In all the years I’ve been to Las Vegas, I’ve never ventured out to the Grand Canyon National Park.
It’s been on my “travel to-do” list for a while now, since this was Sophia’s first visit to Las Vegas, we made sure we fully got to experience the Grand Canyon!
We decided to the Grand Canyon Connoisseur with Helicopter tour of the South Rim with Grand Canyon Scenic Airline Tours on our second to last day.
Our day began with a pick-up at 5am at the Carriage House with a bus trip to a small airport in Boulder City. This is where we boarded a small 12-seater plane that crosses the North and South Rims of the Grand Canyon to a helipad where we would take the tour.
That initial plane ride was almost as good as the helicopter tour! It was fantastic being in a small plane as it shook and went up and down with the loud roaring of the engines only dampened by the headsets we had to wear.
I’ve never experienced a small plane like that, but I thought it was really awesome!
Side note: I felt a bit like I was on an Indiana Jones adventure!
The views from the plane were also breathtaking, including a ride over the Hoover Dam.
If you’re deciding if you should do the helicopter tour or the plane tour over the Grand Canyon – both are equally great and you won’t be disappointed!
Finally we arrived at Papillon Grand Canyon Helipad.
This is where four of us boarded the small red helicopter that took us on a 30 minute tour over the South Rim!
The pictures speak for themselves, but they still can’t do justice to the grandiose nature of the Grand Canyon!
The helicopter ride and visit to the Grand Canyon fulfilled two dreams of a lifetime!
We then ventured on with a great driver who took us on a ground tour for about an hour. This gave us a chance to sightsee the area and local visitor sites.
Afterwards, we had another excellent plane ride back to Boulder City, where we continued on to Las Vegas, just in time for lunch (around 1pm) at the Bacchanal Buffet at Caesar’s Palace!
Don’t forget to check out A week in Vegas.
[02-21-2018]
Hi, I’m Jason Wingate and I caught the travel bug a few years ago with my wife Sophia Bello. Together, we’ve been travelling the world and sharing our experiences here on our blog, hoping to inspire and help you on your own journey!