Grand Canyon Activities: Taking A Helicopter Ride From Las Vegas To The West Rim
Going to Las Vegas and looking for an awesome activity? Take a helicopter tour to the Grand Canyon's West Rim. With three types of trips to choose from, there's bound to be a flight that's right for you.
The most basic is the classic air tour. It essentially flies to West Rim and back. This trip can easily be upgraded to bundle Grand Canyon Skywalk tickets, a bottom landing, or a smooth-water rafting tour. Here's a closer look at each of the these West Rim helicopter tours:
Air-Only Tour
A great introduction to the canyon. Includes a ton of West Rim highlights, including Eagle Point, Guano Point, the Skywalk, and the Colorado River. Upgrade to include a flight over the fabulous Las Vegas Strip on the return. Sunrise and sunset flights are available.
Grand Canyon Skywalk Tour
Fly into Grand Canyon West. Go into the Skywalk and be prepared to walk 70 feet past the edge and to be lifted some 4,000 feet above the mighty Colorado River. Includes a delicious BBQ lunch made by the Hualapai Indian Tribe. Take a free shuttle to all key viewpoints. Explore a genuine Hualapai Indian Village.
Base-Landing Tour
Descend 4,000 feet to the bottom of the canyon. Deplane. Enjoy a Champagne toast under a traditional Indian Ramada. Explore the canyon's ancient floor. Feeling really adventurous? Tack on a pontoon raft ride down the Colorado river.
Most helicopter tours include free shuttle bus pick up and drop off to all hotels on the Las Vegas Strip. Landing and Skywalk trips are led by professional pilot-guides and include a delicious lunch. Prices on the Internet for these packages start around $230 per person.
Trips take off year round from the Vegas metropolitan area and fly over Lake Mead, the biggest man-made reservoir in the U.S., Hoover Dam, the brand new Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Bridge, and the majestic Grand Cliffs Wash. I see these extra sights as a huge bonus, especially since helicopters fly at a lower altitude than airplanes and give you a spectacular bird's eye view of them.
Book your helicopter tour in advance. Peak season is spring and summer and low season is winter. Flights are limited, popular, and sell out quickly, especially sunrise and sunset tours. If you book a flight the day before you plan to go or on the same day, expect to pay a premium.
Always get your flights online. I've seen amazing specials online that take nearly 35 percent off the rack rate. I buy all my trips on the Web, and can attest that these sites are secure and safe when processing your credit-card transaction.
Las Vegas Grand Canyon West Rim helicopter tours deliver loads of fun and adventure. The West Rim is home to the Grand Canyon Skywalk, and it's the only place where you can land at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and take an optional boat ride down the Colorado River. If you are looking for a Grand Canyon experience that comes with a huge "wow" factor, book a helicopter flight. It's an activity that will make this Las Vegas trip extra special.
The most basic is the classic air tour. It essentially flies to West Rim and back. This trip can easily be upgraded to bundle Grand Canyon Skywalk tickets, a bottom landing, or a smooth-water rafting tour. Here's a closer look at each of the these West Rim helicopter tours:
Air-Only Tour
A great introduction to the canyon. Includes a ton of West Rim highlights, including Eagle Point, Guano Point, the Skywalk, and the Colorado River. Upgrade to include a flight over the fabulous Las Vegas Strip on the return. Sunrise and sunset flights are available.
Grand Canyon Skywalk Tour
Fly into Grand Canyon West. Go into the Skywalk and be prepared to walk 70 feet past the edge and to be lifted some 4,000 feet above the mighty Colorado River. Includes a delicious BBQ lunch made by the Hualapai Indian Tribe. Take a free shuttle to all key viewpoints. Explore a genuine Hualapai Indian Village.
Base-Landing Tour
Descend 4,000 feet to the bottom of the canyon. Deplane. Enjoy a Champagne toast under a traditional Indian Ramada. Explore the canyon's ancient floor. Feeling really adventurous? Tack on a pontoon raft ride down the Colorado river.
Most helicopter tours include free shuttle bus pick up and drop off to all hotels on the Las Vegas Strip. Landing and Skywalk trips are led by professional pilot-guides and include a delicious lunch. Prices on the Internet for these packages start around $230 per person.
Trips take off year round from the Vegas metropolitan area and fly over Lake Mead, the biggest man-made reservoir in the U.S., Hoover Dam, the brand new Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Bridge, and the majestic Grand Cliffs Wash. I see these extra sights as a huge bonus, especially since helicopters fly at a lower altitude than airplanes and give you a spectacular bird's eye view of them.
Book your helicopter tour in advance. Peak season is spring and summer and low season is winter. Flights are limited, popular, and sell out quickly, especially sunrise and sunset tours. If you book a flight the day before you plan to go or on the same day, expect to pay a premium.
Always get your flights online. I've seen amazing specials online that take nearly 35 percent off the rack rate. I buy all my trips on the Web, and can attest that these sites are secure and safe when processing your credit-card transaction.
Las Vegas Grand Canyon West Rim helicopter tours deliver loads of fun and adventure. The West Rim is home to the Grand Canyon Skywalk, and it's the only place where you can land at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and take an optional boat ride down the Colorado River. If you are looking for a Grand Canyon experience that comes with a huge "wow" factor, book a helicopter flight. It's an activity that will make this Las Vegas trip extra special.
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