Grand Canyon Sunrise Helicopter Tour with Maverick Helicopters

Philippa Westwood • 5 September 2018

There are many ways to experience the Grand Canyon, but by far the best is to travel by helicopter. The views from the air are phenomenal and the fact that you can go door-to-door from your Vegas hotel, land in the canyon for a champagne breakfast and be back at the hotel pool by 11am, makes this tour a ‘must do’ on anyone’s Vegas itinerary.

With several tour options to choose from (including a quick 12-15 minute night time flight over the Las Vegas Strip for those who are short on time, up to a full day 7-hour Indian Territory Tour) it can be hard to decide which one to go for, but the 4-hour sunrise ‘Wind Dancer Air and Landing Tour’ certainly ticked all the boxes!

Pick up was at 7am from our hotel entrance where we were driven by shuttle bus to the terminal. (There are numerous departure times to choose from, however the earlier ones tend to be quieter in the canyon with less helicopters arriving during your visit).

After a quick briefing, we were ready to go! Our helicopter (an Airbus130) seated 6 passengers and everyone rotated seats at each stop to ensure we all got a great view during the flight. The pilot was very entertaining and told us all about the helicopter and the landscape, making sure we didn’t miss anything as we flew over Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam, which is really quite remarkable and a great highlight of the tour.

Soon we were arriving at the Grand Canyon. This spectacle, carved by the Colorado River approximately 70 million years ago, stretches an incredible 277 miles long and 18 miles wide and is absolutely breath-taking! Seeing it from the air is truly the best way to really appreciate the sheer vastness of it, and it is easy to see why it is on so many people’s ‘Bucket Lists’.

Upon making the 3,500-foot descent and landing in the canyon, breakfast was set up while we all took some time to have a wander around, take lots of pictures and to simply appreciate our surroundings. The colours in the canyon at that time of the morning are stunning and with only one other helicopter joining us during our time there it was very peaceful. We had approximately 30 minutes in the canyon to enjoy our breakfast with a glass (or two) of champagne overlooking the mighty Colorado River and before we knew it, it was time to pack up, say our goodbyes to nature and head back to base.

The return flight took us a different route over incredible red rock formations and the Bowl of Fire as we needed to make a stop to refuel. We flew over Rainbow Mountain, located in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (aka “Red Rocks”) which is just 15 miles west of Las Vegas and has the most striking and colourful peak, due to its large bands of red sandstone.

After a short stop for fuel, and time to take a closer look at the helicopter from the outside, we were on our way back and flying directly over the Las Vegas Strip. It’s one thing to walk the strip down on the ground, but to see it from above is something else! Seeing the huge resorts and all the bright lights coming out of the middle of the desert is really quite surreal!

Back at the terminal we said our goodbyes and were shuttled back to our hotels ready for a full day of Vegas filled fun!

Maverick Helicopters provide a professional and first-class service and their staff are knowledgeable and entertaining. They were very accommodating throughout the whole tour and made sure that everyone had a great experience, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Take a look at our Las Vegas Helicopter Tour page for full details and prices.


Top Tips:


  • If possible book an early morning tour which will be less busy.
  • Sunrise and Sunset tours will give you the most spectacular colours in the canyon especially if you are a keen photographer.
  • If you are short on time but want to experience the thrill of a helicopter be sure to do the Vegas Nights Helicopter Tour – Prices from £92 per person for a 12-15 minute night flight of the Strip.
  • Dress appropriately; wear comfortable walking shoes and for sunrise and sunset flights take extra layers as it can get quite cool down in the canyon.
  • Make sure your camera is fully charged before you set off and take an extra power pack. You will take a lot of pictures!
  • Maverick also run helicopter tours in Maui or Kauai with the same excellent level of service. Ask us for more details for your Hawaii holiday.

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