If you wish to see as much of the National Park as you possibly can in a day, take a Grand Canyon heli trip of the South Rim. These flights are magnificent and take you inside the heart of the canyon, delivering unforgettable aerial views that you will cherish for a lifetime.

Helicopter trips depart daily from Grand Canyon Airport in Tusayan, small town that\’s a fast 10-minute drive from the National Park\’s main gate. These rides sell out so book upfront (FYI – Over 5 million people visit the canyon every year, and many do heli flights!). Morning tours offer the best visibility. Sunset trips are available, too.

Grand Canyon South Rim airspace is tightly regulated. There are not any bottom-landing tours. Those are only available out of Vegas and so are done at the West Rim. At this time, there are not any flights that connect Grand Canyon National Park with Grand Canyon West.

South Rim helicopter tours start with a low-altitude flight across the Kaibab Plateau, where you can the largest stand of Ponderosa Pine on the earth. I estimate that it takes about 10 minutes to leave the rim and go into the Dragoon Corridor, the widest, deepest section of the canyon.

In the corridor, you will see Grand Canyon Village, the Colorado River, the Tower of Ra, the Plateau Point Mule Trail and Phantom Ranch before turning back at the stunning North Rim. To put what you will see into perspective, picture this:

A. People who enjoy the canyon from the ground see just 30 miles of the 277 that comprise the park. Airborne travelers see 140 miles!

B. It takes at the very least 5 hours to drive a car from the South Rim to the North Rim.

In case you have 1 or 2 days at the South Rim, it\’s evident to me that a chopper flight is the only way to go.

There are three companies that operate air tours: Maverick Helicopters, Grand Canyon Helicopters and Papillon Helicopters. Papillon has the cheapest deals. Maverick is more aimed toward luxury. Grand Canyon falls in the middle.

Grand Canyon National Park helicopter trips last between 30 and 50 minutes. Most use A-Star helicopters. If you\’ve got the budget, I suggest you upgrade to the EcoStar 130. It is an elite piece of machinery. It features a cabin that\’s 35 percent bigger than its rivals and theater-style seating. Additionally, it is quieter and comes with 180-degree wraparound windows.

Each trip comes with a set of personal headphones. Use these to hear the pre-recorded trip narration (10 languages!). Or chat with your pilot and fellow travelers. The entire flight is taped by cameras connected to the front of the helicopter and in the cabin. The recording is ripped to a DVD and can be purchased.

Don\’t ever pay full market price for chopper tours. Shop the world wide web. Please. I\’ve been discovering specials that cut rates by 35%. Caveat: To get these special prices, you have to carry out the transaction online. Understand that commissioned sales agents man the \”customer service\” numbers and will upsell you to a higher priced package.

Grand Canyon helicopters to the South Rim are the most efficient and exciting way to see the National Park. The Rim is a big place. For those who explore it on foot, you\’ll see just a fraction of it. Get airborne and you\’ll see four-times as much. That\’s a big difference. It\’s also the main reason that\’s making helicopter trips the runaway success they are today. See you up there!

Author Bio: Mr. Kravitz is a travel journalist who writes about Grand Canyon tours. Go here for his list of the best Grand Canyon helicopter tours. Flights that make this list ar handpicked by Kravitz based on quality, safety and price. Browse this list and see if there\’s a heli tour for you.

Category: Travel
Keywords: grand canyon, grand canyon helicopters, grand canyon helicopters, grand canyon tours, south rim, nat