An article dedicated to tours to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas, an essential excursion in the West Coast of the United States (especially the tour to the Grand Canyon by helicopter).
Note: as entering the United States is a bit intricate, in this article I explain all the requirements to travel to the United States: visa, ESTA, vaccination certificate…
Excursion and tours to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas by helicopter and / or tourist bus
For those who can’t stay overnight in the Grand Canyon area or haven’t been able to book a Grand Canyon helicopter tour from the National Park Heliport, there is the option of taking a Grand Canyon tour from Las Vegas (one of the top three things what to see in the United States ).
Tours to the Grand Canyon can be either by helicopter or by tourist bus
Grand Canyon tours from Las Vegas by helicopter
The most spectacular of all tours to the Grand Canyon is, without a doubt, the one that uses the helicopter as a means of transport. This is one of the most brutal experiences I remember from my trip and I recommend it 100% (I did it from the National Park itself).
It is important to note that the area of the canyon seen during the Grand Canyon tour from Las Vegas IS NOT THE SAME as the one seen leaving from the park’s heliport.
In it you can see several areas in different colors.
- Ingreen, on the left, the part corresponding to Grand Canyon West is visible . This is the one that is visited on all tours to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas, since it is the closest to the city.
- In red the part corresponding to the Havasupai Indian Reservation , located in a tributary canyon of the Colorado.
- Inblue, the part corresponding to the Grand Canyon National Park, the farthest from Las Vegas (and the closest to Page, in Arizona). This is the one you fly over leaving from the park itself.
Why am I telling all this stuff?
Because the widest area of the canyon is the one that corresponds to the National Park, while the Grand Canyon West, although deep, is not as wide. In both you will enjoy the experience but the area of the National Park is huge.
Grand Canyon helicopter tour : price
That said, the Grand Canyon helicopter tour options from Las Vegas can be booked in two ways, either through the Civitatis website , or through the local company Papillon (this is the one I booked).
The helicopter tour to the Grand Canyon has a price that is around 400 euros (the cheapest, with Papillon, which is sometimes cheaper according to temporary discounts) and 550. In Civitatis it is around 480.
This variety of prices depends on the duration of the tour (there are from 3 hours to 7 and a half hours). In all cases, the helicopter lands and the Grand Canyon tour is completed with a visit by land to some points (such as the famous Skywalk, the glass walkway of the Grand Canyon West).
NOTE: Due to rising fuel prices, all Grand Canyon helicopter tours have a fuel surcharge of approximately $15-$20 per passenger.
Types of Grand Canyon helicopter tours with duration and descriptions:
These are some of the tours to the Grand Canyon by helicopter from Las Vegas (on the Papillon website that I put before there are multiple versions, but these are the most common):
| Tour (with link) | Characteristic | Duration |
| Golden Eagle Air Tour (Papillon) | This is the ideal tour for those who are short on time and want to see as much of the Grand Canyon as possible. This tour includes aerial views of Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, as well as the Grand Canyon. | 3 hours and a half / 4 hours |
| Helicopter tour with Civitatis | Helicopter ride from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon, descent to the bottom of the Canyon. Scenic flight over the Las Vegas Strip. | 3 hours and a half / 4 hours |
| Grand Celebration Tour (Papillon) | Aerial views of Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and Grand Canyon West. This tour lands at the bottom of the canyon on a private plateau overlooking the Colorado River. | 4 hours / 4 hours and a half |
| Golden Eagle + Las Vegas Strip (Papillon) | This flight does something similar to the Golden Eagle, although it spends less time in the areas of Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon (it does not descend to the bottom of the Canyon). It also flies over part of the Las Vegas Strip | 3 hours / 3 hours and a half |
| VIP at the Rim Helicopter Tour | One of the most complete excursions to the Grand Canyon. It allows to observe it from above and from below (right to the edge). Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam are also flown over. It is optional to add a pass for the Skywalk Bridge. | 7 hours |
NOTE: For everything to do and see at the Grand Canyon, check out this article . For some tips on visiting the Grand Canyon in one day, check out thisother one.
Grand Canyon tour from Las Vegas by hop-on hop-off bus
Tours to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas by tourist bus are the other option to visit this wonder of nature. This excursion to the Grand Canyon is made from Las Vegas through different companies and lasts a full day. These tours reach as far as the Grand Canyon West area, where the Skywalk is.
To see information on prices and reservations for the tour to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas on the Civitatis website, see here and to see them on the website of the local company Papillon, see here .
What is the best time to go to the Grand Canyon?
The best time to go to the Grand Canyon is from spring to autumn, although in summer the heat can be very high and the place gets quite crowded, so you have to book everything in advance.
How do you get to the Grand Canyon
Getting to the Grand Canyon can be done by road (by car, public transportation, or guided bus tour) or by air. In this article about the helicopter tour over the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas or from the National Park I tell it all.
Are Grand Canyon helicopter tours safe?
From my experience, I would say a resounding «yes.» The security measures were taken care of at all times and have now increased even more due to Covid-19.
Discountin your travel insurance for USA:
I have been traveling with insurance for a long time, but for places like the United States it becomes a ESSENTIAL . Not because it is dangerous, but because any health care , no matter how small , costs a lot (a sprain, gastroenteritis…).
Besides, due to Covid-19 , many countries are requesting compulsory travel insurance to enter the country (USA one of them).
Therefore, I tell you that, through my blog you can have the following discount with the Mondo company 👇
Characteristics and coverage of Mondo insurance
- Coverage : from 500,000 euros (up to 5,000,000 in Premium coverage).
- Covid coverage , which includes:
- Medical expenses, health transfer and repatriation due to Covid-19 disease .
- Travel PCR test : expenses derived from the test if it has been prescribed by a doctor.
- Expenses derived from extension of stay due to medical quarantine .
- Discount previous PCR test .
- Travel assistance app , which has:
- 24h medical chat
- Free assistance call through the App.
- Management of incidents.
In addition, Mondo has the option of adding cancellation insurance , which seems essential to me today due to the instability that exists due to Covid (in recent months I have had to cancel up to 6 trips…)
