Vegas Helicopter tours
Discussion
Can't remember the name of the company we used but I went on a tour of the grand canyon with my girlfriend and my brother and we stopped over at a ranch in the Arizona Desert and went horse riding which was fantastic. I'll ask her and find out the name.
A friend and fellow PHer was out there at the same time and he used a company called Maverick which had much bigger and better Helicopters but didn't have the option of horseback riding in the desert.
A friend and fellow PHer was out there at the same time and he used a company called Maverick which had much bigger and better Helicopters but didn't have the option of horseback riding in the desert.
Hey Monty
Dreamer 75 and I did the helicopter tour of the area about 18 months ago. it was great. The key things to know are:
1) There are apparently only 2 companies that can land in the grand canyon so they are the ones to use
2) The best time to go is the last flight of the day as you fly back into mclaren airport and over the strip with it all lit up
3) Its not the cheapest activity to do in Vegas, but then again it's not the most expensive
Here are some pics from the trip....
And next week I'll post all my Butlin's pghotos
Dreamer 75 and I did the helicopter tour of the area about 18 months ago. it was great. The key things to know are:
1) There are apparently only 2 companies that can land in the grand canyon so they are the ones to use
2) The best time to go is the last flight of the day as you fly back into mclaren airport and over the strip with it all lit up
3) Its not the cheapest activity to do in Vegas, but then again it's not the most expensive
Here are some pics from the trip....
And next week I'll post all my Butlin's pghotos
We used these below but I'm sure they are in with other operators but they were the best value at the time (05)
http://www.lasvegasgrandcanyontour.com/gc_helicopt...
If you want to see the Las Vegas lights on the way back book the last time available. Ours ran late so it was very dark on the way back.
It was like a scene from APOCALYPSE NOW (Flight of the Valkyries) helicopter attack, flying back with 3 other ones low & the ex military pilot even sung the tune - amazing trip.
http://www.lasvegasgrandcanyontour.com/gc_helicopt...
If you want to see the Las Vegas lights on the way back book the last time available. Ours ran late so it was very dark on the way back.
It was like a scene from APOCALYPSE NOW (Flight of the Valkyries) helicopter attack, flying back with 3 other ones low & the ex military pilot even sung the tune - amazing trip.
will be doing this myself at the end of april so i'm also interested 
this looks good:
http://www.lasvegasgrandcanyontour.com/helicopter/...
any other recommended companies? wanna compare prices... its a shame the rates so awful at the mo
this looks good:
http://www.lasvegasgrandcanyontour.com/helicopter/...
any other recommended companies? wanna compare prices... its a shame the rates so awful at the mo
I went in January to Las Vegas and we booked a heli trip before we went, on the net.
It cost us £430 for 2 of us. The flight took an hour and a half and went over lake mead, the Hoover dam and the canyon. We even had our own private limo to pick us up from our hotel and drop us off again included in the cost.
The company was called Sundance tours or something similar.
Yes it was very expensive but as others have said it has to be done. I'd pay it again in a second. A truly fantastic sight.
It cost us £430 for 2 of us. The flight took an hour and a half and went over lake mead, the Hoover dam and the canyon. We even had our own private limo to pick us up from our hotel and drop us off again included in the cost.
The company was called Sundance tours or something similar.
Yes it was very expensive but as others have said it has to be done. I'd pay it again in a second. A truly fantastic sight.
Can't remember the name of the company I used back in 2002, but they operate from just off the side of the strip, and had larger that usual windows to make it easier to photograph. The pilot had an unbelievable 17,000 hours in helicopters, and was clearly very, very good; real ride of the valkyries stuff as we dove over the edge of the canyon. Great Stuff!
Go on one of the early or late flights; the last one of the day before nightfall is best, as you get to see the canyon at sunset - very impressive.
Go on one of the early or late flights; the last one of the day before nightfall is best, as you get to see the canyon at sunset - very impressive.
http://www.papillon.com/popris/show_categories.asp...
We used these and did the sunset tour landing in the canyon then back over the strip at night.
We used these and did the sunset tour landing in the canyon then back over the strip at night.
Did one last with wiht www.maverickhelicopter.com and was very impressed. Also consider the evening strip tour for $99.
We did this last November using Grand Canyon Helicopters 'Diamond Dreams' trip.It was an EC-130 Eco Star Jet Helicopter with excellent commentary from the pilot.We too did the late one for sunset over the Canyon - incredible experience not to be missed.Also go to Dowtown for some fantastic views from top of Stratosphere Tower.You might like to try the rides up there too.
'Love' at the Mirage hotel was a great show BTW.
'Love' at the Mirage hotel was a great show BTW.
Actually this is one of the most disappointing trips I have ever taken
We flew to the canyon and back, had a helicopter ride down to the bottom of the canyon, a river trip, return to the top of the canyon by helicopter and flew back to Vegas
Admittedly we went early morning, but the light was too bright by the time we arrived. So all the colours were washed out and it was hazy
We spent a LOT of time queuing to do the next bit. This took longer than the part we were waiting to do.
The helicopter rides were great but not very long
Once we got down to the canyon floor, we had to wait for a boat. We were expected to wait in a small area and not wonder off, even within sight of the embarkation point. Once in the boat we were taken a short way down the river. The boat 'driver' was only then interested in taking pictures of the couples on the trip. He took a photo of you both together. Nice idea but the light was terrible for pictures . he appeared to be after a large tip
The lunch that was included was dreadful and rushed. we were herded back onto a coach and driven back to the airport at break neck speed
This was quite an expensive trip but not worth it for me. Admittedly it was back in 2004 and things might have changed since then
it was a great idea but I have been on better trips in third world countries where they actually have attention spans of more than 10 seconds
We flew to the canyon and back, had a helicopter ride down to the bottom of the canyon, a river trip, return to the top of the canyon by helicopter and flew back to Vegas
Admittedly we went early morning, but the light was too bright by the time we arrived. So all the colours were washed out and it was hazy
We spent a LOT of time queuing to do the next bit. This took longer than the part we were waiting to do.
The helicopter rides were great but not very long
Once we got down to the canyon floor, we had to wait for a boat. We were expected to wait in a small area and not wonder off, even within sight of the embarkation point. Once in the boat we were taken a short way down the river. The boat 'driver' was only then interested in taking pictures of the couples on the trip. He took a photo of you both together. Nice idea but the light was terrible for pictures . he appeared to be after a large tip
The lunch that was included was dreadful and rushed. we were herded back onto a coach and driven back to the airport at break neck speed
This was quite an expensive trip but not worth it for me. Admittedly it was back in 2004 and things might have changed since then
it was a great idea but I have been on better trips in third world countries where they actually have attention spans of more than 10 seconds
I was talking to a stripper the night before I went on a helicopter trip to the grand canyon (as you do). I told her about it and she said "you wouldn't catch me doing that about 3 or 4 go down in flames a year, but only 1 this year so far I think". It was around the 21st December at the time ...
The tour we did was with Maverick Helicopters. The only one that picked up from the Strip and flew from McCarran Field which is the Airport on the Strip. The others needed a Coach to airports closed to the Canyon. Maverick are the BIGGEST user of Eurocopter EC130's which is what we flew in.
telecat said:
The tour we did was with Maverick Helicopters. The only one that picked up from the Strip and flew from McCarran Field which is the Airport on the Strip. The others needed a Coach to airports closed to the Canyon. Maverick are the BIGGEST user of Eurocopter EC130's which is what we flew in.
Not true. Papillon picked us up from the Bellagio took us to McCarran, and helicopter straight there, landing on the floor then back over the strip at night.Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff