I'm in the initial planning phase of a GC rafting trip for next spring and considering either an 8d motorized or 2 week paddle or oar trip.
Price is a bit higher for the longer trek, but that's not a major concern. I can afford the time, so also not an issue. Anybody have experience with either, and a preference? I'm wondering if anyone who has done this has thought 2 weeks was too much time (repetition, roughing it, fatigue, etc), or vice versa, whether 1 week doesn't do the GC justice with all the side canyon hiking opportunities, etc.
Does a motorized trip detract from the experience? I'm looking at an early May departure. Late April if I can swing it, but not as likely.
Grand Canyon Rafting - paddle, oar, or motorized
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I have only done a short 3 days trip motorized. If I had the time(which is more an issue than money) and could swing it, then I would go for the 2 week.
Hopefully, a few others will way in on this. Maybe search for grand canyon rafting and look for comments by bill_h. He has been down several times/various ways and has a lot of advice on here.
I've heard from numerous people in planning for a trip of my own that you want as much time in the Grand Canyon as you can get. Only one person has said to me that one week of camping was all she could handle.
I personally do not want to do any paddling. So it will be an oar boat for me. Almost booked one for late Sept but in the end just couldn't pay for it. One day!
Haven't done the GC but have river rafted on class 4 plus rapids (Nicaragua) - where I was the lead rower - and have also looked down on the GC rafters.


You really aren't paddling per se all that much - but during the rapids - it's more like trying like hell to keep your raft in the middle of the current - away from rocks/tide pools, whirlpools, etc.
Again - it's not an extended exertion - but more like short/intense wind sprints.
A friend of mine did the Grand Canyon rapids trip - and one of the nights - they camped on an island in the middle of the river, and a thunderstorm (replete with lightning) - blew over - and he said it was the best light show he had ever seen.
Think he was on a week long trip.
I have heard from people on the shorter trips that they wished they had taken a longer trip. I know of a company (Arizona River Runners) that does an 8 motor trip and it encompasses the entire length of the Canyon, some 200 river miles, or a 13 day oar trip, which I hear you are closer to the water, and its does the full length of the river too. The biggest rapids are the inner gorge, Lava, Hermit, and the blue waters of the Little Colorado.
Hope you have the time of your life!!!
Not sure what Tomsd is trying to say, but the Colorado River through Grand Canyon has long stretches without rapids. If you were to choose a paddle trip, you would definitely be paddling through flatwater as well as rapids. Bill_H and canyonwren's posts about paddling with upstream wind in a previous thread might be of interest to you:
http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/paddle-rafting-the-grand-canyon-last-week-in-march.cfm
Most people who opt for a motorized trip seem to do so because of time and/or budget considerations. Since those aren't issues for you, I'd vote for the 2 week trip. (I'm biased, though--I chose to do a 13 day all-paddle trip, which was just right for me.) Too bad Bill_H hasn't responded, he has had first hand experience with multiple trip types.
Here is another link to a TR that might be helpful
www.fodors.com/community/united-states/grand-canyon-raftingvegas-trip-report.cfm
If you put Grand Canyon rafting in the search box you will find several threads on the topic.
Thanks for all the input. I've contacted AZRaft as well as Rivers & Oceans. The former has slots available for the full canyon hybrid trip. Waiting for a reply from the latter to look at other options.
I was kinda looking forward to the challenge of hiking up BA trail but will save that for a rim-rim hike another time. I'm sure I'll get plenty of hiking in on the full river trek.
If you can swing the price, there's no batter way to see the canyon than from a dory! All the benefits of a paddle trip, but the guide does all the paddling, and a dory offers the most exciting ride through the rapids of any craft on the river. OARS/Grand Canyon Dories offers both 1 week trips (either the upper or lower canyon) and a two-week trip of the full canyon (Lee's Ferry to Diamond Creek). I did the two week trip two years ago and can't recommend it highly enough!
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