There are a number of ways to visit Grand Canyon, but for an experience you\’ll never forget, you\’ve got to do either an helicopter or an airplane tour.

There are two places from which to take an air tour: Las Vegas and South Rim. From Vegas, the West Rim is just 45 minutes by helicopter and 30 minutes by plane. South Rim departures are done just outside the boundaries of the National Park.

I\’d like to point out that Vegas helicopters only go to the West Rim because the South is too far to fly to. Thus if you have your heart set on seeing the South Rim, I highly recommend you take the airplane, which can be upgraded to include a South Rim helicopter ride.

Helicopter rides come in two flavors: Air and landing. Air tours are available at both rims, while landing tours are available only from Vegas. From Vegas, air and landing both go over Lake Mead and Hoover Dam en route to The Park.

Deluxe Flights

There are two kinds of Vegas helicopter rides: basic and deluxe. Frankly, I prefer the deluxe flight. This is because you get more value. For starters, you get picked up and dropped off in a limousine. And on the return you get a tour of the world-famous Las Vegas Strip.

I also want to point out that deluxe helicopters use only the EcoStar 130, which is by far the best helicopter for sightseeing. The EC, for example, boasts a 180-degree wraparound windshield. Plus it has stadium style seats.

Of all the Vegas heli landing tours, I\’m very partial to the one that lands at the bottom for a Champagne picnic. The descent is absolutely awesome, especially done at sunset.

South Rim Helicopters

South Rim helicopters are primarily aerial trips and they are either 50 or 30 minutes in length. My advice is take the 50-minute tour because you\’ll see up to 75 percent of the Canyon by the time your tour is done.

Vegas airplane tours pretty much mimic your basic helicopter tours, except they are cheaper and they fly at a higher altitude. Moreover, they carry more people, which is important to know because if you can\’t get a particular helicopter flight, check out the version by plane as there will probably be availability.

Here are a couple tips on airplane tours: When it comes to Vegas, take the one that combines a helicopter to the bottom with a Colorado River boat ride. It\’s a great deal and a lot of fun. And for South Rim, take the 50-minute aerial tour in order to see more Park in under an hour than you would if you were there for a week!

Conclusion

I hope this article demonstrated why I think Canyon helicopter and airplane tours are the premier way to visit the National Park. If either interests you, I recommend you book it at least two weeks in advance. Air tours have a habit of selling out very early. Lastly, book online. Not only is it safe and convenient, but also it will save you a heck of a lot of money.

The author is an expert on the Grand Canyon and recommends these high-quality airplane tours and these terrific helicopter rides: http://www.grandcanyondaytrips.com/helicopters/

The author is an expert on the Grand Canyon and recommends these high-quality airplane tours and these terrific helicopter rides: http://www.grandcanyondaytrips.com/helicopters/

Author Bio: The author is an expert on the Grand Canyon and recommends these high-quality airplane tours and these terrific helicopter rides: http://www.grandcanyondaytrips.com/helicopters/

Category: Travel
Keywords: grand canyon, las vegas, grand canyon tours, las vegas tours, grand canyon flights