While you can certainly hike the Grand Canyon without a guide, I can guarantee you won't enjoy the experience nearly as much. Mike was a wealth of knowledge on the formation of the Grand Canyon, the foliage, and other points of interest. It was a very HOT day there, and he ensured for our safety and maximum entertainment. The snacks and lunch he provided/ made hit the spot and was absolutely delicious. He provided frozen Gatorade, and hiking sticks also. Who knew those would be so beneficial! Don't think twice about using Pygmy. The only glitch we had was communicating about the meeting time/ place. My cell service was spotty in the area, and Mike's busy schedule caused me to be a little panicked. However patience endured and a fantastic time was had by all. read more

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I can't believe Pygmy Guides hasn't been reviewed yet, but as far as outfitters go, you can't get any better than them. Matt was our fearless leader when I hiked the Grand Canyon for the first time. Considering it was my very first backpacking trip and it was the Grand Canyon which is as fierce as it gets, I was confident I could make it. Matt was a gentleman and had passion for the Canyon and its inner mountain range, layers of beautiful lime and sand stone, and its beauty. Our small group was another lady, myself and Matt. We hiked down the South Kaibab Trail, camped at Phantom Ranch, and hiked up the Bright Angel Trail, camped at Indian Gardens, and hiked back up to the South Rim. What an amazing trip! Matt, if you're reading this, I couldn't have done it without you!!! read more

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I've been to Super Bowl XLVI, seen the Arctic Ocean, met a bunch of famous actors/actresses as well as politicians, been to the NCAA football National Championship game, visited all 50 state along with a bunch of bucket list things and our Grand Canyon hike sits among the top of my list for my most amazing experiences. Our guide Josh was awesome! Knowledgable on all things hiking and Grand Canyon. We did an overnight hike down to the Bright Angel Campground. We took South Kaibab down, camped out at Bright Angel Campground and came back via the River Trail to Bright Angel to the top in the morning. In total we did about 17 miles and saw some of the most breath taking views I've ever taken in. Josh explained the history of the canyon as well as showed us some things that we would have never even noticed on our own. While at the bottom we bathed in Bright Angel Creek, dipped our feet in the Colorado River and visited the Phantom Ranch. Josh prepared an impressive dinner of pesto pasta with veggies and bacon(I was expecting hot dogs at best but Josh was way above that). He set up camp while we cooled off in the creek. Our guide made the long hike very manageable for our group. I can't give Josh enough praise for the amazing experience he helped us enjoy. Pygmy Guides came through for us in a big way. If you want to have a once in a lifetime experience give Pygmy Guides a call and let them plan an amazing hiking experience for you. read more

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Going down is optional, going up is mandatory! Our guide Josh provided us an unforgettable experience. The Grand Canyon is one of those things that no matter how good a photo is, needs to be experienced in person to truly appreciate its beauty. Add and hike down from the top, and this is something we haven't been able to stop talking about. Josh was a true professional and never once made us feel rushed or ill-prepared for our time together. I wish there was more to say, but the cheesy grin that I've had planted on my face since our hike is really the biggest compliment I can give. I think Josh may have talked us into a longer trip in the future. I would adhere to their advice on the website in how to properly prepare for a hike, regardless of the distance. read more

I booked this trip with 3 of my girlfriends and decided to go with Pygmy Guides because they came highly recommended by another friend. I was told that their mule will carry our backpack for the 4-day trek and we just need to carry our day pack. I am not a backpacker by any chance so to me, that was an awesome deal. So there you go, the 2 reasons why I decided to go with them! There were a total of 4 of us and I was told by Mike that if we booked in advance, we get significant savings and discounts. So I rallied my friends and we all booked, paid the deposit, paid the balance, etc. A week before the trek, Mike calls my girlfriend because he said that one of us did not make any payment arrangements yet. Well, my girlfriend did a long time ago and it looked like he lost all that. My girlfriend called him and everything was fine and dandy after that. But hell, who in his right mind would lose payment information like that?! The night before the hike, Samantha (our guide) called me to ask if we have any food allergies. Apparently, they lost our "file" that has details all of our food preferences, allergies, etc. So i had to give that to her over the phone. This was around 4:30pm the day before the "big hike". I took the opportunity to ask them what time we will get picked up from the hotel, etc. Totally not coordinated. Samantha picked us from our hotel promptly at 5:30am with breakfast ready. It was a 3-hour drive to the trailhead. We got to the trailhead and we were told that we only have 1 mule so ergo, we had to carry our backpacks including our snacks for the 4 days that we're there. One of my friends have back issues so I was really embarrassed about this. I was so tempted to rent my own mule. It was only $100! We sucked it up and carried our packs. We were pretty happy with Samantha. She was helpful. She was an awesome guide. She knew all the nooks and crannies of the canyon. She prepared delicious meals for us in a timely manner and there's usually more than enough because we were always hungry (must be the heat). She explained our day by day itinerary. She set up our tents, washed our plates, etc. She was awesome. She is the best thing that ever happened to Pygmy Guides (I hope they know that). Two nights before our last night, another group arrived - 2 of them. I asked them if they had to carry their backpacks. They said no, the mule carried all of it. I was furious. The day before our departure, the other guide told Samantha that we didn't have enough mule to carry all the stuff so we had to carry our packs as well. I overheard this and I told them that I'm not carrying my pack. They either find a way to find a mule or I will leave my backpack behind and they will have to ship it to me. I've never been so angry in my whole life. Samantha found a way. They were gonna leave their tents and cooking stuff behind and use the 1 mule that they have to carry our packs. I was happy with that arrangement. In summary, I think Pygmy Guides are good people however, they are totally not coordinated. I have nothing bad to say about their guides. I met Samantha and Dan - they were both awesome and they really took care of us. Anyway, when I got back, I called Mike and he refunded us the cost of the mule. So all is well. Just learn to manage your expectations when you decide to go with them. read more

I had been to the Grand Canyon once before when I was 12 and had only stood at the rim to look at it. It's breathtaking, but you can only look at it so long before you want to move on to the next thing. I vowed to myself that the next time I visit, I would 'experience' the canyon. We called Pygmy Guides and explained our time constraints. They were able to tailor a rim to river overnight hike. Our guide, Josh, picked us up at our Tusayan hotel at 5 am. He drove us to the park, gave us breakfast, fitted us with backpacks and hiking poles, and we set off down the South Kaibab Trail. We arrived around 12 pm. We camped at Bright Angel Campground at the bottom of the Canyon. Josh set up camp and made us dinner. We woke around 3 am the next morning. Our guide had breakfast for us. After we broke down camp, we hit the River Trail at 4 am. We continued on Bright Angel Trail to Indian Garden and arrived around 8 am. Josh made us lunch. We rested for a while and hit the last leg of the trail. We finished our journey around 12:30 pm. Total hike: about 17 miles. Time hiking: 14.5 hours. This hike was strenuous, especially considering the short time we had to complete it, the heat, and the fact that I thought I was in better shape than I was. If you plan on doing this hike, make sure you do a lot of quad and calf exercises beforehand. After stepping downwards for 7 miles the first day, my calves were so sore. On the way up the next day, it felt like I was doing high intensity interval training after I finished each switchback. In the end, it was TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!! Our guide, Josh, was very knowledgeable of all things hiking and Grand Canyon. He informed us of the geology and the plants and animals that inhabit the canyon throughout the entire hike. He kept us safe and hydrated. He made a fabulous dinner and had more than enough snacks to last our hike. He even made bacon-twice! He was very accommodating, professional and fun. The highlights? The first time we heard the roar of the Colorado River from Tip Off Point(?), seeing primitive fossils in the layers of rock, crossing the suspension bridges, wading in Bright Angel Creek, stepping foot in the muddy 45 degree River, seeing ancient dwellings and drawings, sleeping under the stars, basking in the awe and beauty of the surroundings with every step. Thank you Pygmy Guides and Josh for a once in a lifetime experience! read more

I did a 5 day, 4 night private tour with Pygmy Guides and it was the best trip of my life. As a single woman traveling alone, of course I was worried about taking a solo-trip with a private guide in the Canyons - both for my personal safety and because I have never been backpacking before. But Mike, my pygmy guide, made sure I was well prepared. He prepared a trip based on my athletic capacities and also my desires to have a really wonderful, gorgeous trek through the wilderness. Might I add - it was the middle of December, where temperatures ranged from 25 degrees at night to 70 degrees during the day. He helped me to go down the 10 mile hike from the canyons, made sure I knew how to use my trekking gear, made sure we took enough breaks, and cooked (and carried!) all our meals and tea/coffee. He also made sure we had enough filtered water, and even made sure I was 100% warm at all times. He brought me extra gloves, and put hot water in my water bottle at night to make sure that I was comfortable. The conversation was great, the trail was EPIC, and I felt safe and comfortable the entire time. I also thought we got enough of a mix of both conversation and alone-time to reset after this horrible year of 2020. I now have a great foundation for the new hobby I'm looking forward to using in 2021 - backpacking!! I strongly, strongly recommend Mike for private guided treks through the canyon if you have the chance! And, honestly guys, do more than 2 nights. The canyons have so much to show you. :) read more

My husband and I did the 3-day Havasu Falls hike with Pygmy Guides after a friends recommendation. Our tour guide, Chelsea, deserves 5+ Stars. She was a phenomenal guide and we couldn't have asked for a better experience during our 3-day hike. We learned a ton as she has done this hike nearly 400 times over the past several years... knowledge about the hike, the canyon, flash floods, animals, waterfalls, the tribe and their village, etc. etc. etc. the list goes on. She also made the entire 3-day hiking process flawless... from providing us with all the gear necessary, setting up and breaking down the camping material, to cooking us some delicious breakfast + dinner and lunches while on the trail. She helped us feel safe and secure while going outside of our comfort zone, descending Mooney Falls and doing the extra 7 mile r/t hike to Beaver Falls. If you can get Chelsea as your guide, you will not be disappointing. Now to the reason I only gave 4 stars... The Pygmy Guides owner / main customer service contact is a guy Mike. He was extremely tough to get a hold of.. he didn't answer any of our pre-hike questions clearly, and his customer service skills were lacking. He came off as rude and dismissive throughout the entire pre-trip planning process... so much that we almost considered cancelling on this group. Supposedly this is a regular occurrence and this is how he deals with all customers .... This is just a heads up as you may encounter the same thing but if you are able to get one of their fantastic tour guides ( esp. Chelsea ), you should leave the trip happy. Photos on our experience are on @tamburotravels if you're interested! read more

The whole family went out with James. He's a great, easy going guy. He is knowledgeable about so many different aspects of the canyon. After taking us to many of the busiest locations before the crowds got too crazy, he took us for a short hike. Our safety was his paramount concern, which was comforting. With a delicious handmade lunch behind us, James took us to a few more great locations and then he drove us back to the hotel. A busy, full day filled with life long memories. Thanks James! read more

We used them for Havasu falls 3 day tour. Our guide, Dan, was fantastic. He did A LOT and took care of just about everything that made the hike and camping easier. He was organized and was very prepared for this. I'm still amazed with the meals he prepared for us out in the middle of nowhere. Saw a lot cool things thanks to Dan. Will definitely look for him again to do our tours. read more

Total pros! Great outfitting + super knowledgeable, tuned-in, fun guides! Lots of care went into the extra little touches that ensured everyone on the trip had an incredible experience. The food, the pep talks, the poetry, the laughs... I would trust my trip of a lifetime & my mother's life to them again Highly recommend!! read more

Such an amazing experience!! It was my first time at the Grand Canyon. I will recommend Pygmy Guides to any of my friends! Michael was my hiking tour guide and he shared some neat stuff about the history of the Grand Canyon. He had a positive attitude the entire tour and always checked to see if I needed to take a pause during the hike (I'm not the most athletic so that was MUCH appreciated). read more

My husband and I took his parents to the Grand Canyon for everyone's first visit there, and the one-day tour was the perfect introduction to the canyon and the park. Our guide was Dan, and we couldn't have asked for a better person to show us around. Not being the bravest or most experienced hikers, he kept us mostly along the rim, but he never seemed frustrated by our less-adventurous nature and we still got our money's worth from the tour. He took us to numerous stunning viewpoints, was a fount of knowledge about the canyon, its history, and the history of the native peoples who live and have lived in the region, and was just generally very easy-going and pleasant to be around. It was very obvious how much he respects the environment and its native population in how he talked about everything and in how he took us around the park, which I really appreciated. He also gave us some great ideas on where to go for sunrise the next day and recommended an easy walk to one of the most beautiful vistas in the park, Shoshone Point. He picked us up and dropped us off in Williams, where we were staying, and provided snacks, lunch, water, gatorade, and pretty much anything else we would have needed, making it as easy as possible for us. 10/10 would recommend Pygmy Guides and particularly Dan. read more

What an absolute nightmare. We booked our trip with Chelsea's assurance that due to Havasupai's recent ban on all guided tours (2016), we'd be issued a refund if our tour had to be cancelled. One week prior to our tour start date, the tribe confirmed with me that the ban would not lift in time, and I requested the promised refund. Without bothering to look up my name or basic booking information, Mike immediately responded to my refund request with the excuse that my payment was too old (60 days) for a credit card refund. I informed him that my payment was made a mere 21 days prior, and provided my PayPal Transaction ID to further make things easier since he's apparently not good at looking up information himself. Silence. 3 days later I reminded him that I'm still awaiting a response and the promised refund. Again, nothing. More than a week of this silence passed, our tour date came and went, and I ended up on a different hiking trip (everyone I talked to was astonished that Pygmy Guides would try to worm their way out of a refund when the tour ended up being a no-go). After 10 days of continuously being ignored, on suspicion of fraud I filed a PayPal complaint. Only then did Mike finally respond, once again showcasing his ineptitude/carelessness and propensity to act before he thinks by blasting off 3 emails in which he blamed me twice for being unable to issue the refund. He quickly realized his blunder and finally issued the long-overdue refund but by then the damage had been done. When I expressed my dissatisfaction at how inefficiently Mike handled the situation, Mike childishly defended his less-than-stellar personal customer service skills instead of taking the opportunity to resolve things maturely as a business. This is where I draw the line. I knew not to expect an apology from Nothing's-My-Fault Mike. However, when a customer's negative experience is a direct result of one person's mistakes, carelessness, or ineptitude (or in Mike's case, all three), the last thing a business should do is insult the rightfully dissatisfied customer by telling them that their experience is their own fault: "Sorry you feel this way" (the classic non-apology). "It is all perspective." Automatically giving an excuse to deny a refund is NOT perspective. Ignoring my emails repeatedly even after I provide the necessary information to properly conduct said refund is NOT perspective. Inexplicably refunding my travel partner (who did NOT ask for a refund) while determinedly ignoring the person who initially asked for it, is NOT perspective. Mike single-handedly destroyed Pygmy Guides' reputation for my family and forever ingrained an image of it as a careless business with no tact and absolutely no knowledge whatsoever on how to conduct basic business functions (like upholding a promise to issue a refund for a cancelled tour, looking up basic booking info on their own website, or clicking the "Issue Refund" button within their own PayPal account). Despite my earlier intentions of booking a future tour with Pygmy Guides, Mike's arrogance, carelessness, and especially his childish refusal to be held accountable for any of his actions repulses me and extinguished any desire to do business with Pygmy Guides in the future. Save yourself the headache, expense, and ridicule: plan your own tour, or choose a guide service that knows how act like a business rather than an entitled child. Mike, if you're reading this and think my honest account of your actions is harsh or uncalled for, allow me to borrow your exact words and say, "Sorry you feel this way. It is all perspective." read more

I just got back from a 3 day hike, down to Havasupai Falls. I have to say that the experience was incredible! Our guides, Chelsea and Josh were SO awesome! They kept us safe, cooked delicious meals for us, and educated us on the history of the canyon and it's native people. The trip was beyond anything I could have imagined. I can't wait to go back. read more

We used Pygmy Guides for a full day hiking experience in Grand Canyon for a group of 10, comprising of adults and kids. We were extremely disappointed with the whole experience ! First of all, the initial conversation with the owner, Mike was very indifferent, never returned my calls, had to chase him to take my booking !! He came across very abrupt. Our guide Dan, although a great guy, didn't do anything special on the tour. He took us all the view points that we could have gone ourselves. He took us to Kaibab trail and everything else was just a view. No stories to interest the kids, no humor , nothing !! Spent close to $1000 for something that we could have done ourselves !! Won't recommend them for a day hike at all. read more

April 2012 Havasu Falls Trip My husband and I LOVE to vacation but were really hoping to get away from our typical 'lay around and eat' trips. This was our first trip to the Grand Canyon and, because of our amazing experience, most definitely will not be the last. I booked the 4 day Havasu Falls trip and my husband's initial reaction was '$2000 for a camping trip!!?' This was no camping trip, this was a trip of a lifetime and perhaps one of the best, most memorable, magical, and enjoyable trips we have ever been on. Definitely worth every last penny. Our biggest worry (if you can even call it that) was being able to make it out of the canyon but even that was facilitated by our fearless leader Matt. The customer service from Pygmy Guides from the very first email inquiry was promptly responded to. The business aspect of the transaction went very smoothly. On a side note, Pygmy Guides is accredited by the Better Business Bureau with no active complaints (very important to research beforehand especially when booking out of state). We were picked up and dropped off at our hotel on time. The scenery was spectacular, the hike enjoyable, the prepared food abundant and tasty, but what was priceless was our guide Matt who provided a wealth of information and humor and made my husband and I feel like we were the two most important people in the canyon the entire trip. The Pygmy Guide service made this trip a truly enjoyable vacation rather than a camping trip. We would recommend this guide service for everyone whether traveling solo, with friends, with a spouse, or a large group. Again, we cannot sing enough praise about the services we received from the moment of pick up until drop off. This trip has a special spot reserved in my heart and it would not have been nearly as special without Matt and the Pygmy Guide Service. read more

we called pygmy guides for a one night camping hike down the grand canyon. this is a one in a lifetime experience. our tour guide was mike. THE MIKE. greatest tour guide ever. at first i was hesitant to do this hike because of the price. but after, this is a memory i will cherish. Mike picks us up at our hotel in flagstaff, drives us to grand canyon (entrance fee, camping license, supplies, food and obviously transportation all included). all we have to do is hike 7 miles down, sleep in the cold and hike 10 miles up. all the while carrying 40 lbs of equipment. easy peasy. we start our hike down the south kaibab trail, mike tells us all the rocks named after indian gods and buddha. tells us the history of grand canyon, how it was formed, etc. cooks us breakfast lunch and dinner. gives us walking sticks so we won't tumble to our deaths. super friendly guy and easy to talk to. the grand canyon is fuckin grand. its massive and keeps going deeper and deeper. down we go, taking breaks when we need it and eating time. 5 hours later, we make it. with many water activities on the colorado river, we instead go to the cantina to drink. then we pitch our tents. he supplies a warm sleeping bag and a small blow up mattress to lay on. it was quite warm. but we go back to drinking and meeting other campers. slept rather soundly in my tiny one person tent. woke up to breakfast and off we go to another trail up 10 miles this time. fuckin hell. 7 hours later and many shoulder aches later, we make it up. it felt like an accomplishment. something to be proud of and to brag about to my friends. forget the day hikes, go all the way down to the bottom. its well worth it. and ask for mike as your tour guide. read more

I just finished my first backpacking trip and it was a 3 day rim-to-rim trip in the Grand Canyon. I'm not really an outdoorsy girl and haven't camped since I was 11 but go big or go home right?! After visiting the GC last year my dad said he really wanted to do this and a year later we completed it together along with one of my cousins and a friend of my dads. This by far was the most rewarding experience of my life and I give so much credit to our guide (now my friend) Owen. He was outstanding! Before going into details, the reasons I highly recommend Pygmy Guides is (in no particular order because they could all be ranked #1): 1. The guides intense love and passion for the canyon and what they do (evident in our guide Owen and another guide Matt we met on the trail) 2. The commitment to safety first always (you'll know how much water to drink, when to drink it and be provided with more delicious food and snacks than you can possibly eat and an honest layout of what needs to be accomplished each day and why) 3. Their desire for your experience to be amazing 4. We hit the jackpot with Owen - he is very intelligent, funny, easy-going personality and loved sharing his never-ending knowledge of every piece of the Canyon. Day 1 - he picked us up in Flagstaff and laughed at my WAY overpacked bag which ended up being downsized by 90% and I didn't miss anything left behind, except maybe my pajama pants. Then we drove to the North Rim and he pointed out things of interest along the drive and talked about our trip. It was clear from the start how much passion he has for the Canyon and that he was going to do his best to instill that same love in us (he absolutely accomplished this). We got to the North Rim, downsized all 4 of our bags and took off for Cottonwood campground. My cousin had more trouble going downhill than expected and Owen was patient but a little concerned. We made it to Cottonwood (yay!!) only to find there weren't any campsites left because people were camping off-permit. Not to worry, Owen found a great spot near the creek and we set up camp (well the guys did most of the work) and settled in for Fajita night! We made it through Day 1 and I loved every minute of it. Day 2 - started off with coffee and a huge breakfast and we were headed to Bright Angel Campground by Phantom Ranch. Little did we know about the side trip to Ribbon Falls that Owen planned. It's a very spiritual place and he shared the importance and magnitude of what we would view. Truly a blessing and highlight to stand on that ground. Back on the trail we went and Owen pointed out plants, flowers and generally shared tons of information about the Canyon and what we were seeing. Safety was always in the forefront of this trip and he would explain why we needed to be at certain places by specific times to ensure the elements were the best (I.e. You don't want to be in the box during the heat of the day). We hit our times, my cousin did better on day 2 and we were all in great spirits. Our pre-hike plan was a round of beers at a Phantom Ranch but we went with lemonade and I've never had an ice cold beer that tasted as good as that lemonade did. I was tired by the end of day 2 but happier than I was after day1 - we were at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and I was doing this thing!!!! Maybe I'm more of an outdoorsy girl than I thought? Day 3: Up before the sun, on the trail and headed for the top of the South Rim via Bright Angel Trail. This is the day I was a little worried about but Owen was very encouraging and while I ended up being the one who slowed us down the most, he stopped and made sure I was getting all the right food and water but at the same time pushing me along. Like all sports, hiking is mental and I wasn't winning that battle during the last 3 miles. I found my mojo again somewhere in the last .3 mi to the top and finished strong with Owen right beside me. I cried like a baby, squeezed the heck out of poor Owen, hugged my mom who was waiting, my Dad as soon as he walked out - this girl just cried and would have hugged anyone who looked my way!! What a sense of accomplishment and pride. This trip changed me and I'm still processing that. I think that might mean changes are coming... I can't say enough good things about my experience with Pygmy. I know your trip will be better if you let them be your guide. If Owen is available, you're amazing adventure just got better :) It's so much more than just a hike or a camping trip - it's a physical challenge, an educational experience and above all (for me) it was a spiritual/self-affirming event. Happy Hiking! read more

Where do I begin? Our guide James was outstanding, he put together a full day Grand Canyon adventure for my family that was truly memorable. James provided an informative narrative of the Grand Canyon including history, plant and animal life and made sure we enjoyed so many extraordinary vistas. We also hiked a portion of Bright Angel Trail and then James prepared a delicious lunch. Highly recommend James. Elaine S read more

April 2014 Havasu Falls 3 day hike. My friend had a friend that booked this trip several months ago and invited me along. I had always wanted to to this, so why not!! A week before the trip, she broke her leg and was unable to go, but I decided to go anyway, making new friends is always an adventure in itself! I am so glad I did, it was the trip of a lifetime!! Our guide was Josh, if you go, ask for him, he was so kind and attentive to everyone in the group, young and old, (like me). Josh picked us up at the hotel in Seligman, (which Mike, the owner recommended). The hotel and little town was, in itself an experience, charming, clean and friendly! We made the trip to the canyon in his van. Of course, I over packed my backpack. Josh really explained just how little we needed down there so I had the opportunity to repack my backpack in the van. When we got there, Josh recommended I use their back pack since it was better built not to put as much strain on my shoulders. They also provided hiking poles, very essential!!! Josh was a wealth of knowledge about the canyon and the history of the land and the people that live there. But most importantly, he respected all of the above. He made sure we all ate properly, and hydrated enough. On every leg of the trip, he was there and physically made sure we were able to enjoy every bit of the adventure, even the strenuous portions. The meals he prepared were plentiful and delicious. He was actually like a dad making sure his charges were well attended to!!! He took us to falls and adventures that were breathtaking and beautiful, and I am so grateful to have had Josh for our guide!! He let us enjoy the beauty, and grace of the canyon all the while sharing his vast knowledge and respect of the land and people. He is certainly a blessing to his generation. The last leg of the ascent was pretty difficult for me, I had to stop every couple minutes and rest a bit. He never left my side, he told me "Josh " stories to distract me and keep me going. They thought of every detail. I would recommend Pygmy Guides if you are thinking of doing the Grand Canyon. It was well worth every penny!! And ask for Josh!!! read more

Matt was also our guide four our first adventure to the Grand Canyon and we couldn't have asked for a better experience! He called to check in with us the night before, arrived on time, and made sure we were packed appropriately. My husband and I had done some backpacking/camping before, but it had been a while. We are both in pretty good physical condition, but I was nervous about carrying 30 pounds on my back. Not to worry as Pygmy had a very informative website about what to bring, temperatures for the year/rain-fall, and even some tips to help you train for the hike! Additionally, Matt helped us decide what was/was not necessary with regard to our clothing to carry based on weather patterns (can leave stuff in the van). We were outfitted with LIGHT WEIGHT sleeping pad (blow up type) and a warm, yet, light weight sleeping bag. We did the Bright Angle Loop (3 days and 2 nights), hiking with Matt and one other woman our age down the Kaibab trail, camping at Phantom Ranch, then up to Indian Gardens. We couldn't have asked for a better hike, a better guide, or a better group! One of the most spectacular parts of the trip was our hike (without packs!) out to Plateau Point for dinner on the 2nd night. Matt made us an amazing dinner (there was always PLENTY of good food) while we watched the sun set and the moon rise. Matt even had a special treat for me-Hot Chocolate-which I LOVE as a dessert while camping. He had two hot chocolates in his pack (poss left over from a previous trip?), which obviously wasn't enough for everyone, and, therefore, we were offered coffee in the mornings (which I normally give up when we go camping, but did I mention the amazing food that we were provided?!?). When I mentioned how much I love hot chocolate after dinner as a dessert, he made a special treat for us, sharing the delicious hot chocolate between all three of us. Yum! Matt was an amazing guide sharing his vast knowledge about the Grand Canyon with us as we hiked, especially up the hills, and making sure we had plenty of breaks as needed. He never rushed us and you could tell he loves the Canyon and is excited to share his knowledge with the people he guides and even bystanders! I would HIGHLY recommend Pygmy Guides and Matt!! read more

My husband and I just moved to Arizona in December. We moved from the east coast and have never been to the Grand Canyon! We had our first visitors come out to Arizona over Easter weekend! Of course we wanted to "wow" them so we planned all kinds of things but also had to keep in mind budget! I had found a groupon for a hiking tour with this company and booked it! The process to book it was super easy and went extremely smooth! We went on Easter Day so for the tour guide to take time away from his own life on that day we were completely grateful! We all had an absolutely amazing time with our tour guide who I believe his name was josh! He took us on an amazing route down to dripping springs and was very informative the whole way down! Doing this on our own and being first timers to the Grand Canyon we would of had no idea where to go, what to bring, etc. Josh was prepared with lunch for us, snacks, water, Gatorade, sun screen, hiking poles and even backpacks! So happy we went with this company for our first experience at the Grand Canyon. Our guests by the end of the day were definitely "wowed" by the experience we were left with! I would definitely recommend not only this company but the guide we had as well!! read more

Pygmy Guides - Us with our guide! - Tours Near Me

Dan took 4 of us down the Hermit Trail in early March. They provided everything we needed to backpack down into the canyon for two nights. We just carried gear they provided (tent, sleeping bag, pad, pillow, flashlight, trail snacks) and our own toiletries. Dan carried the breakfast, lunch and dinner, stove fuel, pots and safety supplies. We had no idea what to expect in terms of the gear and food because the website was not clear and each person we spoke to at the company prior to the trip gave us a different answer (they need to improve that). But we were nicely surprised by the quantity of food and even more so about the quality of Dans guidance. He told us a lot about the plants and rocks and history of the Native Americans. He led us on a nice non stressful pace. We highly recommend this guide company. read more

For all you people, if you decided on to go in south bass trail, please rethink. It is one of deadliest trail and if you have never had any hiking experience before, I advice you not to do it on this trail. The trail is very steep and tiresome and chances are much to fall sick. You don't have water on the way, unless u carry ample of water. I am new to this hiking, so decided to start with south bass trail, and it was deadly. first day, I got completely sick and lot of blisters on my toes and couldn't walk. Guide and group were walking at a high pace, that I had to rush without much rest First day was around 8 hrs of hike with no rest Finally with much difficulty I reached and went back to my home. After 2 days, I got sick and admitted in ICU for rhabdomylsis, acute renal failures and pulmonary edema. Since the hike was very hectic, my body didn't have endurance and I had internal muscle injury which led to release of toxins which affected the kidney. The usage of pain killers - ibrufen added to my kidney failures. Since my kidney wasnot able to filter waste from my blood, I got edema and started to cough blood. On the top of it, because of this elevation, I got cardiomyopathy, a heart disease where in the heart pumping ratio decreased and was not able to pump enough blood. The ejection fraction ratio reduced to 40%. This lead to shortness of breathness and needed ventilators. I got really sick because of kidney and heart failures, all because of this hike. Please rethink if you really have endurance to south bass trail, else evaluate your options. read more

We recently did the South Bass overnight hike through Pygmy. Our guide James really knows his geology and flora/fauna, and he knows the cultural history of the canyon. James cooked good (real) food, and he set a perfect pace for both days. Overall, we had an awesome time and would go through Pygmy again. read more

Emailed Mike, the owner, inquiring about a two night/three day backpacking trip to Havasupai. He seems to have a chip on his shoulder and really lacks any interpersonal skills. I would avoid this tour company and find someone with better customer service! read more

Outstanding group. Knowledgeable and totally made my first backpacking and camping trip amazing. They take care of everything and very worth it! Ask for James as your tour guide! read more

I used Pygmy guides for Havasu Falls 4 day mule assisted hike at the end of May 2015. Coordinating the trip was not the smoothest as the website (where all the details and forms are SUPPOSED to be located) is terribly out of date (wrong info) and full of broken links. Mike (the owner) not easy to get information from. If you bug him enough you can get the details you need. Would have given 5 stars if not for these issues. The guides were excellent. Our hike was led by Elise. Very knowledgable and extremely competent. I would highly recommend to request her for your guide. The camping accommodations were quite comfortable and our campsite was very idyllic. The hikes themselves were unbelievable. Just when you thought it couldn't get anymore scenic around the next bend was another gorgeous waterfall and turquoise pool to swim in. Would do it all again in a heartbeat. read more

Just got back from hiking Grand Canyon. What an awesome experience & tons of thanks to James our guide! He was knowledgable, fun and can't wait to plan next hike! Definitely recommend Pygmy Guides & ask for James to be your travel guide.. U won't be disappointed!! read more

Find another hiking company! We paid for the 3 day hiking trip, we drove 4 hours to the hotel they told us to stay at, then they forgot to pick us up the next morning. It ruined the first 2 days of our 5 day vacation. The company did not apologize, nor did they try to make it up to us. Thank goodness I did got my money back. I came from Florida to see Havasu Falls and didn't get to see it! Very disappointing! :( read more

February 2016 we went on Pygmy guides website to get information on a Havasupai Falls Hike in AZ. We spoke with Mike and after talking we decided to Book the trip First payment was made March 1 of $752.41 (per website $755.00 per person), with a $50 reduced rate per person if booked in advance of six months before trip) 2016 through our PayPal account. This $50 per person discount never given either time or Pygmy Guides generated PayPal bill. We were told would get a hiker information sheet. We also requested a receipt from Pygmy Guides. After five emails in March and several more calls March 8, 2016 we received this information. June 7, 2016 sent email to check on hiker questionnaire to see if they received, after several more emails we finally got a hold of someone by calling. July 23, 2016 had questions on Hike and items supplied or needed for the hike. Needed to know when our finally payment was due. Again this took until End of July to get a response on all questions. Our finally payment was made August 2, 2016 as per Mike of $752.419 once again ($50 per person not subtracted and we did ask about this) but Pygmy guide generated PayPal bill. We sent emails and questioned this as well on phone. Was told by Mike on August 1, 2016 that they would call day before trip with time for pick up on day of trip September 9-11, 2016. We were told when already in Flagstaff AZ (traveled from Winchester Virginia left on September 5 2016) that Tribe was not letting outfitters in because of horses being abused and that an addition fee was being charged by tribe to take this trip. We figured the horses belonged to the Guides. However this is not the case as we discovered after we traveled in to the Havasupai camp with the guide. Horses are owned and operated by the tribe and if extra fees are being charged by the tribe it had nothing to do with horses and tribe still did not want this outfitter in the village. However did let us stay but wanted something else from this guide. So the issues and price of $900 that Pygmy Guides is stating in response has nothing to do with the trip we booked with them in February of 2016 (or the $912.50 we actually paid) Our original contract we entered into in March with this guide was not honored by Pygmy guides. They are trying to compare what the trip is now and price to make it look like we are getting a deal, when in fact they are just raising prices on customers even after they have traveled far and plans would be hard to change or money lost by customer. We were the only ones on this hike and feel they charged more since they needed to make up for lack of customers. We said something on September 8 and as soon as we returned home in September but this email also went unanswered. Until we sent copy of web page (with same price we had agreed on in Feb. 2016) and dated September 26 2016 with information from website stating the same original price we saw in February 2016 that was still listed weeks after we returned from our trip on September 11 2016. We also had someone call and inquire and they were quoted this same price. Prices did not change until we said something weeks after our trip and BBB complaint filed. read more

I recently used Pygmey Guides on a hike with three friends down to Havasu Falls. I can't quite express how fortunate we all feel for using them. Samantha was our guide and was AWESOME. Not only was she a great guide, cook, and historian, but she was great company. We would have never been able to do this hike on our own, and Samantha and Pygmey Guides made this a trip we will never forget. We can't wait to do it again with them. Thanks Samantha! read more

Recently, my family and I made our first trip to the Grand Canyon. Since we had never been, I decided to book a personal tour guide for our first day there (5/28/13) to help get acclimated. Thankfully, the concierge with Xanterra (the lodging company) referred Pygmy Guides (pygmyguides.com). Our tour guide Owen met us promptly at 9am at our lodge. Within seconds of meeting him, we knew we were going to have a great day. (6 hrs. - 9am - 3pm). And we were right; we had an amazing day with Owen exploring and hiking the main gorge as well as other known and not-so-known sites. Since there were 6 people in our family, 4 adults and 2 kids, ranging in age from 7 to 51 and varying degrees of physical fitness, and a few of us were a bit under the weather, Owen was very mindful and never made any of us feel that we were slowing the group down. He let us go at our own pace and stop to take as many bathroom breaks as needed. Owen was super friendly and knowledgeable and just an overall great guy. He also makes a great pita sandwich (lunch was provided) and he had lots of great snacks and drinks. I have never written a review on line before, but I felt so lucky to have found Pygmy Guides, I wanted to share. Thank you Pygmy Guides and Owen for the amazing memories with my family! read more