There's a West Rim (WR) helicopter tour that I don't shine the spotlight on enough. It's the one that literally takes off from the Rim.

In most cases, I advise booking a helicopter tour that departs from Las Vegas or Boulder City (the later is where the cheaper flights depart).

However, I've been getting a lot of inquiries from self-drivers and this flight has really served their purpose.

DIY Tour

What's a self-driver? It describes a traveler who rents a car or has their own car and makes the trip to the West Rim in it. I used to dissuade this but am now comfortable with road conditions (more in a bit).

The helicopter from the WR leaves every 30 minutes and goes to the bottom of the canyon. It also includes a boat ride on the Colorado River. I think it's an excellent compliment to exploring the top of the rim on your own.

The descent is about 15 minutes. On the bottom, you get 1/2 an hour to explore, which is in addition to the 15-minute boat cruise. Is this enough time? Yes, especially considering this is the only way to get to the bottom. Further, it's the only place in the entire canyon where you can do this.

For me, the uniqueness of this flight is enough to book it. ASAP

Directions

The drive over from Las Vegas is pretty simple, IF you have proper directions. And don't bother asking for a physical address to the Skywalk or Grand Canyon West. There are a number of them out there and in the end most people get lost. To avert this, follow these directions:

• From the Vegas Strip, get on I-93 south.
• Go past Boulder City
• Go over the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge
• Continue on I-93 TOWARD Kingman, AZ
• Turn left/east at the Dolan Springs exit
• From here, driver 26 miles to Pierce Ferry Rd.
• You'll come to a GREEN sign that will tell you to turn to Grand Canyon West.
• Drive the final 21 miles to the West Rim.

The last 10 or so miles are still unpaved but they are graded and most sedan's can do it. If you rent a car, yes, consider a 4x4 but if you go with a sedan it's in your best interest not to explain that you are taking the vehicle to the West Rim - it will end you up in an expensive, premium 4x4 and a full-coverage insurance policy. Use your judgment.

The WR helicopter tour is very popular. You'd think the fact that it left every half hour would mean infinite availability but it's not the case. One of the most popular ways to get to the WR is by bus and you'll see that because there are tons of them on the road. More importantly, a lot of bus travelers will take the heli tour you want. And, in most cases, they've pre-booked it. So should you.

Unlike helicopter tours that leave from Vegas and Boulder, you can probably get away with booking the WR flight within 48 hours of departure. During winter, you can sneak in a 24-hour advance notice. I wouldn't push it any further than that. This is true if you are a group of three or more people. Book too late into the game and you and your party could be flying on separate helicopters (where's the fun in that, right?).

Time Traveler

Speaking of winter, please be aware of the time zone issue between Nevada and Arizona. Nevada is one hour earlier than AZ. Thus if you book a 3 p.m. flight in AZ it will be taking off 2 p.m. Las Vegas time. The upshot is that you need to plan for this and move plans ahead by an hour to compensate. In most cases, this will be noted in your confirmation letter. Or, if I handle you booking, I'll make sure you get a firm grasp on departure times. For more about time zones and the impact on tours, read this article

The West Rim heli is one of the best things to do when doing a self-drive visit to Grand Canyon West. And once you're back from the bottom, make sure to hop on one of the free shuttles and check out Guano Point. It's a stellar place to grab some solitude from the crowds at Eagle Pt. and contemplate the sublime beauty of the Grand Canyon.

Buy This West Rim Helicopter Tour

Travel on!

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