Vegas - Grand Canyon Helicopter tours.

[brummieboy]

Can anyone recomend the best helicopter tour from vegas to the Grand Canyon, also is best to try and book it online before I go or try to get a deal when I've over there?

[The_nun]

This one looks pretty butt clenching.
http://www.c00lstuff.com/951/Flying_through_a_tight_canyon_in_a_Bell_206_helicopter/

[Dewi_cool]

This one looks pretty butt clenching.
http://www.c00lstuff.com/951/Flying_through_a_tight_canyon_in_a_Bell_206_helicopter/

bit of a tight canyon for the Grand Canyon, I thought

[AndrewT]

Copied from 2+2

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Since i've just gone through the hassle of ringing just about every company in Vegas I might as well share my experience with you guys.

Basically if you are booking a helicopter tour, you are going to be flying with one of four companies. This means every "tour operator" you see in a magazine, advertised on the strip, on a website etc, all charters these 4 companies so you may as well deal with them direct. These are the people that actually own the choppers:

http://www.lvhelicopters.com
http://www.papillon.com
http://www.maverickhelicopter.com
http://www.heliusa.com

They all have a variety of packages so just decide what you want to do and choose a suitable package. Most leave in early morning (like 7am pickup). The main activities that are offered on these tours seem to be:

Flight over Lake Mead/Hoover Dam etc
Skywalk
Champagne lunch at bottom of canyon
Walking through Indian village
15 minute pontoon river ride down colorado river
Flight back over Vegas Strip at night

If you omit the skywalk they tend to be about half price, and obviously not all the tours have the river ride.

Try not to make the mistake of not booking in advance (like I did) otherwise you'll have to miss out on the cool **** like skywalk/river ride.

I can't verify this, but apparently the skywalk has a no cameras policy. Apparently they have metal detectors and **** to make sure you don't take them on, since they want to take photos of you and then sell them to you. A friend of a friend of mine slipped the camera into the back of his shoe heel and it was all gravy. A bit cheeky but if you don't wanna pay $25 for a photo of yourself then it might be worth a shot

Thats all I got

[The_nun]

oooops

[brummieboy]

Copied from 2+2

------
Since i've just gone through the hassle of ringing just about every company in Vegas I might as well share my experience with you guys.

Basically if you are booking a helicopter tour, you are going to be flying with one of four companies. This means every "tour operator" you see in a magazine, advertised on the strip, on a website etc, all charters these 4 companies so you may as well deal with them direct. These are the people that actually own the choppers:

http://www.lvhelicopters.com
http://www.papillon.com
http://www.maverickhelicopter.com
http://www.heliusa.com

They all have a variety of packages so just decide what you want to do and choose a suitable package. Most leave in early morning (like 7am pickup). The main activities that are offered on these tours seem to be:

Flight over Lake Mead/Hoover Dam etc
Skywalk
Champagne lunch at bottom of canyon
Walking through Indian village
15 minute pontoon river ride down colorado river
Flight back over Vegas Strip at night

If you omit the skywalk they tend to be about half price, and obviously not all the tours have the river ride.

Try not to make the mistake of not booking in advance (like I did) otherwise you'll have to miss out on the cool **** like skywalk/river ride.

I can't verify this, but apparently the skywalk has a no cameras policy. Apparently they have metal detectors and **** to make sure you don't take them on, since they want to take photos of you and then sell them to you. A friend of a friend of mine slipped the camera into the back of his shoe heel and it was all gravy. A bit cheeky but if you don't wanna pay $25 for a photo of yourself then it might be worth a shot

Thats all I got

tyty, had been looking at the top three's websites already, looks like its definately worth booking in advance then.

[AndrewT]

Copied from 2+2

------
Since i've just gone through the hassle of ringing just about every company in Vegas I might as well share my experience with you guys.

Basically if you are booking a helicopter tour, you are going to be flying with one of four companies. This means every "tour operator" you see in a magazine, advertised on the strip, on a website etc, all charters these 4 companies so you may as well deal with them direct. These are the people that actually own the choppers:

http://www.lvhelicopters.com
http://www.papillon.com
http://www.maverickhelicopter.com
http://www.heliusa.com

They all have a variety of packages so just decide what you want to do and choose a suitable package. Most leave in early morning (like 7am pickup). The main activities that are offered on these tours seem to be:

Flight over Lake Mead/Hoover Dam etc
Skywalk
Champagne lunch at bottom of canyon
Walking through Indian village
15 minute pontoon river ride down colorado river
Flight back over Vegas Strip at night

If you omit the skywalk they tend to be about half price, and obviously not all the tours have the river ride.

Try not to make the mistake of not booking in advance (like I did) otherwise you'll have to miss out on the cool **** like skywalk/river ride.

I can't verify this, but apparently the skywalk has a no cameras policy. Apparently they have metal detectors and **** to make sure you don't take them on, since they want to take photos of you and then sell them to you. A friend of a friend of mine slipped the camera into the back of his shoe heel and it was all gravy. A bit cheeky but if you don't wanna pay $25 for a photo of yourself then it might be worth a shot

Thats all I got

tyty, had been looking at the top three's websites already, looks like its definately worth booking in advance then.

Yes - I left it till I went out there to sort it = no helicopter ride for me.

[Royal Flush]

I have friends who used to fly for Maverick and that's who i went with, they have the best A/C for the job in terms of views.

TBH not going to be much difference its the view that is the experience.

[Woodsey]

Been with papillon and maverick, both good. Just do a half day trip its plenty.

[outragous76]

used Sundance - good - 1/2 day plenty

[Royal Flush]

used Sundance - good - 1/2 day plenty

Know a couple of guys who flew with them as well, also supposed to be good.

[Blatch]

any idea who does the flights over the strip at night?

[brummieboy]

any idea who does the flights over the strip at night?

Maverick do the night tours of Vegas for $99

[Sheriff Fatman]

We've used Maverick twice and thought they were excellent.  Both times we booked with them at a booth just across the road from the Stratosphere (coming out of the Strat, cross the road as if you're heading back south down the strip).  Worked out slightly cheaper doing it that way (bit suspicious at first, but done twice that way now with no hassles).

We did the early morning trips both times (got picked up about 6.30am from the hotel) FWIW.