Las Vegas practically needs no introduction. The jewel of the American Southwest, Las Vegas is an entertainment mecca and a destination in its own right, filled with everything from world-class theater and attractions to luxurious shopping and sumptuous cuisine. Its proximity to the Grand Canyon National Park, the Hoover Dam, and the Lake Mead National Recreation Area also make it a prime destination for travelers looking to explore the natural world in addition to (or instead of!) their urban ramblings.
As a result, Las Vegas is also the departure point for a number of Grand Canyon tours and excursions. Available tours span the gamut from pricey airplane and helicopter tours to affordable jeep tours. A number of hiking excursions and various bus tours also pick up from Las Vegas. Almost all tours pick up from hotels in the Las Vegas area, so there’s little need to drive to the surrounding airports.
Available Tours
A wide selection of tours depart from Las Vegas’s various airports and hotels to escort travelers to the Grand Canyon and the Hoover Dam. Here is a selection of available tour companies and the services they provide.
Aerial Tours:
- 5 Star Helicopters: These affordable helicopter tours focus on Las Vegas and Grand Canyon West, with a variety of tour options that even include an overnight stay option and a Skywalk option. Tours depart from the North Las Vegas Airport and Boulder City.
- Grand Canyon Helicopters: Offering five different tours – a few of which combine aerial tours with a landing excursion – this company highlights the Grand Canyon and its surroundings or the Las Vegas Strip. Tours depart from McCarron.
- Maverick Airlines: With excursions ranging from 4 to 7.5 hours in duration, a variety of sightseeing fixed-wing airplane tours are available through this company. Soar above the Grand Canyon, and land at the South or West Rim. Tours depart from Henderson.
- Maverick Helicopters: This company offers a wide variety of tour options, focusing on the Las Vegas Strip, the Hoover Dam, and/or parts of the Grand Canyon. Prices and duration vary between tours. Some include ground transportation components as well. Tours depart from McCarron.
- Mustang Helicopters: This budget-friendly option offers helicopter tours of the West Rim of the Grand Canyon. Tours depart from Henderson.
- Papillon Helicopters: Three separate tour options cover different aspects of the Grand Canyon. The most comprehensive is the Grand Canyon Voyager, which combines airplane & helicopter flight with a pontoon boat experience and a visit to Grand Canyon West. Tours depart from Boulder City & McCarron airports.
- Serenity Helicopters: Luxury helicopter tours in several varieties, from breathtaking sunset tours to all-day air tours. They even offer wedding packages! Tours depart from Boulder City.
Jeep Tours:
- Pink Jeep Tours: These iconic pink Jeeps are a great way to explore the Grand Canyon and the Hoover Dam. Tours that combine river rafting, aerial tours, and the Jeep ground tour are also available.
Bus Tours:
- Gray Line Tours, Las Vegas: The Las Vegas-branch of the popular Gray Line Tours company offers visitors their choice of a variety of guided tours of the South and West Rims of the Grand Canyon, as well as Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. These tours will pick you right up from your Las Vegas-area hotel, and are available in a wide range of formats.
- Detours of Nevada: The Las Vegas-based branch of Detours American West, a tour company that operates a significant number of excursions throughout the Southwestern United States. Detours of Nevada offers guests their choice of half-day, full-day, and multi-day tours to such locations as Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon West, Bryce Canyon, Hoover Dam, and more.
- Grand Canyon Destinations: Operates guided tours of Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon West, and Hoover Dam. Las Vegas-area hotel pick-up and drop-off is provided. Standard tours and VIP tours are both available, and most excursions come standard with some sort of complimentary snack, meal, and/or water.
- Canyon Tours: This luxury bus company offers daylong tours of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, including several stops for photographs and to check out the Grand Canyon Visitor’s Center & IMAX film. Complimentary hotel pick up from Las Vegas.
- Papillon: Tour the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and the Hoover Dam on these informative daylong excursions. Pick up from hotels in Las Vegas.
- Comedy on Deck Tours: Operates a half-dozen different outings running regularly between Las Vegas and Grand Canyon West or Hoover Dam. The tours they offer to these locations check in at a variety of price points, with several different add-on options available. They’re most well-known for their famous “Hoot and Hoover” tour, a guided tour to the Hoover Dam during which your group will be led around by a professional comedian.
- Vegas Desert Tours: Operates nearly one dozen different guided tours that take visitors from the heart of Las Vegas out into the surrounding countryside, where many of the American Southwest’s most beloved attractions can be found. Popular tours include outings to Grand Canyon National Park, Hoover Dam, Death Valley, Red Rock Canyon, and more.
- SWEETours: Specializes in tours that pick you up from your Las Vegas-area hotel and take you to your choice of several different wonders of the American Southwest. A variety of options at a number of price points are available. Popular tours include outings to Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon West, and Hoover Dam. Special charters are available upon request.
Rafting Tours:
- Black Canyon River Adventures: Operating out of scenic Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Black Canyon River Adventures runs two distinct tours—one that takes you rafting down the Colorado River through Black Canyon, and another that gets you up close and personal with the Hoover Dam. They also offer customizable group charter rafting tours.