Grand Canyon helicopter trips are a thrilling way to experience the National Park. But more importantly, they are the best way to explore the park if you have only a day or two to do it.

Departure Points

The West Rim and the South Rim are the only places in the canyon where helicopters are permitted to fly. If you are starting out from Vegas, the West Rim is the destination for you. The rim is just 120 miles from Sin City.

If your heart is set on seeing the South Rim from Vegas, you must take a 45-minute airplane flight and then transfer to the helicopter segment of your package. South Rim helicopter tours depart daily from Grand Canyon Airport in Tusayan, which is just outside the main gates of the National Park. If you are driving up from such points in Arizona like Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Sedona, this is the Grand Canyon heli tour for you.

Types of Helicopter Tours

Of the two rims, the West Rim has the most side-trips. Of course, there's the air-only tour, but many travelers want more and Vegas tour operators deliver. The most popular is the landing tour. This flight takes you 4,000 feet to the bottom of the canyon and lands. Most include a Champagne picnic. There's plenty of time to explore, too. There's also an opportunity to add a Grand Canyon river rafting trip to this package.

The other popular West Rim landing tour is the Skywalk. This package includes full access to the fabulous glass walkway. It's a marvel of modern day engineering and lets you go 70 feet past the edge of the rim. Some 4,000 feet below you roils the Colorado River.

The South Rim is all about natural beauty. Nothing shows this off better than a heli tour. There are no landing trips at this rim. The most popular flight takes you over the Kaibab Plateau and into the Dragoon Corridor, the widest, deepest part of the canyon, before turning back at the North Rim. Flight time is 30 minutes, but you can extend it up to 50 minutes. You can also upgrade to the super-sleek EcoStar 130 helicopter.

Let's Get a Great Deal!

There are two simple things you need to do to get the best deal on a canyon helicopter tour. First, reserve in advance. If you can get a month or two in front of this, you'll win the game. Next, shop the Internet. There's a lot of great deals on the Web. I regularly find special promotions in which you can save up to 35%. It takes a little work but it's worth it.

Buckle Up!

Grand Canyon heli tours are my #1 way to explore the National Park. Flights go to the West Rim and the South Rim. The West Rim offers a number of great landing tours. The South Rim is air-only. If you have the budget for it, upgrade to the EcoStar 130. Or follow my two steps to savings and use the difference to bundle in side-trips. The canyon is an aerial delight. Thankfully, there are plenty of heli tours available that let you experience it.