Hi,

I will be in LAS for 5 days at the end of May and am planning on a trip to the the Grand Canyon ( spent a few hours a few years ago touring the South Rim)

There seems to be two main options ( not interested in whitewater rafting or overnighting on this trip)

(1) Helicopter trip ( to the West rim) and land inside the canyon for the snack with a trip via Papillon helicopeters for example?- some tours only go down 1500 ft but papillon goes to 4000ft down

or

(2) A flight from LAS to the Grand Canyon airport ( south rim) followed by a tour and free time at the South rim by for example Scenic airlines.

Which tour would give a better ( brief) view of the canyon ( I have heard the west rim is less scenic but going down to almost the base sounds foun) but the South rim would enable a brief trek down one of the trails ( I 'm only talking a 15-30mins walk max and have read all the warning notices). Would look forward to take lots of pictures with my digital camere( edit at home!! :D )

Has any body done both tours and what did you prefer?

Thanks for any advice

Regards

TBS

Hi The _Banking_Scot ,
Having done [b] late last year, I'd recommend [a], if it is less time to get there and you go into the canyon.
The Scenic flight was OK, but the bus trip from the Strip (3AM?) was long and the return bus longer (probably due to us being amongst the furthest Sth-Strip at MGM). It was a long day.

We were both a little disappointed in the canyon itself (only viewing from the top plus the flyover). We had the tour which inclued a bus tour to several places (instead of the free-time), and this was OK, but still a little disappointing. I took lots of photos but didn't get anything outstanding as we flew out at sunrise so missed being on the rim at that time... :(

I'd also appreciate reviews on the Papillon tour, including the impression of flying into the canyons... Just bear in mind the safety record of choppers compared to the plane.
Our return flight from the canyon was extremely choppy, which followed a nice big brunch...fortunately no sick bags were used in this trip. I believe the chopper is less 'choppy'.

Another option: Do the plane trip (arriving daytime to check-in somewhere then watch a canyon sunset) and stay in a lodge overnight and return the following afternoon. Is this possible?

hi BiziBB,

Thanks for your comments.

I have just returned from LAS/PHX and the Canyon.

I booked the Scenic Airlines Overnight tour to the Canyon ( just a few $ more than the day tour $274.

Plan: 130pm pick up from Mandalay Bay ( actual pick up time 2pm)
3pm flight from North LV to the Canyon South Rim ( actually left 330pm)

Wonderful views of Lake Mead/Hoover Dam and the Canyon enroute.

After waiting a few minutes for our luggage on another plane we were bussed to Yavapai Lodge ( keys handed out whilst on the ground) with a trip past Mather point.

I took the shuttle to Yavapai point then the two shuttles( free) to Hopi point for sunset- a wonderful experience. Although there are hundreds of people there , a short walk gets you almost alone.
After sunset the park service runs shuttles back to the central area alomsto continuously until all people are cleared.

Once back at Yavapai you could do with a torch as there is no light from the cafeteria to the lodges.

The rooms itself was nice than i had anticipated with comfortable beds a good bath/shower,ceiling fan and a good tv. Rooms were quiet. There is also an ice machine for every two sections ( 20 rooms?)

In the morning ( 445 am) a bus was laid on for sunrise ( at mather point)- lots of tourist buses there also then back to the lodge about 545am.

After a quick breakfast ( I had a smoothie and cereal from the cafeteria which i bought the night before) I walked through the pine forest to the rim past the ampetheatre and suddenly the full majesty of the canyon hits you ( and as it is 630am it feels you have the canyon to yourself)

I walked to the Bright Angel trailhead and walked down a couple of hundred feet before returningtio the rim ( grabbed coffe/oj/bagel at the Bright angel lodge). There was a mule train being prepared and at the top of the rim warnig posters about the dangers of walking down unprepared ( the story of a 24 year old boston Marathon runner who died whilst walking the trail)

I walked back to Yavapai for a shower before the 930 am bus pick up, 10am arrival at the airport (1115 flight- actually 1145) before arriving back at the North LV ariport about 1pm ( bags were on another plane and were told it would be delivered later so we took the bus and after several hotels dropped back at M Bay about 2pm). the bags came about 8pm.

Overall a wonderful experience ( but with these tours a bit of time is spend being picked up at LV hotels and waiting at airports both ends)

Regards

TBS

..I booked the Scenic Airlines Overnight tour to the Canyon

...Overall a wonderful experience
Regards
TBS

Hi TBS,
Thank you for this trip report; did you take any sunrise/sunset photos that did the experience justice, that you'd care to share? To get to see the canyon at both times makes your decision to stay overnight an excellent one. ^
Cheers :)

Overall a wonderful experience ( but with these tours a bit of time is spend being picked up at LV hotels and waiting at airports both ends)

TBS, that was a great overview of the experience at the Grand Canyon. I would add that it is easy and cheap to rent a car in LAS. Enterprise has their $9.99 / day weekend special which is perfect for these jaunts.

Driving to VGT aka North Las Vegas Airport is very straightforward:
Get on 15 North at Russell/Tropicana/Flamingo/Spring Mountain/Sahara/Charleston. Take it to 95 North. The first on 95 is Rancho. Get off here and go right at the stoplight. Drive about 5 miles just past the Fiesta Hotel, the airport will be on your right hand side. Parking used to be free, but I have not ridden Scenic is over a year.

Apparently, the airport may also run its own shuttle service. See http://www.mccarran.com/ga_nlv.asp for details.

Ideally, I would like to do both West & South Rims, but I can't find a plane tour that includes both, so I may have to bounce back to Vegas again. Something like Sat. Oct. 27 noonish flight to the West Rim, down into the Canyon, then that evening (or following morning) fly (or bus) onward to South Rim, to tour it on Sun.
Forfeit the return flight to make my way by bus/train/car southward to Flagstaff, Sedona, & Phoenix. Fly onward or home from PHX on Thu. or Fri. Nov. 1--2.