Grand Canyon National Park is hot during the summer. So it\’s important to dress comfortably and be prepared for the heat, especially when taking a Canyon helicopter tour.

The hottest months at the Canyon are from July through September. Temperatures at the West Rim easily exceed 100 degrees by mid-day while those at the South Rim get in the high 90\’s.

Clothing

To dress for this kind of weather, I recommend wearing loose-fitting, light-weight shirts and pants and shorts made out of cotton or a material that \”wicks\” sweat from the body so your body stays cool.

I also recommend that you pack a brimmed hat, sunglasses, sun block and closed-toed shoes, especially if you\’ll be exiting the helicopter as part of the tour. It\’s also a good idea to bring along a salty snack like trail mix and a bottle of water.

The majority of helicopter tours that include leaving the aircraft depart from Las Vegas. These tours are called landing tours, and they go to the top or the bottom of the Canyon for extended exploration.

#1 Landing Tour

The most popular landing tour is the one that includes a Champagne toast next to the Colorado River. This trip can also be extended to include a Colorado River boat ride and VIP passes to the Grand Canyon Skywalk.

Of course, there are also air-only trips, and, like landing tours, they go over Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, the Colorado River and the Canyon before turning back for Las Vegas. These trips are also cheaper than landing tours.

There are two kinds of helicopter tours: Basic and deluxe. The key difference is that basic tours use no-frill helicopters like the Bell Ranger and the AStar. Deluxe tours, by contrast, use the superior EcoStar helicopter.

Air-Conditioning

I say this about the EcoStar because it sports a robust climate-control system, which is essential to keeping you cool during summer. Further, the EcoStar comes with a 180-degree wraparound windshield and stadium-style seats for awesome views.

The South Rim is cooler than the West Rim and this is because it sits at a higher elevation. Nearly all tours here are air-only, which means you won\’t be exiting the aircraft. Of these tours, I recommend the 50-minute flight because you get to see up to 75 percent of the National Park.

The South Rim does offer a really nice helicopter/Jeep package. The heli flies from the South Rim to the North Rim and back. This is followed by a 2-hour Jeep tour through the Park, and it\’s here where you need to dress for the outdoors as you visit the Park\’s most famous viewpoints and landmarks.

Conclusion

I hope this article about what to wear when taking a summer Grand Canyon helicopter tour proved helpful. The main thing is to dress comfortable and protect yourself from the sun. The other thing is to consider a deluxe tour because the EcoStar 130 has vastly better climate control than older helicopters. Take all this into consideration and I can assure you that you\’ll have the most enjoyable flight possible.

The author is a Grand Canyon expert and recommends going here for the best South Rim helicopter tours and here for ones that depart from Las Vegas: http://www.grandcanyonhelicopters.org/las-vegas/

The author is a Grand Canyon expert and recommends going here for the best South Rim helicopter tours and here for ones that depart from Las Vegas: http://www.grandcanyonhelicopters.org/las-vegas/

Author Bio: The author is a Grand Canyon expert and recommends going here for the best South Rim helicopter tours and here for ones that depart from Las Vegas: http://www.grandcanyonhelicopters.org/las-vegas/

Category: Travel
Keywords: grand canyon, las vegas, grand canyon helicopters, las vegas helicopters, grand canyon flights