If you are looking for an air tour that gives you maximum exploration time at the Grand Canyon, definitely consider Papillon's Indian Adventure tour. This all-day trip gets you there safely and quickly, and lets you experience all key points of interest at your own pace. Here are the details:

The Indian Adventure departs from the Las Vegas metro area every day of the year, including all major U.S. holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Flight time to the West Rim is less than 45 minutes. En route, you'll see:

Boulder City (the only town in Nevada that bans gaming)
Lake Mead. The largest manmade reservoir in the U.S.
Hoover Dam. The 700-foot-tall edifice is truly impressive when airborne
Fortification Hill. A massive, extinct volcano
Grand Cliffs Wash. The landmark that demarcates Grand Canyon airspace

The plane lands at Grand Canyon West Airport, a relatively new facility owned and operated by the Hualapai Indian Tribe. From there, you'll be picked up by a shuttle bus and taken to the visitor complex.

The Skywalk!

The most noticeable thing about this area is the Grand Canyon Skywalk. This tour doesn't include it, but if you feel compelled to do the glass bridge, you can opt to purchase tickets. Is this attraction worth it? Lots of folks have a love/hate with it. In my opinion, I say "go for it" for the following reasons:

Miraculous views
You get to walk 70 feet past the edge
You get to stand 4,000 over the bottom
The walkway is the largest glass cantilever bridge in the world

Go here for more info on Skywalk airplane tours.

There's plenty to see and do at Grand Canyon West, and I like the fact that this trip gives you no less than 3 hours to see it (definitely enough time, too!). The top sites are:

Eagle Point
Guano Point (a.k.a. The bat cave because it used to be a guano mine)
Indian Cultural Center
Hualapai Ranch (mock gunfights for the kid in all of us!)

This tour is all-inclusive, which means it includes:

Complementary hotel pick up/drop off
BBQ lunch
All fees, including Grand Canyon West entrance fee
Professional guide service (you can opt to self-explore)

Like I noted earlier, this is a full day tour so plan accordingly as total tour time runs approximately 7 hours.

The Plane

Vistaliners are used exclusively on this trip. These aircraft hold up to 19 adults. They are safe, fast and stable, and are manned by two pilots at all times. From nose to tail, they've been customized for sightseeing and boast the following:

Large cabins
Recliner seats (lots of personal space)
Oversized viewing windows
Personal headsets (taped narrations in 10 languages!
Wings attached to top of body for unobstructed views

What to Wear

Depends on the time of year you take the Indian Adventure. Let's start with summer, which is extremely hot. Temperatures are typically over 100 degrees and don't drop until evening. Considering that, I recommend you wear/bring the following:

Hat
Sunglasses
Sun block
Water
Long-sleeve shirt
Sturdy footwear

Compared to the South Rim of the canyon, West Rim winter weather is mild and similar to what you'll experience in Las Vegas. That doesn't mean it doesn't get cold, because it does, so avoid showing up in shorts and open-toed shoes and a t-shirt. Plus it's wise to wear a medium-weight jacket and a windbreaker.

Reservations

Over the years, Las Vegas has become a city where there never seems to be low season in terms of people coming to visit. Consider that when booking your trip. I recommend you purchase it at least a week or two prior to your desired departure time. I don't recommend same-day bookings, or anything for that matter that falls within 72 hours of when you want to go. Chances are too high that you want get onboard.

Deals

I'm noticing a new phenomena. It's the traveler who's wiped out looking for the best price on the Internet. These folks pour hours of their precious time searching the online world in order to shave pennies off tour prices that in the end are just dollars below full retail. Totally unnecessary, especially if follow these steps:

Do not purchase from "big box" travel sites like Travelocity, Priceline and Expedia
Do purchase direct from the tour supplier
Do book your air tour via the online booking form
Do complete your transaction online in order to get the Internet discount

By simply following these 4 steps, you'll be able to lock down a tour that's priced no less than 15 percent cheaper than you'll find it anywhere else. I know because I had to learn the hard way and deplete my valuable travel funds in the process.

Take Action

I hope I've been able to give you enough detail about this West Rim airplane tour. In my opinion, it's one of the better trips out there, and its definitely the leader in terms of how much time you get to put boots on the ground and explore the National Park. If you have additional questions, hit me up using the chat button on this page or send me email at grandcanyonkeith AT gmail.com

Click Here for Skywalk-Airplane Tour & Availability

Have a GRAND day,