There is only one way to see the Grand Canyon, especially when all you have is a day, a very long day, but one you’ll never forget. See it like a native. Soar like a bird. Swim like a fish, nature at it’s finest.
Yes, that’s right. You start your morning very early, boarding a twenty seat plane and take off from Grand Canyon Airport with Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines just as dawn is about to light up your best day ever. Those tourists you left behind on the South Rim, hanging precariously for a better photo, will never have the view you have out your window. Everyone is checked and weighed. Yes, weighed. They have to maintain the balance and then they give you breakfast.
I was a guest of the airlines and its affiliated Papillon. You should try to get a seat on the left side of the plane for the better views. You’ll see white sand at the bottom of the Colorado that looks like ice. You’ll see cows grazing that look like ants in the desert. You’ll see the entire arc of Horseshoe Bend. The trip lasts about an hour till you land in Page.
It’s Tribal Territory and you’re not getting anywhere near Antelope Canyon without a Native American guide. You see, silly tourists, exploring on their own, have been washed away by flash floods in an instant. The Natives said enough and now we all get a guide. Antelope is a slot canyon. It’s like walking through colorful ribbons of God’s wonder. If you’ve ever doubted God’s existence, you won’t by the end of this tour. Our guide Ryan transports us in an off-road vehicle built for ten. Without introduction, we are led into another world. Antelope needs no introduction because your mouth drops and your mind is blown at the get-go. Ryan is an expert at moving us along and knowing the best photo op for each of our cameras. He expertly juggles iPhones, Androids, digital point-and-shoots and Ryan does it with a lot of patience. He made our day and our photos.
We leave the huddled masses to be whisked off by Wilderness River Adventures to our waiting river raft, where we are given a boxed lunch and board at the foot of the Glen Canyon Dam. While Ryan was an expert photographer, our Navajo raft captain, Channing (named after Carol and not Tatum…don’t ask, there isn’t enough time!), is an entertainer. Part adrenaline junkie, part comedian and all Native American. He guides us through the best three hours of our day. We see petroglyphs and fly fisherman. Yet, the most magnificent thing is that we didn’t see anyone else. When Channing shut down the motor, we could hear our own echo or just inhale the magnificent silence of this grand place, this wonder of the ancient world, created by shifting tectonic plates and a raging Colorado River, which used to be an 
ocean.
I couldn’t imagine sitting on a bus or hiking tour and enjoying it a fraction as much. I thought that soaring like a bird over the wide gorges was the best part until we got to the river, where we could swim and dip our toes into the water. So, do wear your swimsuit under your clothing.
As we make our way into Lee’s Ferry to disembark the raft, I am not sad that this unforgettable day has ended and we get to take a bus back. I am filled with inner peace and memories for a lifetime and ain’t that what travel is all about.
TOURIST TIP: The travel company coordinates each segment of this twelve-hour adventure seamlessly…and there are plenty of potty breaks but don’t forget to bring the wipes! All you need to do is book, get up early and go. Adult tickets are $459, kids’ tickets are $439, but this is truly one time where the memories are priceless to explore the Grand Canyon, off-the-beaten path.