The western margin has another notable advantage, the distance from Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon is, in fact, reachable in about half the time necessary to reach the South Rim, an aspect certainly not to be underestimated in a tour lasting only one day. Here you will probably not find the overcrowding of the South Rim, although to tell the truth there are tourists, so from this point of view, the difference is not so relevant. When it comes to the best parts of the grand canyon tours then these are the options you get.
As for the cost, however, expect to spend a little more on the West Rim tours; the reason is largely due to the admission price of the Grand Canyon West, managed by the Navajo Indians, who charge a higher rate than the National Park Service, which instead manages the entrances to the South Rim .
Pros and cons at a glance:
- The coaching time is much more reasonable, making the trip more pleasant and relaxing.
- You can hop on the Skywalk, the real workhorse of the Grand Canyon West.
- Although it is still a destination of considerable tourist importance, it is usually less crowded than the South Rim.
- The views, however spectacular, are not of the same vastness as the South Rim.
- West Rim tours cost more than those at the South Rim.
- Here are all the bus tours available from Las Vegas to the West Rim:
- Bus tour from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon operated by Grand Canyon Destinations
- Grand Canyon hummer tour + optional Skywalk, organized by Big Horn Tours, specializing in small group tours to the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam and active since 2005.
So which Rim to choose?
West Rim Hummer Tour
From the tour offer listed above you can easily understand that, before selecting the tour to buy, you will have to choose which Rim to visit among the 2 served by bus tours. It must be said that the South Rim certainly represents a more classic experience of the Grand Canyon and at the same time allows you to enjoy more suggestive views (but this may actually also depend on taste), however the journey to and from doing in one day is quite heavy, especially for those who can’t stand long journeys.
This problem is solved by opting for the South Rim, whose travel time is decidedly more affordable. You may not see the boundless views of the South Rim but you can somehow “compensate” with the Skywalk and 2 other points of view: Guano Point and Eagle Point (where the Skywalk itself is actually located).
The only real contraindication, as already mentioned, maybe the price: the cost of these tours, combined with the Skywalk (we strongly advise against buying them without entering the platform), is an average higher than 40/50 euros compared to the tours of the South Rim, however, the investment has to be taken seriously in consideration of the fact that it will save you at least 4 hours of bus, this, in essence, is the main reason why we suggest to fall back on the western margin rather than on the southern one.
Last Words for You
Both products available to visit the West Rim, both the most expensive hummer tour, and the cheapest bus tour, boast excellent reviews and, if it is within your budget, nothing prevents you from combining the offer with a spectacular ride in helicopter, for a more complete and unforgettable experience of the Grand Canyon (if you are interested in an overview of this type of tour you can also read our guide: Grand Canyon by helicopter: how to choose among the available flights?).
If, on the other hand, for you many hours of travel by bus are not such a big problem, then you can surely reassess the South Rim hypothesis, and, among the many tours available in this area (listed above), you can easily choose the one which convinces you more based on the reviews of the tourists and on the completeness or less of the description.