Comfortable and cheap, Las Vegas Grand Canyon West Rim bus tours offer a variety of fantastic upgrades including the Grand Canyon Skywalk to Colorado River rafting.

Let's take a closer look at these West Rim bus tours:

1. Grand Canyon West

Basic bus tour to Grand Canyon West. Includes all park entrance fees. Explore the rim top via the free hop-on-hop-off shuttle bus. Sights that you must see include Eagle Point, Guano Point., the Indian Cultural Center, the glass bridge, and the Colorado River. Also free is the Indian Cultural Center. Tickets to the Skywalk cost extra and can be purchased from your professional driver-guide.

2. The Glass Walkway

Just like the classic tour but comes with tickets to the Skywalk. Best deal. Bridge extends 70 feet past the edge with the Colorado River 4,000-feet below. The structure is an engineering marvel and can support up to 70 or more fully loaded jumbo jets. That said, maximum occupancy is 120 travelers.

3. Helicopter Descent with Boat Tour

Transfer to an EcoStar 130 helicopter and descend 4,000 feet to the base. Deplane. Enjoy a Champagne toast under an authentic Indian Ramada. Request that you guide show you the petroglyph. Head upstream to pontoon boat for float ride down Colorado River.

Bus tours are all-inclusive and come with free hotel shuttle service, a light breakfast, BBQ lunch, photo-stop at Hoover Dam, and professional driver-guide. Trip duration ranges from half a day to 12 hours for the helicopter-boat package. Internet prices start at $94.

The West Rim, located 120 miles away from Vegas, takes a bus 2.5 hours to reach. Luxury motor coaches service this route, and feature climate-controlled cabins, plush seats, lots of leg room, clean bathrooms, over-sized windows, VCRs, and a pre-recorded tour narration translated into more than 10 languages.

Bus tours, which run daily of the year, typically depart each morning. The drive will take you past Lake Mead with a stop at Hoover Dam before crossing the Arizona state line. The final stretch takes you through a 700-year-old Joshua Tree forest before turning on a dirt road to Grand Canyon West. These "bonus" sights really make this Vegas bus tour a great value.

I recommend that all my readers book their bus tours early, preferably one or two weeks in advance. This ensures you get a great seat on the day you want to take the tour. If you book the day before you go or on the same day, expect to pay a hefty premium.

Shop the world wide web for the best deals on bus tours. Ironically, try tour operator and broker sites first. I've found that many of them offer the best discounts, including one that slashes up to 35% off the retail price. Always print out your trip confirmation and pack it in your luggage as you will need it to show you've paid for the tour.

Grand Canyon bus tours to the West Rim offer the trip-savvy visitor a great deal. These all-inclusive trips come with everything you need to enjoy the canyon. If you are feeling really ambitions, consider upgrading your classic bus ride to one that includes Skywalk tickets, a helicopter descent to the bottom, or a river rafting trip. And, as always, book online. It's cheaper!