The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long, varying between 4 and 18 miles across and over a mile deep.


Any description of the Grand Canyon cannot be anything more than a snapshot of a very small part of the whole. The National Park on the South Rim is situated at a panoramically stunning location but even so a Helicopter trip to see the Canyon from the air is a definite must.

This section of the Grand Canyon is marked by the confluence of two rivers, the Colorado, displaying the characteristic red colour for which it is named, and the Little Colorado River, a more muted blue grey colour.


The colours are due to the sediment carried, a product of the underlying geology, comprising 3 major series of rocks:

- The Upper layers of Palaeozoic Rocks (sedimentary).

- The Grand Canyon Supercanyon Rocks (pre-Cambrian).

- The Vishnu Basement Rocks (metamorphic).

The North Rim of the canyon is more remote than the South and is more difficult to reach.

Both rims of the canyon are inhabited by Native American people including the Hualapai, the Havasupai, the Paiute and the Navajo.

Whilst a helicopter may be the least challenging way of seeing the Canyon, the aerial views are stunning and it has the added advantage of opening up a greater expanse of the canyon.


To experience the geology and ecology on a more personal level it is necessary to get boots on and walk the many trails in the region.


It is possible to hike from the rim all the way down to the Colorado River in the bottom, however this is not for the faint hearted and should only be attempted with a local guide and adequate support.