Anyone recommend a grand canyon chopper tour?

[ratty05]

Hi guys, we're heading off on our first disney trip for a looong time (leave 1st Feb) and my daughters (4yo) first ever trip. We have 5 days in LA (3 at disney, 1 at Universal and 1 spare), 4 at San Diego (zoo, safari park, sea world, legoland) and 4 or 5 in vegas (grand canyon, exotics racing and shopping).
I can't decide on which helicopter tour of the canyon to do. My wife would like one that lands at the bottom as well as the top.....and if it does a return sunset trip over the strip would be nice too. Anybody have any previous experience or advice?

 

[PrincessInOz]

I don't have any advice for your specific question...but....

to the Dis.

Hope you have a fabulous trip with the family.


Which helicoptor tour options are you looking at? It might help to provide us with some of the companies you're interested in.

 

[Kangarucci]

In 2010 we, family with 2 teens 15 and 13 yrs, took a chopper which landed on the bottom. Had lunch, sandwich, salad and champagne. The time landed goes very fast, think it was about 20mins. Flew over Hoover Dam. We all had a great time. I think that it was with Sundance Helicopters but we bought it via a third party and paid considerably less than if bought directly through Sundance.

A bonus is that you get picked up and returned from your hotel in a limo. Our flight departed from Vegas there are others that leave from Boulder which is a bit of a drive on a shuttle.

Would highly recommend.

 

[carnival kid]

In 2011 we used Maverick Helicopters. They were really great. The helicopters are all really new and safe looking and all staff are really professional.

Be warned though all helicopter flights are expensive.

 

[carnival kid]

In 2011 we used Maverick Helicopters. They were really great. The helicopters are all really new and safe looking and all staff are really professional.

Be warned though all helicopter flights are expensive.

 

[Sugarglider]

Well - PIO gave you a fly over welcome - no one can beat that! and it was FREE!

I decided not to do a fly over. I decided to go into the National Park where they don't have the helicopter tours. And it was hours of driving to get to West Rim where they do have the tours. I just didn't have enough time to get around to everything in the couple of days I had at the Canyon. I feel happy with going to South rim - it was deeply spectacular and the national parks people do the talks and displays.

also I was in a hire car and the road to west rim is dirt.

 

[Melbourne5]

Hi we used papillon helicopters in 2010. Picked up from hotel and departed from Vegas airport ( quick transfer). Some will offer cheaper prices but go from boulder city which is out of town and takes longer. We had a great pilot. A Japanese lady who lived in Indonesia most of her life then came to Vegas 10 hrs back and has been flying choppers ever since... She was great and the kids liked her. We landed in bottom of canyon on a site next to colorado river and had champagne lunch. All good but it was over 40.0c and one glass went straight to head...so lots of water and soft drink too. On ground 30 m or so which is enough for great pics of canyon,river cactus and helicoptors. All done to music in the chopper. Went over strip on way back. That was pretty good finish to the day. All up about 4 hrs door to door. By bus trip allow 12-14 hrs. Perfect though for us with 3 kids

 

[Kangarucci]

My mistake it was Papillon not Sundance.

 

[ratty05]

Thinking of using sundance, they have one that lands on the bottom, short boat ride and then a few hours up the top including lunch. It says they have an afternoon departure so that should mean we'd return over the strip at sunset. Is it cheapest to pre-book these through sundance themselves or is there a cheaper way?