The whitish solonchak foothills, the rocky mountains, the Grand Canyon, the reddish-red deserts are Arizona. The edge of the great canyons stretches in the southwest of the USA. Although most of the territory of this state is occupied by mountains and deserts, however, among the sandy expanses and quaint rocks, like amazing oases, there are stunningly beautiful green valleys.

Wild untouched by nature nature, whose immunity is protected by many national parks, a meteorite crater, like that is not found all over the world, mountain rivers and lakes are what attract tourists from all over the world. And the real Indian tribes occupying more than a third of the entire territory of the state, the variety of shops, markets and galleries and restaurants with real American cuisine. And all this is Arizona - the state of the Grand Canyon.

The capital of Arizona - Phoenix - is located in the hot and arid desert of Sonora. However, this city is ready to surprise you with the diversity of flora and fauna, formed here not only thanks to two rainy seasons a year, but also to the authorities' special attention to the development and "greening" of the city. By the way, the two largest cities of Tucson and Yuma are also in Sonora. Please note that all tourist routes start at Tucson. It is he who is considered a favorite place for travelers and adventurers.

How to get here

Phoenix International Airport is ready to welcome tourists from all over the world. However, there are no direct flights from Moscow, you will have to fly with docking in Los Angeles or New York, if you choose Aeroflot, or in Toronto and Chicago - this route is offered by Transaero. Most often, such trips last about a day, but there are flights that take 18 hours. The cost of the flight is from 42 thousand rubles.

Those who expect to travel around the state are strongly advised to rent a car. To reach some remote areas of Arizona can only be on a private car, which will cost from $ 30 per day, and the quality of local roads will pleasantly surprise even the most sophisticated and demanding motorists. A pleasant surprise will be the fact that on intercity routes there are almost no traffic jams.

Climate

Arizona is characterized by a temperate climate, represented by a very hot summer and mild winter .Typically, from autumn to spring, the temperature is kept at +16 ° C, but in the summer months it can rise to +52 ° C .Travelers who decided to visit Arizona in summer should bear in mind that there is a very strong temperature fluctuation - if the daytime is usually warm, then at night there can often be frosts - and always take warm clothes and shoes .Do not forget that in July and August the monsoon season begins with wind, thunder, heavy showers and floods, so at this time it is better to refrain from traveling to Arizona .Come here from March to June!

Entertainment, excursions and attractions of Arizona

Arizona attracts tourists primarily by the opportunity to see the famous Grand Canyon. Undoubtedly, the largest river canyon in the world is the main attraction of this state. But besides him there is something to see.

Arizona is famous for its conservation areas, such as the Pinedade Desert National Park, the Pueblo culture archaeological site, the Tonto National Monument, the Saguaro National Park. Only in Arizona can you see a meteorite crater with a diameter of 1250 m and visit a museum dedicated to American astronautics and meteorites.

And a vacation in Arizona is a helicopter tour over the canyon, rafting down the Colorado River, visiting the Tusayan Archaeological Museum, walking along the Petrified Forest and Rainbow Forest reserves, fishing on the picturesque artificial lake Powell (Mead) and much more.

Great Canyon

One of the seven natural wonders of the world was created by the Colorado River more than a million years ago. This colorful gorge, carved by a stormy river in the thickness of limestone, shale and sandstone, is 446 km long and 29 km wide, and the depth of the gorge is 1800 m. The view of the huge gorge is made even more unearthly by the accumulation of many rocks and cliffs of the most bizarre forms.

There are many observation points, buses travel every 10-15 minutes. Tourists like to descend into the canyon on mules, rafting on inflatable rafts down the Colorado and fly over the canyon by helicopters. Well, especially hardy extreme lovers go down on their own, on their own two and enjoy not only from the landscape, but also from physical exertion, adrenaline and the opportunity to tell friends about the conquest of the "Great Gorge."

Despite a great variety of routes and excursions, the most beloved of travelers is the Celestial Path - it is a viewing bridge with a glass floor in the shape of a horseshoe, suspended at an altitude of 1219 m. The path seems to hover above the abyss, and everyone standing on it is experiencing incomparable sensations - the beauty and grandeur of the canyon is breathtaking!

Meteorite crater Barringer-Meteor-Crater

A huge fire of fire from iron and nickel weighing 300 thousand tons crashed into the Earth 50 thousand years ago, moving at a speed of 19 km per second, and left behind a gaping funnel in the Arizona desert, to look at which tourists from all over the world come.

The Devil Canyon, as the crater is called, is 30 km west of Winslow (go along federal highway 40). This is a giant earth cup 1200 m long and 180 m deep. One can not help mentioning the nearby museum, where you can get acquainted with the history of American astronautics.

City of Arizona

In the state capital of Phoenix, you should definitely visit the Arizona Museum, founded in 1929, the Aered Art Museum and the Mormon Principal Temple in Arizona. Also here is a large Science Center, which includes more than three hundred exhibitions devoted to a variety of thematic areas. And one of the favorite places of rest for tourists is the Papago Park, on the territory of which there is also an excellent zoo and a huge number of recreation areas.

Tucson, whose most visited cultural object is the Arizona University Art Museum .In the immediate vicinity of Tucson is the San Javier reservation, in the territory of which there are many monuments of the colonial period .Here for a long time the Spanish conquerors, not indifferent to luxury apartments, lived, and the palaces and villas erected by them became a worthy decoration of the picturesque nature of Arizona .Do not miss the opportunity to visit the exquisite botanical gardens of Tucson, whose beauty destroys all stereotypes and ideas about the scanty nature of the desert .The small town of Flagstaff also deserves attention - it is known for three things: the famous observatory, the cinemas and the amazingly rich in the sense of natural beauty of the surrounding areas .

Developments

Going to Arizona in February, be sure to schedule a visit to the "Renaissance" festival, dedicated to the traditions of a bygone era. The venue of the festival is a charming valley, located among mountains and desert landscapes in the immediate vicinity of Phoenix.

And at the end of March you will have an unforgettable sight - Ostrich Festival. For three days, you can see various animal shows, concerts, an exotic zoo, a lot of attractions and, of course, the nail of the program - the race on ostriches. A lot of impressions are guaranteed!

All prices are indicated in June 2013 Photo of Arizona (9)