Out of all the Grand Canyon helicopter tours available, the landing tours are by far the most exciting way to experience the National Park.

Landing tours are only available from Las Vegas, NV, and go to the West Rim. There are no landing tours at the South Rim because such flights are banned by the National Park Service (NPS).

Top Pick

The #1 landing tour is the one that goes over Lake Mead, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon before landing at the base of the Canyon for a Champagne picnic. This particular tour can be extended with a boat ride down the Colorado River.

There\’s also the option of doing this tour at sunset. One of the benefits of this trip is that you most likely will get to fly over the Las Vegas Strip at dusk when all the lights turn on at the big resorts.

Then there\’s the tour I call the \”4-in-1.\” This is the most comprehensive tour available available. It starts by flying to the bottom. There, you\’ll transfer to the boat for a ride down the Colorado. Then it\’s back to the top to do the Grand Canyon Skywalk.

Skywalker!

The Skywalk, also known as the Glass Bridge, let\’s you walk some 70 feet past the edge of the canyon until your are standing about 4,000 feet over the bottom. It\’s one of the most thrilling outdoor adventures one can do and it\’s included in this one particular package.

Landing tours take off from the Vegas Strip and Boulder City, which is a Vegas suburb some 30 minutes by vehicle to the east. If you want to depart from The Strip, they you\’ll want to opt for the deluxe version. Of course, it\’s more expensive, but it\’s worth it.

For starters, you get picked up and dropped off via limousine. Further, you fly in the superior EcoStar 130, which is 25 percent bigger than standard helicopters. The EcoStar also comes equipped with a 180-degree wraparound windshield and comfortable, stadium-style bucket seats.

Deluxe Tours

Deluxe packages also feature and extended flight from the top to the bottom of the Vegas Strip. So, as you return from the Canyon, you\’ll go to the Stratosphere Tower and turn south until you reach the Luxor pyramid before landing at the heliport.

Landing tours are extremely popular and sell out, especially during spring and summer. To beat the crowds, I recommend booking them at least two weeks ahead of time. However, the best strategy is to reserve your seats right after you book your hotel.

There are a couple of steps you must follow in order to get the best price. First, book in advance – never book upon arrival or on the day you want to fly because you\’ll pay more. Second, buy your seats online. It\’s there that you\’ll often find prices up to 35% than those offline.

Conclusion

I hope this article about Grand Canyon helicopter-landing tours proves helpful as you search for the perfect flight. Remember, landing tours are ONLY available from Las Vegas. My favorite is the one that lands at the bottom for a Champagne picnic. But try to book it and all other flights early as they sell out. Finally, save yourself some money and book it online. It can really add up when you save up to 35% per person.

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