Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/138830
A Ride to Thrill Tourists planning a Vegas itinerary for the first time always ask locals one thing: "Is it worth it to squeeze in the Grand Canyon?" Not only is the answer a resounding "Yes," but our favorite helicopter tour companies have added so many exciting activities that exploring the Grand Canyon by air is something that can be done again and again. "Most people aren't used to having that much visibility and looking straight at the ground when they're flying," says Joe Muñoz, chief pilot of Maverick Helicopters (702-261-0007; maverickhelicopter.com), who promises that his tours more than compete with the action on the Strip. "It's definitely a thrill and a rush." Passengers on any of Maverick's 35 ECO-Stars—$3 million helicopters that are the quietest, roomiest tourism choppers in the world—especially love the four-and-a-half-hour Wind Dancer Sunset tour. The trip begins at the company's private airfield, in the shadow of Mandalay Bay. Guests fly over the sights of Vegas and away from what Muñoz calls this "island in the desert." Throughout the flight, the pilot narrates the adventure, answers questions, and calms any jittery nerves. Arriving at the Grand Canyon, the helicopter flies over the rim before gently descending almost 3,500 feet to a bluff 300 feet above the Colorado River. "Only by helicopter can you get to the bottom of the canyon," Muñoz says. "It's the total opposite of Vegas when you get there. It's peaceful and quiet." Those with nerves to quell especially appreciate the chilled Champagne that's served on the bluff with hors d'oeuvres, while everyone takes pictures and soaks in the view before heading back to the city. For those left wanting more, the company can arrange custom packages, including weddings, at the bottom of the canyon. Maverick once flew some 50 guests in eight helicopters to a private landing site for an extravagant sushi feast. Sundance Helicopters (702-736-0606; sundancehelicopters.com), another popular tour operator, provides limousine service to a private terminal at McCarran International Airport, where it keeps its fleet of 25 six- and seven-passenger helicopters. Guests, about 75 percent of them from outside the United States, often opt for the company's best-selling Grand Canyon Picnic tour, in which pilots fly over the canyon's rim and descend 3,200 feet to a secluded area overlooking the Colorado River. Another popular option is the Grand Voyager Exclusive, which takes passengers over Hoover Dam and Lake Mead before whisking them down to the Colorado for a boat ride through deep chasms, then back up to see the Grand Canyon's famous glass Skywalk. 100 PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURIN RINDER CHAMPAGNE AND CLIFF LANDINGS ADD EXCITEMENT TO AN ALREADY FABULOUS EXCURSION: A HELICOPTER TOUR OF THE GRAND CANYON. VEGASMAGAZINE.COM 098-103_V_Feat_Travel_Sum13.indd 100 6/17/13 10:23 AM