Has anyone taken a bus tour on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon? We'll only be there one day and one night. Should we take the sunrise, sunset or another tour? Are there shuttle buses that take people around? What's the best way to see the most sights?

There is a nice little shuttle bus that runs the rim of the canyon and you can get off and on at as many stops as you like and stay at each stop as long as you wish. It is also fun to see the donkeys take off in the morning and return about 5pm...the corrals are to the left of El Tovar and Bright Angel Hotels.

Thanks. Where do we get tickets and what is the cost. We're going to stay at the El Tovar and when I made the reservations, the person I talked with mentioned the tours that were for sale, but didn't mention the shuttle bus.

The free shuttle system will get you around nicely but if you want to know more about what you are seeing, join a Park Ranger-led tour. We went on some dedicated to the geology of the canyon, fossil life (these were led by a Ranger who's a former college geology professor) and the non-geological aspects of the park. Where you pay admission at the park, you'll receive a newsletter with maps, shuttle and other info and a schedule of Ranger walks.

You'll want to be outdoors for sunset and sunrise.

Thank you so much for the information. It's our first trip there and we don't want to mess it up.

FRom the El Tovar just follow the concrete walkway to the left and over near the mule corrals at the beginning of Bright Angel Trail. There's a little bus stop and the hop on hop off bus will explain where they will take you. At the very end of the bus route is Hermits' Rest. Then you can walk part way back or ride the whole way. Don't worry---it's very easy to understand once you get there and the concierge at El Tovar is very helpful. BTW, if you have reservations at El Tovar you can make dinner res. 3 months ahead and I would suggest doing just that. A lot of folks just come to El Tovar to see the hotel and have dinner. The food's not perfect, but it a nice place to relax after an active day and not have to venture forth. Have a good trip.

Whoops---just one more thought. We were just there last month. The Hopi House is a nice place for souvenirs, just across the circle from El Tovar. Bright Angel Lodge serves nice lunches (sandwiches etc) and has a carry out service for breakfast to buy muffins etc. El Tovar has coffee, tea, hot chocolate on the mezzanine floor for guests so you can easily have a continental breakfast in your room. We found their breakfast wonderful but too time consuming and just went to buy muffins to eat with our coffee. We had exactly the same amount of time as you do, but it was our second visit. If you can see the IMAX movie--every hour on the 1/2 hour, please do so. It's a good thing to do on the way out of the park and about 15 min. from El Tovar. It gives you a bit of history about the Colorado river expeditions. Many folks love the helicopter rides, but they have been grounded both times we've been there because of high winds.

Tnaks for the great information. Now, I'm really looking forward to the trip.