I have taken helicopter tours on four continents, and each one changed how I understood the terrain below. A place that looks vast and confusing from the ground often reveals a clear, logical pattern from the air: rivers you did not know existed, mountain ridges that explain why the road twists the way it does, neighborhoods arranged in grids that are invisible at street level. The tours listed here are the ones that delivered the most memorable experience relative to their cost.
"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page." — Saint Augustine
Kauai, Hawaii: Na Pali Coast with Jack Harter Helicopters
The Na Pali Coast on the northwest side of Kauai is inaccessible by road, and the only ways to see it are by boat, by hiking the Kalalau Trail, or by helicopter. The helicopter tour is by far the most dramatic. Jack Harter Helicopters operates a 60-minute "Doors Off" flight that departs from Lihue Airport and flies along the Na Pali cliffs, over the Waimea Canyon (often called the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific"), and across the interior of the island. The "Doors Off" option means the helicopter flies with the side doors removed, which is terrifying for the first five minutes and exhilarating for the remaining 55.
Costs is about 380 US dollars per person for the 60-minute doors-off flight. The doors-on version costs about 320 dollars. I did the doors-off flight and would recommend it to anyone who does not have a serious fear of heights. The wind, the noise, and the unobstructed views create an experience that the doors-on version cannot match. You are required to wear a use that attaches to the helicopter frame, and loose items (phones without lanyards, hats, sunglasses) are not allowed. The company provides a lanyard for your phone and a windbreaker for the temperature at altitude.
Book at least two months in advance, especially for the doors-off flights, which are limited to six passengers per flight. Morning flights (8 a.m. and 10 a.m. departures) offer the best light and the calmest air. Afternoon flights are more likely to be canceled due to wind or cloud cover. The pilot narrates throughout the flight, pointing out waterfalls, sea caves, and geological features. The flight path covers about 100 miles of terrain, and the pilot adjusts the route based on weather conditions to find the clearest views.
New York City: Manhattan Skyline with FlyNYON
FlyNYON operates helicopter tours from Kearny, New Jersey, just across the Hudson River from Manhattan. Their most popular option is the 20-minute "City Lights" flight, which departs shortly before sunset and flies along the Hudson River, past the Statue of Liberty, around the southern tip of Manhattan, and up the East River before returning. The timing is designed so that passengers see the city in daylight, at sunset, and as the lights come on after dark, all in a single flight.
Costs is about 250 dollars per person for the 20-minute flight. A 30-minute version that extends the route to include Central Park costs about 350 dollars. The helicopters are Bell 407s, which seat six passengers plus the pilot. Every seat has a window, and the large windows provide good visibility for photography. The doors remain on for these flights, which is a disadvantage for photography compared to the doors-off experience in Hawaii, but the views of the Manhattan skyline at golden hour are spectacular regardless.
Book online through the FlyNYON website. Weekend flights sell out two to three weeks in advance, especially the sunset departures. Weekday flights are easier to get. The check-in process at Kearny takes about 30 minutes, including a safety briefing and a weigh-in (passengers over 250 pounds may be subject to an additional fee or may need to purchase a comfort seat). The heliport is about 20 minutes by taxi from Midtown Manhattan, and FlyNYON provides a free shuttle from the PATH station in Hoboken.
Iceland: Golden Circle and Glaciers with Atlantsflug
Atlantsflug operates helicopter tours from the Skaftafell terminal in southern Iceland, about four hours ride from Reykjavik. Their most popular flight is the 60-minute "Golden Circle from Above" tour, which covers the Geysir geothermal area, Gullfoss waterfall, Thingvellir National Park, and the Langjokull glacier. The route also passes over Hekla volcano and the Thjorsardalur valley, which are not visible from the standard Golden Circle driving route.
Costs is about 45,000 Icelandic krona per person, roughly 330 US dollars, for the 60-minute flight. Atlantsflug also offers a shorter 30-minute flight over the Vatnajokull glacier for about 30,000 krona (220 dollars). I did the 60-minute flight and found that the glacier portion was the highlight: the patterns of crevasses, meltwater streams, and volcanic ash layers visible from above are unlike anything I have seen from the ground. The pilot landed on a small ice patch on the glacier for about five minutes, which allowed us to step out and take photographs in an environment that felt genuinely otherworldly.
Weather is the biggest variable in Iceland. Flights are canceled frequently due to wind, cloud cover, or low visibility, and the company does not charge for cancellations. Book your flight for a day early in your Iceland itinerary so you have buffer days if the flight is canceled. Atlantsflug operates year-round, but the best conditions are from June through August, when the days are long and the weather is relatively stable. In winter, flights are shorter and more expensive due to limited daylight and harsher conditions.
Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe: Zambezi Helicopter Company
The Zambezi Helicopter Company operates flights over Victoria Falls from both the Zambian and Zimbabwean sides of the border. I flew from the Zambian side, departing from Livingstone Airport. The 15-minute "Flight of Angels" covers the falls themselves, the Zambezi River upstream, and the Batoka Gorge downstream. The 30-minute version extends the route to include the Zambezi National Park and the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, where you may spot elephants, hippos, and crocodiles from the air.
The 15-minute flight costs about 160 US dollars per person, and the 30-minute flight costs about 300 dollars. The helicopter is a Bell 206 JetRanger, which seats four passengers plus the pilot. Every passenger has a window seat. The doors are on (removable doors are not offered here), but the windows are large enough for photography. The pilot flies circuits over the falls at different altitudes, which gives you multiple angles. The best views are from about 500 feet, where you can see the full width of the falls and the spray rising from the gorge below.
Victoria Falls is at its most impressive from February to May, after the rainy season, when the volume of water over the falls is at its peak. During this period, the spray from the falls rises hundreds of feet into the air and can be seen from miles away. From September to December, the water level drops and portions of the falls dry up completely, which is less dramatic from above but reveals the rock formations behind the curtain of water. Book through the Zambezi Helicopter Company website or through your hotel in Livingstone.
Traveler's Tip
Wear dark clothing on helicopter tours. Bright colors and patterns reflect off the helicopter windows and appear in your photographs as glare spots. Black or dark blue clothing minimizes reflections and produces cleaner images through the glass.
Grand Canyon, Arizona: Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters
Papillon is the largest helicopter tour operator at the Grand Canyon, with departures from both the South Rim (Grand Canyon National Park Airport) and the West Rim (Grand Canyon West). I flew from the South Rim on the 45-minute "North Canyon" tour, which departs from the airport in Tusayan, just outside the park entrance. The flight follows the Colorado River through the deepest section of the canyon, passes over the North Rim, and returns along the eastern edge of the canyon.
Costs is about 280 dollars per person for the 45-minute flight. Papillon also offers a 25-minute version for about 220 dollars, but the shorter flight covers less of the canyon and I would recommend the longer version for first-time visitors. The helicopters are EcoStar 130s, which have larger windows and a quieter cabin than the older Bell helicopters used by some operators. The seats are assigned by weight, and passengers over 300 pounds may need to purchase an additional seat.
The South Rim flights operate year-round, weather permitting. Summer is the busiest season, and flights sell out one to two weeks in advance. Winter flights are less crowded but more likely to be affected by weather. Morning flights offer the best light for photography, with the sun low enough to create shadows in the canyon that reveal its depth and texture. The pilot provides narration through a headset, pointing out rock formations, the Colorado River, and the Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the canyon.
Practical Tips for Helicopter Tour Photography
Shooting through helicopter windows requires different techniques than ground-based photography. The vibration of the helicopter makes slow shutter speeds unusable: even with a tripod (which is not allowed on most helicopter tours), the vibration from the rotor and engine will blur your images. I shoot at a minimum shutter speed of 1/500th of a second, and preferably 1/1000th or faster. To achieve this in the lower light of golden hour, I raise the ISO to 1600 or 3200 and open the aperture to f/2.8 or f/4.
Window reflections are the biggest challenge. Press your lens hood (or the barrel of the lens itself) directly against the window glass, which eliminates most reflections. If the helicopter has removable doors, as on the Jack Harter flights in Kauai, reflections are not an issue, but wind makes holding the camera steady more difficult. I use a wrist strap rather than a neck strap, because a neck strap can catch the wind and pull the camera away from you. For doors-off flights, a mirrorless camera with image stabilization is preferable to a heavier DSLR.
Bring at least one fully charged battery and an empty memory card. You will take more photos than you expect, because the changing perspective from the air creates new compositions every few seconds. On my 60-minute Kauai flight, I shot about 400 frames and kept about 40. The ratio is low, but the keepers are images I could not have captured in any other way. Review your photos after the flight, while the experience is fresh, and delete the obvious misses to free up space for the rest of your trip.
