Experience a Guided Tour at Lower Antelope Canyon

Antelope Canyon has been on my bucket list for YEARS. Located in Page, Arizona, it is a place everyone should visit at least once. We visited Lower Antelope Canyon in September of 2022 as part of a larger Arizona Roadtrip. Continue reading to learn everything you need to know before you book a tour!

What is Antelope Canyon?

One of the most famous slot canyons in the United States is Antelope Canyon. There are two separate sections that you can visit, upper and lower. A slot canyon is a narrow passageway with high walls often created by erosion. Slot Canyons are prone to flash floods.

Flash flood warning sign at antelope canyon

How can I visit Antelope Canyon?

The only way to visit Antelope Canyon is by booking a guided tour. It is located on protected land by the Navajo Parks and Recreation. The guided tours ensure the safety of visitors, avoid overcrowding, and prevent vandalism to ensure visitors can enjoy the canyon for years to come.

There are multiple tour companies to choose from when booking your tour. Things to consider are which tour you would like to take, availability for your preferred dates, and tour reviews.

We booked our tour of Lower Antelope Canyon through Ken’s Tours and had a great experience! Tours were $55 per person at the time of our visit. I would recommend booking a tour with Ken’s Tours for your visit! More information can be found here.

What is the difference between Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon?

Upper Antelope Canyon is a more accessible tour. The famous “beam of light” often photographed is in upper antelope canyon. The best time of day to spot this light is around noon, but sightings are not guaranteed regardless of tour time.

Lower Antelope Canyon requires climbing up and down stairs and ladders. We toured the lower canyon and really enjoyed it! If you are afraid of heights, it may not be right for you.

The canyons are not located right next to each other, and most of the tour companies only offer tours to either upper or lower antelope canyon. If you want to do a tour of both in one day, it is possible as long as you make your reservations far enough apart.

The Navajo Nation Parks website is a reliable source of information to find companies that provide guided tours of upper or lower antelope canyon.

Upper Antelope Canyon

Antelope Canyon Tours, Inc.
Tsebighanilini Tours
Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours
ANtelope Slot Canyon Tours
Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours

Lower Antelope Canyon

Ken’s Tours (this is the one we booked!)
Dixie’s Canyon Tours

When should I visit?

Located in northern Arizona, ideal times to visit the canyon are between March and May and September to October. The summer months will also provide favorable conditions; however, the temperature may be more extreme.

Where should I stay?

The best place to stay while visiting Antelope Canyon is in Page, Arizona. We found many hotels to choose from and personally stayed at Country Inn & Suites by Radisson when we visited. It was a convenient location to the restaurants in Page as well.

View of the canyons from below with a curvy pattern

How much time do you need to spend at Antelope Canyon?

The tour takes approximately 1 hour. You want to ensure you arrive early to check in for your tour, go to the bathroom, and lock any personal belongings in your car. However, due to the guided nature of the tour you won’t need a lot of additional time to spend at the canyon outside of the designated tour time. The tour company may have a gift shop where you can shop for any souvenirs.

My fiance and I looking at each other surrounded by the walls of antelope canyon

What else do I need to know?

A few last-minute tips to ensure an enjoyable experience.

First and foremost, bring your patience.

When first starting the tour there will be periods of waiting to allow each small group to have adequate space throughout the canyon. Once your group begins you will have a nice flow throughout the rest of the tour.

The crowd waiting at the beginning of antelope canyon

Bring a hat and/or sunglasses.

If it is windy the sand may fall down into the canyon from the sides and can get in your hair and/or eyes. A hat and sunglasses will help protect your face. This is something I wish I would’ve known before visiting.

Bring a bottle of water.

While you can’t bring large bags with you, the tour guides do recommend you have a bottle of water, especially if it’s hot!

Dress comfortably.

Although it’s not an extremely demanding hike I would recommend wearing comfortable clothes like what you would typically hike in. Additionally, I recommend wearing closed-toed shoes.

Double check your tour time and time zone.

The Navajo Nation operates on Mountain Daylight Time. Depending on where you come from and what time of year it is, you may experience a time zone while you are on protected land. Double check your times so you don’t end up missing your tour!

Masks are no longer required.

During our visit in September of 2022 masks were still required when inside the canyon. However, according to the website at the time of this post the mask mandate has been lifted. Be sure to double check this prior to booking your tour for the most current recommendations.

What else is there to do in Page, Arizona?

Horseshoe Bend

Besides Antelope Canyon, one of the other main attractions in Page, Arizona is Horsehoe Bend located in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. This is a popular destination to view the Colorado River due to the stunning views and memorable pictures you can take while visiting. It is a short walk from the parking lot (approximately 1.5-miles out and back). It is crowded, but the views are worth a stop. Be prepared to pay a fee of $10 to park in the parking lot.

Lake Powell

If you are planning to stay longer, the other area I would recommend checking out is the activities on Lake Powell. Due to our limited amount of time in Page, Arizona we did not plan any water activities for this trip, but it would be worth looking into.

Final Thoughts – Lower Antelope Canyon

Hiking in a slot canyon is a fun experience, and Antelope Canyon is one of the most well-known slot canyons in the United States. For me, it was well worth the fee to visit, and I would recommend everyone experience this colorful canyon once in their lifetime.

View of the canyons looking up from the bottom

Looking for other guided tours?

Check out these other exciting destinations!

Information above was accurate at the time of publishing to the best of author’s knowledge and will be updated periodically. If you are planning a visit I recommend verifying important information.