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Grand Canyon

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USA

World-class national parks: the Grand Canyon, Yosemite and the stone “waves” of Arizona.

Russian passport: visa requiredRussian Foreign Ministry: refrain from travelprices ×2.7 vs Russia

Photo: Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Grand Canyon
Photo: Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Arizona, USA · World’s best

Grand Canyon

Access 2/5 · fairly easyJFMAMJJASOND

The Colorado River has cut a canyon 1.6 kilometres deep on average; within the park it flows for 447 kilometres. The South Rim has the classic views from Mather Point and Hopi Point, especially at sunset.

The Bright Angel and South Kaibab trails lead down into the canyon, but the climb back up is three times harder than the way down. The national park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Getting there
From Las Vegas or Phoenix, about 4–5 hours by car to the South Rim.
Fees and tickets
Entry is $35 per car for 7 days plus $100 for each non-resident of the USA over 16; the annual pass for non-residents is $250.
Sources (4)
Yosemite
Photo: Johan Viirok · CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

California, USA

Yosemite

Access 2/5 · fairly easyJFMAMJJASOND

Yosemite Valley means the granite walls of El Capitan and Half Dome and the Yosemite and Bridalveil falls. The view from Tunnel View is one of the most famous landscapes in America.

Giant sequoias grow in the Mariposa Grove. The national park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Getting there
From San Francisco, about 4 hours by car.
Fees and tickets
Entry is $35 per car plus $100 per non-resident over 16; for Half Dome, a $10 lottery and a $10 permit.
Sources (4)
The Wave
Photo: Gb11111 · CC0, Wikimedia Commons

Arizona, USA

The Wave

Access 4/5 · hardJFMAMJJASOND

The Wave, in the Coyote Buttes North area, is sandstone whose layers curve in red and orange waves. It is one of the most photogenic places on Earth.

To protect the fragile rock, very few people are allowed in each day, and permits are drawn in a lottery. There is no trail: you find the way by landmarks.

Getting there
From the town of Kanab (Utah) or Page (Arizona), about an hour on a dirt road to the start of the route.
Fees and tickets
The lottery costs $6 per application and the permit $7 a day; no more than 64 people a day.
Why it’s hard
Permits come only through a lottery with few places a day. There is no trail, summer heat goes above 40 °C, and the dirt road washes out after rain.
Sources (3)

Before you go

USA: entry, safety, money, flights, laws and budget — with sources.

Entry

Russian citizens need a B1/B2 visa with an interview. The US Embassy in Moscow issues almost no visas: people apply in third countries (according to the US Embassy, in Astana and Warsaw). ESTA is not available to Russian citizens.

The DS-160 form asks about social media accounts. A visa does not guarantee entry — the border officer decides.

Rules for any passport

Checked 2 November 2026. These are the rules for a Russian citizen with an international passport on a tourist trip. For other passports and purposes, see the official website — the button above.

Sources (5)

Safety

The Russian Foreign Ministry strongly urges refraining from non-essential travel to the USA: there is a risk of detention at the request of the US authorities (warnings of 11.12.2024 and 01.04.2026).

Sources (3)

Money and cards

The Mir card does not work, and neither do other Russian cards. That leaves dollars in cash — but some national parks, Yosemite for example, do not accept cash.

Sources (2)

Flights

There are no direct flights. Connections are via Istanbul, Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Belgrade.

Sources (1)

Laws and bans

  • Drones are banned in all US national parks.
  • Bringing in drugs is prohibited; medicines containing narcotic substances only in labelled packaging, with a prescription.
  • Cash over $10,000 must be declared; ivory and turtle-shell products are banned.
Sources (3)

Budget

prices ×2.7 vs Russia · price level 1.00 (US = 1), 2025

Prices are 2.7 times higher than in Russia. In 11 national parks, including the Grand Canyon and Yosemite, non-residents pay $100 on top of the entry fee ($35 per car); the annual pass for non-residents is $250.

The price level is the ratio of purchasing power parity for household consumption to the market exchange rate (World Bank). These are national averages: resorts and capitals cost more, the countryside less. Flights are not included.

Sources (3)