Flying over the Grand Canyon by helicopter

Who hasn't heard of the Grand Canyon? When one thinks of the American West, it is obviously the first thing that comes to mind, this geological formation of over 450 km with its 1.6 km depth! Enough to be a little disoriented by this immensity!

My Western American adventure

October 2013, I set off for a one-month trip to explore the American West: big cities like San Francisco, Las Vegas and Los Angeles but also splendid national parks like Yosemite or the Grand Canyon! The place is perfect for a discovery from the air, so I opted for a 20-minute helicopter tour over this geological wonder!

Discovery of my travel companion

Here's the machine that will take me to discover the Grand Canyon from the sky

I reach the Tusayan airfield where I go through the basic formalities before patiently waiting for my flight. At the time of departure, I head out onto the tarmac with the other 5 passengers while the pilot is already waiting for us in the aircraft. We settle in and after a few adjustments, off we go: the machine rises from the ground in a deafening roar and begins its flight over the trees towards the Grand Canyon. We first fly over an endless forest of fir trees, but 5 minutes later, the canyon is in sight.

An overwhelming feeling

First, flying over the forest for a few minutes

And here we are above this superb geological formation!

Overwhelming, awe-inspiring, fascinating, ... the words are endless to describe what I can feel at this moment! The passage over the canyon is impressive, the scenery is unreal because of its extent and shape: it's grandiose. The colors in the early afternoon are superb, one feels very small in comparison to this natural site.

So is it really worth it?

I think flying over it by helicopter is a good way to discover it. It is quite complementary to a visit to the heart of the canyon but it mainly allows you to realize its immensity: even flying over it for 20 minutes, the canyon was still in sight as far as the eye could see! I highly recommend this experience if you are going to the USA, as it is one of the most beautiful places in the world to discover under exclusive conditions.

Practical information:

More info on the official website

Starting from 180€ per person.