OARS Grand Canyon - Flagstaff, Arizona

Jen Guynn

One of the most spectacular experiences of my life! We traveled by dory from Lee’s Ferry to Pipe Creek in September 2024. As we prepared for the trip, our group read “The Emerald Mile” by Kevin Fedarko (a MUST read!) and we gained an appreciation for the Colorado River and what we were about to experience.
From the initial overview at the hotel to the last send off- we felt prepared and in good hands. Our team of guides and support team were so fantastic. We truly had the A Team in Ross, Russell, Ned, Spoon, Katie (and Chris), Maggie and Rose. They provided the right mix of seriousness, sternness, fun, goofiness, knowledge, intentionality and all of them have such a profound love of the Colorado and Grand Canyon, that we could not help but soak it in.
The food was delicious and plentiful. The navigation and river skills were exceptional. The singing was great. The education and knowledge shared was thorough and given with respect.
I cannot imagine making this trip in anything but a dory - well worth the try!
Kudos to OARS for supporting their guides and helping maintain the Colorado River and Grand Canyon to keep these places sacred and pristine. Thank you to this special team.

hannah huntington

Everything about this trip was fantastic. I had high hopes, but wasn’t sure how it would turn out far exceeded any of my expectations. We were fortunate to have very experienced guides who have a long history in the Grand Canyon and with issues surrounding the Grand Canyon. The food was excellent. The organization was fabulous. The company was easy to deal with an answered all of my questions. Their website is very helpful and well written. It also provides a lot of information.

This was absolutely a life-changing trip. The challenges were difficult, but I felt fully supported by the guides with all of their individual help. Even though it was a somewhat risky trip, I felt very safe and I was provided with information anything unexpected happen.

Cannot recommend highly enough. The trip was fantastic and life-changing.

Caroline Mallick-Wood

We completed the Grand Canyon Rafting: Whitmore Wash to Pearce Ferry. Absolutely loved this journey! We had the best guides- a huge thanks to Ule, John, Aly, Cy, Hazel and Jason. They took care of everything and were super chill, helpful and knowledgeable. We are plantbased and we were never hungry or disappointed. Good tents and sleeping kits. We even slept outside under the stars on our last night. So very cool! The journey was so fun on the boats. There’s some rapids and we found plenty of time to unwind and reconnect with loved ones. Super cool people on the tour with us. Couldn’t have asked for a better week with this amazing group. We will be booking another tour with Oars!

Mike Tropea

It is impossibile to describe how amazing OARS’ Grand Canyon Dory trip was. We did the Lee’s Ferry to Pipe Creek 88 mile section and it’s truly the best way to take it the grandeur of the canyon. Watching the canyon grow from the minute we started, expertly described every day as we watched each layer rise from the river gave us an appreciation that only the view from a Dory could provide. Our guides (Ross, Ned, Spoon and Russell) and the crew (Katie, Maddie, Rose & Chris) made the experience one of the most memorable of our lives. Thank you and thank you OARS.

The best way to wrap it up is by sharing a poem that Russell read on our second to last day on the river:

Go There by Amil Quayle

Anything you have read about the Grand Canyon is a lie
Language falters and dies before the fact The experience is inexpressible in words
The Grand Canyon is its own language Written across space, causality and time
See how puny these words are
Do not believe them
Go there

(in a Dory with OARS if you can)

Chris Jensen

I got back last night from the best adventure trip of my life- 10 days of rafting on the Grand Canyon from Bright Angel Trail to the only road out at Diamond Mt. Our group was on the last Grand Canyon river run of the season, Oct. 5-15, 2024. The Chief Guides and other supporter guides were so outstanding, professional, engaging, experienced and kind that I have no adequate words. Ned, the upbeat and experienced trip leader, Evelyn, Ashley, Cy, Tom, Dylan, Sarah, and Matt all worked tirelessly and in unison to take care of every task, doing them cheerfully, and always with more than pleasant demeanor, often with a joy that sprang from their own love of the Canyon.
Food-so very great and consistently so, simply amazing all the time. Really, the food quality defies common sense and all expectations.
Adventure---the rafting thru white water was breathtaking. Hiking the side canyons---new and exciting hiking in so many unexpected places, with so many great memories and photo ops.
Serenity and beauty-after my prior dozen hiking and camping trips to the Grand Canyon, South Rim and North Rim, every day on the river was far superior. So much overwhelming beauty.
So, so good. Five stars may not be enough. Do it!

Renee Bundy

Just finished 17 days riding OARS’ dories down 225 miles of the Colorado River with 8 superior Boatmen and 15 other guests.
We ate excellent meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday prepared by our Boatmen.
We conquered every rapid because of their expertise and willingness to share their knowledge with each of us.
The Boatmen cared for each other and in turn they cared for each of us guests and in turn we cared for each other and them.
IT WAS AN EPIC ADVENTURE‼️‼️‼️

kim stephens

Just came off a 2 week trip down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon and it completely exceeded my expectations! The staff was amazing and riding in a wooden dory was so much fun. The hiking to slot canyons and waterfalls was magical!

Benjamin Carolan

5 stars is not enough to capture the experience OARS and our team lead Kerry Jones and his fellow guides (Cole, Pella, Morgan, Rachel, Sarah, Jamie and Hannah) provided. I don’t know what they get paid, but they all deserve a raise!

This was seriously a life changing experience. You become a family for 8+ days (depending on the length of your trip) with the entire crew and fellow guest.

We started our adventure at the South Rim with a 10 mile hike into the canyon where we met the crew and within an hour, hitting big water. The crew was overly cautious to make sure everyone was safe and had complete understanding of what’s around the next bend. Sure you felt some jitters from time to time, but everyone was there to help and guide you through it.

What they don’t tell you about is all the incredible excursions. The guides will take you to unbelievable waterfalls, canyons and “other water activities”.

My favorite was the camp. With the sun going down, reviewing the day and plan for the next day all while experiencing better food and conversation than you’ll get a most 4-star restaurants.

I will say, there are some things you will have to overcome like bugs and sand, but I promise it’s all worth it.

We found ourselves crying at the end. We didn’t want to leave (although a shower sounded nice). Don’t miss out on this adventure!