LOWER vs UPPER Antelope Canyon (9 Key Differences to Help You Decide)

Lower and Upper Antelope Canyons are located in the American Southwest (specifically, east of Page, Arizona). Both slot canyons sit on the land owned by the Navajo Nation and can only be visited on a guided tour.

If you are planning on visiting Antelope Canyon, you can fly into one of the nearby larger airports, then rent a car and drive (there is no public transportation or a bus).

• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) – 279 miles (4 hr and 19 min) drive from Phoenix, AZ
• Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG) – 137 miles (2 hr and 15 min) from Flagstaff, AZ
• Las Vegas McCarran Airport (LAS) – 286 miles (4 hr 39 min) from Las Vegas, NV
• Salt Lake City, Utah (SLC) – 398 miles (6 hr 13 min) from Salt Lake City, UT

There is an airport in Page, AZ. It is a small Municipal Airport, however, direct flights are going to Page from Las Vegas, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Phoenix. My recommendation is to look into flying to Paige which will cut down on your travel time.

Paige is located about 10 minutes from Antelope Canyon and both, Lower and Upper Antelope Canyons are approximately 15 minutes from each other and can be accessed from Highway 98.

No matter what canyon you ultimately decide to visit, Lower or Upper Antelope Canyon, you are required to book a tour. There is just no way around it.

The good news is that there are four tour operators for Upper Antelope Canyon:  Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours, Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours, Antelope Canyon Tours, Antelope Slot Canyon Tours.

By the way, all these tour companies are pretty much the same and the cost of comparable tours is similar.

There are two tour operators for Lower Antelope Canyon: Ken’s Tours and Dixie Ellis Lower Canyon Tours. Both of them offer comparable tours and the cost is pretty much the same.

The major difference between the canyons is that they are shaped differently.

Lower Antelope Canyon is shaped like the letter “V”. In other words, it is very narrow at the bottom and wide at the top.

Light can easily penetrate and fill all the passages inside the canyon making it feel bright and warm. As a result, the colors of reds, oranges, and yellows stand out beautifully.

Lower Antelope Canyon is shaped like the letter ‘V’ letting more light in / Lower vs Upper Antelope Canyon

It is easier to photograph Lower Antelope Canyon / Lower vs Upper Antelope Canyon

Upper Antelope Canyon is shaped like an upside-down letter  ‘V’.  It is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom.

As a result, very little light seeps through and it cannot easily penetrate all the passages. So, Upper Antelope Canyon tends to be darker and it feels gloomier.

Even though Upper Antelope Canyon feels darker, it is more photogenic / Lower vs Upper Antelope Canyon

The light and shadows in Upper Antelope Canyon create very dramatic effects / Lower vs Upper Antelope Canyon

So much more light gets into Lower Antelope Canyon compared to the Upper one. As a result, you will have no problem photographing Lower Antelope Canyon.

If you happen to be visiting on a gloomy day, during the winter months, or on a late afternoon tour, you will still be able to get great shots. It is just a stunning place to photograph.

Because Upper Antelope Canyon is so narrow at the top, not much light gets into the narrow passages. To get these iconic images of Upper Canyon, you need to ensure that you are visiting during the summer months and you book your tour in the middle of the day when the sun is at just the right angle.

The sun needs to be at the right angle to get awesome shots / Lower vs Upper Antelope Canyon 

Fingers crossed that the weather cooperates for you and it is a cloudless day! / Lower vs Upper Antelope Canyon

If you are set on catching the famous light beams then you need to go to Upper Antelope Canyon.

The narrow openings at the top of Upper Antelope Canyon create the iconic light beams! And, to see them is an awe-inspiring experience!

The light beams do occur at Lower Antelope Canyon, however, they are few and far in between and not as dramatic as the ones at Upper Antelope Canyon.

The light beams can be seen starting mid-May through mid-September. The prime time to catch the famous light beams is during the summer months, namely, late June, July, and August.

To get the best pictures, you need to schedule your guided tour between the hours of 10:30 am and 1 pm when the light is the brightest, most abundant, and at the right angle.

Needless to say, if the sky is overcast, there are no light beams at all.

The famous light beams happen only when the sun is at the right angle / Lower vs Upper Antelope Canyon

The light beams can be seen starting mid-May through mid-September. However, the best ones happen between June through August / Lower vs Upper Antelope Canyon

Upper Antelope Canyon is famous for its falling sand sifts which create a visually stunning picture.

Falling sand sifts are hard to catch and not easy to photograph. To witness a falling sand sift, you need to ensure that you are visiting between the months of June through August and that your tour is scheduled in the middle of the day when the sun is brightest and highest in the sky.

It is expensive to visit the canyons. The prices of the tours increased dramatically over the last 3 years.

Currently, the cost of the entrance ticket to Upper Antelope Canyon ranges from $150 to $180, and Lower Antelope Canyon is about $100. And, mind you, this is for about 1 hour of you being in the canyon.

If you are on a budget, then Lower Antelope Canyon is a better option.

You need to be able to climb up and down multiple steep ladders in Lower Antelope Canyon. 

If you do not tolerate heights very well or you are not up to such physical activity then Lower Antelope Canyon is not for you.

On the other hand, Upper Antelope Canyon is an easy and flat walk.

Lower Antelope Canyon is shaped like the letter “V”, so it is very narrow at the bottom. In addition, it is like a maze of narrow passages with sharp turns. As a result, it gets very crowded.

It is actually quite frustrating, to be honest. There are tours one after the other and all the passages fill up with people making it impossible to take decent photos.

To top it off, if you get claustrophobic or cannot tolerate crowds, then Lower Antelope Canyon is not for you.

On the other hand, Upper Antelope Canyon is wider and roomier. There is more space to spread out and you do not feel as claustrophobic.

If you are claustrophobic, then Upper Antelope Canyon is a better choice / Lower vs Upper Antelope Canyon

You will need a lot of patience to wait for an opportunity to take a picture without any tourists in them / Lower vs Upper Antelope Canyon

What is nice about Lower Antelope Canyon is that the entrance to the canyon is conveniently located just a short walking distance from the tour company headquarters and a parking area. So no need to waste precious time being transported to another location.

In comparison, it takes about 30 minutes to reach the entrance to Upper Antelope Canyon and the transportation (provided by the tour company) consists of open-bed trucks along the very bumpy and very dusty roads. If you have any back problems, then I am not recommending it.

I always get asked which is prettier Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon or which is better Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon.

Honestly, if you are into photography, then it all comes down to light. If you are visiting between June and August and the forecast is for a cloudless sky and you manage to book your tour right in the middle of the day, then hands down, Upper Antelope Canyon is my choice. It is a visually stunning place.

If you like taking pictures then you should look into a Photography Tour. It is only offered at Upper Antelope Canyon by Adventurous Photo Tours.

The last time I checked, the tour was canceled, however, I would keep on checking their website to see if they bring it back. The tour is expensive, but if you are into photography, then you will love it!

You get a chance to take photos of falling sand and light beams without other people in your photos. To top it off, the guides are very helpful with keeping people out of the camera angles and they give you a ton of advice.

By the way, my tour guide was awesome giving me all kinds of pointers!

Photographing the canyons can be a bit tricky. So, make sure to follow these photography tips:

• A wide-angle lens is a must when you photograph Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon. Why? Passages in both canyons are narrow and walls are tall, so having a wide-angle lens is essential to capture all the details.
• Light is a challenge in Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon, so to get the best light possible for your pictures, use a slower shutter speed (between 2 and 6 seconds).

Because you’re keeping the shutter open for so long to let more light in, set the aperture anywhere between F11 to F18.

I have to say that tripod comes in handy here, but it is not allowed during regular tours, but only during the photography tours.

A wide-angle lens is a must when you photograph Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon. Why? Passages in both canyons are narrow and walls are tall, so having a wide-angle lens is essential to capture all the details.

Light is a challenge in Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon, so in order to get the best light possible for your pictures, use a slower shutter speed (between 2 and 6 seconds).