Are you looking to book an Antelope Canyon tour? Then you are in the right place.
The Antelope Canyon near Page, Arizona is one of the most spectacular places in the country. You’ll see photos of its beauty all over Instagram – and tours are not surprisingly quite popular.
Since the Antelope Canyon is on Navajo land, they have the exclusive right to offer tours and visits. As you can imagine, with such high demand – prices are equally high.
Luckily for you, I recently toured the area with my wife and tested the tour for you. Keep on reading to find out if it is the right fit for your visit and what you need to know before you book a tour of the Lower Antelope Canyon.
I’ll also provide you with some alternatives, as well as comparisons of the different canyons.
Let’s get to it!
Article overview
Is Antelope Canyon worth visiting?
First things first, is booking a tour of Antelope Canyon still worth it? Yes, I would say so. As long as you’re aware of the crowds and prices, it is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Hi, I’m Justin, a travel blogger currently based in New Mexico who along with my wife spends most of my free time exploring the Southwest.
Personally, I found the Lower Antelope Canyon to be one of the highlights of my time in Arizona. Since the tour took us basically underground, it was quite a different experience than visiting other natural sights in the state.
One thing to keep in mind is that most of the pictures you see online are quite edited. But while the hues are a little less vibrant in real life, it is still a magnificent place to explore and a great background for Instagram photos.
You’ll get to see and hear a lot about the history of the area throughout the visit, which makes it a great addition to any road trip itinerary.
Antelope Canyon overview
As mentioned earlier, Antelope Canyon is located on Navajo land and can only be visited on authorized guided tours through a few different tour companies.
When I first started researching for this trip, I found it difficult to understand the difference between the canyon areas. So to help you choose the best tour, I wanted to start this review by giving you a quick overview:
Upper Antelope Canyon (Tsé bighánílíní)
- This section is at ground level, requiring no climbing, making it suitable for all fitness levels.
- Famous for its dramatic light beams that occur, particularly during midday in the summer months, when sunlight pierces through the narrow openings above because of the special A-shape of the slot canyon.
- It feels most majestic but is also the most expensive because of the 15-minute drive to the starting point.
Lower Antelope Canyon (Hasdestwazi)
- You descend into the canyon using stairs and navigate through narrower passages, requiring moderate physical fitness.
- Known for its equally vibrant colors and intricate rock formations, it offers a more adventurous experience.
- A little less busy and more affordable, as you walk to the starting point from the tour company office.
Antelope Canyon X
- Offers a more secluded experience with fewer visitors.
- Features beautiful sandstone formations and light effects similar to the other sections, but X is deeper.
- Not suited for people with reduced mobility.
Water Antelope Canyon
- You get to visit a lesser-known section only reachable by water.
- Though this is the least majestic of the canyons, you can visit this section on a guided tour or independently by renting a kayak from Antelope Point Marina.
📸 Good to know >> Photography tours are no longer offered in the Upper or Lower Canyons due to the high number of visitors. However, they still run in Canyon X. Tripods aren’t allowed on the regular tours.
Lower Antelope Canyon tour review
Since the Upper Antelope Canyon is very busy, I definitely suggest sticking to the Lower Antelope Canyon. It is just as beautiful, but slightly less touristic. There are a few different providers that offer tours of the Lower Antelope Canyon to choose from.
We opted to book a late afternoon tour with Ken’s Tours. The price really depends on the time of the day and the time of the year, but we paid around $100 per person, not including the tip for the guide.
They asked us to show up quite early, which meant that there was a lot of time to browse the gift store and the small gallery they had on site. There is ample parking and you can also find restrooms there.
With tourist buses rolling in as well, it got super crowded and the wait was not very enjoyable. I suggest to not show up too early.
Our tour group consisted of 10 people, all from different nations. The tour guide was of Indigenous Navajo heritage, and he spoke English fluently.
We started our tour with a descent down to the entrance of the slot canyon. It was an easy 10-minute walk. There are a few steep steps to climb down into the canyon, so the tour is not suitable for people with walking difficulties.
The canyon is pretty narrow in some spaces, so I wouldn’t recommend the tour if you have bad claustrophobia.
Throughout the tour, we were amazed by the beautiful color of the sandstone. Our tour guide was super knowledgeable, and he pointed out all the best places to take pictures. He also suggested some settings for our phones so the pictures turn out even better.
Sadly, filming is not allowed inside Antelope Canyon. Some people in our tour group ignored that fact and were strictly reminded by the guide.
The tour took about an hour, and it was an easy walk through the canyon. There were a couple of steps toward the end to get back up, but it really was manageable.
Since the tour groups are small, it was easy to take pictures without other people in it. The tour guide was also very mindful about giving people enough space and time to take pictures.
We were walking in the front of the group with the guide, so we learned a lot about the history of the area too. It is really up to you whether you want more information or just enjoy the scenery by yourself.
After the tour, we met up in the shade of a small gazebo, where we could tip our guide and ask more questions.
Alternative: Viral Shell gas station cave
As you might have seen all over social media, there’s a mini version of the Antelope Canyon, and you can see it for free.
Right behind the Shell Gas Station in Page, you’ll find the entrance to a small cave, that looks a lot like Antelope Canyon, color-wise.
All in all, it was cool to see. And if you can’t afford to take the tour of the Antelope Canyon, it is a good alternative.
But to be honest, the true experience of the Antelope Canyon is so much more impressive.
Other things to do in Page, AZ
If you are wondering if Antelope Canyon is the only cool thing to see in the area, it’s not.
Page, AZ is full of amazing things to do. Apart from the Antelope Canyon, my wife absolutely fell in love with the sunset view over the Horseshoe Bend.
The Colorado River makes a fantastic turn here, and you can see it from the tall cliffs that surround it. If you follow the river downstream, you’ll arrive at Lake Powell, which is quite amazing to see in itself.
The Glen Canyon Dam is also worth a visit. It is a great alternative to the famous Hoover Dam in Las Vegas.
Lastly, you can apply for a permit to hike the Wave from Page. Sadly, they only offer entrance to about 60 people per day, so chances are slim to make it. It is one of the most stunning hikes in the area.
But as you can tell, Page has a lot to offer besides the Lower and Upper Antelope Canyon Tours. It is definitely worth spending at least one day in Page, AZ.
Final thoughts
To be honest, paying $100 per person for any hour-long tour is a lot. But in all fairness, we felt like the price was appropriate since the tour guide was really helpful and nice and there was no other way to see the slot canyon.
According to his explanations, a lot of money goes into upkeep. So while we felt a bit uneasy about the price at first, we did understand why they charged as much in the end.
The Lower Antelope Canyon tour was the perfect experience for us, and we were so grateful to have seen it.
🌟 Read next >> The Enchanted City of Bolnuevo: A lesser-known natural wonder in Spain
Leave a Reply