Grand Canyon Rafting Adventure
August 29 – September 7, 2026
Dates:
August 29 - September 7, 2026
Your Pros:
Juan Pons & Jaclyn Merica
Tuition:
$7,895.00 USD
Location:
Arizona, USA
Fitness Level:
Moderate
Availability:
5 Seats Remaining
Dates:
August 29 - September 7, 2026
Your Pros:
Juan Pons & Jaclyn Merica
Tuition:
$7,895.00 USD
Location:
Arizona, USA
Fitness Level:
Moderate
Availability:
5 Seats Available
225 Miles Along The Colorado River
Experience the breathtaking beauty of the American Southwest like you’ve never seen before.
Jump in to 8 days of breathtaking landscape, astro, macro, and adventure photography opportunities in one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World, the Grand Canyon. Together in a boat of 12 maximum clients, we will float, swim, raft, hike, and photograph along 225 river miles of the world-renowned Colorado River.
There’s potential to see wildlife descending the canyon walls or drinking along the riverbanks, including bighorn sheep, California condor, bald eagle, elk, and even, with luck, mountain lion. Throughout our days, we have the option for hiking outings to sites like waterfalls, slot canyons, and ancient petroglyph and pictograph sites, learning of the history and importance this canyon has always held.
This excursion is a definite adventure and clients will enjoy rustic accommodations during the journey. Tents and cots will be provided at private campsites at assorted beach landings. All meals are provided for and are cooked in an outdoor kitchen. Temperatures at the time of our excursion will be comfortable for spending our days outside, and those adventurous folks will enjoy cold plunges in the notoriously chilly Colorado River each day.
Throughout the workshop, you will learn from professional outdoor photographers and guides how to compose compelling images, use light and shadow to your advantage, and master the technical aspects of photography. Whether you’re a beginner photographer or a seasoned pro, our experienced instructors will provide personalized instruction and guidance to help you improve your skills and take your wildlife and landscape photography to the next level.
Not only does this workshop offer in-the-field instruction to best hone in your images and streamline your creative visions, but also post-workshop image reviews and editing sessions to continue practicing skills and techniques learned on the workshop once you’ve returned home.
Sign up now to be prepared to create lasting memories and stunning photographs that you’ll treasure for a lifetime.
This trip is unique in that we can invite a total of 12 clients on this trip! Our larger group gets to claim our very own motirozed boat, so we get our overnight camping sites all to ourselves. As a workshop leader, I take your trust in my expertise very seriously. We have partnered with a reputable guiding company that offers us premier access to the canyon and an understanding of our photographic needs.
This is a unique outdoor educational excursion, and our team ensures everyone has the chance to receive one-on-one instruction during our daily hiking outings, whatever they need to make once in a lifetime images.
My workshops are distinctive in that they’re fully inclusive– your tuition cost covers all expenses from the moment you arrive to the moment you depart Flagstaff, Arizona. We provide our guests the best possible accommodations, dining options, and unique opportunities this region has to offer.
You will be accompanied by Juan Pons and Jaclyn Merica during this workshop. Juan is an accomplished professional wildlife and travel photographer and photographic educator who has a deep passion for the outdoors and conservation. Jaclyn is Juan’s assistant, co-leading outdoor workshops in places like India, Costa Rica, Botswana, and Alaska.
Juan and his team believe the best way to teach is by demonstrating, and to this end, we will be shooting alongside you, showing you our technique, and sharing our love and knowledge of wildlife and the landscape. However, our priority is always YOU, and assisting you to get the best images possible.
We offer flexibility customizing and adjusting our schedule to accommodate both the unpredictable weather and the interests of the group as a whole- such as late night astrophotography demos or adventurous hikes to locations of interest.
My workshops are fairly intensive experiences, and as such, you should not expect this to be a leisurely vacation. My goal is to capture the best images we can during our time in this remarkable location. This means there will be days we begin very early and return to our lodging very late. However, we will always have breaks and lunch rest hours.
On this workshop, you will fly into and depart from Flagstaff, Arizona (Airport code FLG). You should expect to receive important instructions from my team with details to secure your flights 5 months prior to the workshop.
Then, about 3 months prior to the workshop, you will start hearing from me and my team on a regular basis. I will provide you with a Workshop Participant Info Packet with all relevant details, as well as go over more info regarding the workshop to get you inspired and thinking about the images you want to capture during the workshop. At this time, you will also receive from me a list of recommended clothing, equipment, and even discounts for equipment you may want to acquire for this excursion.
My assistant, Jaclyn, and I are always available to answer any questions you may have leading up to the excursion- simply call or email and we can help you as best we can.
Additionally, we will schedule a Zoom meeting 8 – 10 weeks prior to the start of our workshop. There, you can meet your fellow workshop participants, ask any questions before traveling, receive insights and recommendations for reference books, and much more.
Tuition for the workshop is $7,895.00 USD per person.
Due to the unique set up of this trip, there are no single lodgings offered on the trip, however, you can request your own tent during our Grand Canyon portion of the trip.
If you would like to reserve your spot on this workshop, you can do so with a $3,995.00 USD deposit. The balance of the workshop fee ($3,9000.00 USD), is due 6 months ahead of the workshop start.
If you are in need of a special payment arrangement, please reach out and we are happy to work with you.
• All lodging or camping set ups
• All meals
• Private transport to the Colorado River
• All snacks and water during daily outings
• Non-alcoholic beverages during the workshop
• All permits, fees, and gratuities
• In-the-field instruction
• Image reviews and post-processing sessions
• Creative inspiration and group camaraderie
• An unforgettable experience
• Air travel to and from Flagstaff, Arizona
• Any applicable items of a personal nature, such as laundry services and alcoholic beverages
• Travel, Medical, and Trip Cancellation Insurance (highly recommended)
• Anything else specifically not listed as included
• You are responsible for making your own flight arrangements to and from Flagstaff. We will assist you with flight arrival times and departures prior to your booking. Please do not book your flight reservations until you receive explicit instructions from our team.
• Deposit is fully refundable up until 6 months prior to the start of the workshop, NO REFUNDS are permitted less than 6 months to the start of the workshop.
• Make sure to check the Terms and Conditions for all my workshops.
We highly recommend Travel Insurance from a reputable insurance company. I have partnered with Squaremouth, a website that allows you to compare multiple travel policies from multiple providers to choose the best one for you based on your needs and costs. Check them out here: https://www.squaremouth.com/
When photographing wildlife and nature, the key is to remain flexible and open to adjustments in order to maximize our daily itinerary as needed to observe the behavior of the wildlife and lighting conditions.
An example workshop itinerary is as follows:
Day 1: Arrival into Flagstaff, Arizona
Plan to arrive anytime on September 29 into Flagstaff, Arizona (Airport code FLG). Our team will have arranged a hotel with an airport shuttle on this day, and we will provide you instructions to this at a closer date.
Our group will overnight in town, host a group welcome dinner, and rest up early ahead of an early departure to the river the next morning.
Day 2 : Begin Our 8 Day Float
On Day 2, we transport from Flasstaff to mile 0 of the Colorado River, our adventure awaiting us.
After loading up the boat and receiving a safety briefing from our river guides, we set off for our first hours on the water.
We arrive at our first campsite of the trip, and enjoy a cook out under the stars before retiring to our tents.
Day 3 – 9: The Grand Canyon from Below
For the remaining days on the water, we wake up, enjoy breakfast, and set off down the river once more in the shadow of the limestone canyon walls.
There are some varying classes of rapids along our route, and we will be guided through them by our expert river guides.
Throughout our days, we have the opportunity for side hikes and time spent learning about the species that have adapted to life in this habitat.
On Day 9 of our excursion, we reach the end of our journey at river mile 225. We are then transported back to Flagstaff at the end of that day.
Day 10: Departure from Flagstaff, Arizona
On Day 10, September 7, 2026, after an overnight in Flagstaff, Arizona, you can fly out anytime on this day.
