It's winter again and a great time to visit the Grand Canyon National Park. The temperatures have cooled down to the low 40s, there is occasional snow, and the air is crystal clear. The conditions are perfect for taking a helicopter tour over this amazing national landmark.
Departure Points
There are two locations for taking a helicopter tour, and one of them is in Vegas, while the other is in Arizona. Helicopters that depart from Vegas fly to the West Rim and the choppers that depart from Tusayan fly to the South Rim of the Canyon. Just so you know, there are no flights between the two rims. Vegas travelers who want the South Rim are advised to take fly by airplane and then transfer to a helicopter.
Another thing to know is that the temperatures are colder at the South Rim. That's because the South Rim sits at an elevation of 6700 feet. The West Rim, on the other hand, has an elevation of only 4700 feet. Thus, from December to March, the South Rim's temps will range from 40 to 50 degrees during the day and 18 to 25 degrees at night. The West Rim has warmer daytime temperatures that reach into the 60s and 70s, but the nights are a little chilly with 40 degree temps.
During winter, there's a strong chance there will be snow on the ground. It's very rare that helicopter flights will be grounded due to snowfall as snowstorms move in and out of the National Park with rapidity. The West Rim is usually snow-free, but once in a blue moon it will get lightly dusted.
Tour Refunds
In the rare event your helicopter tour is canceled because of bad weather, your tour operator should give you a 100 percent refund of your money. However, if you buy your tour from a tour consolidator, you may run into trouble because they often remove the refund policy since they are in the business of filling empty seats. So, to be safe, buy your tour directly from the tour operator and avoid sites like Priceline, HotWire, and Expedia.
What to wear during this season deserves consideration. Dressing in layers is the best way to go. Specifically, find a good base layer. This might be a t-shirt or a polyester shirt that wicks moisture and keeps you warm. You probably have tops like that already and won't need to buy anything new. Over that, I'd wear a sweater and then a Parka-like jacket. A pair of gloves, a scarf, long pants, wool socks and a pair of sturdy shoes are also suggested.
If you plan to land at the Canyon, you definitely want to dress for the weather. The only place you can take a landing tour is from Vegas to the West Rim, since the helicopters at the South Rim can't land at the Canyon. When you take a landing tour, you can add on tickets to the Skywalk, enjoy a Champagne picnic, or take a boat ride on the Colorado River. Landing tours are very popular, so you want to book your seats in advance.
Book Soon
How far in advance should you make your reservations? At least a week, especially during winter as helicopter tour operators limit the number of flights, which is compounded by the fact that helicopters can only hold six passengers to begin with. Further, and I mentioned this earlier in the article, book your flight direct from the operator on the Internet. The best deals are clearly on the Web, but, in order to make sure you get them, you must fully complete your transaction online (lots of people fail to do this and end up getting billed the retail rate!).
Departure Points
There are two locations for taking a helicopter tour, and one of them is in Vegas, while the other is in Arizona. Helicopters that depart from Vegas fly to the West Rim and the choppers that depart from Tusayan fly to the South Rim of the Canyon. Just so you know, there are no flights between the two rims. Vegas travelers who want the South Rim are advised to take fly by airplane and then transfer to a helicopter.
Another thing to know is that the temperatures are colder at the South Rim. That's because the South Rim sits at an elevation of 6700 feet. The West Rim, on the other hand, has an elevation of only 4700 feet. Thus, from December to March, the South Rim's temps will range from 40 to 50 degrees during the day and 18 to 25 degrees at night. The West Rim has warmer daytime temperatures that reach into the 60s and 70s, but the nights are a little chilly with 40 degree temps.
During winter, there's a strong chance there will be snow on the ground. It's very rare that helicopter flights will be grounded due to snowfall as snowstorms move in and out of the National Park with rapidity. The West Rim is usually snow-free, but once in a blue moon it will get lightly dusted.
Tour Refunds
In the rare event your helicopter tour is canceled because of bad weather, your tour operator should give you a 100 percent refund of your money. However, if you buy your tour from a tour consolidator, you may run into trouble because they often remove the refund policy since they are in the business of filling empty seats. So, to be safe, buy your tour directly from the tour operator and avoid sites like Priceline, HotWire, and Expedia.
What to wear during this season deserves consideration. Dressing in layers is the best way to go. Specifically, find a good base layer. This might be a t-shirt or a polyester shirt that wicks moisture and keeps you warm. You probably have tops like that already and won't need to buy anything new. Over that, I'd wear a sweater and then a Parka-like jacket. A pair of gloves, a scarf, long pants, wool socks and a pair of sturdy shoes are also suggested.
If you plan to land at the Canyon, you definitely want to dress for the weather. The only place you can take a landing tour is from Vegas to the West Rim, since the helicopters at the South Rim can't land at the Canyon. When you take a landing tour, you can add on tickets to the Skywalk, enjoy a Champagne picnic, or take a boat ride on the Colorado River. Landing tours are very popular, so you want to book your seats in advance.
Book Soon
How far in advance should you make your reservations? At least a week, especially during winter as helicopter tour operators limit the number of flights, which is compounded by the fact that helicopters can only hold six passengers to begin with. Further, and I mentioned this earlier in the article, book your flight direct from the operator on the Internet. The best deals are clearly on the Web, but, in order to make sure you get them, you must fully complete your transaction online (lots of people fail to do this and end up getting billed the retail rate!).
About the Author:
Grand Canyon specialist Kate Reingold recommends these hot Canyon helicopters. She also suggests going here for vouchers that make these flights more cost-effective: http://www.grandcanyonhelicopter.org/grand-canyon-helicopter-tour-coupons.html
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