What's a Grand Canyon helicopter and boat tour really like? — featuring Magellan and Greyhound (Papillon Helicopters)

0:00 We're about to take a helicopter down into the Grand Canyon and then take a pontoon on the Colorado River. Yeah. Yeah. This is Mellin >> and this is Greyhound. >> Well, we make videos about epic road trips, kaying, [music] hiking, and other outdoor adventures. For our helicopter ride, we traveled to

0:22 Grand Canyon West, which belongs to the Halapai tribe and is located about 2 hours from Las Vegas. We went with Papon Helicopters, which is one of the companies that operate there. You check in, [music] get weighed, watch a safety video, learn about the Halapai, and then they get you going.

0:41 >> So, we got here at 10:40. It's about 11:15 now, and we're starting to board. So excited. For those wondering, this was not cheap. Almost 300 a person. It's mine. And we're off. heading eastward from the helipad towards one of the greatest wonders of the world. We've seen it from the south

1:04 rim, the north rim, and even below the rim, but never from above, and also never outside of the boundaries of the National Park Service. This definitely looks more desolate and raw. And pretty much like the other accessible parts of the canyon, no photo or video can truly do it the justice [music] it deserves.

1:25 It looks like right out of a movie set. And we haven't even descended into the canyon yet. So yeah, about that. Layers of rock formations, rugged and dramatic, older than you or I, and likely to survive us by a few more millions or billions [music] of years. Seeing the Colorado River, responsible

1:48 for the carving of this grandiose winding [music] passage is just magnificent. This is officially the coolest commute we've ever [music] done. It's hard to describe just how amazing this is and how you simultaneously feel this profound sense of enormity and also insignificance. [music]

2:08 As quick as this is happening, about five total minutes, this is still a 4,000 ft descent to the canyon floor. Behold the Grand Canyon. How was that? That was >> cool. >> You like it? >> Yeah. Very nice view. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Just the shot of the Especially

2:35 when you go over the rim and you start going down into it. That's pretty epic. And then seeing the river at the bottom. I've never been to the bottom. I'm like, >> "Yeah, it's crazy." Once we landed, we walked a short while before we were then directed to head down a set of stairs towards the river.

2:54 Destination, the pontoon that would carry us down the Colorado River. I think we might be the only ones on this tour cuz we were the only ones on the helicopter ride. So >> our guide, [music] one of the Halapai, shared information with us along the tour, not only about the geology of the

3:14 river and the canyon, but the history of the Halapai people and their deep connection to the Grand Canyon. Halapai means people of the tall pines, owing to the 108 mi stretch of their 1 million acre territory along the south rim populated with ponderosa pines. The hakataya which means the backbone of the

3:33 river refers to the middle corridor of the Colorado and is considered to be sacred and vital. According to the creation origins, the Halapai were created by the god to [music] Jupa from Cain after a great flood. The ride itself, which lasted about 20 minutes, is definitely a contrast in the more

3:51 expansive vastness we've experienced from a top the rims. It actually reminded me a lot of when we kayaked Bokeias [music] Canyon and Big Ben National Park. They're definitely on the older side, but we've got some videos of Big Bend if you want to check them out. Sheer rock faces, ancient towering walls, and this

4:10 powerful elemental quality. Given that at some point the pontoon engine was cut, we were just floating along and listening to the gentle hush of the river. It was so peaceful. The Grand Canyon [music] is simply gorgeous. We did eventually see some people rafting down the river, which was [music] pretty cool. Of all

4:30 the things we have done around the Grand Canyon. That's the one remaining thing left that we haven't. Eventually, we returned to the tiny dock and made our way back up. That was beautiful. >> That was so beautiful. >> Never been on the bottom of the Grand Canyon. >> It's addicting.

4:50 >> You want to do another rim to rim with me? >> I'll do a rim to rim. Don't you worry. [laughter] Come on. And within a few minutes, we were back aboard the helicopter, heading further east along the corridor and in witness to [music] more of the canyon's grandeur. The return flight also lasted about 5

5:06 minutes. So, was this worth the steep price? We think so. Generally, [music] helicopter rides a no bargain bin attraction for most places you might visit. But I think what felt right about doing this one was that it seemed to be one of the few ways to see this part of the canyon.

5:25 Taking a helicopter ride around New York City can feel special, too. And I won't begrudge anyone who finds that thrilling, but many of the observation decks can give you that approximate sort of feeling. Unless it's your first time flying, I think you have to be a bit choosy, especially if the cost makes you

5:42 long blink. This was nowhere near my first helicopter ride, but I'd still say it was pretty awesome whether it was or wasn't. Also, massive bonus points for the pontoon ride. That was great, too. >> How cool was that? >> Oh, man. >> Helicopter ripper helicopter.

6:08 >> Yeah. Like I didn't think I was gonna like it that much because we've been on a helicopter before and it's like it's cool but it's you know >> Yeah. It was a great experience to do both. >> Yeah. Yeah. But to go to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, I've never been there. I've always wanted to go.

6:23 >> Yeah. >> That's super cool. >> So, have you flown down or over the Grand Canyon? And what [music] was your experience? Let us know in the comments. We've [music] got plenty of other Grand Canyon videos, too, if interested. We'll see you on the trails or in the water.