Las Vegas was our very first time flying in a helicopter, and what an incredible flight it was! Not only was it our first heli flight, but we were flying over the Grand Canyon that lies across Nevada and Arizona. What an incredible experience.
The Grand Canyon is located pretty close to Las Vegas, and flying over the top in a helicopter is one of the best ways to experience this epic UNESCO World Heritage Site.
There is endless beautiful scenery of the canyon from a helicopter, stretching for miles and miles in all directions.
About our scenic flight
We had booked our flight over the Grand Canyon with Papillon, who offer a number of incredible Grand Canyon experience from Las Vegas. The afternoon of our flight we were picked up from our hotel (shuttle transfers were included in the package) and driven out about an hour to Boulder City Airport, where our flight would depart from.
Flying with Papillon was a breeze, they made the whole situation so easy and exciting. We had a great pilot, who knew a lot about the Grand Canyon and the surrounding areas as well as Las Vegas. He had some fantastic stories to share about his flying experiences.
The only thing getting in my way on this adventure was that I was still so unwell. And unfortunately, the extremely small cabin of the helicopter, paired with my middle seat, really exaggerated my claustrophobia and motion sickness. So I spent most of the flight concentrating on being okay (and not throwing up), and not concentrating on taking photos, which is really annoying, and explains the lack of decent photos in this post.
Booking your helicopter tour
There are heaps of different tour options you can choose for your flight over the Grand Canyon, so there’s something to suit everyone’s budget and desires.
For the best views make sure you book a flight that includes flying over Lake Mead, Hoover Dam and the Colorado River, as well as the Grand Canyon.
One of the most popular choices is the Golden Eagle Air Tour, which is great for people like us who don’t have a lot of time but want to see as much of the Grand Canyon as possible. It goes for about 3.5 to 4 hours and prices start from $264 AUD per person.
For a more intimate experience, the Grand Celebration Tour is a fantastic upgrade. The helicopter actually lands in the bottom of the canyon, where you can get out and have a look around while enjoying a champagne picnic. The celebration option starts from $354 AUD and takes 4 to 4.5 hours.
For more of a budget option there is also the Highlights Air Tour, where you jump on-board a small plane instead of a helicopter. These flights start from $149 and take about 4 hours.
Check out the best places to stay in Las Vegas
There are heaps of different companies that fly over the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas though, so it’s a good idea to shop around before you book in your flight to make sure you get the best deal and the best tour choice around.
To find out more and book your flight check out all the options HERE.
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