Memorial Day vacation is coming up and it\’s the perfect time to do a Grand Canyon helicopter tour from Las Vegas or the South Rim. Just remember that this is one of summer\’s biggest U. S. Vacations, so if want to get a seat you need to book it now.

Helicopter rides will be departing on a regular schedule throughout the day, starting from around 7 a. M. And ending around 5 p. M. Keep in mind that you have to check in 30 minutes prior to take off and that you\’ll need your photo I. D.

Vegas

From Las Vegas you can fly over the Canyon or land at the top or the bottom. The former is the cheaper option, and both follow the same flight path over Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, the Colorado River and the Canyon.

Air-only tours will turn back at this point, while the bottom landing tour will land at the base for a Champagne picnic. Lots of folks like to upgrade this tour to include a boat ride down the famous Colorado River.

Other travelers prefer to land on top and do the internationally famous Grand Canyon Skywalk, which is basically an all-glass platform that allows you to walk some 70 feet over the edge of the Rim until you are standing 4K feet over the bottom.

South Rim

There are no landing tours at the South Rim because they are banned by the National Park Service. Thus you have to choose form air-only tours that range from 30 to 50 minutes in flight time. The shorter is the cheaper option and it goes from South Rim to North Rim and back.

The longer 50-minute tour is my favorite and it does everything the shorter flight does plus everything up to the National Park\’s eastern boundary including the Dragoon Corridor, which is the widest and deepest section of the gorge. Do this specific tour and you\’ll have seen more than 75 percent of the Canyon in just under an hour.

There are basic and deluxe versions of these tours. The key difference is the type of helicopter used. The basic typically uses an older model while the deluxe uses the superior EcoStar 130, which has a cabin that\’s nearly 25% larger than the basic heli. Further, the EcoStar features a massive 180-degree windshield and stadium style seats.

It will be hot at the Canyon, especially the West Rim because it\’s closest to Vegas and sits at a much lower elevation than the South Rim (elevation: 7K+ feet). I recommend you bring water and a salty snack, dress in loose clothing and wear sunglasses and a hat. Bring sun block and a lightweight long-sleeved shirt.

Conclusion

I hope this article about Grand Canyon helicopter tours during the Memorial Day holiday helped you plan your vacation. Do be advised that this particular holiday is super busy and that tours will sell out. To beat the crowds, I recommend booking your tour ASAP. And by all means, avoid booking within 24 hours as you\’ll pay a lot more IF you can even get a seat.

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