Antelope Canyon
Antelope Canyon
Antelope Canyon has many tour operators that will bring you to the canyon. We’ve provided links to the ones that have online reservations below.If you want to check out general information about Antelope Canyon and a full list of operators, check out the website AntelopeCanyon.az
Antelope Slot Canyon Jeep Tour
Antelope Canyon is one of the most photographed areas in the world. There are three separate areas that are publicly accessible. The Upper Canyon is the most famous and easiest to do.
The Lower Canyon requires more physical ability, but you will be rewarded with significantly less crowds. You can also visit Antelope Canyon on Lake Powell, which is where the run-off from the upper areas will drain off into. Each has its own unique personality and are well worth checking out.
Antelope Slot Canyon Boat Tour
Tour Duration: 1 hour
Departure Times: 9:00 am, 10:15 am, 11:30am, 1:15pm, 2:30pm, 3:45pm, 5:00pm
$24.95 Ages 9 and Up, $14.95 Ages 4 – 12, Free Ages 3 and Under
Explore the Lake Powell side of world-famous Antelope Canyon – perhaps one of the most photographed slot canyons on Earth. This personalized tour takes you from Antelope Point Marina down lake along the Colorado River’s original channel to the canyon opening along sheer red rock cliffs. Safely navigable, the narrow canyon – with towering walls of ancient Navajo sandstone – is awe-inspiring and unique.
Your experienced tour guides will share details about spectacular Lake Powell, the nearby Glen Canyon Dam and the Navajo people that inhabit this region – sharing their rich culture and generations of history with visitors. Bottled water is provided on all tours.
We are planning to go trip with my 16-month-old son to Antelope Canyon, Horse shoe bend and Lake Powell during this 4th of July weekend. It would be too hot, right? Can you advise what time we should avoid for antelope guide tour or boat tour? Also, what is the difference between ANTELOPE SLOT CANYON BOAT TOUR that you have in this website and Antelope Canyon Tour(Boat tour) that is in lakepowell.com? Is there only one difference on the tour duration? (1hr vs. 1.5hrs)
Hi Alice, thanks for stopping by!
With a baby, you need to be extremely careful about overexposure to heat and sun. 4th of July weekend will be extremely hot, as you’ve gathered. Any hiking you do should be done during the cooler times of the day, especially to Horseshoe Bend as there is no shade on the trail or overlook. Fortunately, the interior of Antelope Canyon and other slot canyons tends to remain consistently cool as they are shaded, however, the trip to the canyon entrance can also be in unshaded areas. Hats, sunglasses and sunscreen are a definite must. Water, water, water. Bring it, and drink it.
As for the boat tours, again, you have correctly deduced that the only difference between the Antelope Point Boat Tour and the Lake Powell Resort Boat Tour is time. Lake Powell Resorts’ tour requires an extra half hour because it is located further away from Antelope Canyon.
Have fun, be safe and stay cool!
Alley 🙂
Hi,
Can you kindly advise on best way to visit upper Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe bend.
We plane to drive from Sedona to Page (as we are going back to Williams) thus not certain whether we can visit Horseshoe band by ourselves at our leisure-or have to take a guided tour?
I understand this is a National Park and fee is applied-thus not certain do we must take guided tour or can pay entrance fee and where we can do this? Page? And go ourselves to Horseshoe Band after we visit Upper Antelope canyon with Guided tour.
Unfortunately I was not able to find online tour combining Upper Anthelope Canyon with Horseshoe band if we come ourselves to Page (just guided tours form Sedona/Flagstaff that we would like to avoid if feasible).
Thanks for your reply.
Hi Suzy,
Yes, you absolutely can visit Horseshoe Bend by yourselves at your leisure. It is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week — although we wouldn’t recommend visiting at night since there are no guardrails and it’s a long drop to the river.
In answer to your other queries, Horseshoe Bend is part of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, but at the present time, no admission fees are charged to go there. Antelope Canyon on the other hand is a Navajo Nation Tribal Park, so an entrance fee, and a licensed tour guide, are required to visit. Advance reservations are strongly recommended. Antelope Canyon Tour Reservations
You are correct in that no tours are given that combine Upper Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, however, there is a tour that visits both Horseshoe Bend Overlook and Horseshoe Bend Slot Canyon, formerly known as Secret Canyon. Definitely worth considering if you happen to find Upper Antelope Canyon tours sold out! Horseshoe Bend Slot Canyon and Overlook Tour
Thank you for visiting and we wish you safe and happy travels!
Alley 🙂
We are planning to be in Page in early June. Is it possible to schedule a boat tour at that time? The booking part of the website seems to have all of June blocked due to “wakeless regulations.?”
Hi Steve, thank you for visiting our site!
If the website you’re referring to is LakePowell.com, I checked it myself and the boat tours are not “blocked out,” per se, but the calendar is colored in in such a way that the dates look to be blocked out. We might be able to contact their webmaster to see about changing that. Otherwise, the tours are showing available. The “wakeless zone” regulations simply refer to boat traffic being required to travel at slower speeds, whether they’re tour boats or private boats. They won’t affect operation of the tours.
If you still have trouble with the website, you can contact ARAMARK/Lake Powell Resorts’ corporate office by phone at 888-896-3829. If you’re calling from overseas, you can contact Lake Powell Resort directly at 928-645-2433.
Hope that helps – have a wonderful trip!
Alley
Hi Ryan/Miranda,
Is it possible to visit horse shoe bend, antelope canyon and one of the arches in one day? Thank you for the help
Hi Budhira, thanks for your enquiry!
If by “one of the arches,” you mean Rainbow Bridge (the arch that’s most often associated with Page and Lake Powell), you can see it, Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon in a single day. However, it will make for a very long day, unless you’re prepared to think a little “outside the box.”
Rainbow Bridge National Monument cannot be driven to. Therefore, most visitors to the Page/Lake Powell area visit Rainbow Bridge by boat tour from Lake Powell Resort. Due to the present level of Lake Powell, this tour will take 7.5 hours to complete, and require a 2.5-mile round-trip walk to see the actual bridge. During the summer months, there are two daily departures: 7:30 AM and 1:30 PM. So, you could theoretically take the 7:30 AM Rainbow Bridge Boat Tour, which would finish at roughly 3:00 PM, then you would have to drive back to Page, AZ, get on an Antelope Canyon Tour, then head to Horseshoe Bend afterwards. Or, you could see Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend in the morning, then catch the 1:30 PM Lake Powell Rainbow Bridge Boat tour, which would wrap up around 8 PM.
If that sounds like too long of a day, we certainly wouldn’t blame you! There is another way you could see Rainbow Bridge, Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, and have it all done in time for lunch: fly over Rainbow Bridge and Lake Powell! Fixed wing airplanes fly out of the Page Municipal Airport over Lake Powell and Rainbow Bridge first thing in the morning. In just 30 minutes time in the air, you’ll see more than you ever could by boat or car. After your plane lands, you could then easily visit Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.
Antelope Canyon tours must be booked in advance. Horseshoe Bend may be visited at your leisure, or with a combination Horseshoe Bend Slot Canyon and Overlook tour.
Hope that helps – safe traveling!
Alley
I’m planning on going in May with my friend to see Horse Shoe Bend/Antelope Canyon, do we need to plan tours or can we hike to these places on our own?
Hi Miranda, and thanks for stopping by.
For Horseshoe Bend, you can simply go there at your convenience. It is located 5 miles South of the town of Page between mile markers 544 and 545 on US89, and is open 24/7.
For Antelope Canyon, you are required to visit with an authorized guide and/or tour company. Tours should be booked in advance due to the increasing popularity of this slot canyon. How to Book a Tour of Antelope Canyon
If Antelope Canyon tours are sold out, which is a very distinct possibility, there are other slot canyons you can experience that are just as beautiful, but far less crowded. Antelope Canyon Alternative Tours
Good luck and have a good trip!
Alley
Hi Ryan,
Is mid April (this month) ok to visit Horseshoe Bend /Antelope Canyon? Travelling along with 2 kids (9 and 3 yrs old).
Would it be too hot then?
By the way, we are staying in hotel in Scottsdale. Our first day will be going to these two destinations and I believe its a 4hr-drive from our hotel to Page?
Thanks in advance for the helpful tips!
M,
Hi and thanks for stopping by.
April is one of the best times of the year to visit, not to hot at all. Daytime high temperatures should be in the mid ’60’s to ’70’s, with overnight lows in the ’40-50 degree range (that’s Fahrenheit, of course!).
As for your plan to drive to Page from Scottsdale, AZ, 4.5-5 hours one way is a more accurate figure. Don’t be surprised if it takes longer because there are several points of interest you might stop at along the way, including the Verde Valley, Wupatki/Sunset Crater National Monuments (just North of Flagstaff), and the Cameron Trading Post, just to name a few. You need to time your return trip so that you avoid driving at night, especially on the leg from Page to Flagstaff since artificial lighting is scarce to non-existent on that section of the highway US89. Is there any way you can modify your plans to stay overnight in Page? You’ll have a much more relaxed time that way. Page hotels run the gamut from Motel to 6 to Marriott and everything in between both price-wise and in terms of amenities. To check availability, click here ->: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g60834-Page_Arizona-Hotels.html
Good luck and happy traveling,
Alley
My daughter and I have booked a week in Sedona and we plan a taking a day trip to visit Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon – the tours from Sedona are out of our budget , can we drive ourselves to visit both of these places in one day? Thank you
Hi Courtney and thank you for visiting our site.
You absolutely can drive yourself to both Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon!
The drive from Sedona to Page takes approximately 3 hours. Time permitting, you might stop at Wupatki/Sunset Crater National Monument on the way, just outside of Flagstaff. Admission to Horseshoe Bend is free, but since Antelope Canyon is located on Navajo Indian Tribal Lands, you must visit with a licensed guide. The cost is $40/adult or $20 per child up to 12, plus an $8 per person Navajo Parks & Recreation fee. Plan on spending 90 minutes – 2 hours at each attraction.
Just make sure you head back to Sedona before it starts getting dark. Artificial lighting is kept to a bare minimum on the roads up here, plus deer, elk and other animals like to congregate near them at night, raising the risk of an accident.
Happy traveling!
Alley
I’m from Hong Kong. I’d like to know more the Antelope tour. What’ll be the time to arrive Antelope? For the tour, is it group tour or private tour?
Thanks for attention.
Hi David,
Thank you for visiting our site!
Tours to Antelope Canyon actually depart several times a day to both the Upper and Lower sections. The tour will not be private, unless you make prior arrangement with the tour outfitter for such a service. This would probably involve you paying for all seats on the tour vehicle, which could get quite expensive.
That said, the best time to tour Antelope Canyon is during the mid-day hours between 10 AM and 1 PM. For more information on tour schedules, outfitters and logistics, click here ->: http://antelopecanyon.az/how-to-book-a-tour-for-antelope-canyon/
Hope that helps. Happy travels to you!
Alley
hello, we would like to visit the horseshoe and antelope canyons, could this be done with a 2 year old?
Hello Dee,
Thank you for visiting our site!
It is possible to enjoy Horseshoe Bend Overlook and Antelope Canyon with a 2-year-old, as long as you’re aware of some important issues.
The Horseshoe Bend Overlook Trail is relatively short – about 3/4 of a mile – but the first portion of it requires a slight uphill climb, which might be a bit difficult for a 2-year-old. You should probably be prepared to carry him on this part of the trail. However, the most important consideration is the overlook itself: there are no guardrails at the overlook and it’s a 700′ drop to the river! You must have your child under control in this area. If you decide to skip the walk to the overlook, another way to see Horseshoe Bend is to fly over it. In just 30 minutes, you can see Horseshoe Bend, Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell. Children 2 and under fly free. http://horseshoebend.com/see-horseshoe-bend-air/
As for Antelope Canyon, it depends whether you choose to visit Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon. Upper is an easy, flat walk of 100 yards. Lower is a longer canyon with several staircases to navigate, as well as some boulders to scramble around. Here again, you may end up carrying your child in some areas.
Hope that helps! Have a wonderful visit to Page,
Alley
Hi
We are visiting in july and will visit Horseshoe Bend and Antelope (have 2 days). We have no problem with the stairs in the lower Antelope but I wonder if we will be to big (around 100 kg), I read it was very narrow. Do you have any experience in that direction?
Hi Henriette,
Thank you for visiting out site, and for your question. The entrance to Lower Antelope Canyon is indeed narrow, but people over 100 kg have entered it successfully. Not knowing factors such as your height and physical fitness level, I cannot speculate as to whether you will be able to as well, but would recommend that you watch the video on this site ->: http://antelopecanyon.az/lower-antelope-full-walkthrough-video/ If you wish, you can watch the first part of the video, then forward to about the 4:00 mark to see the exit of the canyon, without “spoiling the surprise” of the actual heart of the canyon.
Hope that helps! Thank you again for your interest,
Alley
I am looking to visit Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe bend the second week of January. Is it necessary to book a tour or can we hike and view it all on our own? Where would you suggest we start? We are coming from Sedona.
Hello Vanessa, I apologize that we did not reply to your inquiry sooner. We hope you had a wonderful trip! For those of you contemplating a visit to Horseshoe Bend Overlook, Antelope Canyon and other attractions in the Page/Lake Powell area, you’ll find that the winter months feature less traffic along with colder temperatures. It’s a refreshing change of pace from the hectic summer months!
As far as hiking to Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon are concerned, with Horseshoe Bend, you are welcome to drive to the overlook parking lot whenever you wish and hike there on your own. Antelope Canyon is situated on Navajo Indian Tribal lands, therefore, you are required to go with an authorized guide. Tours are available right from the town of Page, AZ, or you can simply go down to the Tribal Park entrance gate on Highway 98 and catch a tour from there. Antelope Canyon tours from Page, AZ are done at scheduled times; the ones from the park entrance gate are first-come/first-served.
Hope you had a great time! Anyone else reading this, if you have any questions, feel free to ask.
I am planning a trip for Oct. 2017 and would love to take a boat tour around Horseshoe Bend. Are their any touring companies that do this? It would also be nice to be picked up and returned to Flagstaff but I probably won’t find both together. Thanks!
Dear Heidi –
BIG TIME KUDOS to you for planning your trip well in advance! October is an amazing time to be here. There are actually several tour companies in the Flagstaff, AZ area that offer pick-ups and drop-offs for the Colorado River Discovery Float Trip. The one I am most familiar with is Great Ventures Tours. Click here for more information on their tour package ->: http://www.greatventures.com/tours.aspx?id=13 Notice the price tag on their tour package is $249+ per person. If you want to save some money and don’t mind an early morning, you can catch the exact same tour (for the most part) out of Grand Canyon South Rim for just $199 per person. Click here for more information and to reserve ->: http://horseshoebend.com/canyon-smooth-water-bus-trip/
Hope that helps. Good luck and have fun!
Alley
Hello Ryan,
My parents (above 75) are visiting USA and I plan to take them to LAS VEGAS for a day and from there take them to the canyons. My mom has her knees replaced and have restricted movement. Do you suggest I take them to the antelope Canyon and the horseshoe bend?
Hi Aritra,
Ryan is out of the office, but as a former resident of Northern Arizona, I am happy to help you!
With your mom’s recent knee replacement, care should definitely be taken as to where you walk. The trail to Horseshoe Bend has a slight uphill incline at the beginning. My own mother, who also has bad knees, took one look at it and said “absolutely not.”
Upper Antelope Canyon, however, might be doable for her. This canyon is only 100 yards in length and is mostly flat, though slightly sandy in some areas. You must go there with an authorized guide, though, and tours are available from either the town of Page, AZ or the Tribal Park Entrance on Highway 98.
Now, let’s get back to Horseshoe Bend. It might still be possible for your mother to experience it – by flying over it! Fixed wing airplanes depart daily from the Page Municipal Airport (weather permitting) and fly over not only Horseshoe Bend, but the Glen Canyon Dam, Lake Powell and its many canyons, plus other amazing formations in just 30 minutes time! For more information, click here ->: http://horseshoebend.com/see-horseshoe-bend-air/
Hope that helps – have a great time!
Alley
Hi
My husband and i are coming over from Australia we wanted to do Antelopes canyon and The Horse Shoe Bends either Sunrise or Sunset is that Possible, or do you know a company that does this
Hi Melanie,
To properly answer your question, we’d need to know if you were planning to drive directly to Page yourself, or were you wanting to catch a tour out of another city?
Due to the remote location of both Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon, you won’t find many tour companies that offer day trips to these locations. Notable exceptions are Detours out of Phoenix http://detoursofthewest.com/phoenix-tours/antelope-canyon/ and Grand Canyon Adventures out of Flagstaff and Sedona ->: https://grandcanyon.com/tours/south-rim-tours/antelope-canyon-horseshoe-bend-from-flagstaff-and-sedona/
If you’re driving to Page, AZ yourself, then seeing both of these attractions is very easy using your own rental car for Horseshoe Bend and an authorized Navajo Tribal guide for Antelope Canyon. For Horseshoe Bend, sunrise and sunset are not ideal times to view this attraction due to the angle of the sun keeping the river in shadow. Just after sunrise through the remaining daylight hours are good, though mid-day hours during the summer months are extremely hot. For Antelope Canyon, mid-day is the best time to explore because the sun directly overhead illuminates the cavern beautifully, which is best for picture taking.
Please don’t hesitate to write again if we can be of further assistance!
Alley
The Antelope Canyon day tour from Phoenix is well worth it in my opinion. It’s amazing how much you can fit in in one day when you’re not driving!
Hi Kate,
Sometimes it’s nice to let someone else take the wheel, isn’t it – after all, vacation is supposed to be about relaxation! By the way, did you take the Phoenix Day tour? If so, do post a review on TripAdvisor, Yelp or other consumer review site. It not only helps future travelers choose the right tour for their needs, it helps the operator determine ways in which they might improve.
Cheers,
Alley
Hi Ryan,
Is it true that you have to hire a guide to go see Antelope Canyon? Also, as far as fees are concern, you pay the entrance fee separate from the guide fee, is that correct?
Thank you for your website. It is very helpful!
Hi Teresa,
Thank you for your compliments on our website!
In answer to your query, yes, an Navajo Nation authorized guide is required to tour Antelope Canyon. There are three companies based in the town of Page and one located at the Tribal Park Entrance Gate on Highway 98 offering tours to Upper Antelope Canyon; for Lower Antelope, there are two companies that also operate at the entrance gate on the highway.
Your entrance fee to either Lower or Upper Canyon (or both), includes an $8 per person tribal park permit fee, which is separate from your tour guide’s fees. If you do choose to visit both Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon, be sure to keep your receipt for this permit fee so you do not have to pay it twice.
Hope that helps!
Hi Ryan,
I am planning a trip to horseshoe bend and antelope canyon in mid march, how is the weather then?
Should I be concerns about rain?
Hi Nancy,
Travelers visiting in March are right to be concerned about inclement weather, including rain and snow. Even if there is no precipitation, March is typically a cooler month, so dressing in layers is recommended, with jackets and gloves advisable should temperatures dip into the lower registers. Be sure to start monitoring weather in the area 7-10 days before your trip date!
Alley
Hi Ryan,
I will be going to Las Vegas in December with my parents. I was thinking of taking a one day road trip to either Antelope cannon or Horseshoe Bend from the Grand Canyon. Are both doable or should we only do one? Also is the view better in the sunrise or the sunset? Thank you for all your help!
Hi Ana,
Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon are only about 10 minutes from each other, and they take about 2 hours each, so you can easily do both. All times are good Antelope Canyon during this time of year, since there are no light beams. Horseshoe Bend kind of depends on what you are looking for. Sunset is most popular, as the sun will be setting in the photograph.
I hope that helps!
Ryan
Ryan, you’re very helpful we might be driving from Scottsdale next week to Page. If we are only spending one night. so we would have a day in a half what would you do? Antelope canyon or horseshoebend? Can you do both? Should we spend 2 nights? What’s Canyon x. Is a boat tour in antelope canyon worth the time ?
Thanks so much Ilene
Hi Ilene,
If you have a day and a half I would recommend you take a look at the article I wrote for a one-day itinerary and spread it out over the extra day. Canyon X is a slot canyon that is near Antelope Canyon physically, but much more difficult to get to. The biggest difference is how much time you have available, and how much you dislike crowds (Canyon X will be more private.) With your limited time, I would recommend you do Antelope Canyon, and if you had the extra time I would add a half day float with Colorado River Discovery or do a tour of Glen Canyon Dam.
I hope that helps!
Ryan
Can we visit the upper and lower Antelope canyon by ourselves without joining the tour?
And how do we get there from Las Vegas?
Hi Tony,
Because Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon are on Navajo Indian Tribal Land, you cannot visit the canyons without an authorized guide. This is for safety reasons as well.
Tours are available from Las Vegas, though on a somewhat limited basis. There are not many companies offering them due to the driving distance (5 hours each way), but here is one that appears reasonably priced ->: http://www.taketours.com/las-vegas-nv/1-day-antelope-canyon-horseshoe-bend-fully-guided-bus-tour-from-las-vegas-624-4794.html Note that it is only available on weekdays, though.
If you wish to visit on a weekend, or have more freedom as far as timing goes, it is more desirable to drive yourself.
Hope that helps.
Alley
Hey Ryan,
A group of us (all young and able bodied) will be driving from Vegas to Horseshoe Bend and lower Antelope Canyon. A few questions if you wouldn’t mind helping us out…
Which one should we do first? We get into Page in the late afternoon/early evening hours. Does lower Antelope Canyon close at a specific time? How do we purchase passes to hike through that area? My thought was to go to lower Antelope Canyon first to walk/climb through before it gets dark and then head to Horseshoe Bend to watch the sun set over it…
Thanks for any input!
Hi Ashlyn,
Thank you for your inquiry. Ryan is out of the office these days, but I’m happy to help you!
If you’re arriving in Page later in the afternoon, I’d actually advise hitting Horseshoe Bend first since the view has a westerly orientation and the canyon is in shadow during sunset.
As for Antelope Canyon, the last tour of the day is typically around 4 PM, or at 3 PM during the winter months. If you happen to arrive too late in the day, simply plan to explore Lower Antelope Canyon the following morning. You would purchase your passes when you turn up for your tour.
Hope that helps!
Alley
307-677-3361
My family and I are planning to go there around May for my graduation trip. I was thinking going to the upper or lower canyon because I think those are the most popular ones. Do you know if they have a good weather there during May? Will it still be cold, or windy or really hot?
May has an average of 80 degrees. It can get really windy around 4pm, but you probably won’t be too worried about because the canyons will be closed.
My wife and I in our seventies along with two friends same age are planning a trip to see Antelope Canyon and Vermillion Cliffs, in late Oct. this year. Please let me know where we can find tour guides and purchase tickets for the Slot Canyon Boat ride on the site. We can only walk 50-100 yards on the level. We do have canes for assistance.
Last time we went to Vermillion Cliffs we could only go some distance by car but found no guides or available trips by ATV to get closer. We are great admirers of our glorious South West. Appreciate your help.
Hi Bryavan, You can book Antelope Canyon boat tours by going directly to the site http://antelopecanyonboattours.com. There is no real walking besides getting to the boat from the parking lot at the marina.
If you are interested in Antelope Canyon slot tours, I recommend going to http://antelopecanyon.az to see the different companies. I strongly recommend Upper Canyon if you have mobility issues.
Lastly, if you’re still interested in tours of the Vermilion Cliffs, give our friend Kyle a call. His website is http://www.vermilioncliffs.net/