Fly and Float with Papillon and Forever Houseboats This Summer

Combine Luxury Lake Accommodations with Helicopter Tour to One of the Southwest’s Most Revered Monuments for an Unforgettable Group Getaway

This summer season, there will be a brand-new way to experience the grandeur of the spectacular American Southwest.  Papillon Airways, Inc. and Forever Houseboats have partnered to create the “Fly and Float Experience.”  For three days and two nights, experience the first two days aboard Forever Houseboat’s signature 59’ XT or 70’ Millennium houseboat. VIP Customer Services include a crew to beach and anchor the houseboat.  For the final day, take a tour aboard Papillon’s EC-130 B4 EcoStar helicopter and see the Southwest like never before.

Each Forever Houseboat features private staterooms, a fully equipped kitchen, spacious living area, flat-screen televisions, climate control, rooftop sun deck, water slide and—on the 70’ Millennium models—a grand-sized hot tub on the top deck.  The 59’ XT sleeps a maximum of 10 people in four queen-sized staterooms and one queen-sized sleeper sofa; the 70’ Millennium houseboat sleeps 12 people in four private queen-sized staterooms and two queen-sized sleeper sofas.

Papillon’s EC-130 B4 EcoStar is considered the most technologically advanced, environmentally-friendly aircraft of its kind.  With oversized cabin, all forward-facing, raised platform, theater-style seating with 180-degree unobstructed views, the experience in an EcoStar is unsurpassed.

There are three location experiences to choose from:

Grand Canyon West experience: Set sail from Callville Bay Resort & Marina on picturesque Lake Mead in Southern Nevada, located just 45 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip.  Enjoy 550 miles of pristine shoreline, soaring red rock cliffs, countless bays and beaches from the comfort of your Forever Houseboat. On the third day, guests will experience Papillon’s popular Grand Celebration tour. On this tour, in addition to seeing Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, Grand Wash Cliffs and extinct volcanoes, the helicopter descends 4,000 feet into the depths of the West Rim of Grand Canyon.  Guests will touch      down by the banks of the historic Colorado River in time to explore the pristine Native American Hualapai lands. The landing concludes with a champagne picnic served under an authentic Hualapai Indian shelter known as a “Ramada.” The picnic includes turkey sandwiches, chips, fruit and cookies with an option for      vegetarian.  The flight tours the Las Vegas Strip before returning to McCarran. The experience price begins at $4,975.*

Eldorado Canyon experience: Lake Mead provides the tranquil backdrop for the first two days of this tour aboard a luxurious Forever Houseboat.  For the final day, prepare for adventure.  Papillon will whisk guests to Eldorado Canyon, Southern Nevada’s oldest, richest and most famous gold mine.  Legend has it there is $1 million worth of gold in the mines; however it would take $2 million in equipment and labor to get it.  After the tour of the deep, dark mines, guests will have the option of exploring the rugged desert landscape via jeep, quads or horseback.  The experience price begins at $4,575.

Antelope Valley experience: The first two days of this Arizona-based journey begins aboard a luxurious Forever Houseboat, launched from Lake Powell’s Antelope Point Marina located in Page, Ariz..  Known for its spectacular red-rock canyon scenery and tranquil blue-green waters, the 186-mile-long lake offers sandy beaches and extraordinary vistas of the breathtaking Antelope Valley.  Lake  Powell offers boating, skiing, kayaking and fishing on the water and superb hiking throughout the surrounding landscape.  With a shoreline longer than the whole western coast of the continental United  States, Lake  Powell offers adventure for everyone.  For the final day of this tour, Papillon will give guests a bird’s eye view via a Cessna 208, private tour of Lake Powell and Monument Valley, seeing the lake’s splendor from the air.  The experience price begins at $5,395.

Each experience comes complete with the following:

* Round-trip ground transportation from all major Las Vegas resorts for tours originating at Lake Mead’s Callville Bay Resort & Marina; transportation to Antelope Point Marina is provided from all Page, Ariz. hotels.

* Boat and helicopter accommodations for up to seven people; the Cessna 208 seats up to nine.**
Complimentary tie-down and untying services for houseboats moored in beach coves.

*Private helicopter pilot/tour guide.

Additionally, by calling the marina 72 hours in advance of their arrival, guests booking Fly, Float, Fun experiences may arrange to have their houseboat’s kitchen and bar pre-stocked with a customized assortment of groceries and beverages.

“This is an experience, ideal for a group of visitors who want to experience the Southwest in a brand new way.  It’s so simple to book but with the capabilities of creating lifelong memories,” says Robert Graff, vice president of marketing, Papillon.  “Weddings, incentive planners, family reunions—name the group; this experience is perfect for them.”

For more information or reservations, go to www.papillon.com or www.foreverhouseboats.com or call (800) 255-5561.  For international bookings, call (480) 998-1981.*All experiences are commissionable for travel industry representatives who book the aforementioned experiences.

**Price remains the same no matter how many guests participate in the experience.

ABOUT PAPILLON AIRWAYS, INC.

Founded in 1965, Papillon Airways, Inc. (French for “butterfly”) and Grand Canyon Airlines/Scenic Airlines since 1929 are the largest “flightseeing” companies in the world, with nearly 70 state-of-the-art helicopters and airplanes, specifically designed to reveal panoramic views beyond imagination.  The Halvorson family recently acquired Kenai Helicopters (now known as Grand Canyon Helicopters), Grand Canyon Airlines, Grand Canyon Coaches and Scenic Airlines.  These companies are one of the few that fly the entire Grand Canyon including the South and West rims, in addition to tours of Las Vegas, Page/Lake Powell and Monument Valley.  Tours afford maximum flight time, enabling guests to fully discover Grand Canyon’s great wilderness and scenic attractions.  During busy months, the Halvorson companies fly more than 3,500 passengers daily.

ABOUT FOREVER HOUSEBOATS

Forever Houseboats provide a perfect base for family vacations, multi-generational gatherings, reunions and getaways for groups of friends traveling together.  Destinations served by Forever Houseboats include some of the nation’s most scenic lakes: Antelope Point Marina (Lake Powell) and Temple Bar Marina (Lake Mead) in Arizona; Pleasure Cove Marina (Lake Berryessa), Lake Oroville Marina, Moccasin Point Marina and Lake Don Pedro Marina (Lake Don Pedro), Trinity Lake Resorts & Marina in California; Lake of the Ozarks Marina in Missouri; Callville Bay Resort & Marina (Lake Mead) and Cottonwood Cove Resort & Marina (Lake Mohave) in Nevada and Lake Amistad Marina in Texas.  The addition of a ski boat, fishing boat or personal watercraft (also available through Forever Resorts) allows houseboaters to take full advantage of the recreational opportunities these lakes offer.

Operational training and a personal orientation by skilled marina staff teaches renters how to pilot, dock and beach a houseboat, as well as the boating safety rules of the lake. 

Forever Resorts consists of an exceptional collection of destinations that provide hospitality services throughout the world.  Forever Resorts focuses on properties with access to nature and one-of-a-kind surroundings for vacations.