Make Aircraft Private
Privatize the entire aircraft for your party of up to 6 passengers. Enjoy comfortable seating, climate control, oversized windows for photography, and headset communications between the passengers and the pilot.
Departs from Grand Canyon National Park · Helicopter 
Helicopter
North Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour
Helicopter 
Duration Approximately 25-30 minutes
Travel mode Helicopter
Departs Grand Canyon National Park
Destination Grand Canyon
Narration 
What you'll see
The flight path, end to end.
The most exciting way to experience the expanse of the Grand Canyon North Rim is from the sky! This exciting helicopter tour flies over the deepest and widest canyon gorges, the Colorado River, and the secluded forestry of the North Rim.
Choose a tour that shows off some of the most wild and rugged nature found within the Grand Canyon National Park! This North Rim helicopter tour sets off from the South Rim air terminal and soars over the Grand Canyon North Rim's most astonishing rock formations and sights, including some of the canyon's oldest and deepest rock gorges.
From the sky, you'll find some of the most unique rock formations located across the Grand Canyon North Rim and South Rim: Tower of Ra, Vishnu Schist, and Dragon Corridor. You can take professional-looking photos of the widest and deepest regions of the striped canyon walls and see the lush greenery of the Kaibab Forest from above. North Rim tours display some of the oldest exposed geology known to man - all visible from the oversized window of your helicopter.
Your day, step by step
From start to finish.
1
Arrive at the Papillon terminal 30 minutes prior to the departure time for check-in.
2
Lift off on a narrated helicopter air tour over the North Canyon, South Rim and Dragon Corridor, and the incredible desert scenery.
3
Return to the Papillon terminal with photos and memories!
4
Total flight time is approximately 25-30 minutes.
On this tour
What's included
- Helicopter Tour
- Multilingual Narration
- Sights of Grand Canyon North & South Rim
- Headset narration
- Amazing aerial views of Grand Canyon National Park
The aircraft
The helicopter for this tour is the Airbus EC130 EcoStar.
Sightseeing is the only job this aircraft does. The Airbus EC130 EcoStar was built for it — and on this tour it is the only aircraft you can be assigned.
- Aircraft Airbus EC130 EcoStar
- Passengers Up to 6 guests
- Windscreen 180° wraparound
- Seating Forward-facing, stadium-tiered
- Cabin 23% more space than an A-Star
- Headsets Noise-cancelling · 11 languages
- Cabin climate Air-conditioned
- Tail rotor Shrouded Fenestron — quieter
Which seat do I get?
Seats are assigned by weight-and-balance, not by booking order — it is an aviation requirement, not a sales tactic. Stadium-tiered seats face forward toward the wraparound windscreen.
Guest seat · own window Pilot
| EC130 EcoStar — ours | A-Star AS350 | |
|---|---|---|
| Seating direction | Forward-facing, stadium-tiered | Forward-facing, flat |
| Windscreen | 180° wraparound | Narrower forward view |
| Cabin volume | 23% more than an A-Star | Baseline |
| Guests carried | Up to 6 | Up to 6 |
| Air-conditioned cabin | Yes | Varies by operator |
| Narration languages | 11 | Varies |
What this means
Some canyon tours are sold without naming the aircraft, and guests find out at the terminal that they are flying a smaller machine with a different cabin layout. On this tour there is one aircraft type and no substitution — if we cannot fly you on an EC130, we do not fly you, and you are rebooked or refunded.
Make it yours
Optional North Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour Upgrades
Add Hummer Tour
Add a Hummer ground excursion to your Grand Canyon tour. Travel on an open-air Hummer vehicle to multiple South Rim lookout points, with an option to include sunset views. The perfect way to see the Grand Canyon South from every angle! Learn more about the required passes and fees for international visitors.
Gift certificates
View tour gift certificates This tour is available as a gift.
Send a Papillon flight for birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and groups. Digital delivery makes it easy to surprise someone.
Before you book
North Grand Canyon Helicopter FAQs
The North Canyon Helicopter tour narrations are offered in English, Chinese - Mandarin & Cantonese, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish.
The aerial tour duration of the North Canyon Helicopter Tour is approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
The North Canyon Helicopter Tour departs from Papillon’s South Rim helicopter terminal. This terminal is located at Grand Canyon National Park Airport (GCN), Tusayan, AZ. The address is:
Grand Canyon Airport South Rim Terminal
3568 Airport Rd
Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023
Infants (0–23 months) fly free and must sit on a parent or guardian’s lap during the flight. However, a separate seat charge will apply for any tours including a Hummer ground excursion due to the need for a carseat.
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Every suggestion leaves from your departure point, so you're never sent hours away.
Since 1965Six decades flying the canyon
NPS preferred providerNational Park Service authorized
FAA Part 135 certifiedMaintained by our own engineers
250,000+ flyers a yearThe world's largest aerial tour company
