Helicopter Tour

Would like to take a helicopter tour over the Grand Canyon. Has anyone done this experience? Was it worth the expense and do you recommend your carrier? Thank you and Semper Fi.

A few years ago we did an all day tour with a company called Papillion. It included a fixed wing flight to the canyon and a helicopter flight down to the river. And of course return. Lunch was included as was a run up the river by boat. the helicopter was brand new and purpose built for sightseeing (it ain't no Sea Knight). It was expensive, over $400 a person, but I thought it was worth it. We saw a lot of the Canyon and had a great time.

We were told that the company has an even better trip out of Arizona that goes through the upper Canyon which is even more scenic.

I think you can find trips out of Vegas cheaper. I think it would be great to be able to fly over Hoover dam at the lower altitude that the choppers fly. We flew over the dam in the fixed wing.

As a private pilot I have requested Canyon fly overs just about every time I'm in the area. I have never been granted clearance below 18,000'.

Semper Fi

My cousin & her husband went for a sunset flight to the Grand Canyon several years ago. It was their tenth anniversary. The helicopter landed somewhere around the canyon ( I am not sure exactly where),
broke out the champagne. They then flew as the sun was setting back to the heliport. When asked her husband, how much, all I got was "a lot". He did say it was worth it for their anniversary.

We flew into the bottome, well half way down, of the GC and rode for four wheelers for 4 hrs. It was an actual working ranch that stretched up into Utah. When we got back from the riding they served us a simple but very good Lunch/dinner of a a great pulled BBQ and all the typical sides from a BBQ ranch meal. I remember the beans were really,really good. The only detraction from the trip was the four wheeler ride. A torrential downpour had hit a few days before and washed everything away leaving heavily rutted roads and trails making for an extremely rough gpoing.

One thing that was pretty funny. They offered an optional van ride instead of riding a four wheeler, this was for the older crowd mainly. I remember looking back in a few really rough spots and seeing all those people bouncing up and down, I'm certain heads were hitting the roof. I mean I laughed but I also felt sorry for them, almost 4 hours of that, I was even aching a little.

I'm sorry I don't rememebr the Co. but iyt wasn't cheap, but once in a lifetime so we did it. I think it was like 350 per but it was a while ago, maybe 10 years ago? Anyway it was great, rough ride and all. It would be an absolute blast if it were rut free.