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Papillon Grand Canyon South Rim Helicopter Tours

Located at Grand Canyon National Park Airport, Papillon South Rim helicopter tours depart from a terminal built with guest service in mind. Easily able to accommodate 1,000 passengers a day, this facility features an expansive glass staging area -where visitors have a 180 degree view of the arriving and departing aircraft.

The South Rim Terminal serves as a launch point for our North Canyon Tour, Imperial Air Tour, South Rim Airplane Tour and Canyon Smooth Water Bus Trip. When it comes to exploring the Grand Canyon South Rim, there's no better place to start your adventure.

The Grand Canyon South Rim

Located in northern Arizona, Tthe Grand Canyon South Rim is one of the canyon's most popular destinations. Located in the Kaibab National Forest, this area offers a different experience with every season. Wildflowers bloom along the Kaibab Plateau in the spring, aspen leaves turn golden yellow in the fall, and canyon walls become lightly powdered in snow in the winter. Unlike other rims, the South Rim is open year round, so there is never a bad time to visit. 

The South Rim is the most developed out of the rim areas, which means there are more services available here than most parts of the canyon. It also means the area can be prone to crowds. Peak season for the South Rim is in the summer, May through September. While the summer offers some of the best weather for the area, other seasons bring less of a crowd and offer a more private experience. No matter what season you plan to visit, you'll want to make sure you plan your trip well in advance. For more information check out our Grand Canyon National Park Guide.

Must See Highlights of the South Rim Grand Canyon

The South Rim of the Grand Canyon offers an array of breathtaking sights and highlights to explore. One of the must-see spots is Yaki Point, which can be reached conveniently via the shuttle buses and provides stunning panoramic views of the canyon, making it a favorite among photography enthusiasts. Another highlight is the scenic Desert View Drive, which takes you to the East Entrance and offers various overlooks such as the historic Watchtower.

The Visitor Center serves as an excellent starting point, providing valuable information and exhibits that guide visitors to captivating hiking trails such as the renowned Bright Angel Trail and the scenic Rim Trail. Mather Point and Hermit Road are additional must-see areas that showcase the grandeur of the South Rim. Mather Point provides an excellent introduction to the stunning beauty of the South Rim and is a great spot to witness the ever-changing colors of the canyon, especially during sunrise and sunset, when the golden hues paint the landscape in a mesmerizing display. Hermit Road is a scenic route that offers several designated viewpoints along its stretch. This road is closed to private vehicles during the peak tourist season, making it a peaceful and enjoyable experience.

Visitors can hop on one of the shuttle buses and explore the different overlooks, each providing a unique perspective of the canyon. If you plan to visit the South Rim, please note that the National Park Service manages this section of the Grand Canyon and charges entrance fees to ensure the preservation and maintenance of this natural wonder.

Address

South Rim Terminal
3568 Airport Rd
Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023
Get Directions >

Hours

Year Round 08:00 AM - 08:00 PM

Contact Numbers

Reservations (702) 736-7243 (SMS)

South Rim of Grand Canyon Tours

VIEW TOURS FROM THE SOUTH RIM

Soar over the Grand Canyon aboard a state-of-the-art helicopter or airplane. The South Rim is the gateway to your Grand Canyon helicopter tour or scenic Grand Canyon flight aboard a Papillon aircraft. Discover all the incredible ways to tour the Grand Canyon South Rim with our popular tours.

North Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour

The views of the Grand Canyon on board our North Canyon helicopter flight will leave you awestruck! There’s no better way to see some of the world’s most colorful and ancient geology than up close on a North Canyon helicopter tour.


You’ll fly from Grand Canyon Village, over the Kaibab National Forest, across the deepest and widest part of the canyon, and have sweeping panoramic views of the Colorado River, North Rim, and famous rock formations in some of the most remote parts of the Grand Canyon National Park. You'll also see incredible temples and buttes as you fly back through the Dragon Corridor before touching back down at the South Rim helipad.


This exhilarating helicopter tour takes you on a tour covering 2 billion years of geological time and is the perfect addition to any Grand Canyon getaway!

Imperial with EcoStar

Take in all the famous Grand Canyon sights aboard the most comfortable sightseeing helicopter available! Our EcoStar helicopter flight transports you to the North Rim, South Rim, and the wild Eastern portion of Grand Canyon National Park in a state of the art aircraft with panoramic windows for the ultimate aerial sightseeing and photography experience!

On this tour, you'll fly over some of the widest and deepest regions of the Grand Canyon and enjoy non-stop, awe-inspiring views of remarkable rock formations, colossal, colorful canyon walls, and dense, remote forests.

Get ready for nearly an hour of non-stop, stunning aerial views aboard this private helicopter tour!

Grand Discovery Air Tour

For the ultimate bird’s-eye view of the Grand Canyon this airplane tour is for you! Unlike other Grand Canyon flying tours, the Grand Discovery Airplane Tour features a fleet of aircraft with high-set wings, assuring that every seat offers our guests an unobstructed view to capture beautiful photographs!

On the Grand Discovery Air Tour, you’ll enjoy breathtaking views of the Grand Canyon South Rim, including Zuni Corridor, Imperial Point, the confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado Rivers, Kaibab National Forest, and the Kaibab Plateau. You’ll also take in all the famous South Rim viewpoints from a stunning birds-eye perspective.

All these tours depart from Grand Canyon National Park Airport and each aircraft comes equipped with climate control and headset narration for each passenger.

This tour is an affordable sightseeing addition to any Grand Canyon National Park vacation!