The mythical Grand Canyon from the air

The Grand Canyon National Park, carved out by the Colorado River, offers a natural history that has formed over 5 million years. In a few figures, the canyon covers more than 4,927 kilometres of territory and is 450 kilometres long.

The different geological strata tell the story of millions of years of American memories. The region has been inhabited by humans since the last Ice Age. The first Europeans explored the canyon as early as 1540. President Benjamin Harrison protected the Grand Canyon for the first time in 1893 as a forest reserve, and it became an official US national park in 1919. It was subsequently recognised by UNESCO in 1979.

Did you know? Spanish explorers led by Hopi guides were the first Europeans to reach the Grand Canyon around 1540. More than three hundred years passed before the American soldier and botanist Joseph Christmas Ives explored the Grand Canyon on a mapping expedition of the Colorado River in 1858. American geologist John Newberry served as the expedition's naturalist. He thus became the first geologist to study this natural wonder.

The most visited park in the USA, visitors most often head for the South Rim. People flock to the easily accessible Grand Canyon Village for classic views and to hike to the canyon floor. The North Rim is still protected from mass tourism. Its landscape presents itself from a different angle to the South Rim. You'll still be dazzled by the impressive forest and the cooler, gentler air.

Although you can visit the canyon from every angle, flying over the canyon is the best way to feel like a bird and discover breathtaking panoramas.

From the air, you can see the terrain from the North Rim to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, including impressive buttes and gaps whose grandeur can only be seen from the air.

For a more intimate and exciting visit, you'll have to climb aboard a state-of-the-art helicopter. Travellers soar over the canyon between rocky juts and colourful layers of sediment, from Horseshoe Bend to the East Rim via the Painted Desert. A guide will share his knowledge and unusual facts about the canyon. The beauty of this natural and geological site is best appreciated from above.

These air trips vary in price and length of itinerary. All air tours depart from the Grand Canyon Airport located at Tusayan outside the South Rim area of the park. Companies offer flights by plane or helicopter every day. Some flights depart from Las Vegas or Sedona. And some tours also include a stop at Hoover Dam, a view of Lake Mead and the Las Vegas Strip, or a stopover at Black Canyon.

👉 What are the most beautiful views of the Grand Canyon?

• Mather Point: this viewpoint is near the Grand Canyon Visitor Center and offers a beautiful panorama with on-site parking.
• Look Out Studio: near Bright Angel Logde, a very pretty observatory offers a magnificent viewpoint.
• Hermits Road Trail: to the west of the Look Out Studio, you can extend your walk on a short, easy trail with several incredible viewpoints.
• Yavapai Point: around 1 hour's drive from the Look Out Studio viewpoint, this observation station overlooks the canyon.
• Point Impérial: a 40-minute round trip from the Visitor Centre offers panoramic views of Mount Hayden and Marble Canyon.
• Cape Royal: 37 km from the Visitor Center, you'll discover Angels Window and the ruins of the Pueblo Indian sites of Walhalla Glades.

👉 What you need to know: the South Rim is open all year round, with 24-hour access to the park. North Rim facilities are open from mid-May to mid-October. The hours of the shops and visitor centres vary throughout the year. As far as park entrance fees are concerned, the funds raised are reinvested in ongoing projects in the park. The entrance fee is 35 dollars per vehicle; 30 dollars per motorcyclist; 20 dollars per pedestrian and cyclist.

🚌 Here are the different ways to get to the South Rim:

• Williams: Highway 180 to Tusayan
• Page: Highway 89 to Cameron and Highway 64
• Flagstaff: Highway 180 and Highway 64