Is it s tiring drive? is it better to take a bus tour or helicopter/plane?

A look at the south rim of the grand canyon from atop at Mather Point. April 2008

Duration : 0:0:18

Read the rest of this entry

Looking off of the edge of The Altar in Grand Canyon South Rim. Kind of windy.

help me please! I see so many tours from LV to grand canyon. Which one do I take? I DONT want a long bus ride, so helicopter is key. I just want to ge thte most for my money. Which is the most knowledgable tour to take? I am terrible at planning so thanks for your help in advance!!!

Grand Canyon airplane tours of the South Rim are the ultimate way to see as much of the National Park as you humanely can in one day. If this flight is not at the top of your “must-do” list, here are seven reasons why it should be:

1. This tour will show you more of the Grand Canyon than any other. Leave from Grand Canyon Airport, AZ, which is located in the small town of Tusayan. Flight goes east along the South Rim, where you’ll see Zuni Point, the Zuni Corridor (where the Little Colorado joins the Colorado River), the Desert Watchtower, the Painted Desert, and the Navajo Indian Reservation. That’s just the halfway point. On the return, you parallel the fabulous North Rim, before banking left for the airstrip and entering the Dragoon Corridor, the widest, deepest part of the canyon. You’ll see in 50 minutes what would take days on the ground.

2. Just large Vistaliner fixed-wing aircraft are flown. This aircraft is not a bi-plane. It’s a twin-engine, commercial-class aircraft that seats 19 people. Built from tail to tip for sightseeing, the climate-controlled, high-winged Vistaliner comes with over-sized windows, plush seats, and personal headsets. The plane is engineered to be aerodynamic for the smoothest flight possible.

3. The Las Vegas Grand Canyon South Rim airplane flight is the quickest way to the National Park. It’s just a 45-minute ride, which makes the 5.5-hour bus feel like an eternity. Your flight includes Lake Mead and Hoover Dam as it follows the Colorado River to Grand Canyon Airport, AZ. This tour also features a bus trip to the rim plus lunch. Bundling a helicopter ride is also an option.

4. Lets you include a float trip down the Colorado River. Flight leaves Grand Canyon Airport and heads east, taking in Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Dam before making its descent at Page, AZ. There, you’ll board a pontoon boat and start a 15.5-mile float trip down the Colorado River until you reach Lee’s Ferry. Runs from late March to November. Open to kids four years and older.

5. In-flight narration is available in 16 languages. German, Spanish, French, Japanese, Chinese…it’s all here. The Grand Canyon’s history, science, and landmarks are all revealed in this unobtrusive narrative. You’ll know as much as a Park Ranger when you deplane.

6. It’s incredibly safe. Each South Rim airplane flight is manned by two pilots, both of whom are certified by the FAA. Aircraft come with a TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System) and a GPWS (Ground Proximity Warning System). Grand Canyon airspace is strictly controlled, and all sightseeing tours operate under FAA rules applicable to charter air transportation. It doesn’t get any safer than this.

7. It’s cheap. Expect to pay around $120 per person. That’s a major deal considering how much Grand Canyon sightseeing you get. To get this rock-bottom deal, book online. As a travel reviewer, I purchase tickets regularly online. I can tell you from personal experience that it’s safe and secure. I’ve also never had an reservation SNAFU’s, either.

Grand Canyon airplane tours cover more of the canyon than any other form of transportation. In all, you’ll see the South, East, and North Rims, as well as spectacular Glen Canyon Dam and the vibrant colors of the Painted Desert. No other tour delivers half as much. Your safety is job one, too. From professionally trained pilots to the state-of-the-art Vistaliner aircraft, you’re cleared for take off. Definitely book your tour on the Internet and look to pay about $120 per person. Ready to take to the skies? Do it aboard a South Rim Vistaliner aircraft. It’s the ultimate way to experience this natural wonder.

Don’t take a canyon airplane flight until you read travel writer Keith Kravitz’s tour reviews at http://www.GrandCanyonAirplaneTours.net

See as much of the South Rim as possible in a day? Take a Grand Canyon Airplane tour. In under an hour, this flight covers half of the national park. When it comes to canyon sightseeing, no other trip tops it.

Flights leave year round from Grand Canyon Airport, located in the Tusayan, the small town just 10 minutes from the national park’s main entrance. The airport is a flurry of activity (including helicopter) and serves as the primary base for incoming and outgoing South Rim air traffic.

In most cases you’ll board a Vistaliner, a sightseeing aircraft equipped with specially designed windows that offer full, unobstructed views. In addition, most planes include in-flight narration about fascinating facts and history about the Grand Canyon as you fly above it.

Air tours start by heading for the eastern part of the Canyon. On this part of the flight you’ll cross Zuni Point and the Zuni Corridor, fly past the Desert View Watchtower, skim the Painted Desert, and hover over the Navajo Indian Reservation.

The airplane will turn at majestic Temple Butte and begin its return flight along the North Rim to the South Rim, where you’ll get great aerial views of the Kaibab Plateau and Kaibab National Forest. Imperial Point, the highest in the canyon, will come into view as the tour wends its way westward then south over Dragon Corridor, the widest and most open part of the canyon.

Total tour time averages about 50 minutes. If you want great photos and the best views, get a seat on the right side of the plane. Prices are usually around $125 for adults and $90 for children. Get the best price by booking online.

There’s a Las Vegas Grand Canyon South Rim airplane tour that leaves from Sin City and arrives at the South Rim in 45 minutes. The flight over follows the Colorado River, letting you see all of the West Rim area. At Grand Canyon Airport, you’ll transfer to a luxury bus and drive to the edge. The guided bus tour lasts up to three hours and includes stops at some of the rim’s excellent lookouts like Mather Point, Hermit’s Rest, and Yavapai Observation Center.

If you want to see the most Grand Canyon in a day, airplane tours are the way to go. The basic flight takes in three rims and flies as far east as the Navajo Indian Reservation. The Las Vegas South Rim flight lets you see all of the West Rim before touching down at Grand Canyon airport. With tours like these, why scratch the surface when you can cover the canyon to the max?

Grand Canyon plane rides are the best way to explore the South Rim. Before you go, check out travel writer Keith Kravitz’ tour operator reviews at: http://www.GrandCanyonAirplaneTours.net

South Rim, Grand Canyon, Rim Trail 3/7/2010

Grand canyon sight seeing by helicopter – how much it costs? Which is the good place to start the journey to have some good views?

My trip to the Grand Canyon. It was truly majestic, everyone must see this in person. Everything you see is on the west rim of the canyon.

Duration : 0:4:46

Read the rest of this entry

Las Vegas bus tours to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon are an excellent way to spend a day. Cheap, fun, and affordable, these tours are a must-do. However, before plunking down your hard-earned travel dollars, here are 7 things you need to consider:

1. It takes 5.5 hours to make the 270-mile drive to the South Rim. Tours include up to three hours at the rim. Visitors will return to their hotel on The Strip around 9 p.m. Conservatively, budget 15 hours for this trip.

2. Check if your Hoover Dam photo stop includes the new bypass bridge. The new Mike O’Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge opened in October 2010 and it’s a sight to behold. Even better is walking across it. The thrill comes from being suspended 900 feet above the Colorado River. And the view of Hoover Dam is incredible.

3. Make sure your tour includes lunch. This is a long trip. Breakfast will get you as far as Kingman, AZ (make sure to load up on snacks here). The box lunch you get is OK. If you get hungry, I strongly recommend dining at the restaurant inside the Bright Angel Lodge. The food is fabulous and the portions are huge.

4. Dress appropriately. During summer, bring a hat, sunscreen, lots of water, and loose clothing like long-sleeved shirts and pants. Windbreakers are a good idea, too. Winter is cold at the South Rim, even on sunny days. Stay warm by dressing in layers. Pack a cap or a beanie, as well as gloves, a scarf, and a medium-weight coat. Wear sturdy shoes and get a pair of YakTrakz walker crampons to beat the ice.

5. Get a copy of “The Guide.” This is a fantastic publication put out by the Park Service. It’s updated every quarter and contains all the information you need about the Park’s history, facilities, museums, restaurants, gift shops, and the free shuttle bus system. Think of it as the park’s “bible.”

6. Not all lookouts are created equal. The best ones are Mather Point, Yaki Point, Yavapai Observation Station, and Hermit’s Rest. Do sunrise at Mather and sunset at Hopi Point. Behind Bright Angel Lodge is the Rim Trail, from which the views are excellent (below you will see Indian Gardens and Phantom Ranch).

7. If you hike down into the canyon, make sure you can get back to the top. South Rim trails are world-class. But they are steep. I recommend taking a 15-minute to 30-minute walk down and then turning back. During the summer, bring lots of water and a salty snack like trail mix during the summer. Take lots of breaks going up. There’s no rush. Stand to the side to let mule trains pass.

The Grand Canyon South Rim bus tour is a Las Vegas traveler favorite. And for good reason. It’s cheap, includes lunch and all park entrance fees, and it’s done on a state-of-the-art luxury bus. It’s also a sightseeing paradise. En route, you see Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, the Mojave Desert, the Kaibab Plateau, and the South Rim. If you want the cheapest and most enjoyable way to experience the South Rim, an all-inclusive bus tour will totally fit the bill.

Travel writer Keith Kravitz spotlights the best South Rim bus tours at http://www.GrandCanyonBusDeals.com