The Grand Canyon is one of the most visited sites in the U.S. by foreign visitors. This info is intended to help them plan and enjoy a Grand Canyon experience and focuses on GCNP South Rim. A good rule of thumb is to begin planning a visit at least 6 months in advance if possible.

Visit the National Park Service web site and educate yourself about GCNP.

The very first thing to understand is the distances and time involved in traveling in the Western U.S. The Grand Canyon of the Colorado River is huge, 277 miles along the Colorado River, roughly a mile deep at its deepest point, and 10 miles across at the widest rim-to-rim. GCNP is 120 miles from east to west. Closest large cities with international airports are Phoenix (230 miles, 4 hours driving time) and Las Vegas (280 miles, 5-5.5 hours driving time). It is also possible to fly into Flagstaff Arizona, which is 90 miles and about 1.5 hours from the park. The primary mode of travel to GCNP is by automobile. Get a U.S. road atlas or use online maps to familiarize yourself with the region.

The second thing to consider is how much time is enough for a good experience? Experts in TA forums recommend at least 2 days with an overnight stay, though it is possible to have a good experience in one day by arriving early and leaving late. The very best experience would include lodging in the park, and time to see both a sunrise and sunset.

When considering a trip to the Grand Canyon which requires lodging in the area, you should consider booking lodging before anything else. You can always cancel or change the lodging reservations if necessary. Lodging in the park itself is limited, and availability is often not good. From outside the U.S., contact the lodging concessionaire, Xanterra, through their web site reservation system, or their telephone numbers on the web site. There is information in Inside Grand Canyon pages here in TA about lodging which includes information about park lodges and other lodging close to the park.

How do you get to the Grand Canyon?
Primarily by driving yourself, which for a visitor means renting a car (or other vehicle). Most visitors arrive through the Phoenix or Las Vegas airports (see above for distances and travel time). If you are not comfortable or confident about driving in the U.S., there are some alternatives:
[1] Bus and other ground tours from Las Vegas or Phoenix. These generally take 12-14 hours time with about 4 hours "on the ground" in the park. Most do not offer an overnight option, however there are a few bus tours with overnight stays. To find tours use online searches such as "las vegas grand canyon bus tour." There are numerous coach tour providers in Las Vegas, including the 90-year-old venerable Grayline Tours. From Phoenix, known sources are Grayline (luxury coach) and Southwest Tours (van).
[2] Air tours from Las Vegas. These range from including a ground tour to transportation only, the latter which would permit staying overnight in the park or at Tusayan just outside the park entrance. Scenic Airlines and Grand Canyon Airlines offer "transportation only" options to go to GC Airport from Boulder City NV, including transportation from Las Vegas hotels to Boulder City Airport..Transportation from GC Airport in Tusayan to GC Village is by taxi if not provided by the tour company (contact Xanterra on arrival). The GC Airport is a small non-commercial airport with few services. There are no rental cars at the GC Airport.
[3] Amtrak passenger train to Flagstaff AZ or Williams AZ, and then using shuttle transportation or taxi to get to GCNP or your lodging. Amtrak trains do not run to the park, however there is a private railroad, Grand Canyon Railroad,  from Williams which travels to GCNP daily.
[4] Bus using Greyhound to Williams AZ, and then using shuttle transportation, taxi or GC Railroad to get to GCNP or your lodging.
(NOTE: [3] or [4] might require an overnight stay in Williams or Flagstaff before continuing to the park, depending on time of arrival.)
[5] Private tours which include GCNP in their itineraries, which normally include pre-arranged lodging if overnight at the park.

"Do I need a car?"
Not in the park, but the very best tour which you can arrange is your own, on your own time, at your own pace, and not one on someone else's schedule. If you are arriving from Phoenix or Las Vegas, either is an easy drive (with a few winter exceptions) year-round to GCNP. Within the park there are free shuttles operating to take you around in the central park area and the western overlooks (except the Hermits Rest shuttle does not operate between Dec. 1 and Feb. 28 during which time private vehicles may use the west rim road). The eastern overlooks can be reached by private vehicle or tour bus arranged within the park.

A common question about driving is whether a SUV or similar vehicle is required. All roads to GCNP South Rim and within GCNP are suitable for ordinary passenger vehicles. Most of the trip will be on 4-lane interstate highways. Secondary roads leading to the park and roads within the park are paved 2-lane roads. Neither 4-wheel-drive nor high clearance vehicles are needed. Rent a vehicle based on your needs for economy and comfort. Car rentals are not available at the Grand Canyon or the GC Airport. Closest car rentals would be at the Flagstaff airport or the Flagstaff Amtrak station. Most visitors traveling by car will obtain rental vehicles in Las Vegas or Phoenix.

South Rim? North Rim? West Rim?
The South Rim is the most visited area with the most services and amenities and is the location of the real "West Rim". The North Rim is less accessible, has limited lodging and few services and amenities, and is considered by many to be more scenic.

What is often mistakenly called the "West Rim" is actually "Grand Canyon West", which is not in GCNP at all but is on private land of the Hualapai Indian Nation about 180 miles from GCNP South Rim. "Grand Canyon West" is a commercial enterprise of the Hualapai tribe. The canyon rim in that area is 3000' lower than the GCNP South Rim. There are few viewpoints, and the area is not as scenic as GCNP. It is where the Skywalk is located and is about 120 miles from Las Vegas, however half that distance is over poor roads with the last 20 miles an unpaved and poorly maintained dirt road. Tours are available from Las Vegas by air and by bus to Grand Canyon West. The actual "West Rim" is a 7 mile section at GCNP South Rim the runs between Grand Canyon Village's Historic District and Hermit's Rest (the westernmost viewpoint at the South Rim). The actual West Rim is also know as the West Rim Drive/Hermit Road.