What to Bring on a Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour

You've reserved your Grand Canyon helicopter and you're excited as heck to get up in the air. Before you buckle up, You should first make a list of items to bring. Here's what I recommend you take to help make your trip picture-perfect:

All Climates And Seasons

Extra batteries. It's a picture-taking gold mine up there. Load up on batteries. Digital cameras and camcorders burn through them. Make sure your memory stick is empty or has lots of space left, and bring an extra.

Extra Film. Depending when you go, you will be dealing with various lighting conditions, take film with different ISO speeds. Be ready to shoot no less than a roll both before and after the flight. Allocate a minimum of three rolls for aerial shots.

Hat & Sunglasses. The Arizona sun is bright and strong. Pack strong UV sunglasses, preferably ones that wrap along the contour of your face. Include a brimmed hat to safeguard against sunburn - many of today's helis use 180-degree windshields.

Sun block lotion and Chap Stick. Bring SPF 50 sun block, even on over cast days. Use liberally. Climatic conditions can be dry and windy - a perfect combination for chapped lips.

Summer Season

Comfy walking shoes. You may be able to get by with flip flops on air-only trips. I'd be cautious and wear a good pair of walking shoes or cross-trainers, particularly if you take a excursion that comes with, for example, the Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, a smooth-water float trip, or a flight to the bottom.

Light-weight, loose clothing. The Grand Canyon is hot, particularly in July. I would recommend wearing a shirt made of wicking fabric. Avoid tank tops. Jeans will also protect you from sun and wind. Windbreakers are usually a good idea.

Drinking water. I can not over-emphasize bringing water. Temperatures are regularly over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Take a quart or more. Not staying hydrated can lead to lethargy and possibly heat stroke.

Winter

Gloves and Scarf. The Grand Canyon can get wicked cold. You want to keep as much of your own body heat as you can.

Head wear. Your head is responsible for probably the most heat loss. Cover it. I suggest bringing a "beanie" that you can roll down over your ears. Try to get one manufactured from wool or fleece.

Coat. I've seen people turn up in t-shirts. Not a good idea. The canyon's average elevation is 5,000 feet. Snow is common. Bring at the very least a medium-weight coat.

Layers. An example of this is wearing a t-shirt, shirt, sweatshirt, and jacket. In case the weather warms, you take off a layer. It's a very efficient means of keeping comfortable while in cold weather.

Final Words About Weather

Choppers used for Grand Canyon trips include climate-controlled cabins. These systems are amazing against heat and cold. Whatever the case, it's essential to still come prepared because:

1. You'll be outside making the switch to the aircraft

2. If your trip features a ground segment, you'll be subjected to either heat or cold.

Summing Up

Flying in a Grand Canyon heli above the West Rim or South Rim is definitely the trip of a lifetime - if you are prepared. Triple check your camera equipment and make certain you have extra batteries, film, and memory sticks. Throughout the summer, it is all about protecting yourself from the sun and staying hydrated. During wintertime, dress yourself in layers to stay warm. Take time to come up with a checklist of things to bring. Doing so nearly guarantees you will end up comfortable before, during, and after your flight.

About the Author

Mr. Kravitz is a travel journalist who writes about Grand Canyon tours. Go here for his list of the Top 3 Grand Canyon Helicopter tour operators. Ratings are based on quality, safety and price. His reviews have saved a lot of people a lot of money. Time for you to benefit from them, too.

Is Grand Canyon National Park Better Than the West Rim?

The toughest part about choosing a Grand Canyon tour is opting to visit the South Rim or the West Rim. Both of them are fantastic places. So, in an effort to break this tie, I'm going to do a quick rim-by-rim evaluation that will ensure you're paired with the spot that's best for you.

Are you looking activities or scenery?

The West Rim excels in fun-based activities. It's the only place where you can ride a heli 4,000 feet to the bottom. Then, if you're so inclined, you can walk upstream and river raft the Colorado River.

The internationally famous Grand Canyon Skywalk is based here. This attraction is a magnificently designed glass-bridge that lets you walk 70 feet beyond the edge as it lifts you 4,000 feet above the river. Don't look down if you are prone to vertigo.

More exotic activities here include a chopper flight to a working cattle ranch, ATV trail rides, Hummer 4x4 adventures, and horseback riding. One of my favorite things to do at the West Rim is the Hoover Dam one-day, smooth-water float trip to Willow Beach.

The South Rim is more serene when compared to the West Rim. What it lacks in "thrills" it makes up in natural splendor. This is the section of the National Park that even the park rangers refer to as the "real" canyon.

There are no helicopter tours to the base at the South Rim. If you want to get to the base, you have to hike. That said, the air tours here are excellent. The heli ride from Tusayan goes directly into the center of the Dragoon Corridor, the widest, deepest section of the Grand Canyon, while airplane trips cover the South, East, and North rims.

There's also the fantastic one-day Grand Canyon rafting journey that operates from April to November. Options include taking a coach or airplane to Page, AZ, and then transferring to a river raft. This is a smooth-water trip so there is no whitewater. Kids ages four years and older are allowed.

The hiking trails at South Rim are amazing. Bright Angel, South Kaibab, and the Rim Top trails are the most in demand. For view points, go to Mather Point, Yaki Point, and Hopi Point. Most excursions include guided tours to these tourist attractions.

Where's your starting point?

Grand Canyon West is just 120 miles from Las Vegas. Helicopters, planes, and coaches can do the trip in 45 minutes, 25 minutes, and 2.5 hours, respectively. The South Rim is too far for Vegas helicopters. Your only options are the plane or the coach.

I highly advise taking the 45-minute plane flight from Vegas to the South Rim. It's fast, comfy, and one of the greatest deals on the market. The coach is incredibly affordable, but one-way drive time is 5.5 hours and total tour time is a whopping 15 hours.

Phoenix and Sedona tourists can drive to the South Rim in 4 hours and 2 hours, respectively. There are coach, plane, and chopper tours from those locations but it's cheaper to drive yourself and do an air tour from Grand Canyon Airport in Tusayan.

How much time to you have?

Grand Canyon West trips from Las Vegas are ideal day trips. The lengthiest tour is one day. Air-only trips are around 4 hours, and that includes hotel pick up and drop off. The Ground Canyon South Rim car takes 15 hours at a minimum, which is why I advocate for the plane trip because it will have you back on the Vegas Strip in time for your evening plans. Tours that originate in Northern Arizona are full-day trips. I often tell people to reserve a room inside the park and stay the night. Easier said than done as National Park hotels are generally reserved a year in advance.

How much can you spend?

South Rim and West Rim bus tours are the most affordable and include lots of add-ons like smooth-water rafting, glass bridge passes and chopper rides. Air tours are more expensive, but you also see more of the Grand Canyon in less time. I calculate that what you see on a half-hour helicopter tour is equal to a few days on the ground. Plus the airborne views are outstanding.

Let's see the canyon!

Grand Canyon tours are loaded with excitement and beauty. The two best locations are Grand Canyon West and the West Rim. The challenge is which rim to visit. If you are beginning from Las Vegas, the West Rim is your closest option. However, if your heart is set on the South Rim, take the 45-minute airplane flight. I recommend doing the South Rim for travelers starting out from Phoenix and Sedona. The key to being sure you get the break of your dreams is too reserve in advance over the Internet. Follow this approach and you'll get your Grand Canyon trip at a decent price.

About the Author

Mr. Kravitz is a professional travel writer who reports on things to do at the Grand Canyon. If you are planning a canyon trip, check out his Top 3 Grand Canyon tour operators. His rankings are based on quality, safety and price. Spend several minutes on his page & there's a good chance you'll find the canyon tour of your dreams.