20 Practical ANTELOPE CANYON TIPS for First Visit (IMPORTANT: Read Before Going)

• Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon. Specifically, it is a long and narrow channel or drainage way with sheer rock walls.
• Antelope Canyon consists of two separate slot canyon sections. They are known as Upper Antelope Canyon (or The Crack) and Lower Antelope Canyon (or The Corkscrew). Other slot canyons are part of Antelope Canyon that can be visited, like Canyon X.
• The Navajo name for Upper Antelope Canyon is Tsé bighánílíní, which means the place where water runs through rocks. Lower Antelope Canyon is called Hazdistazí by the Navajo Parks and Recreation Department, or spiral rock arches.
• Antelope Canyon was formed by the erosion of Navajo Sandstone due to flash flooding and other sub-aerial processes. Rainwater, especially during monsoon season, runs into the extensive basin above the slot canyon sections, picking up speed and sand as it rushes into the narrow passageways. Over time the passageways eroded, deepening the corridors and smoothing hard edges.
• Antelope Canyon is famous for its flowing shapes, glowing red walls, sunbeams, and falling sand sift.

Antelope Canyon is located in the American Southwest, on Navajo land about a 10-minute drive east of Page, Arizona.

The two canyons, Lower and Upper Antelope Canyons are located about 15 minutes from each other and can be accessed from Highway 98.

My recommendation is to fly into one of the nearby larger airports and rent a car and drive (there is no public transportation).

• 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

What you need to know is that 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, it will cut down on your travel time.

You can only visit Lower or Upper Antelope Canyon on a guided tour. Unfortunately, there is simply no other way around it.

There are two tour operators for Lower Antelope Canyon: Ken’s Tours and Dixie Ellis Lower Canyon Tours.

And, here are the operators for Upper Antelope Canyon:  Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours, and Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours.

It is really hard to say which one is the best Lower or which one is best Upper Antelope Canyon tour company. By the way, all these tour companies are pretty much the same and the cost of comparable tours is similar.

What you need to know is that one of the major differences between the canyons is that Lower Antelope Canyon is shaped like the letter ‘V’. Meaning, it is more open on the top and narrow on the bottom.

On the other hand, Upper Antelope Canyon is shaped like an inverted letter ‘V’, which is narrow on the top and wider on the bottom.

What it means is that more light penetrates Lower Antelope Canyon making it brighter and easier to photograph.

On the opposite, way less light seeps into Upper Antelope Canyon making it feel darker and gloomier and as a result more difficult to photograph.

I need to be honest and say that the scarce light and lots of shadows make Upper Antelope Canyon visually more dramatic.

Antelope Canyon is famous for its light beams and falling sand sifts. However, what you need to know is that the light beams scarcely appear at Lower Antelope Canyon and it does not have any falling sands.

If you are set on photographing the light beams and falling sands, then you need to head to Upper Antelope Canyon!

You need to schedule your tour between 10:30 am and 1 pm when the light is most abundant and the brightest and because the famous light beams happen only when the sun is at the right angle

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

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

It is very dusty inside the canyons. I am not exaggerating!

If there is even a slight breeze on the surface, the wind blows all the sand inside the canyon. I am not kidding you, this sand will get into everything you have on you and with you.

My recommendation is to protect yourself as much as possible. Especially, cover your mouth and nose. And maybe wear a hooded jacket. If you have a camera with you, then, hands down, make sure it is protected. Look into buying a camera protective body skin cover.

Seriously, after you are done with the tour, you will have dust and sand in every crevice of your clothing!

To visit Lower Antelope Canyon, you are required to climb down and up multiple sets of ladders. The ladders are steep and narrow.

So if you are not up to climbing ladders or if you have a poor balance, then you should look into visiting Upper Antelope Canyon, which is pretty flat and has a fairly even surface.

Both Lower and Upper Antelope Canyons get very crowded.

However, because Lower Antelope Canyon is shaped like the letter ‘V’, it is very narrow on the bottom and it gets very crowded. If you can’t stand the crowds or if you are claustrophobic, then I have to recommend that you skip Lower Antelope Canyon altogether.

Also, keep in mind that there is a constant flow of tours and you have to keep up with your group. There is very little time at each stop to snap a couple of pictures. It is tough to get some decent pictures without any tourists in them.

Be mindful of the weather conditions! This is one of the top tips for visiting Lower and Upper Antelope Canyon.

July, August, September, and early October is monsoon season and flash floods might occur.

Rain does not have to fall on or near the Antelope Canyon slots for flash floods to whip through. Rain falling dozens of miles away can funnel into the canyons with little notice.

Be mindful of the weather conditions! This is one of the top tips for visiting Lower and Upper Antelope Canyon.

July, August, September, and early October is monsoon season and flash floods might occur.

Rain does not have to fall on or near the Antelope Canyon slots for flash floods to whip through. Rain falling dozens of miles away can funnel into the canyons with little notice.

On August 12, 1997, eleven tourists, including seven from France, one from the United Kingdom, one from Sweden, and two from the United States, were killed in Lower Antelope Canyon by a flash flood. Very little rain fell at the site that day, but an earlier thunderstorm dumped a large amount of water into the canyon basin 7 miles (11 km) upstream. The lone survivor was tour guide Francisco “Pancho” Quintana, who had prior swift-water training.

At the time, the ladder system consisted of amateur-built wood ladders that were swept away by the flood. Today, ladder systems have been bolted in place, and deployable cargo nets are installed at the top of the canyon. A NOAA Weather Radio from the National Weather Service and an alarm horn are at the fee booth.

Despite improved warning and safety systems, the risks of injury from flash floods still exist. On July 30, 2010, several tourists were stranded on a ledge when two flash floods occurred at Upper Antelope Canyon. Some of them were rescued and some had to wait for the floodwaters to recede. Source: Wikipedia

Ok! If you are on a budget then you need to read this.

What you need to know is that there is a significant difference in price between the tours offered at Antelope Canyon Upper vs Lower. Specifically, Upper Antelope Canyon tickets might be in the range of $140, plus $8 for the Navajo Park Permit Fee, while a tour of Lower Antelope Canyon is usually about $90, plus the permit.

The bottom line, Lower Antelope Canyon cost of the ticket is less!

If you are short on time, then Upper Antelope Canyon is NOT your best choice. First of all, you need to check into the tour company headquarters about 30 to 45 minutes before the start of the tour.

Next, it takes about 30 minutes to reach the entrance of the Upper Antelope Canyon.

The transportation is provided by all the tour companies. However, the road leading to Upper Antelope Canyon is just a washed sandy track. Be aware that it is a very bumpy road. To top it off, the transportation consists of open-bed trucks. So, if you have any back problems, it will be too rough on your back.

I always get emails asking me if it is possible to visit both the Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon in one day. And, the answer is: yes! It is not a problem at all. Visit one in the morning and another one in the afternoon.

I usually start with the Upper Antelope Canyon tour hoping to catch the famous light beams which are the most abundant during mid-day hours and then I tour Lower Antelope Canyon which is brighter and more light gets to reach the bottom of the canyon.

Another one of my useful tips for visiting Lower and Upper Antelope Canyon is that if you decide to visit both Lower and Upper Antelope Canyon in one day, then you are required to pay an $8 Navajo Permit Fee just once. So make sure to save your receipt and show it to your tour guide.

Once you make a decision to visit Antelope Canyon, then book your tour or tours as soon as possible.

This is especially important if you are visiting during peak time (June, July, August), if you are booking your tour between 10:30 am and 1 pm, or if you are planning on visiting Upper Antelope Canyon.

Summer months are extremely busy and tours book way in advance. The best light is between 10:30 am and 1 pm and the tours scheduled during these times book the fastest. Finally, if you are planning on visiting Upper Antelope Canyon, then keep in mind that Upper Antelope Canyon is a more popular one of the two and it is tough to reserve any tours on short notice.

So, once you book your tour or tours, keep track of time and do not miss your tour! Why? Because, almost all of Arizona is in the same time zone, Mountain Standard Time (MST), all year. And, since 1968 most of the state does not observe daylight saving time.

However,  the Navajo Nation does observe daylight savings time.

Your phone might not pick up the difference in time, so make sure to double and triple-check when you are supposed to show up for your tour.

Bags, purses, backpacks,  etc are not allowed inside the canyons. You will need to leave all your stuff in the car.

So, plan accordingly! Make sure to wear pants or shorts with pockets or better yet, grab a lightweight jacket with some deep pockets and secure all your documents (credit cards, DL, and/or passport) inside the pocket.

It is a good idea to have a ziplock bag and store all your valuables inside the ziplock bag and then place it inside the pocket and zip it up. I am not exaggerating, it is so dusty inside the canyons and sand will get into everything you have on you.

My recommendation is to tip your tour guide. Unless, of course, your tour guide does not deserve to be tipped.

It is true, tipping is not required, but it is considered a sign of good etiquette and it might be expected by your guide. The bottom line it is your choice.

How much should you tip your guide? I would say 15-20% of the cost of the tour.

Every tour guide that I had was excellent! They have to keep their group in line and on time, however, they take time to help you with your camera settings, and point out the best locations to capture awesome pictures.

It can be very windy in the area right above the canyon and the sand gets blown inside the canyon.

This sand will get into everything!

• So, above all protect your eyes, nose, and mouth. My recommendation is to wear a hat and a mask and maybe even sunglasses.
• Wear long pants vs shorts.
• A lightweight jacket might be a very good idea.
• Make sure your clothing has some pockets to secure your documents and credit cards. Bags, purses, and backpacks are not allowed inside the canyons.
• Wear comfortable walking or hiking shoes. If you decide on visiting Lower Antelope Canyon, you are going to be required to climb up and down several flights of stairs. Keep in mind that the bottom of the canyons is not even and it is easy to lose your footing.

The good news is that you can visit Antelope Canyon year-round.

• Springtime, namely, March, April, and May, is a good time to visit Antelope Canyon.

Temperatures are between 60-70 degrees F.

More importantly, if you go during springtime, you will be able to avoid massive crowds of tourists swarming Antelope Canyon during the summer months.

However, the option of catching the famous sunbeams is relatively rare during springtime.

• Summer, specifically, June, July, and August, is a high season.

Keep in mind that the temperatures range between 80-100 degrees F.

Above. all, you need to be prepared to deal with huge tourist crowds and you will have little opportunity to capture some pictures without tourists in them.

On the other hand, summertime is the best for light beams. The higher the sun in the sky, the more light it will bring into the canyon and you will get to see the iconic light beams.

In addition, you need to keep in mind that July, August, September, and early October are the monsoon season and flash floods might occur. As a result, the canyons might be closed.

Also, if temperatures reach 105 degrees F, the canyons might be closed as well. It is important to keep an eye on the weather conditions and re-confirm your reservations with your tour company to make sure that they are open.

• Fall, specifically September, October is a good time to visit.

The tourist crowds will be pretty much done. However, the chance to see the light beams is relatively small.

• Winter, namely November through March is the best time to find some solitude and be able to take some pictures without people in them.

On the other hand, there are no light beams during the winter months. However, to me, both canyons are still very magical.

By the way, the temperature should be between 50-60 degrees F and snow is very rare in that area.

There is a lot of places to choose from if you want to stay close to Antelope Canyon. I stayed at Country Inn and Suites by Radisson, Paige, AZ. The place is clean and well managed and practically brand new.

Another hotel you might want to check out is Best Western Plus at Lake Powell. It is clean, however a bit outdated.

I have read many reviews of all the Antelope Canyon tour companies. Needless to say, it is hard to select the best company to tour Antelope Canyon. However, after I tried a few of them, I concluded that Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon tours are pretty much the same and their prices are fairly comparable for similar tours.

I booked my last tour of Upper Canyon with Antelope Slot Canyon Tours. The booking process is easy and can be done online. I reserved my tour for the 10:30 am time slot knowing that the lighting would be the best at that time (weather permitting).

If you decide to book with Antelope Slot Canyon Tours, you need to get familiar with their strict cancellation policy. Above all, you need to check in 45 minutes before your scheduled departure. If you have not checked in 15 minutes before your scheduled departure time, you will lose your booking and they will not refund your money. So, arrive early and check in immediately.

In addition, they do not allow backpacks, tripods, and selfie sticks.

Furthermore, the meeting point is at their office located at 55 S Lake Powell Blvd. Page, AZ 86040. Next, they will transport you to the entrance to the canyon, which is about a 30-minute drive.

As far as Lower Antelope Canyon tours, the last time I decided to go with Ken’s Tours. I reserved the tour for 2 pm. The cost of the tour was $40, plus taxes and permit fees. Total cost $50.80. No payments are collected online.

Above all, you need to remember to confirm your reservation between 24 and 96 hours before your tour by either visiting their website and clicking the link at the very bottom of the home page or calling/texting your confirmation number to one of the phone numbers provided to you at the time of making the reservation. In addition, you need to arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled tour to pay for the tour and check in.

Further, they do not allow any bags, backpacks, selfie sticks, or tripods.

Finally, once you reserve your tour, you will get detailed instructions on how to get to the meeting point. They are located 2 miles east of Paige, AZ.