Owned and operated by the Hualapai Tribe on a beautiful stretch of their ancestral homeland, Grand Canyon West is the site of notable attractions such as Guano Point, Eagle Point, and Hualapai Point. It’s also a popular place for hiking, zip lining, and whitewater rafting. Perhaps its best known feature, though, is the Skywalk: a horseshoe-shaped, glass cantilever bridge that stretches out some 70 feet over the rim of the Grand Canyon, permitting visitors to experience the sensation of standing 4,000 feet above the floor of the canyon below. Maverick Helicopters’ Skywalk Odyssey Tour takes you straight from the Las Vegas Strip to Grand Canyon West, where you can enjoy expedited admission to Skywalk. Meanwhile, coming and going from Grand Canyon West you’ll enjoy spectacular views of the Grand Canyon, Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, and more.
Skywalk Odyssey Tour Details
From start to finish, the Skywalk Odyssey Tour takes approximately five hours. You’ll be picked up at your Las Vegas hotel of choice (as long as your hotel is located within five miles of the Vegas Strip, shuttle service is provided) in one of Maverick Helicopters’ shuttle buses and taken directly to the company’s terminal, where you’ll board one of their Airbus 130 premier sightseeing helicopters. From there, it’s a 45-minute flight to Grand Canyon West, during which time you’ll have breathtaking views of Hoover Dam, Fortification Hill, and the Grand Canyon. When you land at Grand Canyon West, you’ll have an hour or so to bask in the wonder of the Skywalk viewing platform. Your 45-minute return journey will take you over Lake Mead, and as Las Vegas comes back into view, you’ll be able to see such landmarks as the Bellagio, Caesars Palace, and the Paris Las Vegas Eiffel Tower.
Maverick Helicopters’ Skywalk Odyssey Tour typically runs twice a day, departing at 9:00am and 1:00pm. The most common ticket price (per person) goes for about $700. Children two years old or younger may sit on the lap of a parent; otherwise, every tour participant must purchase a seat.
Skywalk Odyssey Tour Highlights
Hoover Dam/Lake Mead: One of the world’s great human-made engineering marvels, the Hoover Dam is 726 feet tall and 1,244 feet wide. Constructed over five years in the early 1930s, Hoover Dam impounded the Colorado River, thus creating Lake Mead: a massive reservoir that supplies water to a huge swath of the American Southwest. It’s also a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts.
Fortification Hill: This Arizona landmark is a 3,719-foot mountain that stands northeast of Hoover Dam, not far from the southern portion of Lake Mead. An extinct volcano, its plateau-like flat mountaintop makes for a distinctive photo opportunity.
Skywalk: Grand Canyon West’s signature attraction, Skywalk is an observation deck that extends 70 feet out into open air 4,000 feet above the Colorado River—a fact you cannot miss, as the Skywalk’s floor is made entirely of see-through glass.
Skywalk Souvenir Photo: Your Maverick Helicopters’ Skywalk Odyssey Tour entitles you to a complimentary souvenir photo at Skywalk, as well as expedited admission to the attraction.
Is the Skywalk Odyssey Tour for You?
When considering whether or not Maverick Helicopters’ Skywalk Odyssey Tour is right for you, it really boils down to one key question: How important to you is it to experience Grand Canyon West’s Skywalk? If you’re visiting Las Vegas, and you’d really like to experience Skywalk for yourself, then the Skywalk Odyssey Tour makes for a natural choice. The Skywalk Odyssey Tour eliminates the need to drive all the way to Grand Canyon West—you won’t even have to worry about getting to the departure point, as shuttle transportation is provided. Instead, you can sit back and enjoy the scenic parade of Southwestern landmarks on your way to and from this incredible viewing platform. However, if you’re lukewarm on Skywalk—if your priority is viewing the Grand Canyon up close and personal, for instance, or maybe even landing deep within the canyon itself—then you might want to take a look at tours like the Western Journey which is similar, allows a longer stay at Grand Canyon West but the Skywalk is optional. Other options are Wind Dancer which lands inside the Grand Canyon instead of Grand Canyon West and the Indian Territory, which stops at both the bottom of the Canyon and Grand Canyon West.
