Pent-up Demand Driving Record Reservations for Grand Canyon Rafting Vacations

SALT LAKE CITY, UT, Feb. 23, 2021 – Western River Expeditions reports that despite pandemic-related closures for nearly half of its 2020 operating season, the company experienced surprisingly high demand for the Grand Canyon rafting trips it was able to operate.

“We feel very fortunate to have had many sold-out departures this past year,” said Brandon Lake, co-owner of Western River Expeditions. “And already in 2021 there are significantly more people booked than at the same time last year. Bookings are coming in at unprecedented rates, not just for Grand Canyon expeditions, but for Utah trips as well.”

However, Lake underscored the need to book as soon as possible for 2021 and for 2022. He advised checking online to determine the availability of a remaining handful of 2021 Grand Canyon departures, joining a waitlist for sold out departures, or checking back frequently for any cancellations.

2021 availability:

3-day Grand Canyon: 4/13, 4/27, 5/4, 5/10, 8/30

4-day Grand Canyon: sold out

6-day Grand Canyon: sold out

7-day Grand Canyon: 4/1, 4/5, 4/15

Still available in 2022:

3-Day Grand Canyon: Good availability April - September

4 -Day Grand Canyon: Good availability May – September

6 -Day Grand Canyon: 5/11, 8/23, 8/24, 8/27, 8/31, 9/14

7-Day Grand Canyon: 4/5, 4/11, 4/12, 4/20, 6/8, 9/7

For more details on Grand Canyon rafting please see https://www.westernriver.com/grand-canyon-rafting

The three and four-day trips in the lower canyon are suggested for first-timers who often return later to do the longer 6- or 7-day trips which take place in the upper section of Grand Canyon.

Lake and his team have surmised that these are the forces driving this surge:

  • Pent-up desire
  • People wanting to travel again but doing it right by signing on for the top multi-day raft trip in the United States
  • Counting on the healing forces of Nature blot out stress
  • Going with trusted company that has shown protocols have been effective in safeguarding guests during the pandemic
  • Checking off another life-list adventure
  • Being able to travel domestically when most international travel options just aren’t available

If you are finding your desired dates sold out, Western River recommends two incredible, but lesser-known options to Grand Canyon. These include a four-day trip through Cataract Canyon, often referred to as the The Grand Canyon’s Younger Sister or a five-day family-oriented journey down Desolation Canyon on the Green River.

“Utah’s Cataract Canyon, deep within Canyonlands National Park, is near enough in scale, appearance and proximity to Grand Canyon that it works the same kind of magic one will find in the Grand herself. Just one canyon upstream on the Colorado River in Utah’s Canyonlands National Park is hands down the best alternative to a Grand Canyon rafting vacation,” advised Lake.

If traveling with children (as young as age 5), an option that families often enjoy even more than Grand Canyon is Desolation Canyon on the Green River, a mellower but equally breathtaking rafting experience. Like Cataract, it also departs from Moab, Utah and has good availability for 2021 and 2022.

For a copy of Western River Expeditions’ 2021/2022 catalog, questions, availability and reservations call toll-free: 866.904.1160 (Local: 801.942.6669) or visit the website at: http://www.westernriver.com/.

About Western River Expeditions

Western River Expeditions is an adventure travel company headquartered in Salt Lake City, with operations and offices in Moab, Utah and Fredonia, Arizona. Annually from March through October it escorts more people down rivers on professionally guided rafting trips in Utah, Idaho and Arizona than any other company. It is the largest licensed outfitter in the Grand Canyon and the largest single tour provider in Moab, UT, through its division Moab Adventure Center (http://www.moabadventurecenter.com/).

Western River Expeditions, providing Grand Canyon rafting, Utah and Idaho rafting, and international multi-sport trips, was founded in 1961 by Colorado River rafting pioneer Jack Currey. It has been named one of the “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth” by the editors of National Geographic Adventure magazine. The company is the proud recipient of the "Best of State" award through Utah’s Premier Recognition and Awards Program for the past sixteen consecutive years (2004-2019).

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