Maverick Helicopters' Wind Dancer Tour
is THE LAS VEGAS OPTION
to Land on the Bottom of the Grand Canyon
(And Let You INDULGE in a Champagne Picnic
and Flight Over The Strip!)
Maverick Helicopter tours offers a tour called the Wind Dancer that departs from Las Vegas and goes to the West Rim. Sounds ordinary, right? Far from it! Not only does this tour go over Lake Mead and Hoover Dam, but it lands on the bottom next to the majestic Colorado River for a picnic. Now for the kicker: You can only do this tour from Las Vegas. And it's super limited. And count yourself among the elite as only 5% of Canyon Visitors (West Rim and South Rim) make it to the bottom! That's a pretty wild stat. Let's dive in and learn more about this PHENOMENAL travel opportunity.
Maverick Helicopters is anti-budget. This is the company you sign on to when you want safety, luxury, and comfort. This vibe starts with their showcase terminal on the southend of the Las Vegas Strip. Unlike other operators, there's no element of the "cattle call" here. It's relaxed, clean, and set up like a VIP private lounge in an airport, decked out with plush leather couches and chairs. There's a cafe and last time I flew they offered me a glass of complimentary Champagne prior to boarding.
Can't Do This
Maverick uses ONLY the deluxe ECOStar 130 helicopter. This is the one that's 25% larger than conventional helicopters. It's equipped with stadium-style bucket seats and industrial-level climate control that makes these flights super comfy regardless if it's summer or winter. There are two seats in front next to the pilot and four in the back, with a 180-degree glass windshield for the nose and glass doors on the sides. These choppers have been designed to be whisper quiet, which is ideal as you talk to the pilot and your fellow passengers via the digital onboard communications system. Combine all these elements and it's like going to an IMAX theater.
The Wind Dancer tour takes a total of 4 hours to complete. That's hotel-to-hotel (yes, free transfers are part of the package!). Lift off starts at the west end of the Harry Reid (formerly McCarran) International Airport. You'll fly over suburban Las Vegas until you get past Lake Las Vegas and then it's over Lake Mead and Hoover Dam. FYI: This tour DOES NOT land at the Dam, it hovers over it, which is spectacular. Then it's onward until you reach Grand Cliffs Wash, the point where the Colorado River meets the entry point into Lake Mead. It's here where you begin the slow descent into the actual Canyon, using the River as guide as it winds between monster clifs until you reach the private landing pad area.
Offerings
The descent to the bottom is more than 3.5K feet, and it's a total thrill ride. On terra firma, you'll exit the aircraft and make your way as you see fit to a table to partake in the Champagne Picnic. In addition to "bubbles," there's soda and water, plus finger food like crackers, cheese, nuts, fruit, chips and more. There's plenty of areas nearby to explore and take selfies. I recommend snapping a few off near the cliff that overlooks the Colorado River as it's quite extraordinary. If you have questions about what you're experiencing, please ask your pilot as s/he is very knowledgeable about the terrain and Canyon history.
You'll board the heli again for the ASCENT. Tip: I've seen people negotiate for the front seat on the way back and get it. It's highly probable you'll have the same luck as sometimes (believe it or not), a person up front prefers to hang out in the back with a friend or something like that. I myself have had the good fortune of bumping up to the front. If the front is something you're interested in, it's definitely worth the ask. You take a different route back, which includes going up and into the side canyon that hosts the Grand Canyon Skywalk, the glass bridge that lets folks walk 70 feet beyond the edge of the West Rim. About 20 mins out, you'll land and refuel at a private fuel port, then it's back in the chopper and onward to Vegas.
The Wind Dancer package includes an extended tour over the Vegas Strip. It starts at the top wherein you go up and around the Stratosphere tower and then south down Las Vegas Boulevard, passing by Caesar’s, Mandalay Bay, Paris, Palazzo, The Wynn, Monte Carlo, New York New York, The Cosmo and more and not in that order. Before you make your final descent to the Maverick Helicopters terminal, you'll have seen the best that the Strip has to offer. I frequently tell guests that doing the Strip and the Canyon in one tour is like getting a 2-for-1 or a BOGO. And, to be frank, I can't think of a better way to wrap a tour. Start with nature, end with city...Vegas Style!
RSVP, Please
But you've got to book it in advance. I deal with folks all day shopping around to take a flight within 48 hours. They hem and haw and research more and make additional phone calls ad infinitum. My only explanation for this is they think helicopter tours get cheaper the closer the deadline looms. Folks, IT'S THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE. I can't under-emphasize that heli tours, especially the Wind Dancer, are sold out two days in advance. During certain summer months, it's up to two to three weeks. I don't know how to change this last-minute-bargain mindset except through education and blogging a page like the one you're reading now. Moreover, book the tour online. Don't go through a phone rep. You'll be charged more because there's a sales commission involved. Use the website. It's safe, it's secure, and it works. Those are my final thoughts on this tour. So, if you're really interested in getting airborne, take the plunge and...
Book a Maverick Helicopters Wind Dancer Bottom-Landing Champagne Picnic Tour Here!
Make it a GRAND day!
