Did you know that Las Vegas is just 120 miles from the Grand Canyon? It\’s true, and one of the most thrilling ways to experience the National Park is by helicopter.

Flights from Vegas typically head directly east, passing over Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, the Colorado River and then the Grand Canyon. In all, it takes a helicopter about 45 minutes to enter Park airspace.

Points of Departure

Be aware that there are multiple departure points from Las Vegas. The one you want is the Las Vegas Strip, which is quite literally 10 minutes from all major hotels and resorts.

The other locations are Henderson, NV, and Boulder City, NV. Both are suburbs of Las Vegas. The commute to Henderson is about 20 minutes and the one to Boulder City takes up to 35, depending on traffic.

Vegas Strip flights are more expensive than the ones that fly from the suburbs. This is because of convenience and the fact that they typically include chauffeured limousine service. In addition, these tours use the EcoStar 130.

Outstanding Features

The EcoStar 130 is superior to all other helicopters. It features up to 25 percent more cabin space, as well as stadium-style bucket seats and a 180-degree wraparound windshield. They are also more quite than conventional aircraft and more aerodynamic, which results in a smoother ride.

There are two kinds of flights from Las Vegas and they are air-only or landing tours. Air-only trips are your cheapest option and basically fly over the Canyon and back (except for the one that departs from the Strip, which includes a tour over The Strip).

Personally, I prefer landing tours, especially the one that flies to the bottom of the Canyon for a Champagne picnic. You usually get about 30 minutes to hang out at the base, which is plenty of time to enjoy the picnic and check out the Colorado River (about 150 yards from the picnic Ramada).

Side Trips

Other landing tours include landing at the bottom and taking a boat ride on the Colorado River and one that lands at the top of the West Rim, to which you can add VIP tickets to the Grand Canyon Skywalk, the glass bridge that lets you walk up to 70 feet past the ledge.

Please note that Las Vegas helicopters do not fly to the South Rim. It\’s 270 miles away and is out of range. If you desire to see the South Rim, I recommend only taking an airplane tour that includes a helicopter ride that goes from the South Rim to the North Rim and back. There are no flights between the rims.

Helicopter tours are extremely limited, especially the ones that visit the Canyon during sunset. This is because only six people can occupy one helicopter and there are only so many helicopters available. To avoid not getting a flight, I recommend booking your tour at least a week or two (preferably two) before you desired departure time/date.

Summary

I hope this article about Las Vegas helicopters to the Grand Canyon proved helpful. There are few things to keep in mine. First, always book your flight at least two weeks ahead of time, and make sure you do it online in order to get the Internet discount. Second, consider leaving from the Vegas Strip. I know it\’s more expensive but when you add up all the perks they are actually the better value.

The author is an expert on the Grand Canyon and recommends getting this free report that will save you money on these awesome Canyon helicopter tours from Las Vegas: http://www.grandcanyonhelicopters.org/las-vegas/

The author is an expert on the Grand Canyon and recommends getting this free report that will save you money on these awesome Canyon helicopter tours from Las Vegas: http://www.grandcanyonhelicopters.org/las-vegas/

Author Bio: The author is an expert on the Grand Canyon and recommends getting this free report that will save you money on these awesome Canyon helicopter tours from Las Vegas: http://www.grandcanyonhelicopters.org/las-vegas/

Category: Travel
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