Grand Canyon - west or south?

[Otispunkmeyer]

So will be in Vegas in October as we were thinking of the heli tours to the Grand Canyon. The heli tours go to the west rim, however I've read that this isn't as impressive as the south rim which requires a short aeroplane flight and 7 hour round trip.

Has anyone been to either or both? What did you think and what do you suggest?

Thanks

[Nickyboy]

South rim is the "official" Grand Canyon as its the National Park, the West rim is owned by the Indians and parts of it you visit aren't even the main canyon, the Skywalk for example is over a side canyon. Choppers are also not allowed to land in the official Canyon so don't get taken in by promises

[-Ad-]

+1 to the above!

West Rim = Tourist trap, poor, expensive, no personal photos on skywalk...... You have to buy theirs.

South Rim = The Grand Canyon!


If you want to do it properly then get the plane from Vegas area to S. Rim airport and do the Heli ride 'Over' the actual Canyon. Stunning!!!!

[RedWhiteMonkey]

+1 to the two previous posters. West Rim simply doesn't compare to North or South Rim.

[Stedman]

South.

SouthsouthsouthsouthSOUTH! Fantastic place by the way, i'm going back in September for the second time in 3/4 years. I'm taking some mates who have never been and don't quite understand why i'm taking them. Little do they know!

[bad company]

Just visited both North and South rims over the past 4 days. The North is less commercial & much better imo.

[Nickyboy]

No i'm not peeing over the edge

[bad company]

The Skywalk also gets a very bad press, see trip advisor.

[Otispunkmeyer]

Cheers lads


I knew the sky walk was garbage. Others I know have been and said as much.

South rim is what I'm gonna shoot for, with the heli ride over. My gf is worried about the cost, I think so far we've seen about $500 per person for the flight out there, heli ride over and bus hopping to various vantage points. To me that doesn't strike me as particularly expensive considering the modes of transport! But that is $1k for a day out.

I'm quite happy to save for that experience I think. It'll be worth it.

[Nickyboy]

Why not hire a nice car, drive out to the Canyon, stay over night then book the chopper from the GC airport, that's what we were going to do and it was a good deal cheaper.

[anonymous-user]

Drive there, stop over, and relax a bit. Then get airborne the next day. We flew with Grand Canyon Helicopters (they thought long and hard about that one) and they had tidy aircraft and a slick operation. Felt quite safe throughout. (Girly pilot was quite tidy too but as I was on honeymoon I couldn't possibly comment further.....)
After the excess of Vegas the drive across the desert at sunset on Route 66 in a Camaro wth The Eagles on the stereo and the more relaxed atmosphere of somewhere like Tusayan will be a welcome break.
And another vote for the South Rim.

[bad company]

All I will say is that having done both in the last week the North Rim is MUCH better although the South Rim is easier to reach from most places. Enjoy.