Saturday, September 1, 2012

Try a Las Vegas to Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour



Try a Las Vegas to Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour
There a multitude of West Rim chopper tours readily available, with departures from Las Vegas, Nevada. Some tour companies offer hotel pick-ups and drop-offs. Besides providing spectacular views of the Grand Canyon, many tours also fly over other well-known attractions, such as the Valley of Fire, the Las Vegas Strip, Lake Mead, Iceberg Canyon and the Hoover Dam

Grand Canyon National Park's western region is the only location in the whole park where helis can land. It is situated approximately 120 miles east of Las Vegas. These aircraft can go down into the Inner Canyon, and land along side Colorado River. They offer awesome views of this park's ancient strata.

The Grand Canyon's western section features the Grand Canyon Skywalk. Opened up in 2007, this attraction is owned and operated by members from the Hualapai Native American tribe. The Sky Walk is made up of a 70-foot horseshoe-shaped glass bridge that stretches out of a sheer cliff. From this viewpoint, guests have extraordinary views of the Colorado River, which happens to be located 4,000 feel below.

This section of the park also includes The Indian Village, which contains genuine dwellings built by indigenous people. The village consists of five buildings, and a 250-seat amphitheater. Also, Hualapai Ranch, Guano Point and Eagle Point are part of this region's best visitor hotspots. The Hualapai Ranch includes horseback rides, cowboy cookouts and covered-wagon rides, and live shows showcasing professional gun-fighters.

Grand Canyon West is a well-known, famous national treasure. It was chosen as a preserve after a 1903 visit from U.S. President, Theodore Roosevelt. He was so in awe of the intriguing geological features and unique types of wildlife that he named the area as one of the country's first national parks. On November 28, 1906, it was formally designated as the Grand Canyon Game Preserve. Over the following years, the Roosevelt administration added in surrounding lands to this park. On January 11, 1908, it was re-designated as a United States National Monument.

This huge park includes numerous major ecosystems. It is the place to find a fantastic diversity of animals and plants. Of the 7 life zones identified in the world, 5 are found inside the park. They include the Hudsonian, Canadian, Transition, Upper Sonoran and the Lower Sonoran. All environments from Mexico to Canada are represented. The region's numerous elevations come with a number of climates. The diverse climate-zones are the main factors that make up the varied life zones. The area boasts 34 distinct types of mammals, 48 bird species, and 129 vegetative communities.

The park's wildlife includes Rocky Mountain Toads, red-spotted toads, coyotes, canyon tree frogs and bighorn sheep.. Also, moutain lions, weasels, gray foxes, bobcats, ring-tails, pocket mice, antelope squirrels, beavers, bald eagles, and 6 types of rattlesnakes call this environment home. Insect colonies include mites, moths, stoneflies, tarantula hawks, wasps, honeybees, beetles, fire ants, butterflies, mayflies and midges. A multitude of scorpions and spiders also inhabit the park. They include the tarantula and black widow spider.

Canyon helicopter tours to the West Rim offer a number of trips into this stunning park. Many fly from Vegas, with hotel pick-up and drop-off options available. Experiencing the park by air offers the most tremendous, panoramic views of this significant national treasure.

Mr. Plunket is a travel journalist who writes about all things Grand Canyon. He recommends this site for readers interested in low-price Grand Canyon helicopter tours.
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