Types of Grand Canyon Tours

If so, you're not alone -- the Grand Canyon is one of the most popular National Parks in America! Visitors from all over the world come to Arizona to view the immense canyon and its amazing scenery; many choose guided trips by helicopter, airplane, bus, Jeep, mule, horse, or on foot. From Vegas, you have a choice of a tour to the South Rim or the West Rim. Tours that depart from central Arizona from cities such as Scottsdale, Sedona, or Phoenix, only have the option of going to the South Rim. Here are some of the exciting and fun-filled tours you can choose: Scenic Helicopter Tour You can enjoy a helicopter tour of the canyon from either rim, but the helicopters that depart from Vegas don't fly to the South Rim because it is too far away. So if you are leaving from Vegas, your copter will only fly you to the West Rim. If you're setting out from Vegas but you'd rather see the South Rim by helicopter, you'll need to take a bus or plane ride (the plane is the better option because it's so much quicker) before boarding your copter. When you're choosing your tour, remember that the West Rim is the only place where choppers are allowed to land on the canyon floor. That is what makes West Rim tours so desirable; you get to land and add options such as a boat trip down the Colorado River. Other popular options on these landing tours on the West Rim are VIP passes to the impressive glass Skywalk. Helicopters are not allowed to fly below the level of the South Rim. Helicopter tours are available at the South Rim, but they fly rim-to-rim or fly over most of the National Park area. These flights are great if you don't have much time to explore the canyon; you will get to see a large part of it from above. Sightseeing Motor Coaches If you are leaving from Vegas, you can also choose a guided bus tour of the South Rim of the West Rim. All these tours include a stopover for photos at Hoover Dam. West Rim motor coach tours are flexible enough to let you add a chopper ride to the floor and a boat ride down the Colorado. Bus tours from Vegas to the South Rim are the least expensive way to see this spectacular location. You can always add on a helicopter tour if you want. Airplane Tours You can take airplane tours at both rims. You can choose from landing or air-only tours, but landing tours are only permitted at the West Rim. If you choose a landing tour on the West Rim, you should also add a helicopter ride that takes you down to the floor of the canyon where you can board a boat to explore the Colorado River. Another thing you can do at the West Rim is walk out on the thrilling glass Skywalk. Airplane tours of the South Rim take you on the same route as the 50-minute South Rim chopper tours. Rafting Down The Colorado River Smooth water rafting is available at both rims from April to November; this isn't the same as white water rafting. From Vegas, you can catch a chopper to the base of the Hoover Dam where the boats depart. From that point, you will meander eleven miles down the Colorado River to Willow Beach, Arizona. South Rim rafting tours take you by plane or luxury motor coach to Glen Canyon Dam at Page, Arizona, where you'll begin your 15-mile float down to historic Lee's Ferry. All West Rim helicopter, plane and rafting tours include free hotel pickup and drop-off. Plane, chopper and bus tours include lunch and the services of a professional tour guide. Except for rafting tours (which include shuttle service), you'll need to get to Grand Canyon Airport on your own for South Rim air tours. It's advisable to book a Grand Canyon tour as far ahead as you can as guided trips to the Grand Canyon are extremely popular, and tickets often sell out during the tourist season. Buy your tickets online because that's where you'll find the best deals, especially if you look on the tour operator websites. Buy your tickets online too and then you can get the special internet discount. Just don't wait to buy your Grand Canyon tour after you get to Vegas. You'll pay more than need to, and you might not even get the tour you really want.