After visiting Antelope Canyon, I am here to tell you the essential Antelope Canyon tips and what you need to plan in advance.
Before traveling to Antelope Canyon, I planned to do what I always did when visiting natural spots: pick some cool hikes and explore on my own. However, I soon discovered that a successful trip to Antelope Canyon takes more than just winging it.
There are several things that are absolutely crucial to know for visiting Antelope Canyon. Turns out, you can’t just show up and explore. There are guides involved, timeslots, and more.
You don’t have to learn the hard way like I did. Instead, here is a comprehensive list of all the essentials you NEED to know before visiting Antelope Canyon to make your trip an EPIC success. Plus some interesting bonus Antelope Canyon facts!
Where is Antelope Canyon?
Antelope Canyon is located in northern Arizona, about 15 minutes from the city of Page. It is close to the border with Utah, about 2.5 hours from Zion National Park. The canyon is located in the Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park. It is about 2.5 hours north of the Grand Canyon North Rim.
You May Also Like: What to Do in Zion National Park: 33 Best Activities
11 Essential Antelope Canyon Tips for a Successful Trip
1. Make Sure You See Both Antelope Canyons (Yes, There’s Two)
Despite what the name implies, Antelope Canyon is made of two completely different canyons. They are known as Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon. The canyons are not connected in any way and are in fully separate locations.
Only a short drive from each other, both are available to visit and explore.
Upper Antelope Canyon is above ground, where you enter through a slot in the towering red walls. The trip to the upper canyon’s entrance requires a short Jeep drive through the sandy desert landscape.
Lower Antelope Canyon is underground. To reach the canyon floor you have to descend several sets of steep stairs. Once you reach the bottom, it becomes an epic adventure exploring through the underground canyon, climbing up and down smaller sets of stairs as you go. The starting point for this canyon is only a short walk away from the tour office.
The Difference Between Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon
While each canyon appears similar at first glance, they offer their own unique experiences that make them both equally worth visiting.
Upper Antelope Canyon traditionally provides better photography opportunities, as it features the famous light shafts that pour in like spotlights into the dark canyon passageways below.
Lower Antelope Canyon sees fewer tourists, providing a more personal experience as you explore and adventure through ladders and underground stairs.
I highly recommend visiting both if you have the time and room in your budget.
2. You Can Only Visit Antelope Canyon With an Organized Tour
The only way to visit Antelope Canyon is to book a tour.
Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon, meaning at times it can be dangerous without proper guides. Slot canyons are easily susceptible to deadly flash floods that can be hard to predict without experienced guides who understand the conditions. In 1997, 11 tourists died as a result of a flash flood in Antelope Canyon, justifying the need for tours.
There are also several other perks to having a guide besides safety. The guides provide expert knowledge of Antelope Canyon and its land. They also give great photography tips (more on that below)!
The Best Antelope Canyon Tours:
The Upper Antelope Canyon tours last about 80 minutes inside the canyon with a 15-minute hike up over the top of it to exit. They recommend you arrive 30 minutes prior to your start time.
Book the Best Upper Antelope Canyon Tour
The Lower Antelope Canyon tours last about 1 hour in the canyon with a local Navajo guide. The guides provide excellent tips on how to capture unique features in the canyon’s arches.
Book the Best Lower Antelope Canyon Tour
⭐️ Important Tip! Make sure you don’t purchase a “ticket” admission online because this won’t provide a guide. You’ll have to pay extra on top of this to get one because it is required to enter the canyon.
3. Antelope Canyon is Located on Navajo Land
Antelope Canyon is in the Navajo Nation, a Native American territory in the US. The canyons are part of a Navajo Tribal Park that became accessible by tours in 1997.
Antelope Canyon is located on land that was once used for grazing antelope, hence its name. The Navajo people call the upper canyon, “Tse’ bighanilini,” meaning “the place where water runs through rocks.” The lower canyon was given the name “Hasdestwazi,” which appropriately means “spiral rock arches.”
All of the tour guides are from the Navajo Nation and are therefore the best to deliver information about the land and the canyon itself. The information on the tour comes from generations of traditional knowledge and is a really valuable portion of the tours.
4. Keep a Flexible Schedule in Case of Weather Complications
Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon, which puts it at risk for flash floods. The last thing you want when exploring through narrow passageways with nowhere to run is a giant flood of water and debris. This is one of the many reasons why a tour is required.
But do not fear! The tour companies are on top of this and always monitor the weather when rain is in the forecast. With these safety measures in place, there is a chance that your tour may be rescheduled if flood risks arise.
A little rain won’t automatically result in your tour being canceled. When I visited the canyon, there was light rain throughout the day and we were still able to go on our tour in both Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons. However, it is an important consideration to keep in mind when planning out your itinerary. Add a little flexibility such as an extra day buffer to account for this possibility.
5. There is an Hour Time Difference Between Navajo Nation Land and Page, Arizona
One thing we could have benefited from some Antelope Canyon tips on is that there is an hour time difference between where we (and most people who visit the canyon) were staying in Page, Arizona, and where the tour was located on Navajo land.
We camped in Page so we could start our tour at 7:30 am the next day. We arrived a few minutes before the tour start time and were surprised to find that the tour company was closed. Starting to get worried that we were going to miss our tour, we reached for our phones to call the company and saw that they now said it was 6:30 am!! Seeing as we had only driven 20 minutes to get here and were still in Arizona we were very confused. But we soon figured out that Navajo Nation is located in a completely different time zone than Page.
Navajo Nation is in the Mountain Daylight time zone, which is in fact 1 hour behind the Mountain Standard time zone that Page is located in.
Who would have thought?
Luckily, Navajo Nation is an hour BEHIND and not ahead, otherwise, our small inconvenience of having to wait an hour outside the gate would have turned into us completely missing our tour.
6. There are a lot of Everyday Items Prohibited in the Canyon
When visiting the canyon, there are several items that you are prohibited from bringing in with you on the regular tours. These items include:
- Tripods
- Backpacks
- Fanny packs
- Purses
The reason these certain items are not allowed on regular tours is due to public safety and the preservation of Antelope Canyon’s natural and pristine beauty. With such narrow passages, items like backpacks and tripods can be a risk of scratching or scuffing the sandstone rock. It also makes the canyon more crowded, harder to navigate, and a danger for people being knocked over or smacked.
In fact, the only items that you are allowed to bring are:
- Water bottles
- Camera and/or phone
- Walking sticks
- Any of your belongings that you can fit into your pockets
If you are disappointed with not being able to take your tripod and larger camera equipment to capture those stellar slot canyon pics, don’t worry. Most tour agencies offer specific photography tours that allow you to bring these items in a more controlled way.
7. The Peak Times to Visit are Mid-Day
The best time to visit Antelope Canyon is any time! It is stunning no matter the time of day or year you visit. However, there are peak times when you can see the famous light beams shining through like spotlights into the canyon.
The light beams are most visible around noon when the sun is highest in the sky. The 11:30 am tours are therefore the most popular. You are also most likely to view these beams between the months of April and September.
Keep in mind that no matter the time of year or day you visit, if the sky is cloudy, you will obviously not be able to see these beams. Therefore, not being able to get a tour booked for these peak slots should not be a reason to avoid visiting Antelope Canyon.
8. The Lower Canyon Has A Lot of Stairs
If you are planning to visit the lower canyon or are trying to decide which is the right one for you, be aware that the lower canyon has some stairs.
Lower Antelope Canyon is actually located underground, requiring a rather steep descent to get to the base of the canyon. There are also a series of smaller sets of stairs throughout the canyon. Luckily, the climb back up is not too awful because of the more gradual ascent throughout the tour.
I would say the average person could manage the stairs with no problem. However, if you struggle with stairs in general, Lower Antelope Canyon might not be for you.
9. You Don’t Need to Be a Professional Photographer to Walk Away with Stunning Pics
One of the highlights from both of the tours was the outstanding and knowledgeable guides that gave us the perfect photography tips. The guides gave us advice specifically tailored to each of the devices we were using. This included which setting to put our cameras on and certain filters that brought out the beautiful reds and oranges in the winding sandstone walls.
They also paused at all the best photo spots to show us the exact position and angles to hold the camera for certain illusions. For example, when we stood in one spot and pointed the camera upwards, the gap in the walls above created a beautiful heart shape.
Of course, we were also given free rein to take our own photos wherever and whenever we wanted to. But it was so great to get such specific and helpful photography tips. And dammnn, did we walk home with amazing pics or what??
10. Page is the Closest City for Overnight Stays
Page is located only 15 minutes from Antelope Canyon. The city has several hotels and campsites, making it an ideal spot to stay when visiting the canyons.
Page has a lake called Lake Powell that is a great place to visit on your off time before or after your tours of Antelope Canyon. You can rent paddle boards or kayaks or simply go for a swim. The deep blue water is accented by the bright orange and red of the desert rock walls around it. It is a truly stunning sight to see and a refreshing break from that piping desert heat.
We stayed at the Page Lake Powell Campground and RV park. It was nothing special in terms of the scenery around it, but it had comfortable amenities, decent campsites, and a pool! I would definitely recommend this spot.
If you are interested in scenery, then I highly recommend the Best Western View of Lake Powell. The hotel is comfortable, but the best part is the rooftop pool and lounge that has excellent views over Lake Powell and the surrounding desert.
The Best Campground: Page Lake Powell Campground
The Best Hotel Option: Best Western View of Lake Powell
11. If You Are Claustrophobic Beware!
Finally, the last thing you need to know before visiting Antelope Canyon is that it is not for those who don’t enjoy small spaces. As can be assumed by its classification as a “slot” canyon, the spaces you will be walking through can get a little bit narrow at times.
The passageway between the canyon walls is about 8 – 12 feet wide. So there are no spots you’d have to shimmy or squeeze through.
FAQ About Antelope Canyon
Is Antelope Canyon Dangerous?
No, Antelope Canyon is not dangerous if you book a guided tour.
As I mentioned in my Antelope Canyon tips, slot canyons can be dangerous without proper knowledge of weather patterns. 11 tourists died in 1997 from a flash flood because they visited the canyon unsupervised. That incident made tours mandatory. With a professional company checking the weather for you, it is not dangerous at all.
When is the Best Time to Visit Antelope Canyon?
As I mentioned above, there really is no bad time to visit Antelope Canyon. Many people recommend going during the spring or fall to avoid the summer heat. Visit Antelope Canyon between 11 am – 1:30 pm to get a chance to see the famous light beams.
How Many Days Do You Need in Antelope Canyon?
I recommend dedicating at least 2 days to visiting Antelope Canyon. Both the canyons can be visited in a single day (that’s how I did it), but having a buffer day to account for potential rain delays is always a good idea. On your buffer day, spend time kayaking on Lake Powell in Page.
Bonus: Antelope Canyon Facts You Probably Didn’t Know
- The walls of Antelope Canyon rise 120 feet in the air.
- Antelope Canyon sits at about 4000 feet in elevation.
- Upper Antelope Canyon is nicknamed “The Crack” and Lower Antelope Canyon is nicknamed “The Corkscrew.”
- Antelope Canyon is between 5 and 6 million years old.
- The walls of Antelope Canyon are made of sandstone carved by millions of years of water flow during flash floods.
- Antelope Canyon is one of the most photographed destinations in the US.
Plan Your Trip to Arizona – Logistical Tips:
📱 Stay Connected Without Expensive Roaming Fees
I never travel without an E-Sim now. Stay connected at a fraction of the price of roaming fees, and my favourite part, you can simply down the E-Sim to your phone and don’t have to switch SIM cards around. The service I always use is Airola.
🚘 Book Your Car Rental in Arizona
The best website to book rental cars in the USA is AutoEurope USA. They scan all the most popular car rental agencies in the USA and find the best prices for the best vehicles for you.
🏠 Book Your Accommodation
Hostelworld is the best place to book hostels, whether you are staying in a dorm or a private room. They offer great environments to meet people and many will also offer activities. If you prefer hotels, Booking.com is great for finding the cheapest rates.
🏄♀️ Book Your Tours and Excursions
The best search tool I use to book tours in Utah is Viator. It has the largest selection of tours with local operators and offers flexible cancellation.
Final Thoughts on the 11 Essential Antelope Canyon Tips
So there you have it! Antelope Canyon is an adventure you NEED to add to your bucket list immediately. You are sure to walk away with the most breathtaking Antelope Canyon photos no matter your level of experience. However, if you are not prepared your amazing trip could turn into a not-so-amazing flop. If you follow these 11 essential Antelope Canyon tips, you are on the right track to making this a trip of a lifetime.
Happy adventuring!
* Disclosure: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I receive a commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through a link. I only recommend products and companies that I use. Thanks for the support!
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