Wind Dancer

The Wind Dancer is Maverick Helicopters' signature Grand Canyon landing tour from Las Vegas. Guests fly in an EC130/H130 ECO-Star helicopter, with wraparound glass, theater-style forward seating and noise-canceling headsets, from Maverick's terminal near the south end of Las Vegas Boulevard out to Hualapai Indian land on the canyon's West Rim, then descend right into the canyon rather than just circling the rim.

The route crosses Lake Mead, the Hoover Dam and the extinct Fortification Hill volcano before dropping roughly 3,500 feet below the rim to land on a private bluff about 300 feet above the Colorado River, where the pilot pours a champagne toast with light snacks and drinks. Flying time is about 45 minutes each way with roughly half an hour on the ground. Maverick lists the tour itself at about 2.3 hours; the complimentary hotel transfer at each end sits on top of that.

Go in with clear eyes: it is a genuine splurge, the champagne-and-snacks stop is not a meal, and summer heat, winter cold or desert haze can all dull the landing experience, so a clear, cooler morning is best. Maverick caps passengers at 300 pounds, and anyone over that must buy an additional seat for balance. Ground time is short. For travelers who want the once-in-a-lifetime canyon-floor landing and don't mind the price, it is one of the best helicopter tours running out of Vegas.