Sedona Jeep Tours - Share your experiences

[Climberao]

After my experience at NSXPO 05 I am taking my family to the Grand Canyon,Sedona, Phoenix,and many points West in late June through mid July.

I know many of you went on the various Jeep tours that are offered in Sedona, Pink,Red etc. Did anyone have an unfavorable experience (tour to avoid)? Did you have a particularly fantastic time and if so do you remember the name of your driver? I hiked parts of Sedona for the short time I was able to stay, this time I want to see the interior of the park and get the whole experience.

Share your thoughts and experiences please :smile:
Thanks

 

[4AU4LIFE]

We went to Red Rock earlier this year while on vacation in Vegas.
I can't remember the name of the tour company we used but it seemed kinda $$ for what you got out of it. Seems like it cost $40-50 per person for couple of hours in an open Jeep Wrangler.
We left about 1hr before sunset and the weather was great. We got back after dark and it was COLD !! This was in May too.
Only interesting bit of trivia I got out of it was there is a McDonalds there that has arches that are Aqua in color. Part of a deal the community came up with to allow the restaraunt to build there. Had to have arches of an earth tone color. Supposedly the only one in the world that aren't golden.

 

[redshift]

Supposedly the only one in the world that aren't golden.

Off topic... actually in France at the Champsee Lysee McDonalds has a restaurant with white arches. I live in AZ so I've been to Sedona quite a few times and they always try to tell me that they have the only non-golden arches.

Back to the topic...

 

[4AU4LIFE]

Off topic... actually in France at the Champsee Lysee McDonalds has a restaurant with white arches. I live in AZ so I've been to Sedona quite a few times and they always try to tell me that they have the only non-golden arches.

Back to the topic...

That is pretty funny then. Trying to pass off false info like that. Then again, they may not know about that place over there either.
Thanks for giving that though so if someone else gets told that they can dispute it.

 

[THE4TH]

Oddly enough.. I've been to that McDonalds..
and I have a friend who works at the Pink Jeep tours in Sedona...
I don't know anything about the other tours so I'll be bias and tell you to check out the Pink Jeep Tour...

 

[akira3d]

I didn't take a jeep tour while I was in Sedona, but I did take a bus tour from Sedona to the Grand Canyon (would NOT recommend doing this...too limiting...you're better off driving there).

 

[NSXTech]

That is pretty funny then. Trying to pass off false info like that. Then again, they may not know about that place over there either.
Thanks for giving that though so if someone else gets told that they can dispute it.

You have no idea just how prevelant bad info from tour guides can be. As many of you leaerned at NSXPO, Jane is a Certifed Az Tour Guide, a test very few guides take any more. With the demand growing so quickly for guides, the percentage of people who have heavy backroung and experience in this field is shrinking.
I used to accompany Jane on some tours where she was an unknown 'judge' on a newly certifed guides first tour. (Jane was also proctor for the state test). The things these people say when they don't the answer. They are kind of put on a pedastal by their guests for knowing so much, that when they don't know an answer they are sometimes too proud to say so- so they say something as close to what makes sence to them, or worse, a bad point learned from someone else. We have tallied on some 'test drives' incorrect answers from 20 to 30 %.
Its hard to question a guide in front of a big group without seeming quarrelsome. If a guide tells you something that really doesn't sound right, ask them at break, for more info and see if it still makes sence. Ask them where you can learn "more" (read- truth) about the subject and often they will offer to verify info for you.

If you want to do the desert tour jeep thing, honestly 40 to 50. is pretty cheap. Also remember that doing it in july is VERY hot so you may have to do an air con enclosed vehicle like the Hummer tours, for about 150 to 200 per person.

If you want to do a smaller bus tour, with 11 passenger vans, the company Jane managed for 12 years is still the best in the bussiness and stop as many cool places as possible on Sedona and / or GC on 1 or 2 day trips.

Also as many have experienced even before NSXPO, Jane has done complete itinerary planning for MANY members here, and at no charge so please PM her for help if you'd like it.

For those NSXPO 05 guests who enjoyed the Prescott Drive and Watson lake Visit plus the printed Drive Narrative- that was Janes project

Hope to see you all in the Desert Southwest sometime.
Cheers,
Mark

 

[Climberao]

You have no idea just how prevelant bad info from tour guides can be. As many of you leaerned at NSXPO, Jane is a Certifed Az Tour Guide, a test very few guides take any more. With the demand growing so quickly for guides, the percentage of people who have heavy backroung and experience in this field is shrinking.
I used to accompany Jane on some tours where she was an unknown 'judge' on a newly certifed guides first tour. (Jane was also proctor for the state test). The things these people say when they don't the answer. They are kind of put on a pedastal by their guests for knowing so much, that when they don't know an answer they are sometimes too proud to say so- so they say something as close to what makes sence to them, or worse, a bad point learned from someone else. We have tallied on some 'test drives' incorrect answers from 20 to 30 %.
Its hard to question a guide in front of a big group without seeming quarrelsome. If a guide tells you something that really doesn't sound right, ask them at break, for more info and see if it still makes sence. Ask them where you can learn "more" (read- truth) about the subject and often they will offer to verify info for you.

If you want to do the desert tour jeep thing, honestly 40 to 50. is pretty cheap. Also remember that doing it in july is VERY hot so you may have to do an air con enclosed vehicle like the Hummer tours, for about 150 to 200 per person.

If you want to do a smaller bus tour, with 11 passenger vans, the company Jane managed for 12 years is still the best in the bussiness and stop as many cool places as possible on Sedona and / or GC on 1 or 2 day trips.

Also as many have experienced even before NSXPO, Jane has done complete itinerary planning for MANY members here, and at no charge so please PM her for help if you'd like it.

For those NSXPO 05 guests who enjoyed the Prescott Drive and Watson lake Visit plus the printed Drive Narrative- that was Janes project

Hope to see you all in the Desert Southwest sometime.
Cheers,
Mark

Thanks Mark,
I forgot about our late nite discussions related to Jane's tourguide talents. We definitely want to take a jeep tour of Sedona and were thinking that grabbing the earliest tour in the morning (9AM?) would give us the best chance to beat as much of the heat as possible since we leaving Sedona and are staying in Phoenix that evening before our early A.M. push to San Diego. Please PM me with Jane's contact info and I will definitely get in touch. We are completing our planning and reservations now to take advantage of the best pricing :smile:
By the way I know I told Jane this while I was there but the Prescott/Watson Lake run was fantastic and sharing with so many new friends the highlight of my XPO experience.
Hope all is well with you and yours :biggrin:
Alan