Most Grand Canyon tours only scratch the surface. If you want to experience as much of the South Rim as possible, you’ve got to get airborne. To get you off the ground, here are seven reasons why riding a helicopter gets the job done:
1. It’s the fastest way to see the National Park. All helicopter flight plans follow this route: South Rim, the Gorge, North Rim, and back to Grand Canyon Airport. It’s a 30-to-40-minute flight that will let you see:
- The Kaibab Plateau
- The Colorado River & Little Colorado River
- The Dragoon Corridor
- Grand Canyon Village
- Phantom Ranch
- Bright Angel Trail
- The San Francisco Peaks (Humphrey’s Peak is the highest in Arizona)
This is just a sample of what awaits you from the air.
2. Helicopters are the most awesome way to take in a South Rim sunset or sunrise. This is the Park’s most fantastical event. I strongly suggest you reserve your seats in advance, especially during summer when seats sell out fast. These are categorized as “premium” flights so expect to pay a bit more for them.
3. It’s safe. No helicopter company has ever experienced an accident flying South Rim tours. Further, most companies are flying the robust EcoStar 130, a state-of-the-art chopper that’s been designed from nose to tail for sightseeing.
4. It’s cheap. Flights start at around $130 per person. Upgrading to an EcoStar 130 (luxury sightseeing helicopter) will run you around $160. Book online to get the cheapest price. Prices and availability are subject to change.
5. The aerial views here are some of the best in the U.S. The rim, elevation 7,000 feet, is flat and thickly vegetated with pine forest. To get clear views, you have to get to the rim’s edge. Flying, its all sky above and Canyon below.
6. It’s pilots are great guides. These professionals soar above the canyon on a daily basis and know the terrain and landmarks like a map. Helicopters include two-way communication systems and personal headsets that allow you to talk to your pilot and fellow passengers.
7. It’s thrilling. Helicopters take off from Grand Canyon Airport at 200 miles per hour then head through the Dragoon Corridor until turning back at the North Rim. Highly maneuverable, these aircraft descend, ascend, and turn with ease. Nothing comes close to the excitement of hovering in the Dragoon Corridor, the widest, deepest part of the canyon.
Helicopter tours average more than 30 minutes in the air and depart frequently from the airport in Tusayan, located just outside the Park’s main entrance. No helicopters fly from the South Rim to the West Rim. Nor are their direct helicopter flights from Las Vegas to the South Rim. To get here from Vegas, you must book a plane or bus tour and transfer to a helicopter.
The Grand Canyon is an overwhelming experience. It’s 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and covers 1,900 plus square miles. My suggestion is to view the Park by Grand Canyon helicopter and then than explore it by foot, possibly going underneath the rim on one of the easy access trails. This combination of air and ground will make sure that you see as much of the Canyon as you can in a limited amount of time.
Check out travel writer Keith Kravitz’ Grand Canyon helicopter tour reviews before you purchase a canyon helicopter tour.
