3-Day Sedona and Grand Canyon Traveler

Upon arrival at Phoenix airport on Sunday we already had a text that Grand Canyon was cancelled for Tuesday due to predicted bad weather resulting from Hurricane Rosa. Contacted them and they made some changes and had us stay two nights in Sedona instead of one, and did the Grand Canyon the next day instead. We had a perfect day for Grand Canyon and our guide Lynn was wonderful. Enjoyed it all immensely. (We weren't there obviously for a day trip we had booked in Phoenix for Thursday with the same company, so hoping Viator will refund our money.) We recommend Arizona Tours, great guides and no complaints.

We had a relaxing and enjoyable trip to Sedona and the Grand Canyon. Our tour was run by Ma Pa Travels of Arizona, for Viator. The accommodations were good, the transportation was comfortable, and we got to see a lot. The tour guides in particular were great. We had Mr. Wayne for pick-up and drop-off from Phoenix; Al for a short tour of Sedona, and Kris for our day from Sedona to the Grand Canyon. Each one of them was friendly, obliging, and a wealth of information! They were always on time (earlier even) and considerate of our needs (we were two women traveling). We didn't always get a whole lot of time at locations along the way to the main destination (Grand Canyon), but the guides needed to accommodate both the one-day and 3-day travelers, so it was understandable. I am glad that we were able to do the 3-day trip, which gave us plenty of time to take in the sights, hike, shop, eat, and relax, at both Sedona and the Grand Canyon. Had we done the day-trips, I imagine it would have felt a bit rushed (particularly at the Grand Canyon) and would have been a lot of driving. Overall, a very good experience.

The tour was great! The scenery was spectacular and the supplier, Ma and Pa Tours, were friendly, helpful and efficient in contacting us. It would have been helpful to have a little more detail upfront as to what all was involved - ie. an extra side bus tour in Sedona which was awesome, and the fact that the drivers 4 in all expected tips for these tours - one, aggressively so! The bus drivers were good drivers and had lots of information to share. In Sedona, we stayed at the Arabella Hotel which was very clean and the staff was friendly and helpful. One staff member recommended the Javalina Cantina a Mexican-American restaurant within walking distance and it was EXCELLENT! The Grand Canyon was spectacular and on the last day, we decided to take in the IMAX theatre. Here again, it would have been helpful to know ahead of time that it was even a possibility during the trip. We Googled it the night before and were surprised by the very reasonable rates, Seniors were 10.50 if booked online. It cost 14 each way to take a taxi. One glitch was the fact that on the return taxi ride, the driver asked if we had a voucher from our bus driver stating that we had been on a bus tour. We did not receive any such voucher and she informed us that we might have to pay an additional 6 fee because the IMAX theatre was outside the park in Tusayan. We were questioned at the toll booth and convinced the person that we had been on a Ma and Pa tour better known as Red Rock tours and they let us through. So heads up, ask the bus driver for a voucher to let you get back into the Grand Canyon National Park area without additional cost. The IMAX was a must see - a 34 minute amazing show and a super gift shop outside that sells DVDs of the show! These 3 days were the highlight of our Arizona stay.

For the most part, the Viator trip was excellent. The hotels in Sedona and the Grand Canyon were great. The tour guide on Day 2, JR was very knowledgeable. He made many stops throughout the day to let us see the sights. The guide the 3rd day, Wayne? was also excellent. The guide in Sedona was not good. He basically had a script and didnt want to or know how to answer our questions. My main criticism was that the drivers far exceeded the speed limits and although we arrived safely I felt that their driving was reckless.

Apart from a few problems prior to the trip with communications, the organisation, reliability and quality of guides and information were outstanding. I also used your organisation to see the Muir Woods and the same thing applied. I will use you again, and have recommended you to friends. Pip

This could have been a great tour except for details. Our included tour of Sedona was late arriving, and the vehicle provided had terrible air conditioning on a very hot day. The tour lady was very kind in offering us ice cream money while we waited, but we missed a good part of the day. Our tour from Sedona to Grand Canyon was excellent. Roger, our driver was a native Hopi Indian, and was very knowledgeable and shared a great deal of information. At the end of the day, he dropped us off at our hotel, Yvapai Lodge. It was late in the afternoon, and we were exhausted. We were told that our room unit was several city blocks down the road. We protested, and he moved us to a closer unit, but it was still a good several hundred yards and they had no way to convey us there. We hiked that with our bags ourselves. The hotel clerk told us that we might be able to catch the sunset if we walked 15 to 20 minutes to the rim. We literally had to run, and it took us 25 to 30 minutes, and we just barely caught the final rays. On the other hand, I rose early the next day, and did get to the rim in time for the sunrise, which was not to be missed. It made everything worth while. We had a full day on the rim, and took the shuttle bus back to our hotel. We were picked up again by another Ford van with inadequate air conditioning. 4 warm hours later, we were deposited back in Scottsdale.

An outstanding trip. Having never been to Sedona or Grand Canyon, this was a trip that I won't soon forget. Each guide was thorough and communicative, especially a Navajo guide, Brian. I learned more about Native American History in 7 hours than I have in all my years of education. He was genuine, smart and funny. This trip provides a good balance of guides and time on your own. I had plenty of time to hike, eat the local cuisine and do plenty on my own. Sedona and the Grand Canyon were a dream. Truly grateful we have such an amazing landscape and history to enjoy. I recommend this tour!

I really enjoyed this tour of Sedona, the Grand Canyon and the many beautiful landscapes you see as you drive north through Arizona. The tour combined guided sightseeing with plenty of free time, and I found several hours to view various points along the Grand Canyon at my leisure. Thanks to our excellent tour guides.

We all really enjoyed our tour. Everything went as planned on day 1. We were picked up at our hotel and driven to Sedona. Our guide was nice and knowledgeable and engaging. When we arrived in Sedona she dropped our luggage off at our hotel and told us she was taking us to the site of our prearranged jeep tour. After the red jeep tour which was awesome! we had to find our way back to our hotel. We did not have a town map so we started walking and asking directions. We are 3 women, aged 67, 68 and 72. The walk proved to be much longer than we thought and strenuous. The next morning I was called and told the other drivers forgot to pick us up but not to worry, JR was on his way. He was only about 10 - 15 minutes late and was a great tour guide. Lots of stories and information. He dropped us off at our hotel in Grand Canyon Nat. Park after a great day of driving the South Rim and stopping for pictures. We spent the night and were on our own until 3:15pm the next day. We were told to meet our driver in front of the hotel at 3:15. He arrived at 3:00. First he had me paged then he called me. He rushed us claiming we were holding up the rest of the tour. Our bus left the hotel at 3:20pm and we felt rather hurried and pushed but settled in for the long ride home. My suggestions to improve your tours... 1Give specific directions and transportation options to your clients rather than leaving them on their own to get around town in Sedona. We were not even sure which directions to start walking to get to our hotel. 2 Please make sure your drivers are told the same pick up times as your clients. 3 Finally, the bus we took to go home was uncomfortable. The seats were short, not well padded and there were no arm rests. If I had not been seat belted in I would have fallen out of the seat into the isle several times. The bus we were on for the longest leg of the tour was the least comfortable. That being said... We loved the tour and would do it again. Now that we know what to expect we can prepare for it. I would definitely recommend this tour.

The positive was we saw all the beauty of Sedona and Grand Canyon with some good guides. The negative was even though we booked wayin advence they put me and my friend in different hotels and was very inconvenient for us..The next day we were picked up an hour late and took 7 hours to get back to Phoenix because each drop off was 12 miles apart Although it was not an awful experience I would not use again. When you are spending money I feel you should have the respect we deserve. Did not get that.