Friday, May 27, 2016

Memorial Holiday Grand Canyon Helicopter And Airplane Tours

By Erik Magnus


Memorial Day is a huge summer holiday, so isn't it time that you planned a truly memorable vacation? Tours at the Grand Canyon are going to be in high demand this summer, and if you're going to be in Las Vegas, you should get in early so that you don't miss out on the chance to confirm your ticket.

Helicopter Tours

Helicopter tours of the West Rim depart from Vegas and the tours of the South Rim depart from Tusayan, AZ. If you go to the West Rim, you can book a landing tour that sets down on top of the rim or on the Canyon floor, but if you go to the South Rim, you'll have to take an air-only tour since helicopters are not allowed to land at the Canyon in that part of the National Park.

One benefit of flying out of Vegas is that the flight to the Canyon is quite scenic. For instance, you'll see the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead from the air, which is an impressive thing to see. Then, if you book an air only tour, your helicopter circles over the West Rim and then heads back to Vegas. If you book a landing tour, you'll get to explore the Canyon on foot and enjoy other fun adventures on the ground.

If you're going to the West Rim, then booking a landing tour is highly recommended. One you might like is the landing tour that descends to the Canyon floor where you can enjoy a nice Champagne picnic. While you're there, you can take a boat ride along the Colorado River. If you land on top of the rim, you can explore the area from one of the many scenic walking trails, or you can get a fantastic view of the Canyon from the transparent Skywalk that is suspended 4000 feet above the Canyon floor.

If you go to the South Rim, you can choose from two helicopter tours. One gives you 30 minutes of flight time and goes to the North Rim and back. There is also a longer tour you can take that is highly recommended because it lasts for 50 minutes and flies all the way to the eastern edge of the National Park, so you see a lot more for a little increase in price. You'll get to see the Dragoon Corridor no matter which tour you take, since the flight path of these tours takes you right over the deepest and widest section of the Canyon.

Airplane Tours

If you want a more affordable tour, there are also airplanes that fly from Las Vegas. Although they fly higher than helicopters, they follow the same route to get to the National Park. Although this means you won't get to do the hovering flyovers, you still get oversized viewing windows and top mounted wings, for maximum visibility.

The airplanes can land at the Canyon too, so you can take a landing tour when you fly by plane, however, your airplane has to land on top of the rim. You can do all the same things as you would with a helicopter tour including touring the Skywalk and taking a helicopter descent to the bottom of the Canyon.

At the South Rim, the airplane tour follows the longer helicopter route that allows you to see about 75 percent of the entire National Park. This is the same tour you'd take with the 50-minute helicopter flight. So, while you fly higher when you go by plane, you'll save money on your tour, and since the airplanes are bigger and carry more people, the airplane tours are ideal if you're traveling with a group.

To Conclude

These air tours are very popular and they fill up fast, so you need to buy your tickets soon. It's best to get your seats about two weeks ahead of time, but try to avoid getting your seats the same day. It's best to buy your tour online so you get the low Internet rate, and when you buy your tour with your credit card, your seats are reserved right there and you won't have to worry about the tour selling out.

With so many options, you can be sure that you will find the right package for your needs and budget. Choose the best option for you and your group, and you'll be all set for the most memorable Memorial Day yet.




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