Any view of the Grand Canyon is jaw-dropping, but the West Rim benefits from being the closest viewpoint to Las Vegas. Here are some of the best tours to be had there.
(Photo: Getyourguide.com)
Imagine going from the organized chaos of Las Vegas, with its flashing lights, cacophonous sounds, and general manic energy, to a yawning chasm in the Earth, one mile deep, extending for many miles beyond what the eye can see. This is easily done, in fact, on a guided tour of the Grand Canyon’s West Rim. The majority of these tours run from Las Vegas, but there’s more than one way to do it. Here are five of the best options.
Grand Canyon West Rim Tour with Lunch
The best value tour sees travelers board a coach and set out in the morning from Las Vegas. You’ll get a breakfast snack during the journey as you listen to narration from your guide. Once at the West Rim of the Grand Canyon, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to safely get right up to the edge, as well as viewing it from various vantage points, each one presenting a different perspective on this natural marvel. This tour departs daily and lunch is also provided during the tour. From $89 per person.
Grand Canyon West Bus Tour
(Photo: Getyourguide.com)
Another popular bus tour of Grand Canyon West visits the major viewing zones of Eagle and Guano points, the latter being where an old guano mine was located. You’ll also have a chance to do the Skywalk – a glass-bottomed bridge over the canyon – for an additional fee. The tour, which lasts around 12 hours, also adds in a trip to Hualapai Ranch, a Native American settlement with a recreation of a dude ranch, where you can watch a shootout and take a wagon ride. Breakfast and lunch are provided, with veggie options available on advance request. From $109 per person.
From Vegas: Grand Canyon West Sunset Tour
Natural beauty can come in twos over the Grand Canyon, and does so every day at sunrise and sunset. This tour aims to catch the latter. Start this seven-hour tour by driving through the Mojave Desert from Las Vegas, to Lake Mead, the vast reservoir created at the head of the Hoover Dam. You’ll then press on to Grand Canyon West just as the golden hour begins. This tour allows a couple of hours at the West Rim, where you can wander the paths or sit back and watch the sunset. From $139 per person.
West Rim Helicopter and Landing Tour
(Photo: Getyourguide.com)
If you thought the Grand Canyon was a majestic view from the land, just imagine how impressive it can look from the air. Or better, yet, from within. This excellent value helicopter tour includes a 40-minute flight time, where you’ll get both a bird’s eye view of the canyon, plus a chance to fly over the West Rim and into the canyon itself. You’ll land on the canyon floor and have 20 minutes to explore, before taking to the air once more. From $175 per person.
Grand Canyon West by Chopper Full-Day Tour
If a brief aerial escapade sounds like fun, but not nearly long enough, this incredible tour gives you much more of an experience. You’ll be picked up at your Las Vegas hotel and taken to the airport. From there, fly over the land, passing above Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and many other natural landforms, before seeing the ultimate view: The Grand Canyon. You’ll land at the West Rim and have three hours to explore before returning to Vegas by chopper. There are three daily departures for this tour. From $499 per person.