The Grand Canyon is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the U.S. People from all over the globe come to Arizona to witness the canyon\’s spectacular scenery, and most of them take guide trips, either in the air (by plane or helicopter) or on the ground (by motor coach, Jeep, hiking or horse/mule).

If you\’re starting out from Las Vegas, you can choose between Grand Canyon tours of the South or West Rim. But if you\’re setting out from Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sedona or somewhere else in central Arizona, you\’ll need to choose a South Rim tour.

Below are the types of Grand Canyon guided trips on offer:

Scenic Helicopter Tour

Even though you can take a helicopter tour at either rim, the South Rim is too far for the helicopters that fly from Vegas. So, the tours that depart Vegas only fly to the West Rim. If you really want to see the South Rim and you are in Las Vegas, you still can, you just have to take a bus or plane to a different helicopter departure point.

It is important to know that the West Rim is the only location where the choppers are allowed to descend into the canyon and land at the bottom. That is what makes West Rim tours so desirable; you get to land and add options such as a boat trip down the Colorado River. Another fun option to include on a landing tour of the West Rim is a VIP pass to the thrilling glass Skywalk.

Helicopters are not allowed to fly below the level of the South Rim. So at the South Rim, a helicopter tour will fly you from one rim to the other, or fly above most of the expanse of the National Park. If you can only spend a day or two at the Grand Canyon, one of these flights might be ideal.

Sightseeing Motor Coaches

If you are leaving from Vegas, you can also choose a guided bus tour of the South Rim of the West Rim. All these tours include a stopover for photos at Hoover Dam. Trips to the West Rim are usually pretty flexible; you could even add a helicopter ride to the bottom of the canyon and a boat ride down the river.

If you want to visit the South Rim from Vegas, taking a motor coach is the least expensive way to go. You can always add on a helicopter tour if you want.

Tours By Airplane

You can take airplane tours at both rims. You can choose an aerial tour only, or land, but if you opt for a landing tour, it must be taken on the West Rim. If you decide to land at the West Rim, an enjoyable option would be to add a helicopter trip to the bottom of the canyon where you can float down the Colorado River. Or, you could add passes to the fabulous Grand Canyon Skywalk. If you choose a plane tour to the South Rim, your pilot will follow the same route as the helicopters take that fly to the South Rim.

Grand Canyon Rafting Trips

Smooth-water rafting (much different from whitewater rafting) is offered at both rims, but only between April and November. From Las Vegas, you\’ll take a helicopter to the starting point at the base of Hoover Dam. From there, your boat trip will take you eleven miles down river to Willow Beach, Arizona. The rafting tours at the South Rim begin at Glen Canyon Dam in Page, Arizona and take you fifteen miles down river to historic Lee\’s Ferry; you can take a luxury bus or airplane from Vegas to Glen Canyon Dam.

All West Rim helicopter, plane and rafting tours include free hotel pickup and drop-off. Plane, chopper and bus tours include lunch and the services of a professional tour guide. Rafting tours of the South Rim also include shuttle service, but you will need to find a way to the Grand Canyon Airport on your own if you want to take an aerial tour of the South Rim.

It\’s advisable to book a Grand Canyon tour as far ahead as you can as guided trips to the Grand Canyon are extremely popular, and tickets often sell out during the tourist season. Buy your tickets online because that\’s where you\’ll find the best deals, especially if you look on the tour operator websites. Just make sure you complete your entire purchase online or you won\’t receive the special Internet discount.

Don\’t wait until the last minute to get your tickets. The tours you like may be sold out and if you do find one, you will have to pay more than you would by getting advance tickets.

Travel writer Justine Moriarity is an expert on Grand Canyon tours. If you are looking for the best canyon trips at the lowest price, she recommends you start here: http://www.grandcanyon123.com

Travel writer Justine Moriarity is an expert on Grand Canyon tours. If you are looking for the best canyon trips at the lowest price, she recommends you start here: http://www.grandcanyon123.com

Author Bio: Travel writer Justine Moriarity is an expert on Grand Canyon tours. If you are looking for the best canyon trips at the lowest price, she recommends you start here: http://www.grandcanyon123.com

Category: Travel
Keywords: grand canyon tours, helicopter tours, rafting tours, airplane tours, bus tours, travel, vacation