If you are planning on visiting Las Vegas or Arizona over the St. Patrick\’s Day Holiday, make sure to book your Grand Canyon helicopter tour early. Lots of travelers are expected to visit the region during this time and by booking in advance you\’ll get the best flights at the lowest prices.

There are two locations from which helicopters fly: Las Vegas and South Rim. From Vegas, it\’s a 45-minute flight to the West Rim. From South Rim, you depart from Grand Canyon National Park Airport, which is just 10 minutes from the Park\’s front gates.

Las Vegas

If you do a heli tour from Las Vegas, you can pick between an all-air and landing tour. Both follow the same flight path, going over Lake Mead, Hoover Dam and the Colorado River before entering Canyon airspace. The all-air at this point will turn back while the landing option will go to the top or bottom or both.

Personally, I prefer landing tours because you get a much more comprehensive experience. The one I like best goes to the bottom for an enjoyable Champagne Picnic. Many who do this tour extend it with a boat ride down the famous Colorado River and VIP passes to the Skywalk.

The Skywalk, by the way, is an incredible all-glass bridge that lets travelers walk some 70 feet over the West Rim until they are standing about 4,000 feet over the bottom. It\’s a great place to enjoy views of Guano and Eagle Points as well as down the Canyon to the River.

South Rim

Only Las Vegas helicopters are permitted to land at the bottom of the Canyon. Thus your only options at South Rim are air-only. There are two. A 30-minute flight and a 50-minute flight. The shorter goes from South Rim to North Rim and back, which the longer does, too, plus everything up to the Park\’s eastern border.

Frankly, I prefer the 50-minute South Rim flight. It gives you the most airtime and covers nearly 75 percent of the National Park. Another tour that might interest travelers is a heli/jeep combo that features a 30-minute helicopter ride followed by a 2 hour Jeep trip. From my experience, it\’s the best combo around if you want to experience the Canyon from air and ground.

Quick word about kinds of helicopter tours: There are two and they are basic and deluxe. You want deluxe. Indeed, you\’ll pay a bit more for them but you\’ll be flying in an EcoStar 130 and it is by far the superior helicopter. What makes it great is that its cabin is 25 percent bigger than a basic helicopter\’s. It also comes with a 180-degree windshield and stadium-style seats that assure you get the best seat in the house.

Conclusion

If you are going anywhere near Las Vegas or Arizona for the St. Patrick\’s Holiday, definitely consider taking a heli tour. From Vegas, I\’m a huge fan of the tour that lands on the bottom for a Champagne picnic. From South Rim, do the 50-minute tour. It\’s the one that lets you see most of the Park. And remember to book your tour in advance. This way you\’ll be able to choose from the best flights at the lowest rates.

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: South Rim helicopter