ACCOMMODATIONS
Rooms at Cliff Dwellers Lodge are twin-bedded double occupancy. Private rooms are not available on this tour. The facilities include a restaurant where we eat dinner on the night of arrival and breakfast the next morning, and a gift shop/canteen where you can purchase drinks and any accessories you forgot.
Sodas and alcoholic beverages are not included in the tour cost, and can be purchased in quantity here. The staff at the lodge (good salesmen!) encourage everyone to purchase a six-pack of soda for each day you will be on the river, warning of the serious effects of dehydration. This leads to a general tendency to purchase much more than you will drink during the tour. There is fresh water and lemonade available on board the rafts at all times, and these help combat dehydration much better than beer or soda. Only buy as much as you think you will use!
Our outfitters supply tents, but it is so hot in the Canyon you won’t bother putting up a tent except in the very rare instance of rain. You’ll want all the air possible moving across you and cooling you, and will probably go to sleep each night on top of your sleeping bag covered with only a sheet, crawling inside your bag only in the cool early morning hours.
PREPARING FOR THE TOUR
Don’t worry if you don’t know how to swim, or do not consider yourself a good swimmer. Everyone will always have a life jacket on while aboard the raft, and in the unlikely event that you fall into the water, floating (not swimming) is what you will do.
You will be camping while on the river, but don’t worry if you are a first time camper. It is very easy, and no previous camping experience is required. We recommend you do some physical conditioning to get into shape before the tour. The better your physical condition, the more you will enjoy your hikes.
WHAT TO BRING
Please Note: Vision Air has a strict 25-pound weight limit for each passenger’s luggage on the flight to Cliff Dwellers Lodge. The charge for overweight luggage is $1 per pound. This limit will keep you from over packing! If spending extra time in Las Vegas before or after the tour, bring an extra suitcase for those clothes, which you may check with Vision Air while you are on the river. There is a $15 charge for each suitcase checked.
If you have all the rental equipment listed below, by all means bring it along and save $50.00. If you do not, check the appropriate box on the Reservation Form when you send in your deposit and we’ll add the rental charge to your final payment invoice.
The following equipment is available for a $50.00 rental fee for the full set:
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Sleeping bag
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Pillow
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Air mattress
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Plastic ground cover
Checklist of Other Essential Gear:
____ Twin size flat sheet in case it is too hot to sleep inside your sleeping bag.
____ Duffle bag with everything inside packed into heavy plastic garbage bags.
____ Day Pack / Backpack (which will get wet) for items you need during the day (ie. camera, sunscreen, reading material, hiking boots, etc.). Your duffle will be inaccessible during the day.
____ Carabineer (metal clip) to hook back pack to raft.
____ Rain suit. An inexpensive, two-piece (jacket and pants) rain suit is required. The water is so cold that without this you will get chilled to the bone when the Canyon is not in direct sunlight. A poncho is not sufficient.
____ T-shirts, long sleeved shirt, shorts, jeans. (It is important to have at least one outfit that will shield both legs and arms from the intense sun).
____ Footwear: Two pairs—one to get wet jumping on and off the raft (Keen or Tevas sandals are great river gear), and another to keep dry for longer hikes (tennis shoes are sufficient but will get totally trashed).
____ Bicycle gloves for gripping raft ropes.
____ Washcloth and towel.
____ Swimsuit / underwear / sleepwear.
____ Bandannas. Dipped in the river, they help keep your head & body cool.
____ Sunscreen / lip balm / bug repellent.
____ Sunglasses / sun hat (both with neck straps).
____ Canteen or plastic water bottle to carry with you on hikes.
____ Biodegradable soap (Ivory is best) and personal toiletries.
____ Flashlight, lightweight binoculars.
____ Plastic zip-lock bags: medium ones for film, kleenex, etc.; large ones for wet clothes, cameras and the like.
____ Kleenex, moist wipes.
____ Camera, film, batteries or digital memory storage. Don’t bring an expensive camera unless you have a way to keep it absolutely watertight.
____ Notebook, pen & a good book.
____ Sleeping aid / ear plugs. The rushing Colorado River is loud and can keep you awake at night.
REMEMBER: The 25 pounds per person weight limit for luggage is carefully observed by Vision Air for flight safety, with a financial penalty for non-compliance! Please try to arrive under limit to avoid having to pay extra, or repack and check some items at the airport before flying to Cliff Dwellers Lodge.
To reserve a place on this tour, click on the “Reservations” link above. Type in the information requested in each field, print the form, then sign and mail it to Toto Tours with your $500 deposit check. You also have the option to pay for your tour deposit with a Visa or MasterCard. The remaining balance is due 45 days prior to departure (by May 17, 2008). Tour registration is not complete until we have received both the signed reservation form and your deposit check or credit card authorization.
Toto Tours does not accept credit cards as a form of payment except for the amount of the tour deposit ($500 maximum can be charged per tour). An installment plan is possible. Our mailing address is: Toto Tours, 1326 W. Albion Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60626-4753. Make checks payable to: Toto Tours, Ltd.
LIABILITIES & DISCLAIMERS
Making a reservation with a deposit shall be deemed to be consent to these conditions: Toto Tours does not accept responsibility in whole or in part for any delay, loss, accidents, personal injury, sickness, medical expenses, or property damage occasioned by fault of any person from whatever cause. All participants are required to sign a standard liability form.
We strongly encourage you purchase Travel Insurance to cover all aspects of your travel in the Grand Canyon! We will provide the necessary forms upon receipt of your deposit, or you can apply online by following the link at the bottom of this page. You can also book your travel insurance with a phone call to Toto Tours.
The tour operators reserve the right to accept or decline any person as a member of the tour at any time and to make whatever changes become necessary with or without notice. This tour is a guaranteed departure.
THE TOTO SPIRIT
Toto Tours provides Adventure Travel Experiences as differentiated from tours in the traditional sense. Adventure Travel allows (even encourages) you to be an active participant. Adventurers can be identified by certain traits. They are:
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fun-loving optimists who have a sense of humor and accentuate the positive;
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good natured realists who are willing to accept situations as they exist;
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undaunted by the unexpected, like occasional delays or bad weather;
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willing to forego some of the amenities we normally take for granted;
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eager to try new things and test limits;
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punctual
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not whiners!
Cultivate your spirit of Adventure while having one of the most exhilarating experiences of your life—rafting the whitewater of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. If you have any questions, call: 800-565-1241.
THE BOTTOM LINE
(tour prices per person)
Price: $2,895 double occupancy
Private Room: Not available on this tour
Deposit: $500
Remaining Balance: $2,395
(Assumes $500 deposit has already been made)
Remaining Balance Due: May 17, 2008
(Full payment required with reservation form if enrolling after this date.)
Included: Double-occupancy accommodations at Cliff Dwellers Lodge; National Park entry fee; dinner 7/2 and all subsequent meals through breakfast on 7/9; transfer to Lee’s Ferry; six days and nights guided rafting and hiking trip through the Grand Canyon; water & lemonade at all times; hot drinks at breakfast & dinner; excursions into side canyons: 2-man pup-tents (in event of rain); helicopter flight out of the Canyon; flight back to your starting point at end of the tour.
Not Included: Air or ground transportation to starting point at Cliff Dwellers Lodge; camping equipment; insurance; soft drinks or alcoholic beverages; laundry; telephone calls; faxes; any expenses of a personal nature; and tips to the crew.
Note: If you are not driving to our starting point, you will need to add $225 for the flight from Las Vegas to Cliff Dwellers Lodge. Rental of camping equipment is $50 extra if you don’t want to bring your own gear.
Tipping Guidelines: The crew members work tirelessly from dawn to after dark—running the rafts, setting up camp, cooking, cleaning, dealing with toilets (nothing is left in the Canyon), packing, unpacking, and guiding our side hiking trips. We suggest a minimum tip of $200 from each tour participant to show your appreciation for all their hard work.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
We recommend you purchase travel insurance with AIG Travel Guard to cover for unforseen events prior to and during your trip. Please follow the link below or call us for more information.
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