Vegas - Grand Canyon - Helis

[numtumfutunch]

Apologies - the search has been borked for a few days so soz if this is a repeat
Which it probably is.......

In short which company should I book a Grand Canyon helicopter trip with from Vegas please?
And are there any tips and tricks you'd recommend?

Id quite like to not fall out of the sky and although its going to be spendy I dont really care about a glass of bubbly on the valley floor, what Id like is a fantastic experience and probably a landing down under. Please tell me if the glass bridge thing is worth it and also if my suspicions are right in that Sin City should be seen from above after sunset

And anything else

Theres a number of outfits with good online ratings
Ive had a crap couple of years and am happy to spend some cash - Im from Leeds so this is significant

Cheers

[Alorotom]

You’ll be looking at the “west rim” rather than the true Grand Canyon which involves a much longer trip to either the North or South rim national parks and where helicopters aren’t allowed into the canyon at all.

Personally if you’re not going to do it properly I wouldn’t bother wasting precious vegas time and effort for something that’s only a shadow of what’s the actual GC is like.

If you do want to go to the actual GC I would recommend the south rim - but it’s a solid 4hr drive each way to the visitor centre from the strip. You can fly into the small airport just outside the park but that was very pricey the last time I considered it.

[numtumfutunch]

Thanks, it would appear I need to do some research

[Crook]

Try and find the time to rent something with a colossal V8, drive to Grand Canyon Village and take a flight in one of the planes, be absolutely astounded, land, drive to Hoover Dam, do one of the tours, be astounded, drive back in colossal V8.
Gamble money.
Then do helicopter flight over The Strip (I haven't done this bit).

I think we used these guys: https://www.grandcanyonairlines.com/

[Truckosaurus]

As suggested above, you can't fly over the 'proper' part of the Canyon.

However, the helicopter flights are still a worthwhile endeavour if you aren't a regular helicopter user.

You get to see the dam, some minor canyons and, if timed correctly, the Strip all lit up at dusk.

[arfur]

The glass bridge does indeed stick out over the west rim - however not really by very much

It's ok .. but a bit pricey these days.

If you do do it then they do take you around in a bus to a few other vantage points which I'd say are better

As others have said - the south rim is where you want to be.

Drive to Williams AZ early in the morning (good few hours) and then get the train to the south rim as a day trip - it's definitely worth it (parlour class lets you ride the back plate) and then drive back to Vegas. If you keep the car for a few days - go to Antelope Canyon and the Dam as a day trip - you will need to book the canyon (lower one is better than upper) in advance as it's a guided tour (google it ... the colours are incredible)

[Truckosaurus]

arfur said:

...Antelope Canyon .... (google it ... the colours are incredible)

Or just watch the BBC and it is used regularly as the pre-programme graphics.

[C5_Steve]

I've been to both the West and South rims and I don't agree the West rim isn't the "proper" Grand Canyon. The West rim is the part that's on Tribal land and as such run by the Hualapai Tribal Nation. What you'll find is it's much less developed than either the North/South rim and feels far more authentic than the South rim park did. The views from any part of the canyon are breathtaking, and I certainly didn't feel I missed out by going to the West rim. We did a tour that spent some time with Cowboys, met some of the tribe etc. This was all well before the sky bridge was there. It's less busy, feels more personal rather than a big The South rim park is just that, a park built alongside it.

We didn't do a helicopter tour but I believe some actually land in the canyon which would be cool. As said try and time it for dusk if you can coming back, for the views. Having done it twice I'd absolutely get a helicopter just to save the time getting there as it's a whole days travel by car both ways.

[Truckosaurus]

That said, if you walk more than a few metres down any of the paths from the South Rim you get away from all the crowds. Even moving along the rim from the main visitors centre is usually enough.

[Whataguy]

I did the Grand Canyon tour from Papillion a few years ago with my brother (although I had a special deal and paid less than half the current cost):

https://www.papillon.com/las-vegas-tours/airplane-...

Pick up from the hotel in a bus, to take you to North Las Vegas airport.

From there, it's a plane flight to the West rim - before you take a helicopter ride to the bottom and have a boat ride. Then back on the chopper to take you to the top. Some time at the rim, before the flight back to North Las Vegas and the bus ride to the hotel.

When I did it, the Skywalk hadn't been finished, but you can now add that to the trip as well.

It's a full day, and costs a bit, but was worth it as it's a one-off experience.


The separate helicopter city night flights are a bit of a let down, door to door from the hotel you are maybe a couple of hours but only get 10 minutes in the air over the strip. I preferred the Strat tower.

Edited by Whataguy on Wednesday 8th March 15:09

[Ranger 6]

Whataguy said:

I did the Grand Canyon tour from Papillon a few years ago with my brother (although I had a special deal and paid less than half the current cost):

https://www.papillon.com/las-vegas-tours/airplane-...

We did Papillon as well, but a different tour: https://www.papillon.com/las-vegas-tours/helicopte...

Bus from the hotel to the local deli-port where they flew us over the Hoover dam, did the West rim etc and then back again. We chose that as we were on a bit of a tour and taking two days to do it properly wasn't an option.

We enjoyed it enormously and would happily do it again, however on a more time rich visit we would drive and go into the canyon properly.

[MattS5]

I did it with Sundance helicopters in 2016.

I loved it, and in fact it was the highlight of my trip to Vegas I reckon. (the city itself just didnt get me that stoked)

Landed in the canyon, had champagne and breakfast. The scale of the place is ridiculous and cant really be captured on camera. It was only as you fly in, and the walls of the canyon tower above you in a helciopter, that you get any real sense of the scale of it.

The flight over the Hoover dam, and back along the strip, were a bonus really.

[jned2]

Rules re over flying the canyon from the South rim may well have changed but about 10 years ago we took a fixed wing plane from Vegas to the south rim, it had huge windows to give superb views, then on landing we transferred to a helicopter for a flight across the canyon (not down into it). On landing back at the south rim air strip we were picked up by a huge jeep which then took us to all the major viewing points on the south rim. A really fabulous experience.

[Mabbs9]

I also disagree that it's not proper GC. I've flown with Papillon from Boulder into The Canyon and landed by the river for a picnic and bubbly. Despite flying being my job it's still the only time I've been in a helicopter. I was a little surprised it was single engine.

The trip was really fantastic. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Ps I've been lucky to see lots of other bits of the GC and this felt like a proper bit. Good luck.

[gotoPzero]

Have a look at Scenic Airlines. They offer fixed wing flights, you go further and faster than in a cab and when I was looking round the prices were pretty good they offer all sorts of add ons too like quad bikes etc. I almost booked them but in the end we drove out to Williams and took the train.

[Griffith4ever]

If you've never been in a heli, do it. If you have been in a heli, just go to the real GC and stand by the edge. It is FAR more awe inspriring, peaceful, and beautiful on foot. I've dont both, twice. Second time without the heli.

As posted above, you'll only skim over the top in the official GC, they are not allowed to fly down into it. You can nearer Vegas.

[arfur]

Griffith4ever said:

If you've never been in a heli, do it. If you have been in a heli, just go to the real GC and stand by the edge. It is FAR more awe inspriring, peaceful, and beautiful on foot. I've dont both, twice. Second time without the heli.

As posted above, you'll only skim over the top in the official GC, they are not allowed to fly down into it. You can nearer Vegas.

They will take you down the Phantom Ranch as an exception though and this is North rim

[Far Cough]

Get up early and do a fixed wing from Boulder out to the GC. The place is deserted early doors as it takes an age for all the coaches to arrive which is about late morning onwards so you get the place pretty much to yourself initially. You might even be able to take the controls of the plane ! We did all we needed and left the hoards of people who had arrived and were back in LV by late lunchtime all done. Rest of the day to do whatever.

[Alorotom]

People can disagree all they like but the reality is the West Rim is not the Grand Canyon, it’s not remotely part of the national park, it’s a commercialised Indian reserve trading on a wonder of the world purely as it’s close to Vegas.

Now whether the west rim is worth seeing or not is a different question but the scale and scope of it is very different as is the cost - the national park for example costs a fraction of the west rim tourist trap but obvs is more challenging to get to.

[Steve Campbell]

Alternative to heli over, raft through and sleep in the canyon overnight.

https://raftarizona.com/trips/3-day-motor/

Definitely not cheap but a real lifetime experience. We loved it.