Grand Canyon Rafting Trip Reviews

CRATE is a company that cares. My 13-year-old son and I just paddled the Grand Canyon. It changed his life, enhanced mine and planted seeds for our next CRATE adventure. This was my 6th trip with them since 1992. Each better than the last. Most guides are long-term devoted employees who are safety conscious, attentive, good cooks and knowledgeable about geology, and pre-Puebloan history. They’re also fun to hang with. The hikes are amazing. The rapids are exhilarating. The memories are lasting. Can’t wait for a return trip to swim through waterfalls, decipher ancient petroglyphs and eat hardy dinners after a rolling day on the river. Being “in” the canyon is vastly different than being on its edge. Run rivers!

Just finished my second river trip with CRATE on a beautiful trip down the Grand Canyon. The guides were fun, laid back, and knowledgable. The food was fantastic. We had one motor boat, a paddle boat, and two duckies. I had a great time experiencing the canyon in each. But I must say that the paddle boat was a total blast. I’m ready to start planning my next trip with CRATE.

We recently returned from our 8-day motorized trip through the entire Grand Canyon. It was an unbelievable trip for our entire group of 8, ranging in age from 20 to 68. The guides were very knowledgeable as well as incredibly helpful and friendly. They made sure that everyone who wanted to go on a hike had the help needed. The hikes were amazing – I never imagined that the canyon would have side canyons with such beautiful waterfalls and streams. I recommend the entire canyon trip to experience the full variety of rock types, colors, and heights. The food was varied and very good. I preferred the cot, while my husband perferred the tent with mat. I loved watching the stars at night. The seats while in camp were a great idea. This is the way to see the canyon!!

We just got back from an 11-day paddle trip of the Upper and Lower Grand Canyon. To say it was amazing is understatement. All the guides were always ready to help and answer questions. We were told about the history of the Canyon as we floated through by our boat captains. One of the captains even serenaded the camp to sleep each night on his Native American flute.
The food was terrific. We half expected freeze-dried meals but got fresh salads, meats, fruits, and even steaks. My son had his 17th birthday on the river and they even produced a cake and candles for a small party 7 days into the trip. We still don’t know where they got the cake from. They were also very accommodating of my friend and his gluten allergy. They went to great lengths to make sure he had something special and tasty just for himself.
The hikes to hidden waterfalls were all wonderful. The hike to Thunder River was a bit of a ‘death march’ in the 100 degree heat but worth it once you finished the climb.
We lucked out on weather and only got rained on a few times for a few minutes each. The upside to the rain was my butts kept temps tolerable. Sleeping accommodations are under the stars each night. They provide cots and inflatable mattresses for comfort even. We fell asleep each night counting falling stars and satellites.
The finish with a flight by helicopter out at the end is the topping on the cake.
I believe the paddle trip is one of the best ways to ‘experience’ the Canyon. You are somewhat in control of whether you make it through a rapid clean or become a ‘swimmer’. You will sleep well each night after working so hard but it is the best kind of tired there is.

I have been to the Canyon a number of times but this was my first rafting trip. I did a significant amount of research before picking Crate so I knew exactly what I wanted/expected from this trip. Crate did not disappoint! I was a solo traveler on the June 15-22, 2013 8 day full canyon motor trip. What a blast! There were 24 passengers, two rafts and 6 crew. Sleeping under the stars was really wonderful. The food was just great – dinners ranged from steak to salmon to ribs to fish tacos and more. Lunch was typically a serve yourself sandwich bar that also had salads and other treats. The actual rafting was so much more fun than I anticipated. I thought I would be nervous but these are big stable rafts that you never feel in danger of being tossed out of. The beauty of the daily side canyon hikes defy description. I have been fortunate enough to travel a few places in my life and while I was standing in the side canyon beside Havasu Creek I thought to myself that this was in fact the most beautiful place I had ever been. That’s saying something. Floating down the Little Colorado was a very close second. I kept waiting to get bored of the scenery or tired of rafting…..never happened. If you have ever thought about doing this trip, I can strongly recommend going with Crate.
A few tips:
1. If you can afford it, do the full 8 day canyon trip. Then entire canyon is soooo diverse in geology it would be a shame to miss a portion. And the last day on the river is spent with the two rafts lashed together floating down the river towards the end of the Canyon. It was a really fitting way to finish the trip as a group.
2. Do not worry about the bathroom facilities. You get used to peeing in the river and using the toilet in the tent or on the riverbank. In fact, some people even joked about installing an outdoor toilet in their backyard when they got home!
3. I’m really glad I bought a pair of Keen’s. I have another pair of really comfortable sandals that I was going to wear but bought the Keens at the last minute. So glad I had the much needed toe protection.
4. Only you can gauge whether or not you will need the rain gear. The air temps on our trip were really high so I did not pull out my rain gear at all. If I were to go again in June or July, I would not bother to bring it. However, that’s just me. I am always warm! Many people on our trip did wear their rain gear, especially in the morning. And even then some of them were still chilly. A trip in April or May would absolutely necessitate rain gear.
5.Invest in a couple good quality carabiners. Those of us that used cheap ones found they broke easily. You will want to attach your water bottle to your life jacket or the raft when you are hitting the “two hander” rapids. You will also want to attach your day hike bag.
6.I would bring two long sleeved quick dry shirts, two quick dry pants that zip off into shorts, a couple quick dry shirts, two bathing suit tops (women) and daily underwear. That’s about all you really need in the way of clothes.
Most importantly, bring a smile and a willingness to share this experience with other people. As I said earlier, I was traveling alone on this trip but never once felt lonely. The group I was with ranged in age from 14 to 70 and everyone meshed really really well. What a great bunch of new friends!
Reasons I decided on Crate:
1. They have been around forever so obviously have done something right.
2. Their Tripadvisor reviews were all outstanding – deservedly so.
3. Their raft is designed so we were all able to face forward. We passed several other rafts on our trip where you have to sit facing sideways, sometimes with your backs to each other and supplies stacked in between so you can’t even see all the other passengers. I would have HATED that.
4. I wanted to sleep outside but not on the ground. Crate supplies perfect sleeping cots.
5. I wanted lawn chairs to sit on at the end of the day, not just the ground – again, check!
I could go on and on but I think I’ve made my point. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask. Book it and enjoy!

AND it is worth it!
Especially when you are guided by the best, (CRATE) thanks Walker, Jonny , Carter and Andy. We had the best time , exhilarating, laughing, hiking to incredible magical places, swimming in crystal clear waters and waterfalls, sleeping under more stars than seemed possible, being a part of time immemorial and OMG the beauty of the canyon itself let’s you know that we are so small a part of it all. So what was the challenging part you ask? Not the food. It was awesome, our guides were also awesome chefs, who knew? Not the drinks, Our guides made sure we had cocktail ice overflowing… Not the beds, we each were given a cot and freshly laundered sleeping bag…The challenge was in our selves. I learned my challenge and I believe each of us did the same. The awesome part was we each did it in our own ways, supported, joked and laughed at one another and ourselves. An amazing trip of a lifetime!
At the end of our rafting trip we were helicoptered out of the canyon (also amazing) to 10 Bar Ranch and believe me the hot showers felt amazing!

This is my second trip with CRATE down the Colorado through the Canyon. It was amazing, We would motor around 30+ miles a day stopping at artifact sites, waterfalls and canyons. We slept on sand bars along the way on cots out among the stars. The scenary was breathtaking, the rapids were full of fun and exciting with lots of water splashing on you, especially if you sat on the deck in front. The river guides are among the best, providing facts and stories of the canyon as well as providing that adrenaline rush as we passed through the rapids. Highlights was playing in the Little Colorado, the hike to th Nankoweep graineries. We did a drop off and pick up at Phatom Ranch that allowed us extra time to hike the loop or have a refreshing glass of lemonaide at the cantina. The lower half was as exciting as the upper portion if not more, the rapids were plenty and full of action. Many stops along the way that filled each day, the stop at Elves Chasm, Deek Creek patio hike(don’t miss this), and one of my favorites the afternoon at Havasu creek. Everyone needs to experience the river and lava falls to truely say I have seen the canyon and it is grand. But wait, I didn’t talk about the food, the best ever from Salmon, steak to BBQ pork and Chicken, all prepared by our mighty crew. Lunches and snacks always kept us full throughout the day. This is the best of the best in river rafting company. I look forward to my next adventure with CRATE. Totally awesome experience!

What a trip of a lifetime. Anyone wanting to go and explore the Gran Canyon on a Motorized raft I highly recommend Crate. My wife and I will talk about this trip for years. The Guides where amazing and we got to see some amazing sights along the way. The food was fantastic and sleeping under the stars at night was truly awesome. We are already planning another trip with Crate with Family and friends as they were hooked after seeing all the pics and listing to the both of us describe this amazing trip.

Just completed an amzing 9 day rafting down the Colorado through the Canyon with my son. The star filled skies at night, the excitement of some of the best white water rapids and above all the most beautiful scenary was breathtaking.
Our river guides made all the diffrence in providing an adrenaline filled, but safe rafting and hiking experience to some of the most beautiful canyons and water falls throughout the entire trip. Great food!!!
Met some great people on the boat and we were lucky to have experts in Geology of the canyon with us. Recommend CRATE with out any reservation….WDC

This is my fourth trip rafting the Colorado with CRATE. Love them! This motorized trip is for people who love the outdoors, but not quite the rigors of a non-motorized trip. If you don’t like that much time in the outdoors, do their 8-day trip or a shorter trip somewhere else. All sections of the river have fantastic geologic and historic sights to see. Rapids to run and places to play. I loved the time at Phantom Boat Beach waiting for the ‘change-out’ people to arrive. There are so many choices of what to do while waiting. Do the short hike up to Phantom Ranch and sit in their cool canteen with an icy lemonade, sit in Bright Angel Creek to cool off, hike the loop across both bridges and the river trail, sit in the river eddy to cool off, lay in the shade for a nap, check out the nearby ruins and grave sight. If you’re more energetic, do a short hike up the North Kaibab or Clear Creek Trails. I’ll be back!

This was a trip of a lifetime! Our group of four chose to do the six day trip this time but will likely do the nine day trip next time to see the entire canyon. Our CRATE guides’ knowledge, skill, and competency provide a comfort level, not to mention they were also a lot of fun and great cooks too! We shared this experience with a great group of people of all ages from teens to those in their 70s. Fun was had by all. We took numerous hikes that offered varying degrees of difficulty and saw so many breathtaking views and waterfalls. I also liked the design of the boat and the different types of seating offered compared to other motorized rafting boats on the river. I highly recommend CRATE and would not choose a different outfitter; moreover, several guests had taken the trip more than once and said the would only go with CRATE. – Amy S.

This was my second trip with CRATE in the past 4 years. The first trip was just the upper river with a hike out at the Phantom area. This year’s trip was the whole enchilada. There is so much to see from top to bottom, I am glad I did the whole 9 day trip this time. I especially enjoyed the extended stop at Phantom as it gave us extra time to go to the ranch, plus do some hiking. I highly recommend the bridge to bridge loop hike. The crew was amazing day in and day out. They worked hard, and they have this down to a science. Their calm, welcoming way, really made you feel comfortable. Not to mention the awesome passengers that over the days became friends as we lived and rafted together. This particular trip included two educators who told us so much about the canyon, the plants and animals. I look forward to another trip with CRATE on a different river in the not to distant future! They have my full confidence vote!

This was one of the best vacations we have ever had. The crew was outstanding, courteous, experienced, knowledgeable, and mature. The twenty in our two boat trip all could have been their parents. From the first call of “hot coooffeee” in the morning to the dulcet tones of other campers rippling in their sleeping bags under the stars,Dewey, Ben, Kyndl and Jillian made this trip very memorable. Coming from the east I especially enjoyed listening to Ben read in various picturesque stop from literature on and about the Grand Canyon. ALso, I thought Dewey’s knowledge of the geology and geography of the Canyon helped us understand the total beauty of the place.

We did an 11-day rafting/hiking trip with CRATE–it was amazing! CRATE takes smaller groups than other companies, the food is great, an the equipment is well maintained. The trip and activities far exceeded our expectations. The best part however is the guides. They were professional, knowledgeable, and always safety conscious. The crew of Dewey, Ben, Kyndl and Jillian was awesome and did so much to make sure everyone was safe and had a great time regardless of abilities. We were surprised at how hard they all worked and how well they worked together. Their knowledge of the river, history and geology was very impressive and certainly contributed to our enjoyment of the trip.

I was guided on an 11-day rafting and hiking expedition on the Colorado River through then entire Grand Canyon. It was truly an exceptional experience with a professional company who truly cared about our encounter with both the river and canyon. I chose the motorized trip so I could focus on the hiking within one of the true wonders-of-the-world. For meals, our guides prepared for us what I called “three catered picnics a day.” They staff was knowledgeable about the canyon history and geology. The equipment was good and we were comfortable and safe. I recommend bringing lotion (the air is very dry), extra sun glasses, extra camera batteries and also drink plenty of water.

It was truly an excellent trip.Thoroughly professional outfit all round.Chilled people, who know their job,which is taking care and making sure everyone was taking in the whole experience,be it the white water excitement, geology, history, geography, environmental issues facing the river. Food was superb, meat, salads,hot chocolate fudge cake,fruit, Hot /cold drinks, plentiful. Equipment,totally adequate. Tips..take an extra handy sized dry bag ( for cameras,small dry type towel ect) wet wipes for hygene purposes (because the water become very cloudy to say the least)
check out information regarding star formations ( Its the best free show, you will see,promise ) I would recommend a good quality,light weight jacket with a built in hood.It did rain and got cold for a while. Enjoy CRATE we did………Take wine in your spare water containers as you go in, it tastes better after a energetic day. the hike out to the south rim is quite demanding, be sensible,listen to what they advise you to do. cannot find fault with this trip

We did the upper portion of the Colorado… 5 days… and had a blast. CRATE guides were tops, caring for the group in every way. We hit RAIN…lots of it on 2 of the days, and still felt spoiled! Great food, gear, explanations about the canyon’s history. Glad we went with a smaller company and loved the combo of the paddle/oar. If we did it again, we would chose CRATE all over again!

Just returned from our 11 day private motorized rafting and hiking trip down the Grand Canyon. The trip was truly exceptional and memorable! CRATE guides were professional, knowledgeable and treated us like family! Their passion was as big and as inspiring as the canyon itself. Great meals. Our 26 participants could not come up with enough superlatives to describe the care and treatment we received from the entire CRATE organization! Don’t miss this trip!