Are you looking for a fun and different way to celebrate the New Year? The Grand Canyon is waiting for you, and there's no better way to see it than from the air. You can tour the West Rim or the South Rim depending on which area you want to see.
But be aware, it's December already, so seats are filling up fast. You should try and book your tour at least a week ahead of time, but doing it now is even better. You'll find the best deals on air tours online and if you buy your tour online using your credit card, you can immediately and easily reserve your seats.
Tours leave from Las Vegas and Arizona, and you can even fly to Arizona from Vegas if you're more interested in seeing the South Rim. There's plenty on offer for the adventurous traveler.
Airplane Tours From Las Vegas
If you depart from Vegas, your plane will fly over the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead giving you a bird's eye view of these impressive landmarks. Then, if you buy an air-only tour, your plane flies over the rim and heads back to the city. If you have time, you should consider booking a landing tour so you can spend some time at the Canyon.
When you book a landing tour, your airplane lands on top of the rim so you can depart and enjoy other activities. There's the Skywalk viewing platform, for starters, which will place you on a transparent platform that is around 4000ft above the bottom of the Canyon, and 70ft over the edge. For safety, you can't take cameras on the Skywalk, but there is a professional photography service on hand, to capture the moment.
You can also fly to the bottom of the Canyon in a helicopter. This one is super popular with tourists. Once you're at the bottom of the Canyon, you can enjoy a Champagne picnic or you can take a scenic boat ride along the Colorado River.
Touring The South Rim
You can start your tour from the South Rim, or you can fly out there from Las Vegas. South Rim tours are based right outside of the park boundary.
Although there's a shorter 30 minute flight, the 50 minute flight is the best option at the South Rim. You'll see a lot more on the longer tour, so the bump in price is worth it. This tour goes to the remote and mystifying North Rim. Then it flies to the eastern border, and then heads back to the South Rim. Why do I love this tour? Because you'll get to see about 3/4 of the entire National Park when you take it. The Canyon and surrounding Park lands are massive, so the tour covers a lot of ground. You'll even fly over the mysterious Dragoon Corridor, and this lets you see the deepest and widest section of the Canyon.
Your airplane won't be able to land at the South Rim like planes do at the West Rim, but there are still fun adventures you can add on to your tour. You could book a 2 1/2 hour bus ride through the Park or a fun off-road Jeep tour through the rugged terrain.
Sightseeing Aircraft
One good thing about the airplane tours is that they are all-inclusive, which means all fees are included and you won't have any last minute charges once the tour starts. The planes carry 19 people, so if you're traveling with a big family or group of people, a plane tour is the ideal way to travel together. Most importantly, the planes have been designed for optimal viewing. The wings are positioned above the windows so they are out of the way, and the windows are extra large, so you get great views. If you're coming from abroad or have companions who are, there is in flight-narration, which can be provided in 10 major languages.
Wrapping Up
New Year's Eve is a special time, but often we find ourselves doing the same thing, year after year. Booking a Grand Canyon tour from Las Vegas or Arizona will allow you to do something truly special this year, and make the most of the holiday. Remember that you need to book early, as this is one of the most popular times of the year to travel. Make your booking online, and use your credit card to complete the booking. You'll get the best price and will have no stress with your booking when it comes to the day for your tour.
But be aware, it's December already, so seats are filling up fast. You should try and book your tour at least a week ahead of time, but doing it now is even better. You'll find the best deals on air tours online and if you buy your tour online using your credit card, you can immediately and easily reserve your seats.
Tours leave from Las Vegas and Arizona, and you can even fly to Arizona from Vegas if you're more interested in seeing the South Rim. There's plenty on offer for the adventurous traveler.
Airplane Tours From Las Vegas
If you depart from Vegas, your plane will fly over the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead giving you a bird's eye view of these impressive landmarks. Then, if you buy an air-only tour, your plane flies over the rim and heads back to the city. If you have time, you should consider booking a landing tour so you can spend some time at the Canyon.
When you book a landing tour, your airplane lands on top of the rim so you can depart and enjoy other activities. There's the Skywalk viewing platform, for starters, which will place you on a transparent platform that is around 4000ft above the bottom of the Canyon, and 70ft over the edge. For safety, you can't take cameras on the Skywalk, but there is a professional photography service on hand, to capture the moment.
You can also fly to the bottom of the Canyon in a helicopter. This one is super popular with tourists. Once you're at the bottom of the Canyon, you can enjoy a Champagne picnic or you can take a scenic boat ride along the Colorado River.
Touring The South Rim
You can start your tour from the South Rim, or you can fly out there from Las Vegas. South Rim tours are based right outside of the park boundary.
Although there's a shorter 30 minute flight, the 50 minute flight is the best option at the South Rim. You'll see a lot more on the longer tour, so the bump in price is worth it. This tour goes to the remote and mystifying North Rim. Then it flies to the eastern border, and then heads back to the South Rim. Why do I love this tour? Because you'll get to see about 3/4 of the entire National Park when you take it. The Canyon and surrounding Park lands are massive, so the tour covers a lot of ground. You'll even fly over the mysterious Dragoon Corridor, and this lets you see the deepest and widest section of the Canyon.
Your airplane won't be able to land at the South Rim like planes do at the West Rim, but there are still fun adventures you can add on to your tour. You could book a 2 1/2 hour bus ride through the Park or a fun off-road Jeep tour through the rugged terrain.
Sightseeing Aircraft
One good thing about the airplane tours is that they are all-inclusive, which means all fees are included and you won't have any last minute charges once the tour starts. The planes carry 19 people, so if you're traveling with a big family or group of people, a plane tour is the ideal way to travel together. Most importantly, the planes have been designed for optimal viewing. The wings are positioned above the windows so they are out of the way, and the windows are extra large, so you get great views. If you're coming from abroad or have companions who are, there is in flight-narration, which can be provided in 10 major languages.
Wrapping Up
New Year's Eve is a special time, but often we find ourselves doing the same thing, year after year. Booking a Grand Canyon tour from Las Vegas or Arizona will allow you to do something truly special this year, and make the most of the holiday. Remember that you need to book early, as this is one of the most popular times of the year to travel. Make your booking online, and use your credit card to complete the booking. You'll get the best price and will have no stress with your booking when it comes to the day for your tour.
About the Author:
Grand Canyon National Park professional Debbie Shooster suggests these National Park excursions and particularly these fabulous plane tours from Vegas and Arizona: http://www.grandcanyondaytrips.com/best-airplane-tours/
