April 21 and 22
Tour from Scottsdale to Grand Canyon, with Desert Mountain. This is a trip with a private community in Scottsdale, who have an education association with the Museum of Northern Arizona. We will journey via Interstate 17 to Flagstaff where there is a tour of the Easton Collection Center. The next day we make a day long excursion to the Grand Canyon via US Highway 89, Desert View, and other viewpoints in between.
April 25 to 30
Journey to Sedona, Grand Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and Canyon X, with Smithsonian Associates (a repeat of my trip in 2025). We gather in Phoenix for a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West before visiting the Boyce-Thompson Arboretum in Superior Az. The next day we journey to Sedona for a jeep tour. Basing out of Flagstaff, we visit Grand Canyon and scenic spots near Page AZ. To sign up, register here.
May 27 to June 4
Scotland and Norway, with Smithsonian Journey’s. A cruise from Glasgow Scotland to Bergen Norway. I completed this trip in 2024 with Smithsonian and loved it! Visits include the Inner Hebrides (including Loch Ness), the Orkney and Shetland Islands, and some of the longest fjords in Norway. See my past blog postings for the Hebrides here, and the Orkney and Shetlands here and here.
June 25 to July 8
Treasures of the Alps: Swiss Trains and Italian Lake District, with Smithsonian Journey’s. I completed a similar trip in 2025 with Nat Geo Expeditions and LOVED it. So I will be going back this year! Fly into Zurich Switzerland and take the train to Lake Lucern and Zermatt to see the Matterhorn and Gornergrat Glacier, Lakes Lugano, Maggiore and Como in Italy, Liechtenstein, Innsbruck and Salzburg Austria, and the Eagle’s Nest near Munich Germany. A fantastic itinerary!
July 31 to August 8
Rafting the Grand Canyon. Write to me for a more complete description as this just came up! There will be a professional archaeologist along as well. Seven days of rafting on a motor rig through 190 miles of the Grand Canyon. This trip includes two nights accommodations at Cliff Dwellers Lodge (with all meals), and a scenic helicopter flight out of the canyon and fixed wing-flight back to Cliff Dwellers. Don’t miss this one! I am retiring from the river after this year..
September 24 to October 6
Fall Foliage and Cruising the St. Lawerence Seaway and Canadian Martimes. with Smithsonian Journey’s. My first time on this exact itinerary but many wonderful destinations. I’m doing this with the intent to visit Niagara Falls for the first time! I’ve visited just about every other major waterfalls in the world (Iguazu, Victoria, and Angel Falls).
October 21 to 27
Rafting the San Juan River,Utah. Seven days and 87 miles on a very scenic river and through two deep canyons. I have run this river over 100 times and wrote a geology description in a current guidebook to the trip. Still room for a few more. Lots of geology junkies coming along so a good group will be with us!
November 5 to 20
Journey Through New Zealand, with Smithsonian Journey’s. One of my favorite trips. of all time New Zealand has it all – active volcanoes, limestone caves with glow worms, transform faults, glaciers, fjords, mountains and river. Oh, and very friendly people! Airfare is included on this one. We visit both islands.
2025 Trips
I will be traveling the world once again! See what’s in store for my Geologic and worldwide explorations this year!
January 19 to March 2, 2025
Aboard the Regent’s Seven Seas Splendor, Joining the ship in Rio de Janiero, I will be giving lectures as we sail south along the Atlantic coast of Brazil to Uruguay and Argentina. After leaving Buenos Aires, we set sail for the Falkland Islands and then Antarctica, returning to Tierra del Fuego, the Beagle Channel, Punta Arenas, and the Chilean fjords. The first trip ends on February 12 in San Antonio Chile. We then set sail for a reverse course and itinerary to the same locations, disembarking in Buenos Aires on March 2.
March 23 to 29, 2025
Camping trip in the Sonoran Desert trip with friends!
April 15 to 22, 2025
Cruising the Aegean Sea: Turkey and the Greek Islands, with Smithsonian Journeys. See the full itinerary here.
April 26-May 1, 2025
The American Southwest with Smithsonian Associates. This special trip with supporters of the Smithsonian will visit the Sonoran Desert, Sedona, Grand Canyon, and the Lake Powell area.
May 5 to 11, 2025
Rafting Stillwater and Cataract Canyons with CRATE. I have run this trip before and space MAY still be available. A most special reach of the Green and Colorado rivers through Canyonlands National Park. Call CRATE for more info and ask about this trip with Wayne Ranney. (800) 253-7328.
May 17 to 23, 2025
Grand Canyon Rafting Trip with the Northern Arizona University Geology Alumni!
June 2 to 9, 2025
Crown-jewel National Parks of the American Southwest with National Geographic. Visits to Grand Canyon’s North Rim, Zion and Springdale, and Bryce Canyon National Park. See the full itinerary here.
July 14 to 21, 2025
The Canadian Rockies by Rail and Trail! With National Geographic. Begins in Vancouver B.C. and ends in Banff National Park, Alberta. Take the Rocky Mountaineer for two days to Jasper National Park. See the full itinerary here.
September 10 to 19, 2025
Swiss Trains and Italian Lake District! With National Geographic. This trip begins in Zurich, Switzerland and ends in Milan, Italy. Take three different train rides in Switzerland. See the full itinerary here.
2024 Trips
December 30, 2023 to January 22, 2024
Around the World by Private Jet, with Smithsonian Journeys. This will be my 5th time lecturing on this specific itinerary but the first one that I will serve as a representative of the Smithsonian. Stops include Machu Picchu and Cusco Peru, Easter Island, Fiji, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Angkor Wat Cambodia, Taj Mahal, the Serengeti, Victoria Falls and Marrakech Morocco. We will travel on TCS’s Airbus 321 aircraft configured with 52 First Class seats. I will give presentations while in the air on the jet, using images from my previous visits. I will be blogging on the Earthly-Musings blog site, so look for updates and photos there of this amazing trip.
February 24 to March 7, 2024
Antarctica: The White Continent, with Smithsonian Journeys on the vessel Le Boréal (Ponant Cruise Line). This will be my 30th trip to the White Continent and I never tire of the pristine nature and stunning scenery of Antarctica. A summer in the Antarctic Peninsula is warmer than many midwestern or eastern winters so don’t let the cold scare you away. Visits will be made to various penguin rookeries, scientific research stations, and Zodiac cruises among whales and seals. And of course, the stunning and ice-filled landscape displaying great geology! Many landings ashore. See the itinerary here.
June 1 to 8, 2024 Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce, with National Geographic. What could be better than visiting the great American Southwest with your own personal geologist to explain the many colorful landforms! This trip begins in St. George Utah and then visits Grand Canyon’s North Rim. We then transfer to Zion National Park and Bryce. You will not be disappointed at the amount of information conveyed during our overland journey. The full itinerary is here.
May 11 to 17, 2024
Rafting the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. This is a private charter requested by one of my neighbors in Flagstaff. The outfitter for this trip will be my long-time partner and official Grand Canyon National Park concessionaire Colorado River and Trail Expeditions (CRATE). This trip will have a geology theme but of course all aspects of the canyon’s natural history will be discussed.
June 15 to 22, 2024
The Scottish Isles and Norwegian Fjords: A Cruise from Glasgow to Bergen, with Smithsonian Journeys. I am super excited to be going back to the Orkney and Shetland Islands, two of the more satisfying destinations in all of Scotland. This cruise will be on the vessel, Le Champlain. Launched in 2018, Le Champlain is among a new fleet of luxury expedition ships of the French-flagged Ponant Cruise Line. The full trip itinerary can be found here.
August 10 to 16, 2024
Rafting the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. This is a private charter requested by the Desert Mountain community in Scottsdale. The outfitter for this trip will be my long-time partner and official Grand Canyon National Park concessionaire Colorado River and Trail Expeditions (CRATE). This trip will have a geology theme but of course all aspects of the canyon’s natural history will be discussed.
*** August 24 to September 1, 2024
*** Specially-themed Rafting the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. This is one of my very special trips as we are taking NINE days in what we usually do in seven. Lot’s of time for off-river activities. Only a few spots left. Write to me for more information.
September 15 to 25, 2024
Hiking the Alpe-Adria Trail, Julian Alps and Glossglockner Hiking, with National Geographic. On this hiking adventure, myself and a National Geographic Expedition Leader will accompany you and share insights and a behind-the-scenes perspective. Local guides will join us along the way. Stay in hotels each night and hike during the daylight hours. See the website description here.
2023 Trips and Expeditions
April 11-12, 2023
Private Tour from Scottsdale to Grand Canyon, with Desert Mountain Adventures. This is another private trip for a group from the Desert Mountain Community in Scottsdale. They have established a relationship with the Museum of Northern Arizona Ventures Program. We will leave Scottsdale on the morning of April 12 and travel via Interstate 17 to the Museum, or folks will get a private tour of the Easton Collection Center. The following day we will make a day long excursion to the South Rim via US Highway 89, Desert View, and viewpoints in between. The trip is strictly limited to 21 individuals.
April 18-19, 2023
Private Tour from Scottsdale to Grand Canyon, with Desert Mountain Adventures. This is another private trip for a group from the Desert Mountain Community in Scottsdale. They have established a relationship with the Museum of Northern Arizona Ventures Program. We will leave Scottsdale on the morning of April 12 and travel via Interstate 17 to the Museum, or folks will get a private tour of the Easton Collection Center. The following day we will make a day long excursion to the South Rim via US Highway 89, Desert View, and viewpoints in between. The trip is strictly limited to 21 individuals.
May 6-12, 2023
Rafting the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, with Northern Arizona University Geology Alumni. This will be the fourth time in seven years we have offered this trip to Geology graduates from my university. This year’s trip is completely sold out as were the previous three. But an added feature to this year’s trip is that the very first awardee of the Wayne and Helen Ranney geosciences education award will be along on the trip. This student has yet to be identified, but it will be a Senior undergraduate who we anticipate will define a career in informal geology education. I am very excited to welcome our first awardee, whoever that will be.
May 20-26, 2023
Rafting the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, with Wayne Ranney. This is a private charter with a group of retired professors from various colleges back east. We will travel 188 miles to Whitmore Wash where we will helicopter out of the canyon after running Lava Falls. The trip is oversubscribed with a waiting list.
July 10-17, 2023
Canadian Rockies by Rail and Trail, with National Geographic. I have begun a new relationship with National Geographic! On this trip travel by train from Vancouver, B.C. to Japer and Banff, Alberta. Short hiking excursions during the day. Myself and a National Geographic Expedition Leader will accompany you and share insights and a behind-the-scenes perspective. Stay in hotels each night and hike during the daylight hours. See the website description here.
August 14-23, 2023
Hiking the Alpe-Adria Trail, Julian Alps and Glossglockner Hiking Tour, with National Geographic. I have begun a new relationship with National Geographic! On this hiking adventure, myself and a National Geographic Expedition Leader will accompany you and share insights and a behind-the-scenes perspective. Local guides will join us along the way. Stay in hotels each night and hike during the daylight hours. See the website description here.
September 3-12, 2023
Rafting the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, with Canyoneers. This is also a private charter with a group of administrators from NASA in Washington DC. I’ve been asked to come along on this exciting 10 day trip to Diamond Creek, located 226 miles downstream from the put in at Lees Ferry. The trip is sold out.
September 25-30, 2023
Rafting the Green River in Desolation and Gray Canyons, Utah, with OARS. This is a six-day adventure traveling 85 miles by oar-powered raft through a scenic portion of the Green River. Scenic flight the put-in from Moab included. I’m sorry but this trip is sold out. Please inquire about cancellations to me.
2022 Trips and Expeditions
The pandemic continues to affect domestic and international travel. But many trips are planned. Join me!.
January 23- February 1, 2022
Antarctica: The White Continent, with Smithsonian Journeys on the vessel Austral (Ponant Cruise Line). This will be my 3oth trip to the White Continent and I never tire of the pristine nature of Antarctica. A summer in the Antarctic Peninsula is warmer than many midwestern or eastern winters so don’t let the cold scare you away. Visits to Penguin colonies, research stations, and Zodiac cruises among whales and seals. Many landings will be made. And of course a stunning landscape with great geology! See the itinerary here.
May 7-13 and May 21-29, 2022
Rafting the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, with the Museum of Northern Arizona. The outfitter for this trip will be my long-time partner and official Grand Canyon National Park concessionaire Colorado River and Trail Expeditions (CRATE). This trip is already oversubscribed with a waiting list. However, be the first to sign up for my 2023 trips scheduled for around the same time. Contact me at my email address for information on how to sign up. To see a past blog of this trip, click here. – SOLD OUT
June 1-12, 2022
Private Jet Tour of Napa Valley, Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Grand Canyon, with Abercrombie and Kent. The trip begins in San Francisco and we travel across the Golden Gate to Napa Valley for three nights. Then three nights at the Amangani Resort in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Then off the the Amangiri Resort near Page Arizona. Write to me for details.
June 17-21, 2022
Rafting the Yampa River in Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado and Utah. This will be an oar-powered rafting trip on the beautiful Yampa River through Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado and Utah with the outfitter OARS. E-mail me for sign-up details. Full itinerary here. – SOLD OUT
August 5-15 2022
Alaska’s Natural Wonders, with Smithsonian Journeys. Summer is the best time to visit “The Last Frontier” of the United States. On this expedition, we will visit Denali, Wrangell-St. Elias, and Kenai Fjords National Parks. I am especially excited that this trip will visit the remote Wrangell Mountains where the Wrangellia terrane was first recognized and named for. Denali always delights with Mt. McKinley being the highest mountain in all of North America. See the full itinerary here. – SOLD OUT
August 19-27, 2022
Rafting the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, with Southwest Seminars. The outfitter for this trip will be Grand Canyon National Park concessionaire Colorado River and Trail Expeditions (CRATE). This trip is already oversubscribed with a waiting list. However, be the first to sign up for my 2023 trips scheduled for around the same time. Contact me at wayneranney17@gmail.com for information on how to sign up. To see a past blog of this trip, click here. – SOLD OUT
December 9-19, 2022 and December 19, 2022-January 5, 2023
Antarctica: The White Continent, with Abercrombie and Kent with Ponant Cruise Line.I never tire of the pristine nature of Antarctica. A summer in the Antarctic Peninsula is warmer than many midwestern or eastern winters so don’t let the cold scare you away. Visits to Penguin colonies, research stations, and Zodiac cruises among whales and seals. Many landings will be made. And of course a stunning landscape with great geology will be seen! See the full itinerary for the December 9 trip here, and for the December 19 trip which includes the Falkland Islands and South Georgia here.
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2021 Trips and Expeditions
***The worldwide pandemic has certainly rocked my world. But I am hopeful that all of the trips listed here will go in 2021. Be safe, wear a mask in public, and consider the health of others as you wander the globe!***
May 7-14, 2021
Rafting the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, with the Museum of Northern Arizona. The outfitter for this trip will be my long-time partner and official Grand Canyon National Park concessionaire Colorado River and Trail Expeditions (CRATE). This trip is already oversubscribed with a waiting list. However, be the first to sign up for my 2022 trip scheduled for around the same time. Contact me at wayneranney17@gmail.com for information on how to sign up. To see a past blog of this trip, click here.
May 22-29, 2021
Rafting the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, with the Northern Arizona University Geology Alumni. The outfitter for this trip will be my long-time partner and official Grand Canyon National Park concessionaire Colorado River and Trail Expeditions (CRATE). This trip is for geology alumni of NAU and their guests. However, be one of the first to sign up for a geology-themed trip with me in 2022, scheduled for around the same time. Contact me at wayneranney17@gmail.com for information on how to sign up. To view a past blo, click here.
June 6-14, 2021
The Scottish Isles and Norwegian Fjords: A Cruise from Glasgow to Bergen, with Smithsonian Journeys. I will attempt to return to overseas travel for the first time since my trip to Nepal and Bhutan in October, 2019. I am super excited to be going back to the Orkney and Shetland Islands, two of the more satisfying destinations in all of Scotland. This cruise will be on the vessel, Le Champlain. Launched in 2018, Le Champlain is among a new fleet of luxury expedition ships of the Ponant cruise line (French). The trip itinerary can be found here. CANCELLED DUE TO COVID.
July 15-23, 2021
Iceland Voyage: A Circumnavigation Cruise, with Smithsonian Journeys. Join me in one of the premier geologic destinations in the entire world as Iceland sits astride the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. This giant tear in the Earth’s crust is where voluminous lava has piled high on the Atlantic’s seafloor to create an island with amazingly diverse landscapes. And we get to circle the entire island while enjoying the luxury of our Ponant ship, Le Champlain. The trip itinerary can be viewed here. CANCELLED DUE TO COVID.
August 17-27, 2021
Alaska’s Natural Wonders, with Smithsonian Journeys. Summer is the best time to visit “The Last Frontier” of the United States. On this expedition, we will visit Denali, Wrangell-St. Elias, and Kenai Fjords National Parks. I am especially excited that this trip will visit the remote Wrangell Mountains where the Wrangellia terrane was first recognized and named for. Denali always delights with Mt. McKinley being the highest mountain in all of North America. See the full itinerary here. CANCELLED DUE TO COVID.
September 27- October 3, 2021
Romancing the Stone: Grand Staircase-Escalante and Capitoil Reef, Utah with Southwest Seminars (Santa Fe, New Mexico). This late summer excursion will be led by myself and co-leader Kirt Kempter. The trip assembles in magical Bluff, Utah for a short hike and evening orientation. Then we drive across varied terrain to visit this 1.9 million acre gem of a Monument (I am confident that the original borders of this preserve will be restored). Next we travel to the gateway of Capitol Reef National Park in Torrey. At the end of the trip, we take the ferry across the blue water of Lake Powell. You can view the entire itinerary of this 11 day adventure here.
October 6-15, 2021
Bryce, Zion, and Grand Canyon, with Smithsonian Journeys. What could be better than visiting the great American Southwest with your own personal geologist along to explain the many colorful landforms! This trip begins in Scottsdale and visits Sedona’s famous Red Rocks, Monument Valley, and the Lake Powell area, as well as the three crown jewel National Parks. You will not be disappointed at the amount of information conveyed during our overland journey. The full itinerary can bee seen here.
October 25-29, 2021
Journey to Toroweap Overlook and Western Grand Canyon, with the Grand Canyon Conservancy Field Institute. This is a repeat of our trip in October, 2018 and once again I am most happy to announce that my wife Helen will be my co-leader on this camping trip. Toroweap Overlook can only be reached by a scenic 61-mile long dirt road but the reward is worth the effort. Day hikes will include one on the Esplanade Platform to Cove Canyon, Saddle Horse Point, and perhaps Vulcan’s Throne, a scoria cone only 72,000 years old. CANCELLED.
December 3-18, 2021
Expedition to Patagonia and Easter Island, with Yavapai College EdVentures. This trip was originally scheduled in 2020 but due to the pandemic it was postponed to these dates. The trip begins in Buenos Aires, Argentina, then boards the Mar Australis in Ushuaia for a four-day cruise of the Beagle Channel and Cape Horn. Next, visit Torres del Paine National Park in Chile for three nights, before flying to Easter Island for another three nights. See the web site here for additional information. POSTPONED.
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2020 Trips and Expeditions
***I have just entered the “twilight” of my career and will be offering a few less trips each year from now on. I cannot believe how fast the time has gone! It seems as if I just started out. However, I am offering some amazing destinations in 2020 so have a look below.***
January 23 to 31, 2020
Wonders of the Galapagos Islands, onboard the Santa Cruz II. This trip is sponsored by Smithsonian Journeys and will sail around various islands in the Galapagos for five days. The trip also includes two nights in Ecuador’s capital, Quito. See the full itinerary here to sign up. You can peruse a blog posting I made from the same trip here.
May 2-8, 2020
Rafting the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, with the Museum of Northern Arizona. The outfitter for this trip will be my long-time partner and official Grand Canyon National Park concessionaire Colorado River and Trail Expeditions. This trip may already be oversubscribed and if so, you can still call Jennifer Glennon at MNA (928-774-5213, ext. 222) to get on the waiting list or be the first to sign up for my 2021 trip at around the same time. To see a past blog about this trip, click here.
May 30 to June 14 2020
Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands, with Smithsonian Journeys. This is a really great itinerary with many days spent exploring in Cusco, the Sacred Valley and an overnight stay at the Sanctuary Lodge at Machu Picchu. The full itinerary can be viewed here. To see a past posting on my blog about this trip, look here and here.
August 21 to 29 2020
Rafting the Colorado River in Grand Canyon with Southwest Seminars. The outfitter for this trip is my long-time partner and official Grand Canyon National Park concessionaire Colorado River and Trail Expeditions (CRATE). This trip may already be oversubscribed and if so, you can still write to Connie Eichstaedt at Southwest Seminars (505-466-2775) to get on the waiting list. To see a past blog about this trip, click here.
October 4 to 13, 2020
Bryce, Zion, and the Grand Canyon, with Smithsonian Journeys. Yep! I’m bringing a lifetime of far-flung, world-wide travel back to my home country in the American Southwest. This classic tour begins in Phoenix and ends in Las Vegas with stops in Sedona, Monument Valley, Lake Powell, Bryce and Zion. You can view the full itinerary here.
October 24 to November 17, 2020
Around the World by Private Jet, with TCS World Travel. This will be my fifth expedition around the world with TCS. This classic itinerary has visits to Machu Picchu, Easter Island, Samoa, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Ankor Wat, the Taj Mahal, Petra, the Serengeti, and Fez Morocco. You can view the full itinerary here.
November 28 to December 14, 2020
Epic Patagonia and Easter Island, South America, with Yavapai College EdVentures. Join me as we travel to Buenos Aires, Cape Horn, the Beagle Channel, Tierra del Fuego, Torres del Paine National Park and Easter Island in one great adventure. This trip includes four days sailing on the Terra Australis ship through the Patagonian Archipelago. Only 30 lucky participants will have the opportunity to join me on this expedition. To view a full itinerary, click here.
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2019 Expeditions and Trips
January 17 to February 1, 2019. Cruising Antarctica, the Falklands and South Georgia Island on Le Lyrial with Abercrombie and Kent Full itinerary here.
March 21-April 5, 2019 Journey to New Zealand with Smithsonian Journeys. A wonderful exploration of the two big islands in New Zealand including Auckland, Rororua, Napier, Wellington, Christchurch, Franz Josef National Park and Queenstown, Full itinerary here.
May 4-10, 2019.. Rafting the Grand Canyon with the Museum of Northern Arizona: Call Jennifer Glennon at 928-774-5213, ext. 222. – SOLD OUT
May 19-25, 2019. Rafting the Grand Canyon with Southwest Seminars. Full itinerary here. .- SOLD OUT
May 31-June 4, 2019. Oar-powered rafting trip on the Yampa River in Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado with OARS. E-mail me for sign-up details. Full itinerary here. – SOLD OUT
June 8-14, 2019. Rafting the Grand Canyon with the Association of Engineering Geologists. There are three spaces left on this departure. Call Ken Fergason at 602-733-6067 for details.
July 10-20, 2019. Exploring the Northern Rockies including Glacier National Park, Montana and Banff and Jasper National Parks, Alberta Canada. Great geology! Full itinerary here.
August 10-17, 2019.. Rafting the Grand Canyon with the Northern Arizona University Geology Alumni. – Four spaces left. Call Amy Wolkowinski at 928-523-0932 for details.
October 11-25, 2019. Himalayan Kingdoms – Nepal and Bhutan with Smithsonian Journeys. If you love mountains you will love seeing Earth’s highest – the Himalayas. Join me on this fantastic destination. Full itinerary here.
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2018 Expeditions and Trips
January 15-22, 2018. Galapagos Islands with Smithsonian Journeys. A seven-day cruise around most of the major islands.: Full itinerary here..
February 25-March 1, 2018. Death Valley Inn-Based Day Hiking, Museum of Northern Arizona SORRY – SOLD OUT Full itinerary: here..
March 7-28, 2018. Australia and New Zealand with Smithsonian Journeys. A wonderful exploration of Cairns, Ayers Rock, and the vibrant city of Sydney in Australia and Christchurch, Queenstown, Mt. Cook National Park, Rotorua, and Auckland in New Zealand. Full itinerary here.
April 3-8, 2018. Grand Canyon River Guides geology training trip on the Colorado River for river guides. Sign-ups only.
April 16-20, 2018. Grand Staircase-Escalante Inn-Based Day Hiking, Museum of Northern Arizona. One of my most popular trips since 1995 with geologic day hikes and lodging at the Boulder Mountain Lodge. Full itinerary here.:
April 28- May 20, 2018. Kingdoms and Cultures by Private Jet, TCS World Travel. Countries visited include Lithuania, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Albania, Romania, Spain and Portugal. Full itinerary here.
July 5-15, 2018. Adventure in Iceland with Smithsonian Journeys. Full itinerary here.
August 1-15, 2018. Adventure in Iceland with Yavapai College Prescott. A 14-day circum-transit of this fascinating island. Full itinerary here.
August 31-September 9, 2018. Rafting the Grand Canyon with the Grand Canyon Field Institute.. Call Mike Buchheit – 928-638-7024. Full itinerary here.
September 21-October 4, 2018. Splendors of Morocco with Smithsonian Journeys. Full itinerary here.
October 22-26, 2018. Canyonlands and Arches Inn-Based Day Hiking, Museum of Northern Arizona. Full itinerary here.
October 29-November 1 2018. Toroweap Natural and Cultural History (Grand Canyon North Rim). Full itinerary here.
2017 Expeditions and Trips
February 25 to March 13, 2017 – Expedition with Smithsonian Journeys to Patagonia, including Buenos Aires Argentina, Beagle Channel and Cape Horn cruise, Chile’s Lake District and the Osorno Volcano, Santiago and Valparaiso Chile. Full Itinerary here. SOLD OUT.
March 24 to 26, 2017 – Geology-themed backpack to Phantom Ranch in the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Two nights lodging and all meals included. With Wildland Trekking – sign up here.
April 3 to 7, 2017 – Expedition to Canyonlands and Arches National Parks with the Museum of Northern Arizona Ventures Program. Sorry – SOLD OUT.
April 17 to 27, 2017 – Special Grand Canyon Geology and Hiking river trip with Colorado River and Trails Expeditions. Sorry – SOLD OUT.
May 1 to 4, 2017 – Private geology tour to Zion and Bryce National Parks with the Desert Foothills Chapter of the Arizona Archaeological Society. Write to me if you would like to request attendance.
May 6 to 12, 2016 – Grand Canyon Geology river trip with the Museum of Northern Arizona Ventures Program. Sorry – SOLD OUT.
May 20 to 28, 2017 – Special Grand Canyon Geology and Hiking river trip for Northern Arizona University Geology Alumni. I will be running the river with past and current geology grads and students at NAU with Colorado River and Trails Expeditions. Sorry – SOLD OUT.
June 15 to 25, 2017 – Adventure in Iceland with Smithsonian Journeys. My 2016 trip was an unqualified success! Join me in 2017 to this geologic paradise. The itinerary and registration can be found here.
September 9 to 18, 2017 – A chartered river trip in the Grand Canyon with the Grand Canyon Association Field Institute and Arizona Raft Adventures. This is another one of my Geology and Hiking river trips – this one 10 days long to Diamond Creek take-out.! This trip is likely SOLD OUT but cancellations often occur – write to me if interested and I will check availability.
September 27 to October 20, 2017 – Private Jet Excursion “Around the World” with TCS World Travel. This is the ultimate trip with visits to Machu Picchu, Easter Island, Samoa, Great Barrier Reef, Ankor Wat, Taj Mahal, Serengeti, and Morocco. Please see the itinerary of this exceptional trip here.
November 7 to 9, 2017 – Geology-themed backpack to Phantom Ranch in the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Two nights lodging and all meals included. With Wildland Trekking – sign up here.
November 18 to December 2, 2017 – Smithsonian Journey’s trip to Machu Picchu and the Galapagos. This is a very popular trip and will be the third time I have led this particular itinerary for SJ’s. See the itinerary here.
December 4 to 6, 2017 – Geology-themed backpack to Phantom Ranch in the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Two nights lodging and all meals included. With Wildland Trekking – sign up here.
2016 Expeditions and Trips
January, 2016 – On the ocean-going vessel The World sailing around the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia Island, and the Falklands. The World is a private resident-owned ship only and this trip is not for sale.
February, 2016 – Private geology tour with a friend to Death Valley National Park, California.
March 8 to 22, 2016 – Expedition with Smithsonian Journeys to Machu Picchu, Peru and Galapagos, Ecuador.
April 4 to 8, 2016 – Expedition to Canyonlands and Arches National Parks with the Museum of Northern Arizona Ventures Program.
April 18 to 22, 2016 – Expedition to Capitol Reef National Park with the Museum of Northern Arizona Ventures Program. SOLD OUT – SORRY.
April 25 to 29, 2016 – Expedition to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument with the Museum of Northern Arizona Ventures. SOLD OUT – SORRY.
May 7 to 14, 2016 – Private charter Grand Canyon Geology and Hiking river trip. SOLD OUT AND WAITLISTED – SORRY.
May 23 to 25 – My popular three-day Geology On The Edge class at Grand Canyon National Park. For Grand Canyon Association Members only.
July 12 to 14, 2016 – My popular three-day Geology On The Edge class at Grand Canyon National Park, this one open to anyone.
July 15 to 21, 2016 – Chartered river trip in the Grand Canyon. This is my ever-popular Geology and Hiking river trip on the Colorado. Helicopter and plane flyover take-out!
August 30 to September 8, 2016 – Chartered river trip in the Grand Canyon with Grand Canyon Association Field Institute and Arizona Raft Adventures. This is another one of my Geology and Hiking river trips this one 10 days long to Diamond Creek take-out.! SOLD OUT – SORRY.
September 10 to 20, 2016 – Adventure in Iceland with Smithsonian Journeys. This will be a geologic tour de force exploring this volcanic wonderland.
October 7 to 27, 2016 – Private Jet Excursion “Cuba and South America” with TCS-Starquest Expeditions.
An Archive of Previous Trips
I became a guide in 1980 when I participated in my first Grand Canyon river trip. I began leading backpacking and river trips with the Museum of Northern Arizona in 1982. In 1992 I participated in my first Smithsonian Journeys trip and I still lead them throughout the world. You can read about my past adventures by reading my blog here.
Wayne Ranney - Landscapes and Travels 