A helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon is for many the absolute highlight of a trip journey across Western America. And rightly so, because this natural phenomenon is one of an unprecedented calibre. Nowhere in the world you will find such a gigantic canyon. Whoever stands at the edge of this canyon and looks down, will stand there with trembling knees. To experience this from the air gives an extra dimension. It is an incredibly beautiful experience.
Personally, we have the Grand Canyon and the official park that actually surrounds it (the Grand Canyon National Park) already visited twice, for several days. We have experienced several hikes and spent several nights (secretly) at the edge of the canyon (more about that in a next blog). During our last visit we also got to experience the Grand Canyon from the air with a bucket list-worthy helicopter flight. You can read all about it in this article.
This article is part of a large one-year tour the United States en Canada, with a Dutch 4×4 camper that we shipped ourselves… It is a bucket list worthy and an once in a lifetime experience that will never be forgotten.
We wrote almost 100 articles about this ultimate tour. Visit our North America page for more information.
Our experience
After a short briefing and safety briefing for the helicopter, it was time to get in. One last photo before take off. Ready for take-off!
No mountains, but forests
The first thing you experience when you take off is the realization of how gigantic the forest that surrounds the Grand Canyon really is. You zoom over the forest for about 10 minutes to the edge of the canyon, somewhere in the distance. Meanwhile, with a bit of luck, you can spot moose and deer from the air, which live in great numbers in the forest below you.
Oh yes, and do you notice that the horizon is really flat? I'm not talking about flat-earth geeks, but about what many people don't realize: that the Grand Canyon is a canyon, not a mountain. It is a hole in the earth and from the helicopter you can see and experience it in a unique way.
Over the rim of the Grand Canyon
And then suddenly the moment was there, the Grand Canyon came into view. As if the ground suddenly disappears below you, you suddenly look into the gorge of 1,5 kilometers deep. A bizarre experience!
After staring into the hole for several minutes, we flew east to see where the Grand Canyon disappears into the distance. The day before we drove around that part of the canyon. It doesn't seem far, but driving around the canyon through the east side to the south side takes hours. The distances are gigantic, don't underestimate this.
North Rim (Grand Canyon North Rim)
Then we turned north and flew west so we could see the North Rim, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. We flew over one of the most exclusive wild camping spots in the world on the edge of the canyon; Sublime Point (Location here).
Tip:: if you want to camp here on the edge, you need two things: a very strong 4×4 for the (in very poor condition) off-road route of +/- 4 hours to the point and a backcountry permit of 18 dollars that will get you permission to wild camp in the Grand Canyon area.
The helicopter continued to rotate, giving us a good view of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Again I spotted some cool places for wild camping on the edge of the Grand Canyon. I will write a separate blog about that. What a gigantic cliff we see below us again.
Point Imperial (Grand Canyon highest point)
Every time the helicopter turned a bit, I made a new fantastic photo. From every angle, the low-hanging sun (it was 09:00 in the morning) seemed to change the color of the stone. We're flying by now Point Imperial, also on the North Rim. We also made a half turn so that we could look east again, where we came from.
Back above land
The tour wasn't over yet, don't worry! The helicopter flew over land again in this part (this time on the north side), so that you can once again experience that the ground disappears below you. We looked at the seemingly miniature roads below us.
The sun was now slightly higher in the sky and we had it at our back, giving everything a lot more color. The sky is incredibly clear. This is not a Photoshop, but pure nature. You often find these kinds of dark blue skies in western America in places where it is very clean, remote and dry. Especially in the months of September and October.
Contrast, color and depth
The forest below us had receded for the second time and we were skimming the edges of the cliffs. The low sun gave a beautiful contrast of the stone below us. Each layer of rock has its own color and reflects in a different way. It was really enjoying the view for us. We were amazed!
South Rim and back to the airport
The deep canyon ended and the surrounding forest on the South Rim came into view again. In amazement we realized once again that we just flew over a giant hole in the ground. Floating over the woods we took a good look ahead. We see 4 helicopters flying in front of us, all heading back to the airport just minutes apart.
Remark: Each helicopter flies one of the three established routes and does not deviate from it, regardless of which company you book the tour with. This is not only cost efficient, it is also important for safety. There are so many helicopters flying here that it would otherwise be impossible for pilots to oversee.
Practical information and tips for helicopter flight
Did you know that nearly 500 helicopter tours are conducted daily in and around the Grand Canyon during peak season? Now you do! Helicopter flights over the Grand Canyon are big business. That's not surprising at all, because it doesn't really matter where in the world you ask people about it... Making a helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon is really a great experience for a large part of the global population. bucket list thing.
for your travel across western america To give you that extra push, we have collected some practical information + insider tips for you below so that your helicopter flight above the Grand Canyon will be one you will never forget!
1. Photography tips for helicopter tour
I start with this tip because I want to avoid disappointments afterwards. I was recently asked how it was possible that I could take such beautiful photos from the helicopter, without reflections from the glass. He thought I had edited the photos with Photoshop. The person in question had also taken photos during a helicopter flight, but they all had a lot of reflection, making them unusable. He had taken photos with both a smartphone and a real camera, both with more or less the same result. I recognize this problem and have plenty of failed photos myself. See an example below…
Indeed, reflecting the glass in a helicopter makes photos unusable. It's a good question and that's why I'll give my advice below. First of all, I strongly advise against taking photos with smartphones while traveling, for numerous reasons... I even wrote two huge articles about it that are definitely worth reading, see below;
Also read: Why you should NOT take photos with your smartphone while traveling
Also read: What is the best camera for a world tour? And why?
The first secret I'm releasing is that I shoot with a high-end mirrorless camera from Fuji, the X-T4. This camera, awarded by the consumer association and Tweakers, already takes great photos in the automatic mode. Even as a hobby-amateur photographer, I often achieve incredibly beautiful results with this camera. So highly recommended!
The Fujifilm X-T5 with 16-80 is the ultimate all-round world travel camera† This camera has been declared several times by both the consumer association and Tweakers.net the best system camera you can buy. Even on automatic mode, you suddenly feel like a professional photographer!
- The best tested camera
- Fantastic photos
- 6.2K video
- 5 year warranty
But this camera also has its limitations without additions and suffers from unwanted reflections. Just like any other camera in the world, by the way.
Fortunately, there is a trick applicable to SLR and system cameras. This is not a post-processing like Photoshop, but an active, digital 'polarizing filter'. In fact, this is just a ring with special glass that you screw onto your lens.
The polarizing filter (click here for more info) you should actually see them as slats for your window. In the polarization filter there are all small slats that can block the light from a certain angle. This way you keep the focus on what you want to photograph, without the unwanted reflections. With reflections you simply turn the ring and voila! The reflections disappear like snow in the sun, without any editing of the photo afterwards. Below is an example of two photos I took using the polarizing filter itself, just seconds apart.
Note: The above photos are unedited. The only difference between the two photos is a few seconds and a turn of the polarizing filter ring. You can here view the online range of polarizing filters at the best (and cheapest) camera store in the Netherlands.
2. How does it feel to fly in a helicopter?
Some people panic during take-off and then don't enjoy their flight at all, which is of course a huge shame. It is therefore good to prepare yourself mentally for it. Most of your helicopter ride will usually just go smoothly, as if you were on a train or plane.
However, during takeoff and landing, it is normal to experience some turbulence. Don't worry about this because this is normal. Once the helicopter gains altitude, the ride will be smooth again, I promise!
3. Do you have any tips for people with anxiety?
You are probably not well informed and you have never experienced it yourself. It is therefore difficult to imagine what it is like to fly in a helicopter, which creates fear. As with everything in life, fear often stems from ignorance, i.e. fear of the unknown. This is not a problem and fortunately you can do a lot to reduce it.
You can take away a large part of this fear by preparing well for your helicopter flight. Read articles (like this one) and visualize what it's like to take a helicopter flight. For example, watch videos of helicopter flights and talk about it with your travel group in advance. What also helps many people is taking travel pills. They not only help against nausea, they also often have a calming effect on people, so that you may react less emotionally to your fear.
4. Where can you book the helicopter tour?
There are many providers of helicopter tours in and around Grand Canyon National Park. We flew with Maverick, the largest and most well-known provider. We booked the helicopter flight at Maverick through this page from GetYourGuide because it was a lot cheaper than booking on site. We flew with four people, which saved us about 150 euros in total. So it pays to book in advance (online).
5. How much does a helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon cost?
Helicopter tours can already be booked in Grand Canyon National Park from about 225 euros per person. These are (online) offers and for such a price you will usually have to reserve and pay far in advance. You can view the current offer and compare prices this page.
Typically, however, the price will be closer to the 300 euros per person lie. For example, if you go to the office of Maverick Helicopter Tours yourself and book on the spot, you will pay 300 euros per person. They use one fixed price from $319 – if a helicopter is available. In the high season they are almost always fully booked and you cannot just go there. This also applies to almost every other provider of helicopter tours in the Grand Canyon. Keep this in mind, especially if you only have a few days to spend in and around Grand Canyon National Park.
From Vegas you should think of when considering helicopter tours for the Grand Canyon 350 to 400 euros per person. This price difference is of course because Las Vegas is a bit further away, so the tour takes a lot longer. These are also starting prices. In practice, these can be higher, especially in high season with high demand and limited availability. So from Las Vegas it also pays to online book as far in advance as possible.
Conclusion
The helicopter tour / flight over the Grand Canyon is a unique and unprecedentedly beautiful experience, there is no doubt about it. It was not the first time for me (Chris) to fly in a helicopter (see helicopter flight with landing on glacier in Switzerland), I had also seen the Grand Canyon before. Yet again I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, as if it were the first time.
A take a bucket list-worthy trip through Western America and visiting the Grand Canyon is something everyone should do once in their life. And while you're there... Go for it! Book that helicopter tour at the Grand Canyon!
Yes, a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon costs a bit. But you also get a lot in return. You only live once and you will cherish this experience for the rest of your life. I promise.
