The all-paddle Grand Canyon Colorado River rafting adventure is a popular choice if you are looking for the ultimate whitewater adventure. It is also a good choice if you enjoy a physical challenge, teamwork, and sharing time on the river with other guests who have a similar zest for adventure. AzRA has offered expedition style paddle raft trips in the Grand Canyon longer than any other commercial outfitter. You will experience the Grand Canyon as you paddle through vigorous whitewater and slow drifting current.

On the "all paddle" trip there are three paddle rafts for 18 guests and two additional oar boats to carry gear. Each paddle raft seats 6 participants who paddle 100% of the time. The paddle raft fosters great camaraderie as the paddle team maneuvers the raft with the guidance of a skilled paddle captain. Paddling is not always easy and certain conditions such as wind, heat, cold, low water, blisters, fatigue and maneuvering through rapids makes paddling more difficult so physical fitness is a must. The minimum age to participate on the all-paddle trip is 16 years old. If paddling 100% of the time is not what you desire on your Grand Canyon whitewater adventure, you may like to consider our hybrid trip. The hybrid trip offers one paddle raft and four oar boats and is ideal if you seek a partial paddle experience.

The full stretch of river through the Grand Canyon is 226 miles beginning at Lee's Ferry all the way to Diamond Creek. If you don't have two weeks to spare, you may prefer a partial Canyon trip. The upper stretch of river is 6 days in length and covers 89 miles from Lee's Ferry to Pipe Creek. The 9-day lower Canyon trip is the second half of the stretch of river and covers 137 miles from Pipe Creek to Diamond Creek. An upper Canyon or lower Canyon trip involves hiking the Bright Angel Trail to leave or join the trip.  

Trip Specifics for the All Paddle Trip

*On certain occasions your trip may end on Lake Mead.

*What does an "expedition style" trip mean? AZRA's philosophy is to run expedition style trips which means all rafts carry gear. In a conscious effort to limit our environmental footprint in the Canyon, we take only five boats rather than seven or eight boats which would be required if we ran "empty" paddle boats. This may be different than other paddle boat experiences you have encountered before where the paddle boat only carries people; our paddle boats carry gear and people. We take two additional support oar boats for the bulk of the heavier gear. As for the rapids, having some weight in the paddle boat allows our guides to have more confidence to paddle into the big waves rather than skirting rapids for safety. It is never an intention to flip a boat in the Grand Canyon as it can be quite dangerous and is more likely to happen in an empty boat.

"Each day I am pulled closer to the water .... In the rapids, I have become addicted to the feel of the river's power against my paddle, to the crash of the cold water that smashes over us."
Leila Philip, Writing Down the River: Into the Heart of the Grand Canyon