It seems futile to describe The Grand Canyon in words. But I will give it a try. The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided gorge in the state of Arizona in USA. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, one of the first national parks in USA. It is nature’s more laborious job, carved over a period of six million years by the Colorado River. The canyon is 446km long, its width ranges from 6.4 to 29 km and drops to about 6000 feet.

The canyon is divided into two rims-the North Rim and the South Rim. Individual interests, available time and the weather can influence your visit. Plan, plan and plan…planning is very essential when visiting Grand Canyon, because, as the name suggests, it is ‘Grand’. So grand that it cannot be covered in a single day.

We visited the South Rim. If you do not have much time and plan on going to South Rim, walk a short distance down the Bright Angel or South Kaibab Trails, keeping in mind that it is much easier to go down than climb back up. Drive on Desert View Drive; stop at Tusayan Museum and the Desert View Watchtower.

Services and accommodations are available. There is even a RV park with all the facilities. Some viewpoints also have snack and souvenir shops. Keep yourself stuffed and hydrated, especially if you are hiking.

There are various ways that one can see the Canyon. There are airplane and helicopter packages available. But if you are as faint hearted as I am when your flying, then beware; the ride has a lot of ups and dives. See the land through Hummer or water through white water rafting. If you have the stamina, go for hiking or biking. Overnight camping needs a permit.

But the best way to see the canyon is to use the free shuttle, even if you have your own vehicle. It has three main routes – The Village Route, Hermit Rest and Kaibab Trail Route.

When we came back from seeing the Canyon, we went to see the one time railway track. Maybe they still use it. Although, the most striking thing that we found there were not the rails but the deer. They were approximately ten in number and moved about as if they are used to human population proximity. Though they were at a closer appronpinquity then they are in a zoo, the park authorities discourage touching or feeding them.

California condor

California condor is a majestic bird with a 9-foot wingspan and is often spotted at Grand Canyon. These days it is a highly endangered bird. Spotting it at the Grand Canyon is also one of the canyon’s many activities.

Sit and watch the changing play of light and shadows. Watch the way colours change from reds to purples during different times of the day and the orange hues when the sun sets. Wander along a trail and feel the sunshine and wind on your face and watch the clouds cast changing shadows on the plateaus and pinnacles. And do not forget to get a bird’s eye view of the Brahmaputra temple among the canyon peaks. Grand Canyon has a breathtaking chasm that even today, is wildly wonderful.

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