South Rim Or West Rim - How to Pick a Grand Canyon Bus Tour

For most visitors, there are two places from which to choose when it comes experiencing Grand Canyon National Park: The South and West Rims. Picking which one to explore is a simple exercise based on two criteria: 1) Time and 2) Budget.

BACKGROUND

The Grand Canyon is massive. It encompasses more than 1.2 million acres of land (1,904 square miles). Lengthwise, it's 277 miles long, starting from Lee's Ferry in the east and ending at Grand Wash Cliffs in the west. Sitting smack dab in the middle of Kaibab National Forest, home to the largest Ponderosa Pine forest in United States, The Canyon's most accessible points for sightseeing are The South, West, and North Rims. Most travelers will launch day trips to the Canyon from Las Vegas. This makes a trip to the North Rim out of the question due to its remoteness. Therefore your options are the South and West Rims.

SOUTH RIM

This is the most famous Rim in the Canyon. It's also the most accessible and has loads of aMenities. If your are looking for incredible photo opportunities, this is it. Expect to spend a full day on this tour. Total round-trip time is 15 hours, including hotel pick up and drop off. Prices range from to 0 plus. This price variation is due to how "inclusive" the package is:

Does it include meals? Does it include park entrance fees? Does the bus stop at other sights? How much time do you get to spend at the Park? Is there hotel pick up and drop off?

My recomMendation is that you read the fine print. It's also at this point that you need to decide if you will upgrade your trip to include helicopter rides, horseback riding, or plane flights. No matter what you decide, know this: The South Rim is one of Las Vegas' best sightseeing values.

Standard bus trips to the Canyon start in Las Vegas and wend their way east. I suggest you grab a window seat: En route, you will see Lake Mead, the largest man-made lake in the country, Hoover Dam, pristine Mojave Desert, and the unique grasslands of Northern Arizona. Key towns are Boulder City, NV, Kingman, AZ, and Williams, AZ, entrance to the Park. Depending on the operator, you'll have between two to three hours to explore the South Rim. The return trip to Las Vegas is about five hours (including rest stops). Expect to be back at your hotel room around 9 p.m.

WEST RIM

In a pinch for time? Choose the West Rim. This Rim is located just 120 miles East of Las Vegas. Bus drive time is 2.5 hours one way. Total trip time, with hotel drop off and pick up is 8 hours. Costs range from 5 to 0. Upgrades are plentiful, and include Grand Canyon Skywalk, horseback riding, Hummer tours, ATV rides, river rafting, and kayak trips.

West Rim bus tours depart Las Vegas daily. Sites you will see along the way include Boulder City, NV, Lake Mead, and Hoover Dam. Most tours will include stops at the Dam. Prior to purchasing your bus tour, read the fine print. It's also best to purchase add-ons now as rates are cheaper in advance than day of trip.

The Rim is in Hualapai Indian territory. Factually speaking, it's just outside National Park boundaries and referred to by tour operators as Grand Canyon West. The Tribe operates Grand Canyon Skywalk - a glass bridge that hangs off the rim over the Colorado River some 4,000 feet below. I recomMend visiting the Bridge; currently no cameras are allowed. It's also here that you can book a helicopter flight that lands on the bottom (this experience is not available on the South Rim).

CONCLUSION

If you are strapped for time and are contemplating purchasing a Grand Canyon bus tour, book a West Rim trip. If you have a day to spare and want a real, authentic Canyon experience, RSVP a South Rim trip. From a budget perspective, both Rims offer incredible value, but the South Rim bus package is the better of the two. However, you can't go wrong taking one tour or the other. The Grand Canyon is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It's a national treasure that you have to see to believe. If you are in Las Vegas and can visit, go for it. It's well worth the effort.

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