A bird's eye view of the Grand Canyon

Grand doesn't even come close to describing the sheer magnitude of this natural wonder.

A craggy, steep-sided gorge in the parched US state of Arizona, the Grand Canyon is a something of a geological abyss. Some 277 miles long and more than one mile deep, it took six million years for the raging Colorado River to carve out this multicolored vision of limestone, shale and sandstone.

Although five million people travel here every year to stare, hike, whitewater raft, swim, flightsee or take a mule ride down the canyon, it is not impossible to find solitude here.

On the tourist-saturated South Rim you only need to hike 10 minutes from the Grand Canyon Village to start losing the crowds. Alternatively, the canyon's rugged North Rim, which lies 1000 feet higher, is far less visited.

The Grand Canyon has some tremendous hiking trails; whether you're venturing out on a day walk or an overnight odyssey, be sure to wear sturdy shoes and take plenty of water. Remember that temperatures soar the further down the canyon you venture.