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Grand Canyon Helicopter Tours
During The Fall Season Cooler autumn weather makes for the perfect conditions to take a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon. If you've ever wanted to take one of these tours out of Vegas or the South Rim, this time of year is your perfect chance.
If you want to take an air tour of the canyon, you can find one that departs from the South Rim or from Vegas. The exception is if you are going to the South Rim from Vegas. You can still fly there from Vegas, you just have to do it by plane.
Grand Canyon Tours From Vegas
Due to the distance, the South Rim cannot easily be reached by a helicopter from Vegas. You'll need to fly from Vegas to the airport by the South Rim by airplane first. Next, you'll transfer to a chopper for your helicopter tour and once that's over, you'll head back to Vegas on a plane or bus.
The South Rim helicopter tours take off from an airport in the city of Tusayan, Arizona. This city is situated near the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Although small, you can't miss Tusayan because of all the flights taking off and returning throughout the day.
You can choose a couple of tour options. You can opt for a basic tour, or a deluxe tour that utilizes state-of-the-art EcoStar 130 choppers. There is quite a difference between the two.
Superior Grand Canyon Helicopters
The EcoStar 130 is designed for sightseeing in particular, and it has a 180-degree wraparound windshield that offers spectacular views. The ride in one of these helicopters is very smooth because of their unique aerodynamic design, and even the interiors are made for comfort as you get to fly in comfy stadium-style seats.
The deluxe flights out of Vegas lift off from the Strip. Compare that to the basic tours that lift off farther away in Boulder City. The Vegas deluxe tour even comes with limo transportation and a fun aerial tour of the Strip.
You can choose from several tour packages, a popular one flies down to the canyon floor near the Colorado River. The South Rim offers air tours only, so if you want to land on the canyon floor, be sure to book a tour to the West Rim. A fun tour to consider is the one that flies to the bottom of the canyon and comes wit a picnic lunch. You can even upgrade the tour to include a float rip on the river or passes to the Grand Canyon Skywalk.
South Rim Helicopter Tours
My favorite package for the South Rim, is the 50 minute tour by helicopter that covers 75% of the Grand Canyon. This is followed by a 3 hour Jeep tour that ensures you visit all the famous landmarks and lookouts of the park.
All the Grand Canyon tours are very popular, so you want to book yours about two weeks in advance. You may get lucky and get a seat with one week's notice, but don't risk it. However, keep in mind, during peak travel seasons and holidays, the canyon is very busy and you may need to book your tour farther out than two weeks.
Buy your tour online too. Doing so allows you to use the discounted Internet rate, and you could save up to 35 percent off the cost of your tour.
To Conclude
Autumn is the perfect season for touring the Grand Canyon by helicopter. You can begin your tour in Las Vegas or in Tusayan near the South Rim. Then keep in mind that with the holidays coming up, always book your travel two weeks in advance and schedule them online for additional savings.
Grand Canyon travel writer Lea Fallon recommends reading these helicopter tour reviews before booking these fabulous flights: http://www.grandcanyondaytrips.com/helicopters/ |
