Upper Antelope Canyon

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Mylène @unreveunvoyage

Check-in takes place at the agency (all are located in and depart from downtown Page, with the exception of one, Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours, which is located not far from the site) AT LEAST 30 minutes before departure (please note that tardiness may result in cancellation without refund). Check in at the counter to indicate your presence and wait to be called. Before departing, the groups are formed (there were 6 of us during our visit in September) and we head to the entrance of the canyon in a 4x4 (driven by a Navajo from the agency) that is located at the end of a wash (dry riverbed). The ride is about 7 kilometers, on rather rugged and sandy terrain. We spend approximately 1 hour in the canyon. The return is made along the outside of the canyon since the route is now one-way.

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Mylène @unreveunvoyage

Just to warn you, the visit is very organized: you must stay with the guide and move along with the group. Groups follow each other. In summer, the first departure is around 6:30 AM and the last one around 4:30 PM (8 AM - 3 PM in winter). You can imagine that during peak season, it gets very busy, with a peak attendance between 10 AM and 2 PM. Make sure to book your time slots in advance (3 to 4 months in advance!).

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Mylène @unreveunvoyage

The Upper Antelope Canyon is the most well-known of the two canyons, and for two reasons: it is the most "comfortable" to visit (no elevation changes, no ladders on the route) and it is the most photogenic. This canyon is simply magnificent, 2 meters wide and nearly 200 meters long.

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Mylène @unreveunvoyage

All displayed prices are increased by $8/person for those over 8 years old, which constitutes the park entrance fee (to be paid in cash only): the Navajo Nation Fee (make sure to keep the receipts) and $3-4 in taxes. If you pay for your tour by credit card, the price may be increased by 3 to 5% depending on the agencies. Some agencies (Upper Antelope Canyon) charge for children under 4 years old! Upper is by far the more expensive of the two, probably due to the transfer in a 4x4. Expect to pay $50-80/person for a tour outside of peak hours, where the price rises to $90-140/person during those time slots. Prices therefore vary depending on the guides and the chosen schedule.

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Mylène @unreveunvoyage

Visitors are prohibited from bringing large photography equipment (they organize special tours for that). It is also forbidden to bring: backpacks, bags (even small ones), GoPro, multiple lenses, tripods, selfie sticks… Bring ONLY your camera or your phone (they are very strict about this, it's unfortunately non-negotiable).

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Mylène @unreveunvoyage

You are required to go through an agency run by the Navajos to visit Upper Antelope Canyon. It is impossible to do otherwise. It is when the sun's rays are vertical (at midday) that the site is the most beautiful because it greatly enhances the colors: indeed, the companies that manage the tours know this well and raise their prices at lunchtime.

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Mylène @unreveunvoyage

It must be acknowledged that the visit to Lower and Upper Antelope Canyon is very strict and you have no choice regarding the timing of the visit. Everything is very well orchestrated by the Navajos. Depending on the guide, the visit can really seem unpleasant (which was not the case for us). This mass tourism takes away a bit of the magic of discovering the places. If this aspect of mass tourism puts you off, or if you find the prices exorbitant (which they are), or if there are simply no more spots available, you can turn to the very friendly Canyon X.