Hey it's Keith Kravitz and this is the Helicopter Weekend Update!
I hope everyone is having a terrific summer!
It's definitely warned up over here in the southwest and that includes the West and South Rims of the Grand Canyon.
Temperatures?
How about 100-degrees plus at West and 90-degress plus/minus at South?!?!
Of course, if you're not a fan of the heat, I suggest you do this air-only helicopter tour from Las Vegas as you never leave the climate-controlled cabin.
Tours from Grand Canyon (a/k/a South Rim, Tusayan, AZ) are all air-only (no landing because that's banned) and here's the list of options.
FYI - There are no sunset tours at the South Rim. This is because the Park Service sets the final departure time and it's way before dark.
Different story from Las Vegas, where you can do a sunset bottom-landing picnic with the grand finale being a tour up/down the Vegas Strip at dusk!
OK, time for me to start the BBQ and feed the kids. T'is the season for pool parties and I wanna make the best of it!
Meantime:
Las Vegas, NV
This is the helicopter ride from Vegas where you go to the bottom and sip bubbles. It's an awesome flight, expecially the part when you descend some 4,500 feet to the bottom. Once you deplane, you're literally standing on some of the oldest exposed rock on the planet. Get more info on Champagne helicopter here...
There's a deluxe version of the Champagne tour, too. Instead of taking off from Boulder City (a suburb of Vegas about 25 mins. from The Strip), you fly from McCarran Airport in Vegas. Further, hotel transfers are by limo, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a "celeb" or an "A-lister" for a day. Book deluxe Champagne tour
here...
Things to Do
Flights and tours start from Las Vegas and Tusayan,AZ (Grand Canyon National Park Airport. Las Vegas flights go to the West Rim, which is about 120 miles east as the "crow flies." The South Rim, which is located in northern Arizona is 60 mins. from Flagstaff and Williams and about 3.5 hours form Phoenix. From Vegas, you'll need 5.5 hours to reach the South Rim. So...what to do when you get there? Lots! Here's a list of things to to at the West Rim and one that highlights things to do at the South Rim.
South Rim/Tusayan, AZ
We are getting a lot of bookings for the 50-minute South Rim flight. Doesn't surprise me. This tour covers 75 percent of the Canyon and goes over the South Rim, North Rim and the East Rim. Of course, it's the most expensive option but in my opinion it's the best value by far.
For folks on a budget, I strongly recommend the South Rim 30-minute basic flight. It does a straight-shot from South Rim to North Rim and back via the Dragoon Corridor, which is the widest, deepest section of the National Park. Prices fluctuate during the fall season but you can get the cheapest rates if you book online and in
advance.
I also want to let you know that the weather is so darn awesome that it's an ideal time to do the helicopter + open-air Hummer/Jeep tour. This package starts with a 30-min. heli ride and concludes with a terrific 2-hour Jeep tour (over flat roads) that includes a guide and stops at key Park lookouts and monuments. There's also a sunset version (sells out fast).
NEED A TOUR?
Reply back to this message if you need to buy a tour by telling me:
*From Las Vegas or South Rim?
*Day and month you want to do a tour
*The kind of tour you want
I reply to EVERY email.
Have a great day!
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