It\’s the dream of many Las Vegas travelers: Descending nearly a mile into the craw of the Grand Canyon and triumphantly standing on the banks of the mighty Colorado River. The truth is that outside of a challenging overnight hike, a Grand Canyon helicopter tour is your only real option.

The South and West Rims are the focal points for Grand Canyon visitors. But it\’s only at the West Rim that permit you to land at the base (South Rim flight plans only let you fly from one side of the gorge to the other and back).

Flights leave daily from the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The West Rim is only 120 miles away to the east. Expect to spend up to 45 minutes en route. On the way, you\’ll fly over some incredible landmarks like Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the U.S., Hoover Dam, the newly completed Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge, a 700-year-old Joshua Tree forest, and sections of the Mojave Desert that look untouched by time.

Before you realize it, you\’re nearing the Grand Canyon. The West Rim is drier than the South, which is located in the Kaibab Plateau, home of the largest Ponderosa Pine forest in the nation. The other differentiator is the color of the West Rim, which is much more subdued and pale than the vibrant colors of the South Rim.

The thrills go up a notch as the helicopter leaves the West Rim behind and starts its 4,000-foot descent to the bottom. This is canyon carving at its best. Sheer cliffs, surreal rock formations, and sandstone buttes pass by until your helicopter softly alights on a makeshift helipad next to the Colorado River.

Most helicopter tour operators, including Papillon, Maverick, and Sundance, let visitors deplane, toast their journey with Champagne, indulge in a small meal, and explore the surrounding area. Typical bottom time is about 30 minutes.

In addition to bottom-landing flights, there are also side-trips like Hummer off-road adventures, horseback rides, and smooth-water rafting trips. There\’s also a basic air-only West Rim helicopter tour (great if you have limited time.). The other attraction that gets a lot of attention at this rim is the Grand Canyon Skywalk. Rightfully, so, too. Have a look at these crazy facts:

1. Takes you 70 feet past the edge of the rim.
2. Suspends you 4,000 feet above the Colorado River.
3. Can withstand magnitude 8 earthquakes and 100 mph winds.
4. Can support 800 people. Only 120 people are allowed on it at once.
5. More than 200,000 people visit it each year.
6. Each of its 46 glass panels cost $250,000!

Mentioned earlier, South Rim helicopter flights do not land. The compromise is that you get to fly through the Dragoon Corridor, the deepest part of the Canyon, until you reach the beautifully isolated North Rim. Some the cleanest, clearest air exists here, letting you easily attain visibility of 150 miles or more. There are no helicopter flights between the West Rim and the South Rim.

The helicopter flight back to Las Vegas is equally enjoyable. I highly recommend including an option to fly the Las Vegas Strip, a perfect compliment to just having experienced one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Author Bio: Travel writer Keith Kravitz writes exclusively about Grand Canyon tours. Use this link for his Top 3 Grand Canyon helicopter tours.

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