Grand Canyon tour advice please (again!)

Hi

Originally, we were looking to book an overnight bus/plane tour from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon - primarily so we get a bit extra time in the Canyon and to be able to see sunset/sunrise.

However, our schedule has limited this to a single day trip and of all the advice posted here, we have narrowed down to either Papillon or Scenic Airlines to book a South Rim %26#39;day trip%26#39;

If anyone could answer me a couple of questions I have, I would be grateful

1) Scenic are offering a %26#39;checkin%26#39; time of 04:10am OR 2:00pm returning to Las Vegas 11:45am and 9:55pm respectively on 25th JUNE. Would I actually get any Sunset/Sunrise views if I travelled at these times anyway? - cost is $488 for both of us.

2) Papillon %26#39;Grand Canyon Deluxe%26#39; is a similar day but if I travel between 7:00-7:30am ot 11:00-11:30am the price is $370. Seems to be quite a bit of difference??

Why are these times cheaper....is there a reason?

3) Has anyone taken the Papillon or Scenic tour above and have any feedback good or bad? (are they actually the same tour?). Id really like to know how long you get actually in the park (ie for taking photos, rather than being sat on the bus!)

Finally, if anyone knows of any other reputable tour companies offering a %26#39;Plane/Bus day trip to South Rim%26#39; and can recommend, that would also be very useful

Many, many thanks! -

PS, whilst on the plane(s)/copters, can you easily take video footage ??

Grand Canyon tour advice please (again!)

Took the scenic day tour about 4 years ago and it was a long day. Picked up at 4 am ish and taken for ';breakfast'; which was a mini muffin and carton of juice crammed into a room with about 500 guests queuing to pay for their trip. Long bus ride until lunch stop. This was a very sub standard buffet in the middle of nowhere! Couple of stops off at the canyon and about an hour each stop. Not really enough time to go off and explore alone but ok for pic taking. Long drive back with a stop at an ';outpost'; ( really a mini mart for souvenir or ice cream shopping)! Arrived back at the strip about 9pm. This trip i would recommend only for those who want to say they have visited the canyon........not somebody who truly wants to explore and enjoy it! Oh and if the weather clouds your views are limited anyhow! would rather splash out on a helicopter trip when there! Hope this helps and enjoy your trip!

Grand Canyon tour advice please (again!)

I%26#39;ve done the Scenic tour and enjoyed it. Is the 4:10am your pick up time or check in time at the airport? If it%26#39;s your pick up time, you%26#39;ll be seeing sunrise on the bus to the airport. It%26#39;s a 30 minute ride to the airport after everyone gets weighed in at the last hotel pick up stop.

I know the brochure says 7-1/2 hrs round trip but our trip took 9 hours round trip. I mention that in case you made plans for after the tour.

The airplane windows are large enough for you to take lots of film. The route to the canyon passes over the Hoover Dam and the West Rim of the canyon so pack plenty of film.

Each of the two bus stops was 40 minutes. Get your shopping done quickly!

Thanks susyq1967 - but was your trip the 15 hour bus/coach tour?

Im thinking that the coach/air tour times are like this

- Pickup from LV hotel to airport/weigh/fly to Canyon approx 2-2.30 hours?

- 3 hours on coach couple of stops in Canyon

- Fly back to LV

About 9 hours in total?

Maybe I have the itinerary times wrong..can anyone tell me if I am anywhere near with the timings above??

Many thanks

Thanks pizzagal

Checkintime is 4:10am - pickup from LV hotel I presume is an hour%26#39;ish earlier?

You mention the Coach trip once at the Canyone, could you tell me if this is about 3 x hours with only 2 x stops?? - Hopefully Ill still be able to get some decent pix at the 2 x stops, and if they are 40 x mins each - I suppose we might be able to wander a little

Thanks again!

With the Papillon version we can also upgrade to a North Canyon helicopter tour (about an hours worth) - but its another $200 total!

Maybe its worth it though....

Sorry for vague response! Was on the coach the whole day. Forgot to mention the brief stop at hoover dam.

There were two lookout stops and then a lunch stop of another 40 minutes. Lunch wasn%26#39;t bad for a buffet. It%26#39;s part of the cost of the trip. Beer, Wine, and tip were all we paid for at lunch.

I would say go for the Heli tours.

Book when you get to LV and talk to your hotel concierge.

There are a variety of companies and prices.

We took the plane/bus tour Papillon south rim. Main reason was to save time of long car drive. It went like this:

9:30 picked up at hotel, picked up others at hotels, driven to Boulder City

11:00 flight departed from Boulder City

12:30 arrival (slower flight, bad weather, long story), get on bus

1:00 - 2:00 lunch buffet

2:30 - 3:30 Gift shop, Imax movie

3:30 - 5:30 Bus tour of south rim

6:15 depart GC airport

8:30 pm arrive hotel

Unless you want/need to see the GC by air, I would recommend renting a car. You can get to the GC in 4 hours, 5 if you%26#39;re slow. We were gone 11 hours, and we only had about an hour and a half at the canyon. The small plane can also be very bumpy in windy weather.

If we had driven, we could have had a few extra hours at the rim, and saved $200 a head (five of us!)

My 2垄

Thanks for the ininerary - Im just disappointed that after all of the travelling we only are likely to spend less than 2 x hours at the Rim...

(we are unable to drive, so hiring a car isnt an option for us!)

We thought that the plane/bus tours would allow us 3 hours at the rim before embarking on the journey back..

Im not too fussed about lunch and iMax - but after searching many of the tours available, there doesnt seem to be any that dont add these extras?

I had a similar experience when visitng Yosemite from SF, 3,5 hours bus drive there, ONE hour in Yosemite and 3.5 hours back...so Im really trying to avoid that whilst visiting LV!

Thanks again for advice, Ill keep on looking though!

JW

These are the times for June 25th according to sunriseandsunset.com.They are for Las Vegas so may differ slightly for the Grand Canyon.

Sunrise: 5:24am

Sunset: 8:01pm

Moonrise: 3:55pm

Moonset: 1:38am

vc