Many of the canyons we visited while in the USA were mostly large views that stretched out in front of us for ever and ever. In a few of those we went on a hike to experience being in the canyon, but in no other canyon you get the feeling of being in the canyon more than in the Antelope Canyon. It’s a pretty small slot canyon but so worth a detour to see it.
We don’t like booking anything in advance, as you’re always stuck to that schedule then, but for this canyon we decided to make an exception. At 8am we were going to the canyon with Antelope Canyon Tours. And it was an experience I’ll never forget.
The Antelope Canyon consists of two canyon sections; the Upper Antelope Canyon and the Lower Antelope Canyon. The Upper is the most visited one as the entrance is on ground level and doesn’t require any climbing down as in the Lower. It’s also more interesting because the beams (light falling into the canyon) occur much more often in the Upper than in the Lower.
Both canyons can only be visited by guided tours because of flash flood danger, so we had to book tickets if we wanted to see the canyon. Since we were only able to go in the morning, we booked our tickets to the Upper Antelope Canyon hoping that the early sun would already be present.The best time to visit the canyon is at 11:30am, but that was impossible to schedule for us, and it’s also a bit more expensive than the other time slots.
We were expected at the office in the center of Page 30 to 40 minutes before departure. Then we, and 12 other travelers, were taken on a bumpy jeep ride to the entrance of the canyon.
There are many groups of tourists at the canyon, but the guide made sure we could take pictures without being obstructed by other people. We got plenty of information on the formation and the discovery of the canyon which makes it always more interesting than just walking through it.
Our guide also gave us tips on how to best take pictures of this wonder of nature. You do have to be careful while taking photographs as your camera can be damanged by sand falling into the canyon when it gets a bit windy. I think there was more sand in my hair after that short trip through the canyon than when I get after a day on the beach.
But this canyon is one of the most beautiful ones I’ve seen on my trip. It’s so different from the others as you’re surrounded by the canyon. The light is also so special and even the sand falling down is so beautiful. A definite must do when you’re in the area of Page.
Tickets for the Upper Antelope Canyon Tour cost 40 dollars (11:30 am tour: 50 dollars) and includes the Navajo Park Fee. You also have a booking fee of 5% which you have to pay in advance and is non-refundable. You can cancel your reservation up until 24 hours before the tours departs if you only booked four tickets. If you got more tickets the cancellation policy is three days before to the day of your tour.
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