Trips & tickets
Sedona listings blur together. These are the formats that genuinely differ — jeep or van, day or night, the train through the Verde Canyon, or a long day from Phoenix — and what each one includes.
A 4x4 ride with a guide at the wheel from the tour office in Uptown Sedona into the Coconino National Forest, climbing high desert trails past Snoopy Rock, Thunder Mountain and Doe Mesa, with photo stops and a drive-by of Cathedral Rock.
A train ride from the Clarkdale depot through a 20-mile wilderness along the Verde River to the Perkinsville turnaround, in luxury-class seats with appetizers, a Champagne toast and a cafe voucher at the depot.
A small-group van day from Phoenix hotels with stops at Montezuma Castle, the Chapel of the Holy Cross and Bell Rock, and about 2-3 hours to explore Uptown Sedona on your own.
A guide drives you by jeep to one or two lesser-known vortex sites, then walks about a mile on uneven ground while telling the history and the beliefs around the vortexes; you decide for yourself what you feel. No off-roading.
A not-too-bumpy 4x4 ride from the tour office into the Western Canyons along the base of the red rocks, with a guide on the area's history, geology and ecology. A good choice for sunset.
Six stops in an open-air, 360-degree-view vehicle, leaving at 10 a.m.: the Chapel of the Holy Cross, the Sedona Airport Overlook, the Sedona Heritage Museum, an hour in Uptown for lunch (not included), Rachel's Knoll and the Amitabha Stupa & Peace Park.
Astronomers guide you across the night sky with telescopes and green laser pointers, at most six guests per telescope, pointing out planets, galaxies, star clusters and the Milky Way. Chairs, blankets and parka jackets are provided.
The full Viator listing for Sedona — jeep and van tours, vortex and stargazing tours, the Verde Canyon Railroad and day trips from Phoenix, with live prices.
From Phoenix it is 113.4 miles, about 2 hours, by I-17 and SR-179. Without a car, a scheduled shuttle links Phoenix Sky Harbor with Sedona, or an 11-hour small-group day tour from Phoenix gives you about 2-3 hours in Uptown Sedona.
Most trailheads around Sedona need a Red Rock Pass, $5 a day on the Coconino National Forest's list, or an America the Beautiful pass. Tours that drive you around do not need one; your own car at a trailhead does.
Two-hour jeep tours start from about $104.95 on operators' own price lists, and a Verde Canyon Railroad ticket is $139.00 for the 2026 season. Check the length, the route and whether hotel pickup is included, not just the price.
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