We were in the Phoenix area and decided to take a Grand Canyon tour. Vaughan's Southwest CustomTours looked like it was highly recommended and had amazing reviews. They did not disappoint! From the ease of booking, to the fantastic sights of the Grand Canyon and surrounding areas, everything was designed around our Grand Canyon experience. Our guide, Princely, was an unbelievable source of knowledge on everything from history to Native American Indian lore and geology. We had a great lunch at Cameron Trading Post with a chance to shop and explore the gallery. The stops along the rim were amazing and again Princely was invaluable with his knowledge and love of the area.. I can't say enough good things about this company and would give them 10 stars if I could! read more

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We went to the Grand Canyon today with Mike as our tour guide. First let me say....Mike is a wealth of information and stories. He also knows the area extremely well. The tour was comfortable and Mike made sure we were entertained. We stopped for lunch and a little shopping. The souvenir store we stopped at was amazing and huge. We had lunch on the Navajo Reservation, the Navajo Taco is great and enough for at least two. When we arrived at the Grand Canyon, Mike took us to great locations that avoided the mass crowds. He took pics and even helped us setup some pictures. He took time to show us points of interest and give a brief history; some stories and legends. The only complaint I can give is that the seat belts in the van are uncomfortable and don't seem to release well. Otherwise, this was well worth it and highly recommended. read more

Howard picked us up promptly on time and whisked us off on a wonderful tour of the grand canyon. He made the tour very personal, kept us all entertained even though the tour group was made up of some very different people, ensured everyone was comfortable, and truly provided an unexpected level of service. He was very knowledgeable about literally everything we drove past for 4 hours, and then was also knowledgeable about every bit of the grand canyon. The van was clean, roomy enough while still fitting everyone in, had modern amenities like usb charging ports, and most importantly had great A/C. I wouldn't hesitate to book another tour with this company, especially if I could get Howard again. read more

Our tour started early in the morning, at 6:45am, and it was great all the way until we were dropped off at around 9pm. It was a long day, but we got to see so many things. And I can't say enough positive things about Adam, our tour guide and driver. Adam was very knowledgeable about Arizona and the native Indian history. My 3 daughters (ages 7, 9, and 14) had a great time, no fussyness no complaints. The van was comfortable and clean. It is definitely a long day, and you will spend a good amount of time in the car. But the route we took was very scenic, and we made some nice stops to take pictures. My family had a great time, and an experience they will remember for a long time. Definitely worth the money and the time. Thanks again Adam!! read more

Vaughans Southwest Custom Tours - Adam dropping us off in Sedona. - Tours Near Me

When my friend & I went to visit Phoenix in January 2011 we did a day tour of the Grand Canyon with Southwest Tours. I wasn't sure what to expect since there weren't many reviews for them on the internet but they looked good enough through the few things I read and now I'm really glad I went with them! Lee was our driver/tour guide & he was chock full of knowledge on just about everything! He talked to us during the entire drive from the moment we got into the van, which in itself was very roomy & comfortable. He shared facts about each town we passed, little tidbits you probably won't find in tour guidebooks, and told us all about the different animals, plants & cactus we saw while on the road. The group we were with was a small group of 5 people so it had a really nice, cozy feeling. Lee was very accomodating whenever we needed to make an emergency bathroom stop, which happened somewhat frequently with all the complimentary water they gave us! Haha. We made many stops along the southern rim of Grand Canyon & we were taken down on a few trails that were away from where most of the visitors usually congregate & with spectacular views so we got a chance to enjoy the beauty of nature in a peaceful environment. I highly recommend Southwest Tours & would definitely consider using them again the next time we go out there for a visit. read more

Vaughan's Southwest Custom Tours saved our vacation! When our tour company cancelled on us last minute (literally 5pm on Sunday before our Monday Grand Canyon tour), we were nearly inconsolable. After all, we'd planned a trip to Phoenix expressly to see the Grand Canyon and Monday was the only day we could do an all day tour! Luckily, after making some calls, we were incredibly lucky to snag the last two spots on a tour with Vaughan's! Our tour guide, Tim, picked us up from our hotel lobby promptly at 7am, and we were off! The scenery was captivating and ever changing on the way to the canyon. The entire way, Tim kept up an interesting commentary about the history, the culture and the flora and fauna of Arizona. There were plenty of bathroom breaks along the way. We stopped about an hour and a half in for coffee and then continued another few hours to reach a Navajo trading post, where we had a tasty lunch and a chance to see some genuine reservation-made crafts. I found the prices and quality to be better than Scottsdale/Phoenix, so you may want to hold off on purchases until you see the stuff at the trading post! There was an accident in front of the Park entrance that wound up costing us quite a bit of time, but Tim was a consummate professional and still made sure that we had plenty of time at the park even though it added about 2 hours to his workday. He took us to the best parts of the park and even pointed out some wildlife. It was absolutely gorgeous, and we even got to see sunset in the Grand Canyon, which was a real treat! PARTING THOUGHT: If you are trying to decide on a tour company for the Grand Canyon, look no further! Vaughan's Southwest Custom Tours is extremely reliable with knowledgeable guides, comfortable vans and competitive prices. read more

What an experience! Do not miss this tour best way to see Grand Canyon. Mike our tour guide was evenly paced very informative & did not skimp! I cried when I saw the GC. It's truly over whelming. Thank you for an outstanding day trip. We will go back to explore more of Sedona! read more

Vaughans Southwest Custom Tours - Tours Near Me

I was in Mesa for a professional conference and found myself with an extra day in the sun. I was considering renting a car and driving up to the Canyon when a colleague suggested looking into day tours-she suggested Vaughans based on TripAdvisor; I checked Yelp and signed up for the day tour to Sedona and the Grand Canyon. I had never gone on a day tour before and had no idea what to expect-it ended up to be the best thing I could have chosen for this trip! Things that I was especially happy with: I was staying outside of the pick up area for the tour, and on the phone, I was offered a 10% discount since I would have to arrange travel to the closest hotel. The pick up was incredibly punctual. Our tour guide was great-knowledgeable about all kinds of things, and not many questions he couldn't answer. The van was equipped with a microphone system so all were able to hear his descriptions. He seemed genuinely happy to be taking the trip (as opposed to jaded that he had done it many times). The weather was REALLY windy and cold and he took us to viewing areas of the Canyon that were indoors. Finally, our guide was very willing to take photos for everyone and also noted that he had an extra camera in case anyone's wasn't working. Areas for improvement: A 15% Yelp check-in offer was posted on the website, but on the phone, they said it was no longer valid. For the record, I thought the price was fine (especially with the discount I was given), but anytime there's something advertised (which was acknowledged), but not honored, I'm disappointed. We ended up stopping for dinner pretty late, but we should partially take fault for not asking sooner. read more

My 3 children and I had the pleasure of taking this tour with Tim and a great Aussie family. This otherwise long 4 hour ride was fun and entertaining. Tim kept us interested by providing us with tons of facts about AZ and joking with us the whole way. We stopped for lunch at the Indian Reservation and did some light shopping. The Grand Canyon was spectacular and Tim was so accommodating taking our pictures along the way. Tim was the highlight of the trip. He provided the visiting Australian family with tips on visiting Sedona and showed us some great things along the way. He had a supply of water he kept encouraging us to drink. My daughter left our camera in the car and he graciously returned it that very night. Thanks Tim and SouthWest for providing us with a great experience. read more

Will was our tour guide and he was great! He picked my wife and I up promptly at the stated time. He was extremely knowledgeable of the area we traveled through on the way to the Grand Canyon and pointed out key points of interest. When we got to the Grand Canyon he had our group keep our eyes at our feet as we walked toward the first point of interest and when he positioned us where he wanted us he had us all look up at the same time so we could all experience the beauty of the Canyon together! It was amazing and so majestic. Will made sure to keep us on task so we could see all the sights he had planned for us and we weren't disappointed. On our way home timing worked out perfectly for us to even catch the sunset at a great overlook point off the freeway. This was a quick weekend getaway trip for my wife and my anniversary. We flew into Phoenix last night, went to the Canyon today and are heading back home tomorrow. Friends and family thought we were crazy but I can tell you it was a trip I would take again and I would definitely make sure Will was our tour guide! Thank you for adding to our life memories! read more

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I cannot say enough good things about the Grand Canyon via Sedona day tour we took from Phoenix. Pick up was smooth and our tour guide was incredible. He was informative and helpful, pointing out the history, the best spots to take pictures and even taking them for us happily. I believe he was in his fifties, but he put all of us that were half his age to shame with his boundless energy. Awesome tour, amazing experience and worth every penny. read more

One word: Amazing. My friends and I are seasoned travelers. We wanted to see the Grand Canyon and we had an amazing time with Will as our guide. We could not have been happier. We even ran in to some crazy weather and Will was calm cool and collected. We had the best time. Thanks Vaughans and thanks Will! Recommend without reservations! read more

This was a great experience! Hit great spots for pictures and scenic views! Chris was our tour guide and did a fantastic job providing information on AZ, Sedona and the Grand Canyon! I would definitely recommend this if you are looking for an expert to see the Grand Canyon! read more

We had a pretty nice time on our tour of the Grand Canyon. The best thing is you don't have to make any decisions. The Grand Canyon is big and there are a lot of things you could check out. The tour takes you to a cool selection of views and delivers a satisfying "Grand Canyon Experience" The one thing I wasn't a fan of was sitting with everyone else on the tour at lunch. It was awkward. It's a long day, and I may prefer the privacy of my own car, but it was nice not to drive and we had a fun time. read more

Great service, that included a pick up directly from our hotel! Van was roomy and comfy enough, and I liked the fact that cold, bottled water was readily available, and chewing gum too for when we'd drive up into higher elevations; which was a nice touch, I think. Our guide/driver, Mike, was very knowledgeable, friendly, welcoming, and most of all, patient with us. I also liked the places we stopped at such as Sedona and Cameron. Using this svc to the Grand Canyon was better option for us and after seeing and calling out to other companies, this was a great find, as other places were charging a lot more. Thank you, Mike, for your great service! You made us feel very welcomed in AZ. Cheers and Aloha! read more

Wonderful, wonderful, multi stop tour that included Grand Canyon and Sedona. Jim could not have been more accommodating or informative. We saw more than we ever imagined we would see. It was a pleasure from start to finish......getting information about the tours, making reservations, being picked up when promised, and providing comfortable transportation. Every need was anticipated.......having water always available, planning regular rest stops, plus allowing ample time to appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of this area of AZ. Thanks also to Kari who handled our reservation professionally and answered many questions which we had over the months previous to the tour. Highly recommend!!! We will never forget this special tour. read more

My mother and I took the Grand Canyon via Sedona tour on 3/24/15 and it was fantastic! We were only in Phoenix for a short trip and wanted to see the Grand Canyon and Sedona but would not have had enough time if we tried to attempt this on our own. Plus, I'm not one for driving at night in my own neighborhood so I really wasn't trying to navigate through Arizona in a rental car. Our guide, Scott, was extremely friendly and full of knowledge! You can tell that he is passionate about his state! I would definitely recommend Vaughn's Southwest Tours to anyone traveling to Arizona! read more

Great and personal tour. Fun experience! Joel our tour guide made the tour a memorable experience. I would highly recommend. I took the tour to Grand Canyon via Sedona: read more

Awesome custom tour with my family led by our incredible tour guide Will. This man was not only a great traveling companion and person but an incredible source of knowledge. The man is a living, breathing encyclopedia! Or for you kids out there, "wikipedia"!. He's got that state wired! Knows every angle it seems. So we learned a great deal during our tour. We also had lots of fun, visiting Sedona and of course, the Canyon. But we greatly appreciated his flexibility in allowing us to stop at some unexpected locales along the way. Highly recommended! read more

An overall excellent day. Toured Sedona & the Grand Canyon. Will was our guide. He provided exceptional service.

We went on the Grand Canyon tour on Christmas Day. We were disappointed that Cameron's Trading Post was closed (I called & asked about that with Vaughan's prior to making our reservation & was told that it would be open). Lunch ended up being at a food court in a visitor's center. Howard, the guide, was an odd duck. Aside from his somewhat scary driving & the van engine light on the entire trip, he became unhinged when a guest took a bottle of water out of the cooler. The Grand Canyon was worth the trip, but disappointed with the tour (particularly the guide). read more

This tour was amazing! It takes all the hassle out of going to the Grand Canyon. We were picked up from our hotel in Scottsdale and our guide, Princely, kept us entertained the entire way. It was a small group, 4 people total, and I think that made it way more enjoyable. He was extremely knowledgeable about Arizona history, Native American history, and a lot of random physics and environmental science. We even stopped to stargaze on the way home - awesome! I'd highly recommend it if you have only a day to visit the Canyon! read more

We had the best time on our Grand Canyon tour! Princely was our tour guide and he was a wealth of knowledge. We were with a great group of people as well. But Princely was just fantastic! If we ever need to go on any other type of tour, we will definitely use Southwest again! read more

Just went on one day tour of Grand Canyon with guide Howard. The three of us were picked up at Scottsdale hotel right on time. It was a stormy day but Howard changed schedule during day to take advantage of breaks and openings in passing clouds. We were rained on only once during the day, amazing job! Really enjoyed tour and guide had a lot of history of the area and was a safe driver. His priorities were comfort,safety, and fun. The staff at Vaughans,Laura etc. were very friendly and available 24/7 by phone or email-very accommodating. Credit card used for reservation but not charged until end of trip. read more

A friend and I took the tour to Sedona and Grand Canyon. We were very pleased with the tour provided. The tour guide, Howard, was very professional, knowledgeable and personable. He went out of his way to make the day pleasant and enjoyable. I highly recommend these tours. read more

Having never seen the Grand Canyon, we wanted to take a tour. Our concierge at the Orange Tree Resort, Barbara, recommened Vaughans Southwest Custom Tours. Our guide, Princely, picked us up at our hotel at the designated time. There were 11 of us of different ages, different states and different countries in the van. Princely made sure we were all introduced and made comfortable. We were off to the Navajo reservation for an early lunch and then on to the Grand Canyon and Sedona. The entire trip, Princely kept up an interesting commentary about the history, the Native American culture, the wildlife and the flora and fauna of Arizona. We learned a lot. It seemed there was nothing that Princely didn't know about the area. We all commented on how special he made us feel by going out of his way to show us things we had heard about and a few of his special spots. Princely even helped each of us get some great photos. We all agreed it was a great trip and Princely was the perfect guide. read more

This tour was recommended by the concierge in our Phoenix hotel and he was certainly right about them. My husband and I had a great time. Howard, our tour guide, picked us up right on time and the van had individual seats and was very clean and comfortable with plenty of leg-room. Howard was very knowledgeable about everything we passed during our trip. His commentary made the ride go by very quickly. We stopped and had a wonderful lunch on the Navajo Reservation and had time to browse in the very large gift shop. Free water was provided on the van and we made enough bathroom stops to keep us happy. On the way to the Grand Canyon Howard even took a detour for us to drive over a beautiful waterfall where people were fishing. We made 5 different viewing stops on the south rim of the Grand Canyon including ones that were not stopped at by the large tour buses which gave us ample oppurtunity to take photos. Our final stop at the Grand Canyon was at Yavapai Point where we visited a beautiful hotel and the Hopi House Gift Store which I highly recommend both if you want to buy a gift and also just to view the beautiful building both inside and out. A quick dinner stop on the way back to our hotel completed our day. I highly recommend this tour company as we believe they provided excellent service for our money. read more

Seven of us along with the tour guide Howard went to Grand Canyon on a one day trip. As far as the tour is concerned, the guide did explain about lot of things which supported us to learn something new, everything was on time, the viewpoints of Grand Canyon was majestic and we did enjoy that. On the other hand I was really dissatisfied with the way of thoughts expressed against Indians. If some people behave in a certain way, it doesn't mean that everyone would be the same. It really hurts when something is said in a wrong way when representing a country. Preference is given to a guided tour mainly with the reason that the guide would know better than a new visitor. In such a case, expressing wrong thoughts against someone is not appreciated or required as far as the tour is considered. Although the tour was good, this way of speaking really created a bad impression and I wouldn't recommend this tour mainly for Indians at least based on the guide read more

We couldn't have asked for more. There were four of us on this trip and we wanted a tour to the Grand Canyon that didn't involve a huge crowd. We were picked up at our resort in Scotttsdale at 7:30 am in a van that had 6 other passengers -- so we spent the day with this nice group. The minute we got in the van, the tour began. Princely, our guide, is a walking encyclopedia! He knows everything and is willing to share it all. As we traveled through the Sonoran Desert we learned about the desert, the different types of plants and cacti and why they survive... We traveled through desert, mountains and farmlands... Princely knew the ins and outs and avoided traffic with his shortcuts... We stopped in Sedona and had the opportunity to take in a couple of different vistas while there. Princely was great at making sure we had family photos -- always offering to snap shots at each stop we made. I felt like we were the only people at the Canyon upon arrival. We came in through the "back door" as it were -- avoiding huge crowds that enter through the main entrance. It was wonderful. Driving along the rim we saw elk feeding and Princely "banged a u-ie" and went back to the spot so we could take pictures. It was great! We made several stops at the Canyon to take in the beauty and views and snap lots of photos. I highly recommend Southwest Tours... We could have never done so much on our own -- it was nice to kick back, relax, listen and look! Thanks for making our day a great one! (By the way -- we were dropped off at 9:00 pm!) read more

What a great tour and guide for the Grand Canyon! The tour started with our guide, Howard, picking us up at various places around Phoenix for our adventure! The vans are very comfortable and the tour was much more personal than a bus tour. We all enjoyed that! Howard was very courteous, professional, and constantly checked in with us to make sure we were comfortable and taken care of. Howard knew all the places to go where we could get an amazing experience without the crowds, which was greatly appreciated. He kept us entertained the entire time with his facts and stories. We stopped in Sedona (I am going to be taking a Sedona tour with Howard!), Flagstaff, Cameron (amazing food and views!), and then the Grand Canyon (what an awe-inspiring place!). At each stop, Howard took great care of us, guided us to the best places to see and visit, and we never felt rushed. His enthusiasm was contagious and his passion for Arizona was obvious! He was even prepared for the rain up at the Canyon! He handed out ponchos and had umbrellas ready so we could enjoy our "walk through time" to see how the Canyon was created despite a quick downpour. Hands down, the best tour I've ever been on! I highly recommend the Grand Canyon tour with Howard! read more