Awe.

Part of me feels like a terrible American because I had never visited the Grand Canyon before last week.  It’s not like I hadn’t tried!  The last time I was in Arizona, a freak snowstorm caused the south rim of the Canyon to close and seemingly dash my hopes of ever seeing it in person.  I had pretty much given up on visiting one of the most famous landmarks in this country until the universe shifted and I was granted the opportunity of a lifetime.

Last week I attended the  International Pow Wow conference in Las Vegas and press tours were offered for media before the conference officially started.  Of course there were your typical tours like restaurant, shopping and spa trips, but when I saw the helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon, I almost leapt through my computer screen.  I was fortunate enough to snag a spot before the tour quickly filled, and FINALLY cross this momentous occasion off my bucket list.

Gleeful in the bottom of the Canyon

The Grand Canyon is one of those natural wonders that needs to be experienced properly so that you can truly feel its magnitude.  I never envisioned seeing it by helicopter but now I can’t imagine any other way.  Pictures speak louder than words but before I get to the gallery, here’s a quick synopsis of where we went.

Our ride!

The tour was organized by Papillion Grand Canyon Helicopters out of Boulder City, NV.  We took off from Boulder City and headed into Arizona and over to the Hoover Dam, before flying over Lake Mead towards the northern rim of the Canyon.  Once we reached the Canyon and passed the Skywalk, we landed in a small clearing at the bottom of the canyon where we took pictures and had a boxed lunch for about half an hour.  It was definitely too hot to stay in the canyon for much longer than that (113 degrees!).  We vacated the canyon and then flew over a larger portion of the Colorado River and the Mojave desert and back into Nevada.  The trip lasted for about 2.5 hours in total.

To book for yourself, check out the Grand Celebration Tour which starts at around $315 per person during the summer but can drop to $250 per person during the winter months. INSIDER TIP! Book in April or October which is considered low season for the best prices and awesome weather.  Also, ask for pilot Emily!