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These helicopter flights depart daily from Las Vegas and can cover the 120-mile trip to the West Rim in 45 minutes. This quick flight makes it the perfect package for families and travelers who want a half-day tour of the Canyon.
This trip's most widely used operators are Papillon, Maverick, and Grand Canyon Helicopters. For what you get, the price is a bargain. Papillon's Grand Celebration tour, for instance, costs $270 per person (retail is $399) if purchased on the Internet; prices drop further if you book a group of 10 or more at the website.
The great thing about the West Rim tour are the upgrades, which include the Grand Canyon Skywalk, a rafting trip on the Colorado River, and a flight over the Las Vegas Strip. Of those, the Skywalk is the most popular. It's a glass bridge that extends 70 feet beyond the edge of the Rim and suspends you 4,000 feet over the river.
There are helicopter rides at the Grand Canyon's South Rim, but they are prohibited from landing at the bottom. The typical South Rim flight is quite spectacular. It's duration is about 20 minutes and takes you into the Dragoon Corridor, the deepest, widest part of the Canyon. Upgrades are limited, but include a thrilling 15-mile softwater raft ride
Papillon helicopter trips include transfer to and from your Las Vegas resort hotel. Flights depart from McCarran International Airport, and, en route to the West Rim, you'll see Lake Mead and Hoover Dam, before descending into the Canyon and landing at the operator's private landing site. A light lunch will be served under a real Indian Ramada. Afterward, you're free look around the river and the West Rim's ancient floor.
The ride to the bottom is spellbinding. This 15-minute descent would take you at least six hours on foot. As you slowly lower into the Canyon, you'll come face to face with millions of years of geology: Sheer cliffs, solitary buttes, undisturbed ravines, red sandstone, plus much more.
The ride up to the top is equally spectacular. You'll see all of the Rim's key landmarks, including Guano and Eagle Points, will unfold before your eyes, most of it unobstructed as the helicopter is comprised of wraparound glass windows. You'll also get to plug-in to the aircraft's digital communications system - it allows two-way conversation with the pilot and other guests as well as a recorded narration about the tour in multiple languages.
If you wish to fly a Grand Canyon helicopter to the bottom, you'll have to take a West Rim helicopter tour from Las Vegas. It's the perfect tour for families and travelers who want an instant, comprehensive half-day trip, like Papillon's Grand Celebration Tour, which comes with lots of upgrades (Grand Canyon Skywalk, pontoon boat rides, among other things). If you are looking for instant adventure and a ride to quite literally the center of the Earth, this tour package is for you.
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