I believe anyone who's thinking about taking one of the Grand Canyon bus tours from Vegas should consider one West Rim package in particular. It combines a coach trip to the Rim, a chopper flight down to the Canyon bottom and past the Grand Canyon Skywalk, and a boat trip down the Colorado River. You certainly get the opportunity to experience the Grand Canyon in many different ways on this tour.

First let's discuss a little about the bus tours that depart from Vegas because you can take one to the South Rim, which is 277 miles away or you can take one to the West Rim, which is only 120 miles away. This article is about a West Rim tour only, the one that comes with added upgrades.

About The Tour

Fortunately, Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam sits between Vegas and the Grand Canyon, so your bus goes right by. Your motor coach will stop on the AZ side of the Hoover Dam bypass bridge for about 15 minutes so you can take some photos. If you want to actually tour the Dam you'll need to book a trip there on a different day.

A helicopter awaits you at the West Rim and you can board as soon as your bus arrives. It is a thrilling ten minute flight to the canyon floor. Actually, the West Rim is the only place where choppers are allowed to fly below the rim, so this is an adventure you cannot have if you go to the South Rim. When you land on the canyon floor, you'll head to the boat dock on the river.

The river cruise is about fifteen minutes long and it offers plenty of time to admire the beautiful rock walls towering above you. Believe me, seeing the Canyon from the bottom up is an amazing experience.

All in all you'll have 30-40 minutes at the bottom of the Canyon, and then you'll hop aboard your ?copter for the flight back up to the top of the Rim. The ride up to the top of the rim is exhilarating and you fly by the Grand Canyon Skywalk before you land.

The Skywalk is also called the Glass Bridge because its floor is made out of glass panels so you can walk out beyond the edge of the rim about 70 feet while standing about 4000 feet off the canyon floor. If you're interested in seeing the Glass Bridge up close and personal (meaning walking on it), I suggest you add Skywalk tickets to your Grand Canyon tour package. It costs more to wait and buy your tickets after you get to the Grand Canyon.

The West Rim offers lots of other sights too. There are free shuttles to take you places like Guano Point, which is a fantastic lookout. This spot offers scenic views and it is also the location of an old bat guano mine. The whole area is full of "Old West" mystique.

Summing Up

If you are going to the Grand Canyon anyway, you definitely don't want to miss this tour. Not many people can say they've seen the Canyon from the ground, the air, the bottom and the water. This tour is popular for a good reason, but that means it sells out fast. Be sure to buy your tour tickets about a week ahead of time so you don't miss out.