Breathtaking Tour of Antelope Canyon ~ Know Before You Go

I bet you’ve seen the gorgeous photos of Antelope Canyon on social media. Those notorious beautiful swirls of orange and pink sandstone walls, painted by the sunshine filtering in from high above. When my kids and I recently visited Page, Arizona, we had a chance to experience a breathtaking tour of Antelope Canyon for ourselves. It takes some planning, so here’s some tips and what to expect!

Slot Canyon Near Lake Powell

Page, Arizona is the location of Glen Canyon Dam, which backs up the Colorado River to create the beloved southwestern recreation area of Lake Powell. Although water levels are drastically lower in recent years, this is still a popular area for people to vacation and enjoy the water.

What I didn’t realize is that Antelope Canyon is located only 5 miles outside of Page. And that some people travel to this area just to experience this amazing slot canyon, where the soft sandstone is continually carved by wind and desert flash floods.

Just the week prior to our visit, a nearby rainfall caused a flash flood that washed out the sand floors and some of the staircases used by the tours… causing a several day long closure to repair.

This is the main reason they do not allow visitors to explore the canyon on their own. You must book at tour to visit Antelope Canyon, but it is well worth it.

Antelope Canyon Tours – Upper vs. Lower

The Navajo Nation owns Antelope Canyon, and is in charge of it’s maintenance and use. For safety reasons, you can only visit the canyon by booking a guided walking tour.

Currently, there are seven authorized Antelope Canyon Tour Operators. Five for Upper Antelope Canyon Tours, and two for Lower Antelope Canyon Tours.

• Upper Antelope Canyon Tour: This tour is more Insta-famous, is 1 1/2 hours long, starts at $90 per person, and typically books up months in advance. Our tour guide said it’s best visited in mid to late day, due to the sun rays. It is more narrow at the top, and open at the bottom, like an “A-frame” shape.
• Lower Antelope Canyon Tour: This tour is more affordable, and often has more availability if you were not able to snag a reservation at Upper Canyon. It is 1 hour long, and starts at $50 per person. Our tour guide said it’s best visited early in the day, otherwise the sun rays bleach out the color of the walls and your photos aren’t as vibrant. It is wider at the top, and narrower at the bottom, like a V shape.

We did Lower Antelope Canyon, and it was fantastic!  It was all I could find available on short notice, and we had to take an early 8:30 am time slot. That turned out to be ideal! I was worried it wouldn’t be as spectacular as all the photos of Upper Antelope Canyon that I’ve seen, but it was amazing.

I’d love to do the Upper tour one day… but believe me, you will not be disappointed with a Lower Antelope Canyon tour!

Will I Feel Claustrophobic, or Fear of Heights?

This is a slot canyon, with some areas as narrow as 3 feet. Your initial descent into the canyon is a switchback staircase of shallow metal steps, that descend over 70 feet. Our tour guide cautioned us at the beginning, as on the rare occasion they have had people panic from fear of heights.

I do have fear of heights. But my primary concern was that I may feel claustrophobic. But I’m happy to report that I did not experience either fear or anxiety sensation at all.

I don’t know if the beauty was just sufficiently distracting, or if the fresh air and blue sky above helped prevent feeling panicked? But if you are concerned about either of those issues, I highly recommend you give it a try. If you can climb a flight of stairs, you can physically handle the lower Antelope Canyon tour. It’s too wonderful to miss out on!

Lower Canyon Tour ~ Tips & Highlights

You are not allowed to take any bags, backpacks, or purses on the tour (other than a clear bag, which they do sell in the gift shop). I was puzzled by this, as they also encourage you to take water. We each carried a hand sized water bottle and our phone, and it turned out just fine. You will use both hands on a railing at climbing points in the tour.

You also need to wear closed toed shoes. Which I did not bring on my summer vacation to Lake Powell! Pro Tip: the local Walmart sells cheap sneakers that will do the trick. I made a late night run the evening before, and just barely scored my kicks before they closed at 11 pm.

The tour guides are fun, and will take your photo along with way. It was so incredible to explore the bottom of this surreal slot canyon! My kids and I absolutely loved it.

We booked with Ken’s Tours.  It felt like a lot of money to pay, but it was worth every penny. They are located a short 4-5 mile drive just outside of Page, where you park and join your tour group. A gift and snack shop are on site. It’s right next door to Dixie’s Tours (Ken’s little sister), the other lower canyon tour operator. They tour the same route.

If you are ever at the south end of Lake Powell, I highly recommend adding this slot canyon tour to your trip. I’ve seen alot of outdoor beauty in the rugged Western and Southwestern US, but I’ve never seen anything like this.

Have you ever been to Antelope Canyon? What did you think, and do you have any tips to share?

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