TRAVEL TIPS

Tours

Archaeology

Archaeological Conservancy. This esteemed organization offers a number of multiday tours covering significant sites around the country, including one or two Southwest trips each year that may involve sites in Arizona. Additionally, the conservancy oversees and offers visits to a pair of archaeological preserves in Arizona, Sherwood Ranch Pueblo in Apache County, and Mission Guevavi in Santa Cruz County. 505/266–1540; www.archaeologicalconservancy.org. From $1,995.

Crow Canyon Archaeological Center. Based in southwestern Colorado, this teaching and research center has a few different trips that touch on portions of Arizona—most last six or seven days. Trip agendas vary year to year, but they have included Carrizo Mountain Country hikes, Hopi kachina and silver-jewelry workshops, backcountry archaeology in Canyon de Chelly, and the study of Ancient Peoples of Arizona. 970/565–8975; 800/422–8975; www.crowcanyon.org. From $3,000.

Bicycling

A number of companies offer extensive bike tours that cover parts of the Southwest. Most airlines accommodate bikes as luggage, provided they're dismantled and boxed.

Arizona Outback Adventures. This Scottsdale-based outfitter offers a variety of bike trips throughout the state, including half-day and multiday mountain-biking rides through the Sonoran desert and road-biking tours of Scottsdale and metro Phoenix as well as other parts of the state. 480/945–2881; 866/455–1601; www.aoa-adventures.com. From $115.

Bicycle Adventures. This Washington-based company offers a very popular six-day bike excursion, the Cactus Classic Bike Tour, through Tucson’s Saguaro National Park and down through Tombstone and Bisbee. Lodgings each night are at high-end resorts and hotels throughout the region. 800/443–6060; 425/250–5540; www.bicycleadventures.com. From $2,982.

Magpie Cycling. Although specializing in tours around southeastern Utah, this Moab-based outfitter does have some exciting multiday mountain-biking trips around the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and covering parts of Lake Powell and the surrouding Navajo Nation. 800/546–4245; www.magpieadventures.com. From $1,175.

Golf

Golfpac. This company specializing in custom golf-vacation planning arranges trips all over the world, with Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tucson being among its most popular destinations. 888/848–8941; 407/260–2288; www.golfpactravel.com. From $276.

Hiking

Arizona Outback Adventures. This reliable company based in Scottsdale offers multiday and half-day hiking (as well as kayaking and rafting) excursions through some of the state's most dramatic scenery, from the Grand Canyon to Havasupai. 480/945–2881; 866/455–1601; www.aoa-adventures.com. From $95.

Just Roughin' It Adventure Company. The knowledgeable, enthusiastic guides at this Chandler-based outfitter offer myriad day and multiday hikes all around the state, with the Grand Canyon being a major focus. Try everything from ambitious rim-to-rim treks to shorter jaunts to Indian Garden and along the iconic Hermit Trail. Other guided hikes around the state cover some of the stunning mountains and canyons around Phoenix. Rock-climbing trips are also available. 480/857–2477; 877/399–2477; www.justroughinit.com. From $70.

Timberline Adventures. This Colorado-based company has multiday hiking tours in the Grand Canyon as well as in Chiricahua National Monument and the Sonoran Desert near Tucson. 303/664–8388; 800/417–2453; www.timbertours.com. From $2,295.

Native American History

Native American Journeys. You can explore a number of parts of the state important to indigenous peoples—the Grand Canyon, Hopi Country, Antelope Canyon, Canyon de Chelly, Monument Valley—on one-day hiking or float trips offered by this first-rate company based in Sedona. 928/204–5506; 877/367–2383 ; www.nativeamericanjourneys.com. From $144.

Natural History

Naturalist Journeys. Tours by this Arizona-based outfitter emphasize birding and geology, and venture into southeastern Arizona as well as the Grand Canyon region. 520/558–1146; 866/900–1146; www.naturalistjourneys.com. From $895.

Off the Beaten Path. Founded in 1986, this company offers small and customized group tours in northern Arizona and elsewhere in the Southwest, including a six-night tour covering the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park (in southern Utah), a six-night tour of the Four Corners region (including Monument Valley), and a six-night Puebloan Mystery tour exploring Canyon de Chelly and New Mexico's Chaco Canyon. 406/586–1311; 800/445–2995; www.offthebeatenpath.com. From $2,595.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours. This excellent, world-renowned tour operator that emphasizes bird-watching has been going strong since 1976, offering four or five different multiday tours throughout the year across Arizona. 512/328–5221; 800/328–8368; www.ventbird.com. From $2,195.

River-Rafting

Rafting on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many who try it. Numerous reliable companies offer rafting tours through the canyon, including Action Whitewater Adventures, OARS, Western River Expeditions, and Wilderness River Adventures.

Action Whitewater Adventures. This company, founded in 1955, leads six-day rafting itineraries through the upper Grand Canyon, starting at Marble Canyon. 801/375–4111; 800/453–1482; www.riverguide.com. From $2,669.

OARS. This California-based company is highly respected for its rafting adventures through the Grand Canyon, which last from 5 to 18 days. 209/736–4677; 800/346–6277; www.oars.com. From $2,374.

Western River Expeditions. This Utah-based company's three-, four-, six-, and seven-day rafting trips through the Grand Canyon are geared to all ability levels, with the shorter adventures best for beginners. 801/942–6669; 866/904–1160; www.westernriver.com. From $1,280.

Wilderness River Adventures. Based in Page, and part of the respected Aramark Parks and Destinations brand, this rafting company has trips both through the Grand Canyon and from Moab, Utah, through Cataract Canyon to Lake Powell on the Arizona border. Both motorized and paddle options are available. 800/992–8022; www.riveradventures.com. From $1,190.

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