What Do You See on a Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour from Las Vegas?

1. Las Vegas

Your tour starts in the Las Vegas area. Depending on the operator, the helicopter takes off from:

• a heliport by the Strip (Maverick and 5 Star);
• the Boulder City airport, a 45-minute coach ride southeast of the city (Papillon).

The departure point changes both:

• the total length of the tour;
• how much of Las Vegas you see from the air.

From a Strip heliport, the city is part of the flight from the moment you take off. The Skywalk Express crosses the Strip on departure, and several return routes fly back over it.

2. The Hoover Dam

The Hoover Dam is one of the most common highlights, because it lies on the route to Grand Canyon West. Many flights reach it within minutes of takeoff. From the air you get a far better sense of its size than from any single viewpoint on the ground. You may see:

• the dam wall;
• the Colorado River below it;
• the bypass bridge and the road approaches;
• Lake Mead behind the dam;
• the desert around it.

A flyover, not a visit

On almost every Grand Canyon helicopter tour, the Hoover Dam is a flyover. You do not:

• land there;
• walk across it;
• tour the power plant;
• spend time at the visitor center.

If you want to stand on the dam, visit it on a separate day. Our Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam helicopter tours guide explains what each tour means by “includes the Hoover Dam”.

3. Lake Mead

Lake Mead is another sight on nearly every route, and from the air its size is striking. You may see:

• the long arms of the reservoir;
• the shoreline and its pale bathtub ring;
• desert mountains;
• how the lake sits behind the Hoover Dam.

Deep blue water against dry desert makes Lake Mead one of the most distinctive parts of the flight. It also shows you how the land between Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon fits together.

4. The Mojave Desert

You spend much of the flight over desert. That sounds less exciting than the canyon, but the Mojave is a big part of the route’s appeal. You can see:

• dry mountain ranges, including the volcanic Black Mountains;
• wide desert basins and Grapevine Mesa;
• Fortification Hill near the dam;
• remote roads;
• long stretches of empty land.

The scale of the landscape is far clearer from the air, and many passengers name this stretch as an unexpected highlight.

5. The Colorado River

The Colorado River carved the Grand Canyon. Depending on the route, you follow or cross sections of it before you reach Grand Canyon West.

From above, the river shows you how the canyon is laid out. The water looks surprisingly narrow against the cliffs around it.

On some West Rim packages you can also ride a boat on the river, which gives you a third view of the canyon. The Plane, Helicopter & Boat Tour ($624, 4.7/5 from 240 reviews) flies you out by plane, takes you down to the river by helicopter and adds a 20-minute pontoon ride.

6. Grand Canyon West

Almost every direct helicopter tour from Las Vegas goes to Grand Canyon West. This is not the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park: Grand Canyon West is on Hualapai tribal land, about 120 miles from Las Vegas, and much closer than the South Rim. From the helicopter you see:

• the canyon walls;
• side canyons;
• the Colorado River;
• rock formations;
• the West Rim plateaus;
• the desert beyond the rim.

This is where the tours start to differ:

• some only fly over;
• some descend below the rim, like the 5 Star West Rim flight, which spends about 15 miles above and below the rim;
• some land at Grand Canyon West so you can explore on foot.

Our West Rim helicopter tours guide compares the three formats.

7. The canyon-floor landing site

If you book a landing tour, this is the biggest moment of the day. The helicopter descends below the rim and lands on a private plateau on Hualapai land, a few hundred feet above the river. You climb out, and instead of looking down at the canyon you stand with its walls rising all around you.

Depending on the tour, the stop includes:

• a champagne toast;
• refreshments;
• a light picnic;
• time for photos;
• about 30 minutes on the ground.

This is the clearest reason to pay more for a landing tour. The Papillon landing tour costs $489 with hotel transfers, $80 more than the same company’s $409 air tour. See which Grand Canyon helicopter tours land in the canyon.

8. Eagle Point

If your tour gives you time on the ground at Grand Canyon West, you may visit Eagle Point, home of the Grand Canyon Skywalk. The area has:

• canyon views;
• the Skywalk;
• Hualapai cultural exhibits;
• visitor facilities.

Not every helicopter tour stops at Eagle Point. Air-only and canyon-floor landing tours never take you there on the ground, so check the itinerary.

9. The Grand Canyon Skywalk

The Skywalk is the best-known attraction at Grand Canyon West: a glass walkway that extends out beyond the canyon edge, about 4,000 feet above the canyon floor. You only walk it if your tour includes:

• Skywalk admission;
• ground time at Grand Canyon West.

Flying over the West Rim does not include the Skywalk. A Skywalk helicopter tour suits you if you want:

• to fly instead of drive;
• quick access;
• a major attraction on the ground;
• a shorter day than a bus excursion.

The Skywalk Express takes about 2.5 hours from the Strip, includes skip-the-line Skywalk admission and gives you about 45 minutes at the rim. Our Skywalk helicopter tour guide covers the other options.

10. Guano Point

Guano Point is the other main viewpoint at Grand Canyon West, and many longer West Rim packages stop there. It has:

• wide panoramic views;
• dramatic rock formations;
• a more natural setting than the Skywalk area.

If you care more about photographs than the glass bridge, Guano Point is often the better ground stop. It only applies to tours with time at the West Rim, such as the Grand Canyon West Helicopter Tour from the Strip ($509, 4.8/5 from 80 reviews), which gives you about 3 hours for Eagle Point, Guano Point and a Hualapai village.

11. The Las Vegas Strip on the way home

Some tours fly back over the Strip. It looks best:

• in the late afternoon;
• at sunset;
• after dark.

You see the skyline and the resort corridor, and on the landing and picnic tour you pass landmarks such as the Sphere.

The Strip is not part of every tour. “From Las Vegas” does not mean “Strip flyover included”, so check the route description. The West Rim Extended Helicopter Tour ($549, 4.8/5 from 25 reviews, a small sample) names the Strip, Caesars Palace and the Bellagio on its return, and our sunset helicopter tours guide covers the flights that bring you back after dark.

What do you see on an air-only tour?

A typical air-only helicopter tour from Las Vegas shows you:

• the Hoover Dam;
• Lake Mead;
• the Mojave Desert;
• the Colorado River;
• Grand Canyon West;
• Las Vegas on the way back.

You do not land. That keeps the price lower and keeps the focus on the view from the air. The Papillon air tour ($409, 4.6/5 from 337 reviews) flies about 70 minutes from Boulder City. The 5 Star West Rim flight ($499) flies about 90 minutes from its Strip heliport, drops below the rim and returns over the Strip.

What do you see on a canyon-floor landing tour?

Usually:

• the Hoover Dam;
• Lake Mead;
• the desert;
• the Colorado River;
• Grand Canyon West;
• the canyon-floor landing;
• the return to Las Vegas;
• on some flights, the Strip.

For a first visit, this gives you the most in one half-day: the canyon from above and from below the rim. Choose the Papillon landing tour at $489 if you want the straight return, or the landing and picnic tour at $549 if the Strip from the air is worth $60 to you.

What do you see on a Skywalk helicopter tour?

Typically:

• the Las Vegas departure;
• the Hoover Dam;
• Lake Mead;
• Grand Canyon West;
• Eagle Point;
• the Skywalk;
• the return flight.

Some packages add other West Rim viewpoints. The difference from a landing tour is that you spend your time on the rim, not below it.

What do you see on a helicopter and boat tour?

These can include:

• the desert from the air;
• Grand Canyon West;
• a descent below the rim;
• a boat ride on the Colorado River;
• on some packages, sightseeing on the West Rim.

That gives you three viewpoints:

1. above the canyon;
2. inside the canyon;
3. at river level.

It is one of the most varied days you can book. The Papillon helicopter, boat and Skywalk tour ($829, 4.6/5 from 82 reviews) flies you from Boulder City, lands beside the river for the pontoon ride and then takes you up to the Skywalk.

What do you see on a South Rim helicopter tour?

A South Rim flight is a different trip. You do not see:

• the Hoover Dam;
• Lake Mead;
• the Las Vegas Strip.

The flight stays over Grand Canyon National Park instead. Typical sights include:

• the Kaibab National Forest;
• the South Rim;
• views toward the North Rim;
• the Colorado River;
• the Dragon Corridor, the widest and deepest part of the canyon;
• views toward the Painted Desert;
• Point Imperial and Marble Canyon on the longest route.

If you care most about canyon scenery, the South Rim is often the stronger flight. The 45-minute South Rim scenic flight is $359, rated 4.9/5 from 1,977 reviews, and the shorter Grand Canyon Village flight is $269, rated 4.7/5 from more than 3,100. Our West Rim vs South Rim guide weighs the two.

Do Las Vegas helicopter tours see the South Rim?

Usually not. Almost every direct helicopter tour from Las Vegas goes to Grand Canyon West, because the South Rim is about 270 miles away. A Las Vegas day that does reach the South Rim uses:

• a sightseeing plane;
• or a long coach ride;
• then a local South Rim helicopter flight.

Do not assume “Grand Canyon” in a tour title means the South Rim.

Do you fly through the Grand Canyon?

The marketing can be confusing. Some tours describe flying:

• into the canyon;
• through the canyon;
• below the rim.

That usually refers to helicopter routes at Grand Canyon West. The exact flight path depends on:

• airspace rules;
• weather;
• the route;
• the operator;
• conditions on the day.

The helicopter flies an approved route, and the pilot cannot go wherever they like.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you see the Colorado River clearly?

Often, yes. The river is one of the main landmarks on the route. How well you see it depends on:

• the flight path;
• where you sit;
• the weather;
• the light.

On canyon-floor landing and boat tours you get much closer to it.

Can you see wildlife?

Possibly, but do not book the tour for it. The helicopter covers a lot of ground quickly, so any wildlife you spot is a bonus. The tour is about the landscape.

Can you see the sunset?

Yes, if you book a late-afternoon or sunset flight. Depending on the timing you may see:

• late light over the canyon;
• warmer desert colors;
• longer shadows;
• the Las Vegas lights on the way back.

The sunset changes the light. The landmarks on the route stay the same.

Which side of the helicopter has the best views?

There is no simple answer. The operator assigns seats partly by passenger weight, to balance the aircraft, and the helicopter turns and changes direction, so the view changes throughout the flight. Do not fixate on one side. Check whether the aircraft has:

• large windows;
• a sightseeing layout;
• good visibility from several seats.

What if you are seated in the middle?

You still get good views. Sightseeing helicopters such as the EcoStar have wide, wrap-around windows. The front seats are popular but never guaranteed, and the route matters more than any single seat.

Which sights are guaranteed?

Very few. Flights can change because of:

• weather;
• air traffic;
• operating conditions;
• safety requirements.

Treat the published itinerary as the expected route. It is not a promise. If one landmark matters to you, make sure the product description lists it.

Which sights matter most?

For a first visit, we would rank them like this.

1. Grand Canyon West

The main event.

2. The canyon-floor landing

If your tour includes it, it is the moment you remember.

3. The Hoover Dam

A strong bonus on the way out.

4. Lake Mead

It adds context and color.

5. The Colorado River

It shows you how the canyon formed.

6. The Las Vegas Strip

A good last highlight on the routes that include it.

Best tour if you want the most variety

Choose a canyon-floor landing tour that includes:

• the Hoover Dam;
• Lake Mead;
• the Colorado River;
• Grand Canyon West;
• the Strip on the way home.

The landing and picnic tour covers all five in about half a day, without turning the trip into an all-day package.

Best tour if you mainly want scenery from the air

Choose an air-only flight. You still see most of the aerial highlights, and you spend less: $409 on the Papillon air tour against $489 for its landing tour. This works especially well if you already plan to visit the canyon on the ground.

Best tour if you want the most time on the ground

Choose a West Rim tour with:

• Eagle Point;
• Guano Point;
• the Skywalk as an option;
• several hours of ground time.

This suits you if you want to walk around Grand Canyon West, not only fly over it. The Maverick West Rim tour gives you about 3 hours there; Skywalk admission is extra.

Best tour if you want the most unusual perspective

Choose a helicopter and boat combination. Seeing the canyon from the air and then from the Colorado River gives you the biggest contrast of any tour.

How to compare routes before booking

Check these details.

1. Does it include the Hoover Dam?

Almost every route from Las Vegas to the West Rim does.

2. Does it include Lake Mead?

Usually, but check.

3. Is the Colorado River visible?

Often.

4. Is there a canyon-floor landing?

This changes the day more than anything else on the list.

5. Does it include the Skywalk?

Only selected products.

6. How much time do you spend at Grand Canyon West?

Anything from none to about 3 hours. Our flight time guide breaks down how long each part of the day takes.

7. Does it fly over the Las Vegas Strip on the way back?

Do not assume it does.

Everything on the route, in short

A Grand Canyon helicopter tour from Las Vegas shows you much more than the Grand Canyon. A typical route takes in:

• the Hoover Dam;
• Lake Mead;
• the Mojave Desert;
• the Colorado River;
• Grand Canyon West;
• on some tours, a canyon-floor landing;
• on some tours, the Skywalk;
• on some tours, the Las Vegas Strip.

Not every product includes all of them. Choose an air-only flight if you mainly want the view from above, a canyon-floor landing for the most memorable day, and a West Rim tour with Eagle Point, Guano Point or the Skywalk if you want real time on the ground. Check your date on the landing and picnic tour first, because the price changes with the day you fly.