The World's Top 10 Aerial Tours
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The Scenery: The 277-mile-long, mile-deep chasm that the Colorado River has spent the past six million years carving was best described by John Wesley Powell, who first navigated the canyon in 1869: “The wonders of the Grand Canyon cannot be adequately represented in symbols of speech, nor by speech itself,” he wrote. He was right: it’s that stunning.
The Flight: After takeoff from Las Vegas in a DeHavilland Twin Otter Vistaliner, you’ll cruise over Lake Mead and Hoover Dam before arriving at Grand Canyon West, a section of the canyon where helicopter flights are permissible. From there you transfer to your craft and descend 4,000 vertical feet between striated red cliffs to the canyon floor. Upon landing you are free to explore the traditional stomping grounds of the Hualapai Indians and picnic along the riverbanks.
When to Go: The canyon is gorgeous year-round, although summer months can be punishingly hot (i.e., not great for strenuous hikes). By early December the canyon is often dusted with snow—a lovely sight that few people have experienced.
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