Antelope Canyon Tours & Tips for Visiting
Antelope Canyon is a world-famous slot canyon in the American Southwest that attracts more than a million visitors each year. This hidden destination is one of the most mystical and ancient landmarks hidden within the United States. Visitors to Antelope Canyon can explore winding canyon corridors, massive sandstone rooms, and capture images of the photogenic beams of sunlight that radiate down to sandy bottom.
Where is Antelope Canyon?
Antelope Canyon is located in Arizona near the Utah border, just outside of Page, Arizona on the south shore of Lake Powell. It is an astonishing 30 miles long and is comprised of a number of different sections visitors can access to see this world-famous spot.
What is the Difference Between Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon?
The main canyon is actually divided into two sections: Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon. While both regions feature equally spectacular rock formations and photo opportunities, touring the two canyons are slightly different experiences.
Upper Antelope Canyon
Upper Antelope Canyon is known as Tsé bighánílíní 'by the Navajo which means 'the place where water runs through rocks.' Upper Antelope Canyon is the most popular attraction due to its stunning sandstone corridors and massive rock "rooms", and the fact that the entrance and entire length are at ground level, requiring no climbing.
Lower Antelope Canyon
Lower Antelope Canyon is called Hazdistazí, or 'spiral rock arches' by the Navajo. This hike is longer and a bit more difficult due to the fact that it is situated below-ground, meaning guests will have to climb up and down several stairs to enter and exit the canyon. However, the sightseeing here below the surface is a truly unforgettable opportunity.
Secret Antelope Canyon Locations
If you are looking for a non-crowded alternative to the aforementioned destinations, then Secret Antelope Canyon is for you. If you visit Secret Antelope Canyon, you will not be rushed or dealing with massive crowds. Unlike at Upper and Lower Antelope canyon, Secret Canyon tours allow you to use a tripod to capture long exposure photographs.
How to Visit Antelope Canyon
If you're visiting Page, AZ, you must book an official tour to visit Antelope Canyon. Visitors cannot enter the slot canyon without being a part of a guided tour group. You can actually tour Antelope Canyon on a day trip from either Las Vegas or the Grand Canyon after a short flight aboard a sightseeing airplane that includes entry into this fantastic natural landform. Papillon offers two distinct Antelope Canyon tours that offer truly once-in-a-lifetime sightseeing opportunities.
Antelope Canyon Tours from Las Vegas
This Antelope Canyon day tour departs from the Boulder City air terminal just a short distance from the Las Vegas Strip. Along the way, you'll find aerial views of Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, the Colorado River, and the wild beauty of the Mojave Desert. After landing at the Page Municipal Airport, transportation will be waiting to take you across the Arizona desert to Upper Antelope Canyon.
A Navajo guide will lead your tour group into the depths of the slot canyon and will explain the history of this landform and its importance to the Navajo people. Your guide can also help you capture the most impressive photos of the rippling sandstone walls and maybe even the elusive light beams! Before your return flight to Las Vegas, your group will also stop at the world-famous Horseshoe Bend for additional photo opportunities.
Learn more about Papillon's Antelope Canyon tour from Las Vegas.
Antelope Canyon Tours from the Grand Canyon
If you find yourself with a spare day during your Grand Canyon vacation, you can also visit Antelope Canyon from the Grand Canyon National Park. This day trip departs from the nearby Grand Canyon Airport and offers aerial views of the national park and the Kaibab Forest before arriving at the Page Municipal Airport. After deplaning, you'll board transportation and travel to Lower Antelope Canyon for a guided tour of its depths. Here your Navajo guide can also help you take professional-looking photos and relay the history of Antelope Canyon and the Navajo people. This tour also includes a stop at Horseshoe Bend before your return flight to the Grand Canyon National Park.
Learn more about Papillon's Antelope Canyon tour from the Grand Canyon National Park.
Book Your Trip to Antelope Canyon with Papillon!
Papillon is the world's largest and longest-running air tour operator, offering daily departures to not only Antelope Canyon, but also the Grand Canyon National Park, the Grand Canyon West, Bryce Canyon, and even helicopter tours over the Las Vegas Strip. Our state-of-the-art aircraft fleet transports over 300,000 passengers from around the world to some of the most beautiful destinations in the world. Book your flight to Antelope Canyon with Papillon today!
Which Antelope Canyon tour is better? Upper Antelope Canyon or Lower Antelope Canyon?
Antelope Canyon is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Southwest United States, and it's no wonder why. The canyon is a stunning marvel of nature, with its deep sandstone canyons carved out by years of rain and wind erosion. There are two main parts to Antelope Canyon: Lower Antelope Canyon, known as the "Corkscrew," and Upper Antelope Canyon, known as the "Crack."
Lower Antelope Canyon is also generally less crowded than Upper Antelope Canyon, making it a great choice for those looking to avoid the crowds. But Lower Antelope Canyon is more physically demanding. It requires a short, steep walk on an uneven rock surface to a series of stairs. The Upper Antelope Canyon, which is equally, if not more beautiful, than Lower Antelope Canyon, is also much more crowded than the lower canyon, so it's important to book your tour well in advance if you're hoping to get a spot.
Can I go to Antelope Canyon without a tour?
No, you cannot access Antelope Canyon without a tour. Located on Navajo Nation land near Page, Arizona, Antelope Canyon is a highly popular slot canyon and a popular destination for photographers and sightseers alike. However, due to safety reasons and the delicate nature of the area, an experienced guide is required in order to access either the Upper Antelope Canyon or Lower Antelope Canyon. The only way to visit these canyons is by booking one of the many tours available in Page, AZ or with one of the Papillon tours to Antelope Canyon from Las Vegas.
What is the best time to tour Antelope Canyon?
The most popular time to visit Antelope Canyon is spring or fall. In general, the weather is most pleasant between late March to early October. This window offers the best season to capture similarly famous photos you have seen of this destination and avoids the crazy summer heat.
If you are looking to avoid the peak crowd season, we recommend November, which can still bring fall-like temperatures, and February, which is a very beautiful month of gradual warming, cool mornings and nights, and the occasional rainstorm.