If you wish to see as much of Grand Canyon National Park as you can in one day, go on a Grand Canyon chopper tour of the South Rim. These trips are breathtaking and take you into the heart of the canyon, offering unforgettable aerial sights that you will cherish forever.
Heli rides depart everyday from Grand Canyon Airport in Tusayan, small town that's a quick 10-minute drive from the National Park's main gate. These flights sell out so reserve upfront (FYI - Over 5 million people go to canyon every year, and many do heli flights!). Morning flights offer the best visibility. Sunset trips can be found, too.
Grand Canyon South Rim airspace is strictly regulated. There are not any bottom-landing flights. Those are only available out of Las Vegas and are done at the West Rim. At the moment, there are not any flights that connect Grand Canyon National Park with the West Rim.
South Rim helicopter tours start with a low-altitude flight above the Kaibab Plateau, where you can the largest stand of Ponderosa Pine on the earth. I guesstimate that it requires about 10 mins to leave the rim and enter the Dragoon Corridor, the widest, deepest portion of the canyon.
In the corridor, you will see the Plateau Point Mule Trail, the Tower of Ra, Phantom Ranch, Grand Canyon Village and the Colorado River before turning back at the majestic North Rim. To put what you will see into perspective, think about this:
A. Ground visitors see only 30 miles of the 277 that make up the park. Travelers who take to the air see 140 miles!
B. It takes at the very least five hours to drive from the South Rim to the North Rim.
In case you have 1 or 2 days at the South Rim, it's obvious to me that a heli trip is the solution.
You'll find three businesses that operate air tours: Maverick Helicopters, Grand Canyon Helicopters and Papillon Helicopters. Papillon has the greatest deals. Maverick is more geared toward luxury. Grand Canyon falls in the center.
South Rim heli trips last between 30 and 50 minutes. Most use A-Star choppers. If you have the budget, I suggest you step up to the EcoStar 130. This is an elite piece of machinery. It comes with a cabin that's 35 percent larger than its rivals and theater-style seating. It's also quieter and features 180-degree wraparound windows.
Each flight comes with a set of personal headphones. Use these to listen to the pre-recorded flight narration (10 languages!). Or chat with your pilot and fellow passengers. The whole flight is captured by cameras attached to the front of the chopper and in the cabin. The video is burned to a DVD and can be bought.
Don't ever pay full list price for helicopter tours. Shop online. Please. I have been locating deals that cut prices by 35 percent Caveat: To obtain these special rates, you must complete the transaction online. Realize that commissioned sales people man the "customer service" numbers and will upsell you to a higher priced package.
Grand Canyon helicopters to the South Rim are the most efficient and exciting way to experience the National Park. The Rim is a huge place. When you explore it on foot, you'll see just a sliver of it. Get airborne and you'll see four-times as much. That's a major difference. It is also the main reason that's making heli trips the runaway successes that they are today. See you up there!
