From Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon is 120 miles to the east, which makes it great for a helicopter tour. Find which trip is great for you. Read through this article.
On the way to the Canyon, your chopper ride gives you scenic views of the Colorado River, Lake Mead, and the Hoover Dam. The flight to the Canyon from Vegas takes around 45 minutes, so you’ll have plenty of time to take in the sights.
Points of Departure
The helicopter tours have a few different departure points in the Vegas area. The best ones take off right from the Strip, which is about 10 minutes from any of the major resorts and hotels in Vegas.
The other locations are Henderson, NV, and Boulder City, NV. These are both suburbs on the outskirts of Vegas. Depending on traffic, you can get to the airfield in Henderson in around 20 minutes and the one in Boulder City in about 35 minutes.
The helicopter tours that depart from the Vegas Strip are more expensive than the others. You pay more because it is so much more convenient to take off from the Strip, plus you are shuttled to and from your hotel in a limo. Furthermore, these flights utilize only the superior EcoStar 130.
The Helicopters
The EcoStar 130 is superior to all other helicopters. The choppers have huge wraparound windows for fantastic views, stadium-style seating, and about 25 percent more leg room than other choppers. Moreover, your flight will be incredibly smooth and comfortable when doing it in an EcoStar 130.
When you book your helicopter tour out of Vegas, you can choose an air-only tour or a landing tour. Air-only trips are your cheapest option and basically fly over the Canyon and back (except for the one that departs from the Strip, which includes a tour over The Strip).
Personally, I prefer landing tours, especially the one that flies to the bottom of the Canyon for a Champagne picnic. Typically, you’ll have up to 30 minutes to explore the bottom of the Canyon, which is enough time to also enjoy a Champagne Picnic alongside the Colorado River.
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Fun Add-Ons
Other landing tours include landing at the bottom and taking a boat ride on the Colorado River and one that lands at the top of the West Rim, to which you can add VIP tickets to the Skywalk, the glass bridge that lets you walk up to 70 feet past the ledge.
Please note that Las Vegas helicopters do not fly to the South Rim. It is 270 miles from the city and out of the flight range of a helicopter. If you really want to take a helicopter tour of the South Rim when you go to Vegas, all you have to do is find a tour that flies you to the South Rim by plane, then switches you over to a chopper for your tour once you set down at the South Rim. Also, there are no flights that connect the West Rim to the South Rim.
These tours are popular so the tours fill up fast, especially the sunset tour. The reason is helicopters only hold up to 6 passengers and thus flights are limited. You definitely want to buy your tickets one week or even two weeks ahead of time so the tour you want isn’t already sold out.
To Summarize
If you plan to be in Vegas, don’t miss out on a helicopter tour of the Canyon nearby. There are some key things to keep in mind. First and foremost, try to reserve your flight up to two weeks in advance; and remember to do it on the Web in order to qualify for the Internet discount. Second, consider leaving from the Vegas Strip. It may cost more, but the extra cost is worth it because of the enhanced experience you’ll have as you tour the canyon.
Bio: Kate is an enthusiastic blogger who likes to write about travel, fitness, health, technology, etc. She has a popular blog choosewaisttrainer.com is sharing knowledge on how to effective waist training from A to Z tutorial.
