|
Because the weather's heavenly and the air's at its clearest (greater visibility and truly amazing views!), I think this is the perfect time for Grand Canyon tours. So why wait until later? Grand Canyon National Park's got plenty of things to do and it's one of the most easily accessed of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World! Many Grand Canyon tours start from Las Vegas, but other folks come from somewhere in Arizona, like Phoenix, Flagstaff or Sedona. If you'll be coming from AZ, you'll probably head for the South Rim. Vegas-based travelers can choose either the South or the West Rim. South Rim Trips Most folks arriving from Arizona drive to Tusayan, AZ (just outside the South Rim's main gates) and then take a plane or helicopter tour. There are two kinds of helicopter tours. The cheapest is a 30-minute-flight and the other is a deluxe 50-minute flight. The shorter one flies from the South Rim to the North Rim and back. The longer flight does that too, but adds everything in the Park up to its eastern boundary. The plane tour follows a route that's similar to the 50-minute chopper tour, but its less expensive. The planes fly at higher altitudes, though, which is a drawback for some folks. Many consider the South Rim the "official" Grand Canyon, and, technically, it is. If you are Vegas, you can see it, but you'll have to take an airplane flight. I personally find the airplane flight the ultimate way to get from LV to the SR because it only takes 60 minutes (versus a 5.5-hour bus ride). Plus you get up to two hours inside the National Park via luxury bus. FYI - You can upgrade bus and airplane tours to include a 30-minute South Rim helicopter ride. West Rim Trips The West Rim is only 120 miles from the Las Vegas Strip, thus making WR tours incredibly popular. Choices include plane, helicopter, bus and rafting (in-season) tours. Airplanes get you to the WR in 30 minutes. Buses take about 2.5 hours. Helicopters cover the trip in 45 minutes. Coach tours depart daily at 7 a.m. and can be upgraded to include Colorado River rafting trips, helicopter rides to the bottom and more. Plane tours land on the top, but you can also add the rafting trip and/or the chopper flight. Special note: The West Rim is the only place where helicopters are allowed to land on the bottom, so this is one of those truly special things to do. RSVP & Deals Tours to the Grand Canyon are in high-demand and so I suggest you purchase your tickets at least a week ahead of time. One of two things will happen if you wait until the day before the tour: 1. you'll pay a king's ransom; or 2. you'll get a tour you don't want or worse you won't get a tour at all. What's the moral of the story? Booking in advance saves money. Lots of it. And it gets you the tour your want. Yes, there are deals out there, but remember, your time is valuable so don't knock yourself out. The most efficient way to get a fair deal is to book online via the tour operator's website. If you come across a deal that's too good to be true, well, it's too good to be true. I try hard to avoid these. You'll get the best rates (up to 30% off retail!) as long as you complete your purchase transaction on the tour company's site - you'll get a great Internet discount. Do that and all that's left is to kick back and get pumped up for your trip of a lifetime! ---------------------TRAVEL ADVISORY Travel reviewer Justine M. is a specialist on Grand Canyon National Park tours. She recommends looking at these money-saving articles on canyon excursions as well as this web page that rates the top tour companies: http://grandcanyoncheap.com/
Related Articles -
grand canyon helicopters, grand canyon flights, grand canyon tours, las vegas helicopters, las vegas tours, promotions, specials, deals, reviews, trav,
| 
