Grand Canyon heli tours are a awesome way to see the National Park. But most importantly, they are the best way to discover the park if you've got just a few days to do it.

Departure Points

The West Rim and the South Rim are the only areas in the canyon where helicopters are permitted to fly.

If you're venturing out from Vegas, the West Rim is the place to go for you. The rim is just 120 miles from Las Vegas. If your heart is set on seeing the South Rim from Vegas, you must take a 45-minute aeroplane flight and after that switch to the heli segment of your package.

South Rim heli flights depart daily from Grand Canyon Airport in Tusayan, which is just outside the main gates of the National Park. If you're driving up from such points in Arizona like Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Sedona, this is the Grand Canyon heli tour for you.

Varieties of Heli Tours

Of the two rims, the West Rim has the most variations. Naturally, there is the air-only tour, but many travelers want more and Vegas tour providers deliver.

Most requested is the landing tour. This flight goes 4,000 feet to the base of the canyon and lands. Most come with a Champagne picnic. There's lots of time to explore, too. There is also the chance to add a canyon water rafting trip to this package.

Another favorite West Rim landing tour is the Skywalk. This package has unlimited access to the fabulous glass walkway. It's a marvel of modern day engineering and lets you go 70 feet beyond the edge of the rim. Some 4,000 feet below you roils the Colorado River.

The South Rim is about natural beauty. Nothing shows this off better than a heli tour. There are not any landing trips at this rim. The most popular trip takes you over the Kaibab Plateau and straight into the Dragoon Corridor, the widest, deepest part of the canyon, before turning back at the North Rim. Flight time is thirty minutes, nevertheless, you can lengthen it up to 50 minutes. Additionally you can upgrade to the super-sleek EcoStar 130 heli.

Getting a Great Deal

There are two simple things you need to do to get a super deal on a canyon helicopter tour. First, reserve beforehand. If you can a week or two in front of this, you'll win the game. Next, shop the net. There are plenty of great deals on the Web. I regularly find amazing deals in which you can save up to 35%. It takes a bit of work but it's worth it.

Buckle Up!

Grand Canyon helicopter tours are my #1 way to look at the National Park. Flights visit the West Rim and the South Rim. The West Rim offers a selection of great landing tours. The South Rim is air-only. If you've got the budget for it, upgrade to the EcoStar 130. Or use my two steps to savings and use the difference to bundle in side-trips. The Grand Canyon is an aerial delight. Thankfully, there are plenty of helicopter rides available that allow you to experience it.