Spring Break will be here with the April warm weather, and that means it's time to start planning your vacation. If you're going to be in Las Vegas, there are fantastic tours on offer, like helicopter and airplane tours to the Grand Canyon. These tours are very popular and they sell out fast, so if you want to take one, you need to book early.
Helicopter Tours
Helicopters fly at the South Rim and the West Rim. The West Rim is closest to Las Vegas, and helicopters fly direct. If you want to take a helicopter ride at the South Rim in Arizona, there's a connecting airplane flight from Las Vegas.
All of the tours that leave from Vegas fly over the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. It takes about an hour to reach the South Rim by airplane from Vegas and about 45 minutes to reach the West Rim by helicopter.
You can choose from air-only and landing tours at the West Rim. Air-only will complete a sightseeing tour, before heading back to Vegas. Landing tours are preferred, because they get you right into the action.
One of the more popular tours lands on the Canyon floor after a thrilling descent inside the Canyon, and once it lands, you can enjoy a champagne picnic or a boat tour along the Colorado River. There's also a top landing tour, where you can take one of the many walking tracks to reach scenic lookout points. The Skywalk is also located on top of the West Rim. This special glass platform is transparent, and will give you the ultimate thrill as you stand 4000ft above the bottom of the Canyon.
Helicopter Tours Of The South Rim
If you fly to the Grand Canyon South Rim, you will transfer to a helicopter for the sightseeing tour. There are two options available. One is a 30 minute trip, and the other is a 50 minute extended tour. The shorter tour goes to the North Rim, before heading back to the town of Tusayan. The longer tour, which I recommend, follows the same path but also goes all the way out to the eastern boundary. The extended tour is the best option because it will fly you over the top of 75% of the National Park. The small increase in ticket price is worth every penny.
South Rim helicopters don't land inside the Canyon itself, but there are ground tours available by Jeep or bus if you really want to experience everything that the Canyon has to offer.
Touring By Airplane
Airplanes fly directly to both rims. If you're looking for the most cost effective tours, these are your best option. Even if you fly to the West Rim, you could still purchase a landing helicopter tour to the bottom of the Canyon. At the South Rim, the airplane tour covers the same route as the longer helicopter tour.
One difference between the two types of air tours is that airplanes need to fly at a higher altitude than helicopters, and anther important difference is that the airplanes can carry more people on each tour. The airplanes carry 19 at a time, so if you're flying with several people, an airplane tour is probably the best choice. However, if excellent viewing is the most important thing to you, then you'll want to book a helicopter tour since the choppers fly lower than planes and they have bigger viewing windows. When you book a deluxe helicopter tour, you will fly on an EcoStar chopper that has a panoramic wraparound windshield and six seats arranged stadium style for unobstructed views. These helicopters also provide a quieter and smoother flight experience.
To Conclude
Spring Break calls for a special adventure, and there's no place that offers more adventure than the Grand Canyon. Flying from Las Vegas, you will have a number of options, with something that will suit any budget.
Book soon to avoid disappointment. I recommend booking once you've already confirmed your Vegas accommodation. When you book online and pay with your credit card, you will receive the best prices, as you avoid added travel agency fees.
An air tour of the Canyon is something you'll never forget. Whether you tour by airplane or helicopter, you'll see breathtaking sights as you soar over one of America's most loved treasures.
Helicopter Tours
Helicopters fly at the South Rim and the West Rim. The West Rim is closest to Las Vegas, and helicopters fly direct. If you want to take a helicopter ride at the South Rim in Arizona, there's a connecting airplane flight from Las Vegas.
All of the tours that leave from Vegas fly over the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. It takes about an hour to reach the South Rim by airplane from Vegas and about 45 minutes to reach the West Rim by helicopter.
You can choose from air-only and landing tours at the West Rim. Air-only will complete a sightseeing tour, before heading back to Vegas. Landing tours are preferred, because they get you right into the action.
One of the more popular tours lands on the Canyon floor after a thrilling descent inside the Canyon, and once it lands, you can enjoy a champagne picnic or a boat tour along the Colorado River. There's also a top landing tour, where you can take one of the many walking tracks to reach scenic lookout points. The Skywalk is also located on top of the West Rim. This special glass platform is transparent, and will give you the ultimate thrill as you stand 4000ft above the bottom of the Canyon.
Helicopter Tours Of The South Rim
If you fly to the Grand Canyon South Rim, you will transfer to a helicopter for the sightseeing tour. There are two options available. One is a 30 minute trip, and the other is a 50 minute extended tour. The shorter tour goes to the North Rim, before heading back to the town of Tusayan. The longer tour, which I recommend, follows the same path but also goes all the way out to the eastern boundary. The extended tour is the best option because it will fly you over the top of 75% of the National Park. The small increase in ticket price is worth every penny.
South Rim helicopters don't land inside the Canyon itself, but there are ground tours available by Jeep or bus if you really want to experience everything that the Canyon has to offer.
Touring By Airplane
Airplanes fly directly to both rims. If you're looking for the most cost effective tours, these are your best option. Even if you fly to the West Rim, you could still purchase a landing helicopter tour to the bottom of the Canyon. At the South Rim, the airplane tour covers the same route as the longer helicopter tour.
One difference between the two types of air tours is that airplanes need to fly at a higher altitude than helicopters, and anther important difference is that the airplanes can carry more people on each tour. The airplanes carry 19 at a time, so if you're flying with several people, an airplane tour is probably the best choice. However, if excellent viewing is the most important thing to you, then you'll want to book a helicopter tour since the choppers fly lower than planes and they have bigger viewing windows. When you book a deluxe helicopter tour, you will fly on an EcoStar chopper that has a panoramic wraparound windshield and six seats arranged stadium style for unobstructed views. These helicopters also provide a quieter and smoother flight experience.
To Conclude
Spring Break calls for a special adventure, and there's no place that offers more adventure than the Grand Canyon. Flying from Las Vegas, you will have a number of options, with something that will suit any budget.
Book soon to avoid disappointment. I recommend booking once you've already confirmed your Vegas accommodation. When you book online and pay with your credit card, you will receive the best prices, as you avoid added travel agency fees.
An air tour of the Canyon is something you'll never forget. Whether you tour by airplane or helicopter, you'll see breathtaking sights as you soar over one of America's most loved treasures.
About the Author:
Expert journalist Erik Magnus is a big fan of these Grand Canyon National Park airplane tours as well as these heli trips that start off from Vegas and the South Rim: http://www.grandcanyondaytrips.com/helicopters/
