Touring the Grand Canyon is a great way to celebrate the
Christmas holiday season, but you need to start planning now. Whether
you tour by helicopter, bus, or airplane, visiting the Grand Canyon is
an adventure you'll always remember.
The North Rim closes down during the winter and opens up again in March. There are still two rims left to visit. You can go to the West or South Rim. You can begin one of these tours in the city of Vegas or from the South Rim.
Tours out of Vegas go to the West or the South Rim. If you'll begin your tour at the South Rim, you'll have to tour that part of the Grand Canyon because those tour do not make it to the West Rim.
Beginning your tour in Vegas has its benefits, because that way, you have the most tour options. Depending on your preferences and budget, you can tour by airplane, helicopter, or motor coach. However, the airplane tours are the only ones that operate on Christmas day.
Helicopter Tours
Helicopter tours originating in Las Vegas head only to the West Rim, because the South Rim is too far from the city. You can take a landing tour to the West Rim and the chopper will set down on the canyon floor or on top of the rim, depending on the tour you choose. One of the popular tours you may want to consider is one that descends to the bottom of the canyon, where you get out and enjoy a nice champagne picnic, followed by a relaxing boat ride on the Colorado River that flows along the base of the canyon.
These helicopter tours are basic or deluxe packages. The basic tours take off from Boulder City, which is about thirty minutes outside of Vegas. The deluxe tours on the other hand, take off right from the Vegas Strip, and they even come with free limo transportation to your hotel. Plus, you'll be treated to an aerial view of the resorts on the Strip when your chopper flies back to Vegas.
When you take a helicopter tour out of the South Rim, you get to choose between 30 and 50 minutes of flight time. The short trip is fun and allows you to see some of the main landmarks like the Dragoon Corridor. The longer tour does cost a little more, but you get a lot more air time, and you are treated to many fantastic views including the Dragoon Corridor.
Touring By Plane
You'll see the same sights on an airplane tour because they follow the same routes as the helicopter tours, the only difference is the airplanes fly at a higher altitude. The plane tours cost less too, so they are a good choice if you need to watch your money. The airplanes can land on top of the West Rim, and once there, you can transfer to a helicopter and descend to the canyon floor, or you can explore the top of the rim, and take in the Grand Canyon Skywalk.
The airplanes that fly out of Vegas can tour the South Rim too, and these are great opportunities for sightseeing. You can upgrade your plane tour to include a 2 1/2 hour bus tour of the Grand Canyon National Park at the South Rim. Plus, you can add on a helicopter tour of the South Rim too.
You can also catch an airplane tour at the South Rim, and you'll fly along the same route as the 50-minute chopper tours. All these South Rim air tours originate from the airport in Tusayan, which is near the main gates at the South Rim. Airplane tours are also a great option if you'll be traveling with a larger group, since it will be hard to find seats for everyone on the same chopper.
Touring By Bus
You can catch a bus tour from Vegas that goes to the South Rim or the West Rim. Grand Canyon bus tours are the most affordable way to see this wonder of nature. The buses take off early each morning from the Strip, and they last a full day. Since it will be around 9 pm when you get back to Vegas after your bus tour, you probably won't want to schedule show or dinner reservations for the same day.
The North Rim closes down during the winter and opens up again in March. There are still two rims left to visit. You can go to the West or South Rim. You can begin one of these tours in the city of Vegas or from the South Rim.
Tours out of Vegas go to the West or the South Rim. If you'll begin your tour at the South Rim, you'll have to tour that part of the Grand Canyon because those tour do not make it to the West Rim.
Beginning your tour in Vegas has its benefits, because that way, you have the most tour options. Depending on your preferences and budget, you can tour by airplane, helicopter, or motor coach. However, the airplane tours are the only ones that operate on Christmas day.
Helicopter Tours
Helicopter tours originating in Las Vegas head only to the West Rim, because the South Rim is too far from the city. You can take a landing tour to the West Rim and the chopper will set down on the canyon floor or on top of the rim, depending on the tour you choose. One of the popular tours you may want to consider is one that descends to the bottom of the canyon, where you get out and enjoy a nice champagne picnic, followed by a relaxing boat ride on the Colorado River that flows along the base of the canyon.
These helicopter tours are basic or deluxe packages. The basic tours take off from Boulder City, which is about thirty minutes outside of Vegas. The deluxe tours on the other hand, take off right from the Vegas Strip, and they even come with free limo transportation to your hotel. Plus, you'll be treated to an aerial view of the resorts on the Strip when your chopper flies back to Vegas.
When you take a helicopter tour out of the South Rim, you get to choose between 30 and 50 minutes of flight time. The short trip is fun and allows you to see some of the main landmarks like the Dragoon Corridor. The longer tour does cost a little more, but you get a lot more air time, and you are treated to many fantastic views including the Dragoon Corridor.
Touring By Plane
You'll see the same sights on an airplane tour because they follow the same routes as the helicopter tours, the only difference is the airplanes fly at a higher altitude. The plane tours cost less too, so they are a good choice if you need to watch your money. The airplanes can land on top of the West Rim, and once there, you can transfer to a helicopter and descend to the canyon floor, or you can explore the top of the rim, and take in the Grand Canyon Skywalk.
The airplanes that fly out of Vegas can tour the South Rim too, and these are great opportunities for sightseeing. You can upgrade your plane tour to include a 2 1/2 hour bus tour of the Grand Canyon National Park at the South Rim. Plus, you can add on a helicopter tour of the South Rim too.
You can also catch an airplane tour at the South Rim, and you'll fly along the same route as the 50-minute chopper tours. All these South Rim air tours originate from the airport in Tusayan, which is near the main gates at the South Rim. Airplane tours are also a great option if you'll be traveling with a larger group, since it will be hard to find seats for everyone on the same chopper.
Touring By Bus
You can catch a bus tour from Vegas that goes to the South Rim or the West Rim. Grand Canyon bus tours are the most affordable way to see this wonder of nature. The buses take off early each morning from the Strip, and they last a full day. Since it will be around 9 pm when you get back to Vegas after your bus tour, you probably won't want to schedule show or dinner reservations for the same day.
To help you get the best Grand Canyon tour, expert author and
journalist Kelly Kirbee recommends using these 5 tips to save money and
time:
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