It’s the season for Grand Canyon airplane and helicopter tours
You may not realize it, but the cooler fall and winter months are perfect for taking a Grand Canyon aerial tour. You can take the tour by helicopter or plane, and taking one of these air tours is a unique and fun way to enjoy a vacation travel experience.
You can take one of these tours if you’re going to be in Las Vegas, or you can take one outside the airport along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. If you’re interested in air-only tours, you’ll be able to find them at both locations. Tours departing from Las Vegas and going to the West Rim also include landing options, either on top of the rim or on the canyon floor.
Landing tour with picnic
One helicopter tour to Las Vegas in particular is quite popular with travelers to the canyon. It comes with a helicopter descent to the canyon floor where a fun champagne picnic awaits. This tour comes with the option to include a rafting tour on the calm waters of the Colorado River. Tours that land at the top of the rim are also fun as they allow you to visit the Skywalk.
The Grand Canyon Skywalk is a famous glass bridge that allows you to stand 4,000 feet above the canyon floor on a glass panel. And when you walk to the far edge of the bridge, you will be 70 feet beyond the edge of the canyon. The view from that vantage point is quite impressive.
When you book your Las Vegas helicopter tour, you can opt for a basic tour or upgrade to the deluxe tour. If you’re doing a basic tour, you’ll need to take a shuttle van to the airfield in Boulder City, which is about a half hour from Las Vegas. If you upgrade to the deluxe tour, you can fly in an EcoStar 130 sightseeing helicopter and take off from the Strip in Las Vegas, plus get free limousine transportation to and from your hotel.
Comprehensive Tours
Helicopter tours of the South Rim last between 30 and 50 minutes. The longer tour costs a little more, but gives you a much more complete experience. When you take this tour, you will fly over approximately 75 percent of the entire National Park.
Planes out of Las Vegas cover the same ground as helicopters, but cost less since they carry more passengers per trip. You can opt for an air only tour or you can book a tour where the plane lands in the canyon. Take the landing run if you can, so you can experience the canyon on foot.
While planes can’t land on the canyon floor, you can transfer to a helicopter after the plane lands and get to the bottom of the canyon that way. Airplane tours of the West Rim can include add-ons like a Colorado River raft ride and access to the Skywalk. If you’re in Las Vegas, you can also book a South Rim Airplane Tour that comes with a South Rim Helicopter Tour.
Touring the South Rim
When it comes to touring the South Rim, buying a package that includes a fifty-minute plane ride around the rim is a good option. You’ll be able to see the same landmarks seen on the long helicopter tour, including the Dragoon Corridor. This corridor stands out for being the deepest and widest section of the Grand Canyon.
All of these Grand Canyon flights are popular, so you want to book your tour at least two weeks in advance. Don’t wait until the last minute to purchase your tour, even waiting 72 hours before departure is risky. You probably won’t find free seats, and if you do, you’ll probably have to pay more for your tour.
When you’re ready to book your tour, do it online, so you can save some money. It is also a very convenient way to book a tour. The savings could be significant. It’s not uncommon to save up to 35 percent off the retail cost of a Las Vegas Grand Canyon air tour when you shop online.
look at the weather
In winter, snow could be seen in the Grand Canyon. Be sure to check the weather forecast before you set off on your tour and dress appropriately for the weather. You will be comfortable during the flight because airplanes and helicopters are temperature controlled. Landing runs are another matter, and you want to be dressed for the weather conditions, so you can fully enjoy your time on land at the Grand Canyon.
