I get lots of questions about seeing the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas. One of the biggest misperceptions is that helicopters go to the South Rim, which they can\’t because it\’s too far. To which I typically recommend the direct airplane tour.

This particular tour leaves about three times a day and primarily in the morning. The flight over takes about 60 minutes, which is awesome because it takes a car or a bus about 5.5 hours to make the trip. Further, the plane flies you over Lake Mead, the West Rim and the Colorado River en route to the National Park.

The South Rim

The plane lands at Grand Canyon Airport in Tusayan, AZ, which is the small town just outside the front gates to the Park. Depending on which package you purchase, you\’ll either transfer to a helicopter or a bus and here\’s a little more information about both options.

If you transfer straight to the bus, you\’ll drive into the Park. From there, you\’ll do a circuit that covers all the important Park landmarks like Mather Point, Yavapai Point, the Grand Canyon Visitor Center and Grand Canyon Village.

If you transfer to the helicopter, buckle up because you\’re going to take an unforgettable aerial tour of the Canyon that goes from the South Rim to the West Rim and back. The highlight of this tour is the Dragoon Corridor, which is the widest and deepest part of the Canyon. On the ground, you head to the bus and do the ground tour.

Helicopters

I strongly recommend taking the option that includes the helicopter. The Grand Canyon is 1.2-million acres and impossible to see in a day unless you go over it in a helicopter. This is especially effective when combined with a ground tour because you\’ll appreciate everything you just saw from the air.

Planes are rather large and can hold up to 19 people. Each is totally customized for sightseeing. For example, the wings of the aircraft are attached to the top of the plane so you can see everything below. The windows, too, have been modified and are super large. Finally, airplanes are equipped with audio tours in up to 10 languages, which is great for international travelers.

The majority of plane tours depart from Boulder City, NV, which is a 30-minute shuttle ride from Las Vegas, NV. There are others that depart from Henderson, NV, which is a suburb of Vegas that\’s about 15 minutes on the outskirts. But for the best rate, you\’ll want to depart from Boulder. Very few plane tours depart from the Vegas Strip, and those that do are private charters and very expensive.

Weather

The South Rim is cooler than Las Vegas, which is ideal if you are making the trip during late spring or summer. For example, from May through September, Las Vegas temperatures are well over 100 degrees while those at the South Rim are in the high 80\’s and very low 90\’s (Note: during summer stay hydrated by drinking lots of water. Further, eat lots of salty snacks as they help replenish electrolytes).

Enjoy and have a great flight!

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This Grand Canyon expert author recommends getting this free report that can help you get incredible deals on these superior Canyon airplane tours: http://grandcanyondaytrips.com/best-airplane-tours/

Author Bio: This Grand Canyon expert author recommends getting this free report that can help you get incredible deals on these superior Canyon airplane tours: http://grandcanyondaytrips.com/best-airplane-tours/

Category: Travel
Keywords: grand canyon, grand canyon airplane, grand canyon tours, grand canyon flights, las vegas tours