or sunset tour, a jeep tour along Desert View Drive or a day trip from Las Vegas, Phoenix, Sedona or Flagstaff. Helicopter flights start in Tusayan and have their own page, and so does the train from Williams. Commercial operators in the park work under permits, and a tour is not a requirement for visiting.
The examples below are single products with 2026 prices, not a market range. Check availability for your date and the final total before you plan around a tour. Each row says whether park entry is part of the price.
Our picks: South Rim tours
From Flagstaff, the national park tour includes the entry fees and a picnic. In Tusayan, the Hummer sunset tour is short; the e-bike day adds a hike.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Grand Canyon National Park tour from Flagstaff
- Entry fees
- Local guide
- Picnic and drinks
Ten hours with transport, a local guide, the entry fees, a picnic, drinks and snacks and a headset.
Check availability →
E-bike and day hike at the South Rim
- E-bike and guide
- Regular park fees
- Lunch, snacks and water
Eight hours with an e-bike, a guide, transport, the regular park fees, lunch, snacks and water. The international surcharge is extra.
Check availability →
Guided sunset tour by Hummer
- Guide and commentary
- Hotel pickup in Tusayan
Three hours with a guide for the sunset at the rim, hotel pickup in Tusayan and the park entry for US residents. Non-US residents from 16 pay $100 on top.
Check availability →Grand Canyon South Rim tours
Jeep, bus and guided tours, day trips from Las Vegas, Phoenix and Sedona, and helicopter flights, with live prices and availability. Check whether park entry is included.
Grand Canyon tours compared
Adult prices in 2026. Each row is one example product.
| Tour | Length | Adult price | Park entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeep tour on paved Desert View Drive | 2 hours | $130, children 2–15 $120, before tax | Covers the tour only |
| Bus day tour from Las Vegas with lunch | About 13 hours | From $129 | Regular entry included, surcharge for visitors who do not live in the US excluded |
| Sunset tour from Sedona or Flagstaff | Departs about 11 a.m., back about 9:30 to 10 p.m. | $219, children 6–15 $209, plus tax | Regular entry included, meals extra |
| Day tour from Phoenix or Sedona | Pickup 6 to 7 a.m., back 7 to 8 p.m. | From $194 | – |
| Helicopter flight from Tusayan | 25 to 30 minutes | From $309 per person | – |
For the Phoenix and Sedona day tour, the final price can differ by date, so confirm availability and price before you book. Helicopter prices are starting prices and may add a fuel surcharge at check-in. For most first-time visitors who have a car, the cheapest plan is park entry plus the free shuttles and a few viewpoints. Choose a tour if you do not want to drive, if you start from Las Vegas, or if you want commentary at the viewpoints.
Grand Canyon jeep tours
The jeep tour in the table follows the paved Desert View Drive and takes 2 hours. It stops at Grandview Point, and other stops vary. The adult price is $130 and the price for children aged 2 to 15 is $120. A private group of 2 to 8 people costs $1,040, before tax, and the minimum age is 2 years. Never read the private group price as a price per person.
Park entry is included only for the tour itself. If you come back to the park on your own afterwards, you need a pass or the entry fee. The entrance fee page explains the fees and the surcharge for visitors who do not live in the US. A line saying "entry included" does not prove that the surcharge is included.
Free ranger programs and guided bus tours
What the park itself offers, and how commercial tours fit in.
Ranger programs
Village programs are free, and children join with an adult. Weather or lightning can cancel a program. In autumn 2026, a Rim Walk runs daily from 10 to 11 a.m. from the Bright Angel Trailhead, and a Geology Talk runs daily from 2 to 2:30 p.m. at the Yavapai Geology Museum.
Guided bus tours
Guided bus tours to Hermits Rest and Desert View are available. Commercial operators need a permit from the park. Whether a tour runs on your date is not guaranteed, so check before you book.
Hermit Road →Sunrise and sunset tours
Sunrise and sunset tours are available too. If you prefer to go alone, the free shuttles reach the main viewpoints, and the sunset page lists places and example times.
Sunset and sunrise →Mule rides
A park concessioner offers a 3-hour rim ride of 4 miles, with 2 hours in the saddle on the rim, starting at Yaki Barn with a bus transfer. The price is $192.96 per person including taxes. Rides that need the closed trail sections or Phantom Ranch cannot be planned right now. Confirm that a ride is running before you build a day around it.
More ways to see the South Rim
From Las Vegas
A bus day tour with lunch and the 278-mile drive compared.
From Phoenix or Sedona
Day tours with pickup and the distances to the South Rim.
Helicopter flights
Flights from Tusayan that do not land in the canyon.
The Skywalk is a different destination at Grand Canyon West, outside the national park. For tours there and for Grand Canyon tours across Arizona, see Adventures Arizona.
Grand Canyon South Rim tours: frequently asked questions
Which Grand Canyon tour should I choose?
That depends on your start point and your time. A jeep tour suits Desert View Drive, a bus day tour suits a start in Las Vegas, and a helicopter flight is a short flight from Tusayan. The table above compares single examples, not a ranking.
How much do Grand Canyon South Rim tours cost?
The examples above range from $129 for a bus day tour from Las Vegas to $219 for a sunset tour from Sedona or Flagstaff, plus $130 for a 2-hour jeep tour and from $309 for a helicopter flight. Taxes, surcharges and the fee for visitors who do not live in the US can change the total.
Is park entry included in the tour price?
It depends on the product. Bus and sunset tours in the examples include regular entry, a jeep tour covers entry for the tour only, and the surcharge for visitors who do not live in the US may be excluded. Check the tour page.
Do I need to book a tour in advance?
Availability depends on the date, so check before you plan around a tour. For the free ranger programs, you do not book, but weather can cancel them.
Can I take a mule ride to the river?
Not at the moment. The longer rides depend on trail sections and a destination that are closed. The rim ride stays on the rim, but confirm that it is running.
Is grandcanyonsouthrim.org a tour operator?
No. This is a travel guide, not a tour operator, and it is not run by the National Park Service, the park concessioners or the Grand Canyon Railway. Tours are booked with the operator named on each offer.