Private tours to the South Rim

6 min read Updated November 2026 Compare all tours

A private tour does not bring the canyon closer. Flagstaff is 81 miles from the South Rim, Sedona 119 and Phoenix 231 by the NPS figures, and the private day tours on this page last from 8 to 13 hours, much like the shared tours from the same towns. What changes is who sits in the vehicle: only your party, with no round of hotel pickups and a pace set by your own group.

The private tours here start in Sedona, Flagstaff or the Phoenix area. If you would rather share a van with a few others, the small-group tours are the closest alternative.

When the private option makes sense

Two of the private tours on this page are private versions of shared tours: the Classic by Arizona Tour & Travel from Sedona and the Detours Arizona day from Phoenix. The route, the stops and the inclusions stay the same, so the question is mainly the size of your party. The private Classic needs at least four passengers, while the Detours SUV is priced per group, which spreads the cost across everyone in the car.

Families and slow walkers gain most, because no other passengers wait for them at a viewpoint. On the Sedona tours you still bring your own car seat or booster for children aged 8 and under. Great Venture Tours also sells private upgrades for four or more on its shared Sedona tours; the Sedona and Flagstaff page lists them.

Private days from Sedona and Flagstaff

Arizona Tour & Travel sells its Grand Canyon Classic as a private tour in English, with a vehicle and guide for your party and a minimum of four passengers. The route is the same as on the shared version: Oak Creek Canyon, Cameron Trading Post, the Desert View Watchtower and the East and South Rims, with a rim walk of about a mile and optional time in Grand Canyon Village. Pickup is at your Sedona hotel between 7 and 7.30 am, and the day lasts about 11 hours. Park admission and water are included, lunch is not. Children aged 8 and under need a car seat or booster, which you bring yourself.

First Class Charter Tours of Sedona takes your group, from two people, in its own vehicle to viewpoints on the East and South Rims, with free time in Grand Canyon Village and an optional stop at Cameron Trading Post. The day lasts 8 to 10 hours. Pickup can be at a hotel or a holiday rental in the Sedona area, and admission at Grand Canyon Village, taxes and fees, water and snacks are included; lunch is not.

Grand Canyon Journeys picks up at any hotel, resort or B&B in Sedona or Flagstaff for a nine-hour day. The private guide visits five South Rim overlooks with a rim walk of 0.7 miles and returns via the Painted Desert, the Little Colorado River Gorge and Cameron Trading Post. Entry fees, water, sports drinks and snacks are included, and the listing gives German and English as guiding languages.

The same listing includes lunch at El Tovar, one main course and one soft drink per person. As of the NPS operations update of 4 November 2026, the El Tovar Dining Room is closed while the South Rim recovers from the August flood and its water restrictions, so ask the operator where lunch will be served on your date.

A private SUV from Phoenix

Detours Arizona sells its Phoenix day tour as a private option in an SUV, priced per group rather than per person. The driver collects you between 6 and 7.30 am from most hotels and private homes in the Phoenix and Scottsdale area. The route runs through Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon to Grand Canyon Village, and the day lasts about 13 hours. Park entry is included for US citizens and residents, and water is provided; food is available to buy on the way. The operator asks you to call at least 72 hours before the tour to confirm. The page on tours from Phoenix and Scottsdale compares the shared versions.

A private day hike below the rim

Only Grand Canyon Day Hikes guides private groups of four or more on a six-hour hike below the South Rim on the South Kaibab Trail. The guide picks you up in northern Arizona, at a time agreed within 48 hours of booking, and provides all gear, food and snacks. Park entrance is included, but not the non-resident annual pass. The hike is not suitable for people with heart problems or limited mobility, and you need sturdy footwear.

The inner canyon is still affected by the flash flood of 29 August 2026. As of late October 2026 the NPS lists the South Kaibab Trail as open from the trailhead to the Black Bridge, while the Black Bridge, the Silver Bridge and Phantom Ranch stay closed. The NPS also warns that rescue in the inner canyon can be delayed and is not guaranteed, and that summer hikers should avoid the hours between 10 am and 4 pm. The guided hikes page covers the shared hiking tours.

The fee for non-US visitors

Every non-US resident aged 16 and over pays a $100 nonresident fee at Grand Canyon National Park in addition to the entrance fee, and the NPS states that this applies on commercial tours too. Children aged 15 and under pay neither. The non-resident annual pass costs $250 and, in a commercial group, covers the holder and three more nonresidents aged 16 and over.

On the private Classic, Arizona Tour & Travel asks you to contact the company before the tour date, give a credit card for the fee and bring photo ID. Detours Arizona collects the $100 in advance unless you show the non-resident pass, so bring a passport or ID card. Grand Canyon Journeys and First Class Charter Tours of Sedona do not mention the fee in their listings; ask before the day. The entrance fees and passes page explains the rules in full.