Grand Canyon Mule Tours by Xanterra
Grand Canyon Mule Tours by Xanterra
Grand Canyon Mule Tours by Xanterra
4.5
Nature & Wildlife Tours
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Grand Canyon National Park, United States
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Travellers' Choice
2023
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Grand Canyon Mule Tours by Xanterra
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4.5
439 reviews
Excellent
355
Very good
48
Average
18
Poor
6
Terrible
12
J P
2 contributions
Sep 2023 • Family
Definitely a fun and unique experience. We did the mule ride along the south rim. It was about 3 hours total, 2 hours on the mule and trail. The guide was great and mules were easy to ride, even for those with no experience on horses or mules. Be aware, they have a ride down into the canyon along with Bright Angel trail. This is a much longer (and more expensive) mule ride. The ride on the rim offers terrific views, but it does not go down into the canyon at all.
Written 30 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Melanie F
2 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
Had an amazing time! Our guide hunter was very knowledgeable and knew answers to all of our questions. The views were amazing and the tour felt like just the right length. Even though are legs and bottoms are sore it was worth it!
Written 1 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
E L
17 contributions
Jun 2023 • Couples
We did the south rim mule ride and it was a great experience. Before leaving, we became familiar with our mules and learned how to maneuver them. It was a brief but informative session that was very useful during the 2+ hour ride. Our guide was Tiffany and she did a wonderful job of corralling us riders as well as the mules. She was very informative of the history of the canyon and explaining why mules are used. Would highly recommend for any future riders
Written 26 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DayTrip07352091477
1 contribution
May 2023 • Couples
Office staff is rude as hell. We drove 4 hours from Phoenix to make this ride and was 8 minutes late. The two ladies up front were rude and condescending. Acted like we didn't have enough time to prepare for the ride in 52 minutes and waited in the lobby the whole time as people were way later than us and still made the ride.
The ride was amazing and our guide from Texas (I cannot remember his name) was the man! He was so full of knowledge and was just a cowboy that loved his job.
The ride was amazing and our guide from Texas (I cannot remember his name) was the man! He was so full of knowledge and was just a cowboy that loved his job.
Written 7 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Seevert
Miami, FL84 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
Riding mules at the Grand Canyon was a bucket list experience for me. I’ve wanted to it since I was 8 years old and saw it on National Geographic. I am also an experienced trail guide in Florida but I’ve never ridden a mule. We checked in at the Bright Angel Lodge at 6:30am. We weren’t able to check in the day before as we were on the road so we had to wait a bit until the other guests showed up. We were given canteens that included packs of lemon juice to rinse the plastic taste out of them before using them. It sort of worked lol. We boarded the bus at 7:45am but we didn’t leave the lodge until after 8am because we were waiting for people who had not shown up. Since we were there at 6:30am it was a little frustrating but the parking at Grand Canyon is nothing short of a nightmare so I kind of get.
The bus ride to the barn was short, we got to see some elk on the way. When we arrived we had a brief meeting on what to do and not to do on the mule. After we were assigned our guides and mules, you are helped up with a mounting block. No one seemed to have any problems getting on the mule. We then started the ride.
We did the 2 hours canyon vistas ride and we loved every minute of it. Our mules were very sweet. It wasn’t all that close to the edge at all and our guide Simon was extremely knowledgeable and also very patient with the less experienced riders. Mules move a little different than a horse does and the ride style a bit different but we caught on fast enough.
I highly recommend this experience! When the kids are a little older we want to do the overnight ride to Phantom Ranch. Maybe as a graduation present.
The bus ride to the barn was short, we got to see some elk on the way. When we arrived we had a brief meeting on what to do and not to do on the mule. After we were assigned our guides and mules, you are helped up with a mounting block. No one seemed to have any problems getting on the mule. We then started the ride.
We did the 2 hours canyon vistas ride and we loved every minute of it. Our mules were very sweet. It wasn’t all that close to the edge at all and our guide Simon was extremely knowledgeable and also very patient with the less experienced riders. Mules move a little different than a horse does and the ride style a bit different but we caught on fast enough.
I highly recommend this experience! When the kids are a little older we want to do the overnight ride to Phantom Ranch. Maybe as a graduation present.
Written 5 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Califcat623
Riverside, CA60 contributions
May 2023
We checked in with ease and were given our bota bag and our nylon backpack. They gave us lemon packets to get rid of the plastic taste (great trick that worked for all of us). We were able to jam a lot in our backpack. I put a change of clothes, pajama bottoms and top, Teva sandals, a bathing suit, a coverup dress and toiletries. The showers had soap, shampoo and cream rinse, saving me some room. I ended up wearing the light dress to hike around in, give my mule a apple, wore to dinner and to bed. I also ended up wearing the same pants and just changed my long sleeved shirt. So, I packed way much. The River was a torrent, so couldn’t go in. Bathing suit also not needed.
The 1st morning we left on our mules, two of us had double padding, I decided to wear two sets of padded bike shorts. Well, it absolutely did the trick. I had zero rear end, hip or spine pain. I’m a 58yr old F. What did hurt was the bottom of my feet. I wore thin tennis shoes and heading down into the canyon you use your feet to push into the stirrups almost all the way. I also had pain on inner knees. Once off the mule neither my feet, nor my knees hurt. My rear never hurt....HIGHLY RECOMMEND double padding. My father (age 83) wore bike shorts and put a foam cushion inside his jeans. He said he had no pain as well. My 50 yr old sister wore Lacey, thin, cute, lightly padded bike underwear and a thin cotton jumper instead of jeans. Her rear end was sore when we arrived at Phantom Ranch, but not too bad. When we got home the next day her inner groin/upper thigh area had huge welts the size of Avacados. She was in severe pain. After some research we determined it was from improper underwear and her thin jumper. Apparently the constant friction (it’s approximately 12 hours in a saddle) of the leather saddle and light blousy clothing was not wise. It would have been nice if one of our two wranglers mentioned thicker bottoms might be better. Of course she did look cute in her hip outfit, but take her advice and wear appropriate clothing for the long ride into the Canyon and a long ride back out. DBL padding - you couldn’t even tell we had dbl padding. Thank me when you come back.
Our wranglers were Good and gave great riding advice. Listen to what they say about riding a mule,they are there to make your ride as comfortable as they can make it. I will let them tell you all the tricks, as they are the experts. None of us had issues with our sweet mules. We had Page, Joey and Blackburn. We brought them a bag of apples and a bag of carrots, which our wranglers put in our side saddle bags. So bring a few for your hardworking mule. The cliffs were a non-issue for us. At no time did we feel like our mules were going to lose footing and slide off. Page (my mule) was very timid at times stepping down those huge stairs and stumbled on her back feet several times. Several mules did, but they always counterbalanced themselves. TRUST YOUR MULE!
Phantom Ranch was very nice and camp like. I attended 2 ranger talks led by Katie. She was full of information and a delight to engage with. Look at the schedule and attend one. I learned about the water pipeline (current and new one) and one on emergency actions for hikers in distress due to various hiking issues. We had cabin #3. Cute and close to everything. Only downside was getting our own water to fill toilets. With 3 people in one cabin, it was a lot of bucket trips. Water tank is about 100 feet away and the buckets of water are heavy. They said the water is so torrent due to severe rain and snow and the water sediment was clogging the water pipes. It’s the only negative thing about this trip into Phantom Ranch, but since it was out of Xanterra’s control we didn’t let it ruin our trip, but it was NOT FUN! Steak dinner was good and family style. Breakfast was the same. Not much time to rest your bottom if you don’t wear dbl bike padded shorts.
Restroom stops were.....well only one at lunch. Although, I was told we could stop if it was an emergency. None of us needed the extra stops, but if you are drinking a lot of water as you should be...you made need to ask to stop at one of the restrooms.
This adventure is a trip of a lifetime. So BE PREPARED for all weather situations, dress appropriately, listen to your wranglers and for goodness sake SOAK IN THAT SCENERY, look around all the time.
The 1st morning we left on our mules, two of us had double padding, I decided to wear two sets of padded bike shorts. Well, it absolutely did the trick. I had zero rear end, hip or spine pain. I’m a 58yr old F. What did hurt was the bottom of my feet. I wore thin tennis shoes and heading down into the canyon you use your feet to push into the stirrups almost all the way. I also had pain on inner knees. Once off the mule neither my feet, nor my knees hurt. My rear never hurt....HIGHLY RECOMMEND double padding. My father (age 83) wore bike shorts and put a foam cushion inside his jeans. He said he had no pain as well. My 50 yr old sister wore Lacey, thin, cute, lightly padded bike underwear and a thin cotton jumper instead of jeans. Her rear end was sore when we arrived at Phantom Ranch, but not too bad. When we got home the next day her inner groin/upper thigh area had huge welts the size of Avacados. She was in severe pain. After some research we determined it was from improper underwear and her thin jumper. Apparently the constant friction (it’s approximately 12 hours in a saddle) of the leather saddle and light blousy clothing was not wise. It would have been nice if one of our two wranglers mentioned thicker bottoms might be better. Of course she did look cute in her hip outfit, but take her advice and wear appropriate clothing for the long ride into the Canyon and a long ride back out. DBL padding - you couldn’t even tell we had dbl padding. Thank me when you come back.
Our wranglers were Good and gave great riding advice. Listen to what they say about riding a mule,they are there to make your ride as comfortable as they can make it. I will let them tell you all the tricks, as they are the experts. None of us had issues with our sweet mules. We had Page, Joey and Blackburn. We brought them a bag of apples and a bag of carrots, which our wranglers put in our side saddle bags. So bring a few for your hardworking mule. The cliffs were a non-issue for us. At no time did we feel like our mules were going to lose footing and slide off. Page (my mule) was very timid at times stepping down those huge stairs and stumbled on her back feet several times. Several mules did, but they always counterbalanced themselves. TRUST YOUR MULE!
Phantom Ranch was very nice and camp like. I attended 2 ranger talks led by Katie. She was full of information and a delight to engage with. Look at the schedule and attend one. I learned about the water pipeline (current and new one) and one on emergency actions for hikers in distress due to various hiking issues. We had cabin #3. Cute and close to everything. Only downside was getting our own water to fill toilets. With 3 people in one cabin, it was a lot of bucket trips. Water tank is about 100 feet away and the buckets of water are heavy. They said the water is so torrent due to severe rain and snow and the water sediment was clogging the water pipes. It’s the only negative thing about this trip into Phantom Ranch, but since it was out of Xanterra’s control we didn’t let it ruin our trip, but it was NOT FUN! Steak dinner was good and family style. Breakfast was the same. Not much time to rest your bottom if you don’t wear dbl bike padded shorts.
Restroom stops were.....well only one at lunch. Although, I was told we could stop if it was an emergency. None of us needed the extra stops, but if you are drinking a lot of water as you should be...you made need to ask to stop at one of the restrooms.
This adventure is a trip of a lifetime. So BE PREPARED for all weather situations, dress appropriately, listen to your wranglers and for goodness sake SOAK IN THAT SCENERY, look around all the time.
Written 19 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
motheroftwodivas
Lincroft, NJ44 contributions
Easily cancelled event that takes a lot of time and preparation…don’t bother. Don’t spoil your trip.
May 2023 • Family
After buying hats, planning a day around it, a bus ride …a second of the sound of thunder cancels the trip although everyone is already there. The clouds pass immediately,, the sun is out and it is a gorgeous day, but I am left with a disappointed birthday girl, a half day wasted waiting around for this. Don’t waste the time and disappoint your family. . I was told it happens fairly regularly. Shorten your trip and just hike, that doesn’t cancel.
Written 19 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CarolinainDallas
Dallas93 contributions
Apr 2023 • Family
The mule ride was on my bucket list, and it did not disappoint. We all enjoyed this memorable ride. Brady was our guide for the morning. He is in his first year at the GC and is obviously enjoying learning about it then sharing that info. I felt very safe on the ride. Our stirrups and saddles were checked by another guide Maria before we left the corral then Brady double checked them after we had ridden about 10 minutes. We stopped three times along the trail to take pictures. Brady took pictures of each group at one of the stops. I took my Canon DSLR camera but really it was too bulky when riding. I would only take my iPhone next time. Last thing is that a rider did bump his head on a tree branch in another group of riders. I was impressed with how well that seemed to be handled. His head was bleeding but he was quickly bandaged, and even our bus driver offered to escort him to the medical clinic which the rider refused.
Written 24 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mom24kidz
Harrisburg, PA142 contributions
Feb 2023 • Family
Absolutely amazing experience!! This has been on my bucket list for years and it worth the wait! My daughter and I booked the morning 3 hour rim tour. We checked in the day before at the Bright Angel Lodge. You are given instructions and a canteen to take along on your ride. Morning of the ride you pick up a bus at the Bright Angel Lodge - where you are driven 10-15 minutes to the mule barn. While on the bus we saw 3 Elk - then a large herd of Elk at the mule barn. Once at the barn you are given a mule and a quick riding lesson. There was still quite a bit of snow and ice on the ground- but the mules did a great job! It was a little intimidating at times being close to the rim with the slippery snow on the ground- but I never felt unsafe at all! Breathtaking views of the Canyon - it was a total of 2 hour ride on the mule. Make sure to use the bathroom before you leave the Bright Angel Lodge.
Written 21 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kelstay2016
Los Altos, CA11 contributions
Jan 2023 • Family
Just did the 2 hour mile ride around the south rim of the canyon. Simon our guide was wonderful- knowledgeable and experienced. I was worried about the weather as it had been snowing but we lucked out with great visibility.
The mules clearly know where to go and never did it feel unsafe despite the snow on the ground. Would highly recommend to winter visitors.
The mules clearly know where to go and never did it feel unsafe despite the snow on the ground. Would highly recommend to winter visitors.
Written 7 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Donna R
21 contributions
I knew the Canyon Vistas (rim) ride required riders to be less than 225 lbs but just noticed this requirement: "Rider’s height must be proportionate to his or her weight."
Does anyone have any experience with this rule - do they consult a chart? Calculate your BMI? Or just eyeball you :)
Tlaquepaque21
Columbus, OH22 contributions
When we checked in at the Bright Angel desk prior to the ride, they required us to step on a scale. They appeared to eyeball the adults' heights but did measure my 11yo daughter to be sure she met the minimum for reaching stirrups. I don't know if they consult a BMI type chart after they take your weight.
what if inclemate weather?
Dean L
Crane Hill, AL257 contributions
So long as it is safe they go rain or shine, hot or cold.
May i stuff my zippered coat pockets full for the ride down? I understand they provide a small bag for overnight at phantom, but i'm asking about how much i can carry while on the mule.
Dean L
Crane Hill, AL257 contributions
Unless you're stuffing bricks I doubt they would say anything... the point being WHY? The bag was plenty big for a one-night stay. Depending on when you're going you may not be wanting to wear a coat in the first place after you get started. Also, remember you'll likely be buying souvenirs for which you need to save space. The T-shirts are vacuum packed (it took me hours to iron out the wrinkles) but still the size of a juice box. Worst case - they'll ask you to leave something behind so don't pack anything in your pockets that you can't live without. Also, anything you take OUT of your pockets has to be secured by a lanyard. If you drop it, consider it lost.
dawn j
Alexandria, VA953 contributions
How early do you need to reserve a ride?
Dean L
Crane Hill, AL257 contributions
In theory you can show up the morning of the trip and grab any cancellations. Since the number of riders was reduced from 30 to 10 a number of years ago, the odds are greatly reduced. I've gone three times - twice with a full compliment of 10 riders but once with only 6 so it IS possible, just unlikely.
Carol K
6 contributions
Hope to treat my son and daughter in law to the Phantom Ranch mule ride, she is Japanese and i think her English is real good but not fluent as a native speaker. Am hoping for an idea off some of the verbiage the wranglers will be using to make sure she will fully understand them.
Also, others who have done this trip, where English is a second language, what was your experience?
Thanks
Dean L
Crane Hill, AL257 contributions
The one thing you will hear the most.... "Motivate *your mule's name*!" The guides can't learn everyone's name in a short time so you're referred to by your mule's name. Safety is the biggest concern and keeping the mules close together is at the top of the list. Oh and by "motivate" they mean swat them with your whip. It's meant to get their attention, not hurt them. At the morning instruction session, we were asked what you call a someone who refuses to motivate their mule. Answer: "Hiker". Otherwise the only other thing she might miss are what they are telling everyone about the canyon, its history, the geology, etc.
Adventure35289361102
1 contribution
We are considering the 3 hour mule ride next June. We want to know if the trip goes down into the canyon or not. One comment indicated it did not, but the same person posted pictures that looked like it did go down into the canyon. Does anyone have any experience with this ride that can let us know if it only stays on the rim, or goes down. We are going to do the bicycle tour as well but didn't want to spend more money if they are similar trips.
Dean L
Crane Hill, AL257 contributions
The 3 hour ride does go along the rim which is an improvement over the version a few years ago but does NOT go into the canyon.
drmox
Yuma, AZ19 contributions
Hi there, I’m just curious if there were alternatives to meat? I don’t eat beef :( Thank you !
tracyneudecker
Westminster, MD12 contributions
on their website it states "If you have special dietary needs, such as glucose intolerance or food allergies, please advise the reservation agent at the time of booking. Phantom Ranch will do their best to accommodate all special requests."
I'm sure they could work something out for you. Just ask.