The Grand Canyon, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, is a National Park that covers more than 1 million acres. It’s impossible to see it all. However, if you want to come close, take a helicopter tour. These flights cover a lot of ground, delivering an experience that feels like you’ve seen it all.

The canyon can be accessed at two points: The West Rim and the South Rim. Flights from Las Vegas, NV, service the West Rim (also known as Grand Canyon West), while flights from Grand Canyon, AZ, do the South Rim. It needs to be noted that there are helicopter rides between the rims. Nor are there any Vegas flights that go direct to the South Rim.

Helicopters that go to the West Rim are allowed to fly below the rim and land at the bottom. Such flights are not allowed at the South Rim as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) bans them. From Las Vegas, it takes a chopper about 45 minutes to reach the canyon, during which it goes over Lake Mead, Hoover Dam and the Grand Wash Cliffs.

West Rim trips come in two varieties: Air-only and landing. The former are ideal for the following reasons:

1. Limited travel time

2. Limited budget

3. Looking for a great canyon aerial sampler

Landing tours, however, are the big draw at the West Rim because they can only be done in this location. The most popular is a trip that lands at the bottom for a picnic. That’s good enough for a lot of people. But for folks who want to experience it all, there’s a trip that includes the bottom and the top, a boat ride down the Colorado River and tickets to the Grand Canyon Skywalk.

For those inclined to take a helicopter to the top of the rim, there are a number of key points of interest. The best are:

1. Eagle Point

2. Guano Point

3. Indian Cultural Center

4. Hualapai Ranch

5. Grand Canyon Skywalk

In a nutshell, the West Rim is definitely the place for you if you are looking for thrills and adventure. If you are looking for real scenic beauty, then the South Rim of the National Park is for you.

Located in Northern Arizona near the Utah border, the South Rim is ideal for travelers starting out from such central Arizona cities like Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sedona and Flagstaff. In most cases, I recommend renting a car and driving yourself to Grand Canyon National Park Airport, which is the hub for all air tours that fly over this portion of the park.

South Rim flights are defined by time in the air. The most popular is the 30-minute trip that goes from the South Rim to the North Rim and back. The more deluxe version of this trip is a 50-minute tour that includes the eastern boundary of the park, whereupon you’ll see the Colorado Confluence, the Zuni Corridor, Desert Watchtower and the Painted Desert. Strictly speaking, take the longer flight because once you get up in the air you’ll want to stay up longer and see so much more.

Lastly, I strongly recommend you purchase your helicopter tour online. Avoid hotel concierges, third-party brokers and street kiosks, as you’ll end up paying more. That said, there are several key things when you book on the Internet:

1. Purchase direct from the tour operator

2. Book at least a week prior to your desired departure date

3. Complete the transaction online in order to qualify for special online discount price

Follow these steps and you’ll get the helicopter tour you want at the lowest rate.

Travel writer Luke Plunket is an expert on Grand Canyon tours. As you shop for flights, he recommends first reading these helicopter tour reviews, and then going here for a list of coupons that make these air tours really affordable: http://www.grandcanyonhelicopters.org/hot-deals

Travel writer Luke Plunket is an expert on Grand Canyon tours. If you are looking for the best canyon helicopter tours at the lowest price, he recommends visiting this page now: http://www.grandcanyonhelicopters.org/hot-deals

Author Bio: Travel writer Luke Plunket is an expert on Grand Canyon tours. As you shop for flights, he recommends first reading these helicopter tour reviews, and then going here for a list of coupons that make these air tours really affordable: http://www.grandcanyonhelicopters.org/hot-deals

Category: Travel
Keywords: grand canyon by helicopter, las vegas helicopters, tours, national parks, flights, reviews, deals