Though is looked pretty exciting it also looked a bit narrow for us so we simply walked back the way we came and exited through another set of cairns that marked the way out. As great as Sedona is, unless you can add 3 days to your trip plan, I'd save it for another vacation and plan a week here. Plus I was busy with the boat tours earlier in the day. Antelope Canyon takes its name from the herds of pronghorn antelope that once resided in it. I was with a group of photographers on a tour to this unusual slot canyon located on private land of a local Navajo family. The first thing to know about Antelope Canyon is that these are slot canyons. It operates 90-minute small-group hikes through the canyon. What is the significant difference? Our guide gave us an introduction to the area and told us we could go ahead at our own pace, as he was going to accompany the elderly members of our group and meet us at the other end of the canyon. Upper Antelope Canyon is about 660 feet long (or 200 m) with the Lower Antelope Canyon being about 1,335 feet long (or 407 m). Jackpot! This canyon is renowned for the breathtaking shafts of light that break through the narrow canyon roof. Upper Antelope Canyon is at ground level, has less than a 2% incline and is the more popular entrance. A barren tree branch had been swept into the confined passages only to be lodged against a narrow opening. It costs you nothing extra and helps support this website. Awww thank you!! These companies are about 5 miles east of Page. On windy days, dust can blow into your nose, mouth and ears. Horseshoe Bend Slot Canyon Tours, 821 U.S. Highway 89, Page, AZ 86040. This was Secret Canyon, a slot canyon hidden in the hills outside of Page, Arizona. Learn how to take fantastic photos of Antelope Canyon from a trained guide during a tour of either Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon. Sign up here to be the first to know about everything Sea of Blush. What time of day is best? We bought our permit for Waterhole Canyon right before we went and put the permit on the dashboard of our car. *Navajo permit fee of $8/person Navajo Park fee will be added at checkout. Price. So, I did my share of online digging and found the Secret Canyon an intimate version of the slot canyon, which was definitely the highlight of our South West USA road trip. Upper Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon carved out of the Navajo Sandstone rock and was the place where the most expensive photo ever sold was taken - (Peter Lik's "The ghost") - for over $6 million. All of Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours' guides are local Navajo people, and they are generally deemed knowledgeable, personable and professional by reviewers. This is Navajo Land, we are guests, and should be thankful that they have let us hike the majestic canyon. After a short hike the mouth of Secret Canyon came into view at the bottom of a small wash. Whether you start in Page or at the park's entrance, be prepared to ride in a four-wheel-drive vehicle through a sandy riverbed to the canyon. If you want to keep your water cool for the hike, these jugs Check Prices Here are great for keeping it cold. You just need to buy a permit right before you go and put that permit on the dashboard of your car when you park. Children younger than 3 can take the tour for free, but strollers cannot be used in the Lower Canyon. As the previous post indicated, Hummer Tours provides access to Secret Canyon as well as Passage and Staircase Canyons. The photo tour takes a maximum of 6 people and you have the place all to yourself. Is this slot canyon the same as Antelope Canyon? And dont worry, you will have plenty of time to make awesome photos because in the group of 15 people everything can be arranged. Learn more about this architectural marvel on a guided tour. Please consider booking your Page accommodationsthrough the included link. If you choose to add it, you really need at least 3 more days. Hi Tess, you can contact Tim directly: tim@horseshoebendtours.com sometimes it takes a day or two for him to reply, I imagine the top season is coming now, so be patient Or go to their web page and search for a phone contact. You have to do a bit more stepping over boulders and such in this particular canyon. As a result, it is almost always FULL of people. It is not as pretty as Antelope Canyon but again, we got many good photos. Not any longer. What is the difference between the Upper and Lower canyon? A couple of days later I visited the second secret slot canyon that most visitors never see. No matter which tour you pick, you're guaranteed to see incredible rock formations in a kaleidoscope of colors. That, in itself, is worth the price of admission. Your email address will not be published. Since Secret Canyon can only be visited on a guided tour, I was glad that the sole option available to us was a good one- small groups of 15 max, an hour to spend in the canyon, and no other tour groups coming through at the same time. 1600 feet long. If you're planning a trip and need help deciding which area to visit, keep these recommendations in mind. Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest. Though hardly remote by some Arizona standards, Antelope Canyon is still considered a lengthy drive and hike for many areas of the state. Enjoy the popular Secret Antelope Canyon Tour PLUS a trip to the world-famous Horseshoe Bend Overlook A uniquely beautiful slot canyon in Page, AZ and far less crowded than Upper and Lower Antelope A private Navajo viewpoint of Horseshoe Bend located immediately adjacent to the congested National Park Service viewing area There's still light coming into the canyon just not as impressive as earlier in the day, but you miss most of the crowds. The roughly 600-foot-long slot canyon welcomes up to 10,000 people a day during peak seasonso you can imagine it can get crowded. If I look back, I cannot even imagine crowding with the tourists, waiting for my shot and being pushed on by another forthcoming group. It's a narrow canyon formed by the wear of water rushing through rock (of the sandstone and limestone varieties). The attendant could not answer any questions about distance. The colors of rocks are fantastic even in a complete shade (and also cameras can do miracles) so I didnt regret my decision even for a second. But getting Teresa Bitler is an award-winning travel writer whose work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, American Way, Wine Enthusiast, and AAA publications. Slot canyons are always significantly deeper than they are wide. However, once I started reading reviews of the Antelope Canyon tours, I was quickly turned off by complaints of them being rushed and crowded, and became concerned about the effects of over tourism. Typical to the tourist trap vacation spots and amusement parks, the best time to visit is during the off-season, which is to say, anything but the summer. I hope you have a great time! We only met a few other tourists along the way. Compared to the Grand Canyon and other well-known national landmarks, Antelope Canyon is away from the crowds, making it easy to get to, visit, and photograph without other tourists interrupting you. Secondly, I didnt want to be stuck in a crowd with hundreds of tourists photobombing my camera (I read it can get quite messy and dusty down there on busy days). These tours depart four times daily (two in the morning and two in the afternoon). And boy what a photo session that was. The walls seemed to close in as they narrowed to just a couple of feet wide. From a more logistical standpoint, the quickest way to get there (if youre not near the Four Corners) is to make your way to Las Vegas, which is home to the closest airport. While the Upper and Lower portions of Antelope Canyon receive tons of fanfare, Antelope Canyon X promises stunning views without the hefty crowds. You will be joining a group of maximum 15 people which is a real bliss and gives you plenty of space to breathe and enjoy your time in the canyon. Discounted tickets are available for children 6 to 12; children younger than 6 are not allowed. Those 7 and younger are not permitted on the outings. One last note, in the cavern where we hit the first ladder and turned around, we found a bunch of graffiti left by tourists on the walls, written in what I think was white chalk. Required fields are marked *. I was able to hit both canyons during their prime times by booking . Antelope Canyon is located just east of Page, Arizona, in the northern area of the state. Would you believe me if I told you theres a slot canyon that looks just like the famous Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons that you can hike all on your own? HB is a longer, more continuous slot than AC, but is beautiful in its own way. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Lovely post! Promise No SpamHey I don't blog that much! Luckily, they are real and they can be found in Arizona, USA. The celebrated light beams that illuminate the canyon are most likely to be seen during the summer months. This combination tour lasts about 3-3.5 hours. Im planning to go there mid-September . Kids younger than 4 tour free. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hi there, my name is Anda and I am a travelholic. Each vehicle has a Navajo guide that ushers the group through, shares information about the formations and even helps stage some photos, including sand cascading over a rock ledge.Sand is everywhere. You'll also need a prior reservation with an authorized Navajo guide to visit either Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon. My wife and I were in Page last fall and toured Upper (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Hotel Review: Hotel La Cambuse, Thyon, Les Collons, Hotel Review Chalet Royal, Veysonnaz, Switzerland. You might be the early-bird that loves the cool wash of dawn daylight, or you might fancy the warm wash of the golden-hour sunset glow. For tour information and prices clickhere. We have a special tour dubbed the Secret Antelope Canyon because youll get all the stunning scenic views, without the crowds of either of the other Antelope Canyon options. The Wave in Arizona and Monument Valley are both amazing places to add to your southwest itinerary. At first, the Waterhole Canyon is very wide and doesnt quite look like Antelope, but as you go deeper in, it narrows and looks just like the famous Antelope Canyons. At first I was worried if taking the morning tour was a good idea (I had read that you were supposed to visit slot canyon at noon for the perfect lightning) but that was no issue at all. Exploring the Lower Canyon, in contrast, requires visitors to have some degree of endurance, as travelers must climb and descend several staircases. The walks depart from the company's booth near the canyon multiple times each day. Get to Antelope Canyon (or, the nearby Page, Arizona). You just go there, park your car and enjoy the views, like we did. Though on the photography tour you have a bit more time, its still timed and you are not free to roam on your own. Waterhole Canyon is a slot canyon that looks almost identical to Antelope. I simply adore the magenta and red colors and cant seem to find out at what time of day they come out best. Page. This is the most exclusive of the four best Antelope Canyon tours, with only 25 people allowed in at one time and two or three tours . The Navajo-approved guides are widely regarded as informative and friendly, and are even known to provide helpful tips on how to capture the best possible photographs. Additionally, you'll need: Until recently, the cost varied significantly depending on whether you booked a sightseeing or photography tour. You don't have (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Upper Antelope Canyon is only 100 yards long and the trail through it is flat, so it's an easy walk for most people. One of the steepest slot canyons in the area with hoodoos, corkscrews, multi-colored sandstone and stunning rock formations all without the crowds of the more well-known and popular Antelope Canyons. Contact us at (435)275-4594 to discuss a custom departure time if you don't see one that works for you. Antelope Canyon is found on the lands of the Navajo County, Arizona. Please confirm directly with service providers. Hotel review: ALO Hotel by Ayres (Anaheim, California, USA), 10 things to do in Bali with bonus saving tips, Snorkeling in Maldives: a moment of reflection, Snorkljanje na Maldivih in minuta za samorefleksijo. For more information about Navajo culture, book the Deluxe Tour. PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS. Antelope Canyon hosts tons of visitors and, in order to protect the canyon walls from damage, no bags of any kind are permitted in either the Upper or Lower section. Others express disappointment in the structured nature of the tour, which they say moves quickly and limits creative freedom. It took a lot of help from the tour guide to get me out of there, but he had a good sense of humor about it, and I considered it part of the adventure! *4 paid seats are required for a trip to operate. It was amazing definitely go to this slot canyon if you are in the area for Antelope Canyon! The American southwest is such a cool place!! 22 February 2023 Recommendations for Navajo Heritage Dinner/Show 15 February 2023; Travelling from Marseille to Cayyene 09 February 2023; Advice on whether we can take sedan to Wave . Its supposed to keep water cold for up to 24 hours and it works! We were hosted by Horseshoe Bend Tours in order to bring you this story. The narrow entrance causes you to turn almost sideways to enter but inside the cool darkness hides some of the most special views of any slot canyon. While this canyon is wider, it is also darker because of its shape. I highly suggest paying the $10 more for 'prime time,' which is when the light beams shine through. The Monument Valley Hotel Everyone is Flocking To | The View Hotel. Just as we were exiting the canyon, the next tour group was beginning their exploration. From here you follow the cairns (little piles of rocks) down into the canyon. This rare opportunity to explore one of the longest slot canyons on the Navajo Nation is made even more special by the limited number of guests we take on each tour. Lower Antelope Canyon requires walking down (and up) several flights of stairs and ladders. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-22708715', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Antelope Canyon. Although it is one slot canyon, there are two points within the park that you can visit: Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon. Secret Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend Overlook, The top two Page, Arizona area attractions in a single tour, Enjoy the popular Secret Antelope Canyon Tour PLUS a trip to the world-famous Horseshoe Bend Overlook, A uniquely beautiful slot canyon in Page, AZ and far less crowded than Upper and Lower Antelope, A private Navajo viewpoint of Horseshoe Bend located immediately adjacent to the congested National Park Service viewing area, Less than a 100 meter walk from the truck to the private Horseshoe Bend Overlook, Fun off-road adventure in a shaded and cushioned open-air tour truck, 360-degree views of stunning Southwest wilderness, Fun and memorable experience for the whole family. 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