The South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park is located in northern Arizona near the border of the state of Utah.
It's here where the best parts of the canyon's 1,000,000 acres come to life.
As you can see, that's a lot to cover on the ground.
That's why airplane tours are so popular because in under an hour you get to cross over parts that few below will ever experience.
The South Rim is the official Grand Canyon.
It makes for a perfect day trip from key destinations in Arizona like: 1.
Scottsdale 2.
Phoenix 3.
Sedona 4.
Flagstaff Many people will wonder if it's best to start their air tour from those locations but in actuality it's less expensive and more interesting to rent a car and self-drive to the Park's main gate in Tusayan, a small town that serves as the gateway (all key services are here, too, like hotels, gas, restaurants and general stores).
The longest drive is from Phoenix (appx.
4 hours) and the shortest from Flagstaff (about 1.
75 hours).
If you are flying in, I recommend Phoenix as it will carry the lowest airfares.
Lots of folks come over from Las Vegas, NV, too.
Distance from Sin City to the South Rim is about 275 miles and this is one scenario where I recommend flying, which because it's a direct flight, takes under an hour.
If you were to drive or take a bus tour, expect to spend about six hours getting there; when you add it all up you'll have spent upwards of 12 hours in transit! The Las Vegas airplane tour is quite the value as it bundles a 2.
5-hour bus tour inside the National Park where you'll see: 1.
Grand Canyon Village 2.
Mather Point 3.
Yavapai Observation Station 4.
Yaki Point There's a deluxe version of this trip that includes a helicopter tour that goes from South Rim to North Rim and back in half an hour.
The highlight is the Dragoon Corridor, which is famous for being the part of the canyon that's the widest and deepest.
This particular trip also includes the in-park bus tour, thus making this flight the most satisfying for travelers who want to see it all.
The South Rim airplane takes off from the airport and follows the South Rim to the Park's east border before bearing up to the North Rim and then south through the Dragoon Corridor.
Amid all this you'll see such famous points of entry like: 1.
Desert Watchtower 2.
Painted Desert 3.
Zuni Corridor 4.
Imperial Point (highest in the Park!) 5.
The incredibly isolated North Rim 6.
Navajo Bridge Planes used on these kinds of tours are safe and are totally customized for air tours.
Key features include: 1.
Oversized cabin 2.
Tons of personal space 3.
Comfortable, lounge-style seats 4.
Giant viewing windows 5.
Refreshing A/C 6.
Personal Headsets for in-flight narration (10 languages!) In terms of price, South Rim flights fall between helicopters and bus rides.
However, to make sure you get the absolute best deal, my recommendation is purchase your seats direct online from the tour operator.
Next, make sure you complete the transaction on the website.
By doing this, you'll guarantee yourself that your flight qualifies for the extraordinary online discounts that you deserve.