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The Grand Canyon National Park is truly a national treasure. The canyon is 277 miles long and up to a mile deep. At one point, the huge canyon is 18 miles across. The park encompasses over one million acres of beautiful, diverse wilderness areas. The South Rim sits close to where Utah and Northern Arizona meet. It's a remarkable place. Tiny Tusayan, AZ is just outside the Park's entrance. That's where you'll find Grand Canyon Airport (the departure point for all South Rim helicopter tours) and an IMAX Theater. Flagstaff and Williams, AZ are the nearest big towns. Every year, the Park gets millions of visitors, many of them coming from Las Vegas, Sedona or Phoenix. People coming to the South Rim from Las Vegas arrive by bus or plane (the South Rim is out of range for a Vegas 'copter, so a plane is my personal suggestion). However, if is quite convenient for people starting out in central Arizona to get to the South Rim by car. Aerial Tours Grand Canyon helicopters flying over the South Rim, are not allowed to fly below the rim, or land on the canyon floor. That restriction doesn't apply at the West Rim, which is located closer to Vegas. There are no flights available that go between the South Rim and the West Rim. There are many South Rim chopper tours offered daily. Prices on these tours vary depending on whether the tour is deluxe or not, as well as how long the tour lasts. Some of the air tours last about a half hour, while others are nearly an hour long. The shorter, half-hour tours fly from the South Rim to the North Rim and back, including an exhilarating passage through the deepest, widest section of the canyon (Dragoon Corridor). It also offers a stunning view of the Kaibab National Forest. These particular South Rim helicopters are a terrific choice for travelers who want to see as much of the area as possible. Longer Flight But, I strongly recommend taking one of the longer helicopter tours that last about 50 minutes. In addition to everything a shorter tour would give, the longer flights include the Zuni Corridor, isolated sections of the North Rim, the Colorado River confluence and the Desert Watchtower. The aircraft used on these tours carry up to six people plus the pilot. Therefore, the flights fill up fast. The seating arrangement is determined right before the flight lifts off, and it is decided based on the weight distribution of passengers. For safety reasons, the total weight must be distributed evenly throughout the aircraft's cabin. Because helicopter tours are so popular, they sell out quickly, therefore, it is recommended to buy tours at least one week ahead of time. It is a big risk to wait to buy tickets on the day of the flight, because the helicopter may be full, or not have enough available seats for your entire party. Buy Tours Online The best way to get the lowest price on tours is to go right to the tour company's website and buy from them directly. You'll get much better deals that way than you can get on Priceline, Expedia, or Orbitz. Just skip those and go to the tour operator's site first. To get the low Internet rate, you'll need to buy your tour through their web form. This tip is important to remember-you don't want to pay full retail price! Tips from the Author
This author is a specialist on the Grand Canyon and suggests browsing these helicopter reviews and then visiting this website for discounted rates on these breathtaking flights: http://www.grandcanyoncheap.com/helicopter-deals.html
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