The dust has yet to settle on January but based on trips booked so far I have a good idea of what the top tours will be. For the most part, it's business as usual, and yet there are few surprises.

Let's kick off with helicopters. In Las Vegas, the air-only is the runaway favorite. I believe it's related to availability because landing tours appear to be selling out two days ahead of time. Price is also a factor, which is interesting, because landing tour rates have never been lower.

Over in Tusayan, AZ, the gateway to the South Rim, the 50-minute flight is leading the pack. This is the one that uses the EcoStar 130, otherwise known as the "king of the sky." You'll know it when you're in it because it's got a huge windshield and stadium-style seats (always a crowd-pleaser).

Hot Flight

Moving on to airplane tours. This one caught me off guard. In Las Vegas, I suspected it was the air-only version but in actuality it's the one that flies to the South Rim. Bravo for that! I'm glad travelers are warming up to this flight. It's the one that gets to the South Rim in under an hour and comes with an in-Park coach tour. Simply put, it's a great value.

In Tusayan, there's only one option and it's the 50-minute airplane ride. Sales on this one dipped a bit around New Year's than popped as we got deeper into the month. I don't expect it to slow down, either, as it's a hit with larger groups who need more than six seats, which is the max in a helicopter. It's also a great budget option.

As for bus tours, I'm only going to discuss the ones out of Las Vegas. No surprises here. The South Rim bus trip left all West Rim tours in its proverbial dust. I expect this to balance out in spring but for now you guys were all over the package that gets you to the "official" National Park. Good call because the South Rim is absolutely beautiful this time of year, snow or no snow.

Now here's a bonus: 1 day rafting tours. Believe it or not reservations are pouring in. I'm hoping it's due to me endlessly preaching to purchase tickets for these water adventures in advance. Whatever the case, float tours start the middle of March and they are a heck of a lot of fun for kids and adults of all ages. Remember, there's no whitewater on these trips so kids as young as 4 can do them.

Valentine's

Before I wrap, let me throw some key dates out there for you. Valentine's Day is the next big "holiday" and I'm expecting helicopter rides in particular to reach capacity. Thus if you plan on doing a flight anywhere near February 14, try to get your seat WAY in advance. Then there's March and Spring Break. This is a familiar holiday for U.S. travelers so I'm directing this more at my international readers. Bottom line is if you are doing a Canyon tour in March, again, PLEASE get it early.

Lastly, and this is for folks who are planning to do multiple National Parks over the summer, you should strongly consider a National Parks Pass. It's only $80 and will save you a chunk on entrance fees.

Buy Grand Canyon Tours Here

Travel on!

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