Grand Canyon Helicopter Landing Tour with Las Vegas Transfer
About This Experience
This is the Grand Canyon trip most people picture when they imagine a helicopter flight from Las Vegas: you lift off from Boulder City, cross the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, and descend all the way to the canyon floor beside the Colorado River. Papillon flies the route in EcoStar helicopters, whose wide wrap-around windows are the reason this aircraft is used for canyon work in the first place.
The flight out runs roughly 35 minutes each way. You cross the volcanic Black Mountains, Grapevine Mesa and the Mojave Desert before the Grand Wash Cliffs open up and the aircraft drops into Grand Canyon West. Landing thousands of feet below the rim is the part guests remember - the scale of the walls only registers once you are standing underneath them.
On the canyon floor you get about 30 minutes on a private plateau near the river, with a champagne toast and a light picnic. Then it is back in the aircraft for the return leg to Las Vegas. Door to door the whole thing takes about four and a half hours, most of which is transfers and check-in rather than flying.
Highlights
- Land on the Grand Canyon floor near the Colorado River, with about 30 minutes on the ground
- Fly over the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and the Colorado River on the way out
- Champagne toast and a light picnic at a private canyon-floor landing site
- Round-trip transfers from selected Las Vegas Strip hotels, or self-drive if you prefer
- EcoStar helicopter with wrap-around windows and live pilot narration
What's Included
- ✓ Round-trip helicopter flight to Grand Canyon West (about 75 minutes of flying)
- ✓ Approximately 30 minutes on the canyon floor
- ✓ Champagne toast and light picnic refreshments
- ✓ Round-trip hotel transfers from selected Las Vegas hotels
- ✓ Live narration from your pilot
- ✓ All taxes and landing fees
Not Included
- Gratuities
What to Bring
- Passport or government-issued photo ID - required for every passenger aged 18 and over
- A camera (hand-held only)
- A light layer - the canyon floor is cooler than the Strip in the early morning
Good to Know & Caveats
- Flying time is roughly 35 minutes in each direction, about 75 minutes round trip.
- You spend approximately 30 minutes on the canyon floor.
- The helicopter carries up to 6 passengers; seating is assigned at check-in by weight and balance, so a group may not be seated together.
- Pickups begin around 90 minutes before departure and the return transfer takes about 60 minutes - budget the full 4.5 hours.
- Self-drive guests must check in 45 minutes before departure; the drive from the Strip to Boulder City takes 40-50 minutes.
- Children under 2 travel as lap infants with proof of age.
- Drones, selfie sticks, tripods, backpacks and large or oversized luggage are not permitted on board.
Not Suitable For
- Travellers prone to motion sickness
- People with epilepsy
Meeting Point
Round-trip hotel pickup from selected Las Vegas Strip hotels, or self-drive to the air terminal in Boulder City, about a 40-50 minute drive from the Strip. Self-drive guests check in 45 minutes before departure.
What Travelers Say
Rated 4.8/5 by 1,746 verified GetYourGuide travelers.
Amazing helicopter experience! 🚁 The helicopter tour itself was absolutely incredible, with breathtaking views, perfect weather, and excellent visibility. We had a couple of issues with the transportation — the pickup location at the Bellagio was confusing, and the driver was unpleasant and yelled at me despite the fact that I had tried calling and received no call from them. On the way back, we also had an unnecessary delay while picking up two additional passengers. Thankfully, none of that affected the actual tour. Our pilot Jimmy was fantastic! He was friendly, funny and knowledgeable, explained everything, pointed out the best views and took lots of great photos of us. His playlist was the perfect touch — taking off from the Grand Canyon with the Game of Thrones theme playing was unforgettable! An amazing experience overall, and Jimmy made it even more special. Highly recommended!
— Liat, Septemb
Our pilot Aidan was a little legend. Very informative and friendly throughout the day. He made our experience very enjoyable and memorable.
— Josh, August
Papillon are just outstanding. The quality of the event and the people was exceptional only surpassed by the breathtaking views of the Hoover dam, the Colorado river and the canyon. I can’t praise enough.
— Anthony, August
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this Grand Canyon helicopter tour actually land in the canyon?
Yes. This is a landing tour, not a fly-over. The helicopter descends to a private plateau on the canyon floor near the Colorado River, where you spend around 30 minutes on the ground with a champagne toast and light refreshments.
How long does the whole tour take from my Las Vegas hotel?
Around 4.5 hours door to door. Only about 75 minutes of that is flying - the rest is hotel pickups (which start roughly 90 minutes before departure), check-in, the canyon-floor stop and the 60-minute return transfer.
Can I drive myself to the departure point instead of taking the transfer?
Yes, and you will not miss any part of the tour. Self-drive guests go straight to the air terminal in Boulder City and check in 45 minutes before departure. Allow 40-50 minutes for the drive from the Las Vegas Strip.
Will my group be seated together?
Not guaranteed. Every helicopter seat is assigned at check-in according to legal weight-and-balance limits, so parties are sometimes split across rows. Tell the check-in agent if seating together matters to you and they will do what they can.
What do I need to bring?
A passport or government-issued photo ID is required for every passenger aged 18 and over. Bring a camera and a light layer. Drones, selfie sticks, tripods, backpacks and large bags cannot be taken on the aircraft.
