subject: Different Types Of Grand Canyon Tours [print this page] The Grand Canyon is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the U.S. People from all over the globe come to Arizona to witness the canyon's spectacular scenery, and most of them take guide trips, either in the air (by plane or helicopter) or on the ground (by motor coach, Jeep, hiking or horse/mule).
If you're starting out from Las Vegas, you can choose between Grand Canyon tours of the South or 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:
Helicopter Tours
Even though you can take a helicopter tour at either rim, the South Rim is too far for the helicopters that fly from Vegas. 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 makes this tour almost a must-do experience, especially since you're able to add an optional boat ride down the Colorado River. Landing tours that include optional VIP passes to the West Rim's Grand Canyon Skywalk are also extremely popular.
Things are different at the South Rim; there helicopters must stay above the level of the rim. So, South Rim helicopter tours fly rim-to-rim or take a route that lets you see almost the entire National Park. 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.
Tours By Motor Coach
If you are leaving from Vegas, you can also choose a guided bus tour of the South Rim of the West Rim. Both of these tour destinations allow for a stop over at the Hoover Dam so you can take photographs. Since tours to the West Rim are usually flexible, you could even add in a chopper descent to the Colorado River on the canyon floor where you could enjoy a leisurely boat ride.
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
Airplane tours of the Grand Canyon are available for the South Rim and West Rim. You can choose from landing or air-only tours, but landing tours are only permitted at the West Rim. If you do take a West Rim landing tour, I strongly recommend adding a chopper flight to the bottom and the boat ride down the Colorado. Or, you could add passes to the fabulous Grand Canyon Skywalk. If you choose a plane tour to the South Rim, your pilot will follow the same route as the helicopters take that fly to the South Rim.
Guide Trips by Raft
Smooth-water rafting (much different from whitewater rafting) is offered at both rims, but only between April and November. From Las Vegas, you'll take a helicopter to the starting point at the base of Hoover Dam. From there, you'll float 11 miles down the river to Willow Beach, Arizona. The rafting tours at the South Rim begin at Glen Canyon Dam in Page, Arizona and take you fifteen miles down river to historic Lee's Ferry; you can take a luxury bus or airplane from Vegas to Glen Canyon Dam.
All of the tour options to the West Rim whether by plane, raft or helicopter, arrange for you to be picked up and dropped off right at your hotel in Vegas. Plane, chopper and bus tours include lunch and the services of a professional tour guide. Rafting tours of the South Rim also include shuttle service, but you will need to find a way to the Grand Canyon Airport on your own if you want to take an aerial tour of the South Rim.
All of these exciting guided tours of the Grand Canyon are so popular that seats fill up quickly; be sure to reserve you space well in advance so you don't get shut out. Remember to check the tour operators' websites before you book your seat so you can take advantage of current specials and coupons. Just make sure you complete your entire purchase online or you won't receive the special Internet discount.
Just don't wait to buy your tickets after you get to Vegas. The Grand Canyon tour you like may be sold out and if you do find one, you will have to pay more than you would by getting advance tickets.
