ARIZONA: Trekking Lower Antelope Canyon

Located in Page, Arizona - Antelope Canyon is about 120 miles away from the Grand Canyon (2 hour drive). The geologic beauty of Antelope Canyon is a petrified sand dune; a product of a lot of sand, that quickly hardens, rain, wind, erosion and billions of years. These uniquely sculpted canyons are a treat to the imagination. My tour guide pointed out what looked like a wave to Pocahontas with her hair blowing in the wind (see photos).

PLANNING YOUR TRIP:

Visitors are not allowed to trek the bottom of these canyons without a guide, so booking a sightseeing/walking tour is highly recommended. The tours are Navajo-owned and a small permit fee is included. These tours usually last 1 hour and 20 minutes to 1 hour and 40 minutes.

TOUR RECOMMENDATION:

For Lower Antelope Canyon, I made reservations online at Ken's Tours. There are, of course, other tours available for both lower and upper, but Ken's tours, was the cheapest I could find and of great quality. General guided tours are $20 per person (cash only) and an additional $8 for the Navajo permit fee. There are photography tours also available for photographers, but the cost is higher ($40, I believe). Tours are in groups and run every 20 minutes. Groups are about 13-20 people if spots for a selected time slot are completely filled. Parking is also very easy here, plenty of spaces available. There are beverages available inside Ken's tours' building where you check-in, a waiting area and restrooms next door. The tour guides are also very friendly, knowledgeable of various camera settings, if you need help.

WHEN IS IT THE BEST TIME TO GO?:

I recommend choosing a tour time in the morning before noon (before it gets hot, when the sun is at its highest point at noon) or later in the afternoon, maybe after 3pm! In addition, if you a driving through the Navajo Reservation to get to Antelope Canyon, keep in mind that this area observes daylight savings, and the rest of Arizona does not. So, if you are in a crunch for time when making it to your reservation and you notice that it is suddenly an hour past your reservation time on your phone, do not panic!

LOWER ANTELOPE CANYON vs. UPPER ANTELOPE CANYON:

I've only been to Lower Antelope Canyon (I have yet to visit Upper Antelope Canyon). However, I researched reviews of Upper Antelope Canyon for you to note a few comparisons between the two...

• LOWER: You will take a short walk with a guide to the canyon entrance, take stairs to descend into what is basically a crack in the Earth, at the start of the tour, and you will also take stairs to ascend out of the canyon, at the end of the tour, from the bottom of the canyon. Lower Antelope Canyon is somewhat of an intermediate level trail because you will be navigating a pathway where some parts that are very narrow and curvy to maneuver through as you are walking further into the canyon. There are also stairs throughout, some are steep, some are 2-3 short flights. Lower is "intermediate" compared to Upper Antelope Canyon, because of the stairs and narrow paths, however, it is very family oriented and i've seen some children partaking in the tours!

• UPPER: The consensus of reviews from visitors on yelp say that this is mostly flat terrain throughout & a guide will drive you to the canyon (rather than walking to it) from where you check-in for your chosen tour. Reviewers also mention that upper seems to be more crowded than lower antelope canyon, but do not let that deter you from exploring both!

CAUTION - WEATHER & HEALTH:

Be weary if you are easily winded, due to the canyons elevation of about 4000 ft (note changes in oxygen levels as you get higher in elevation) and there are quite a few stairs you ascend into throughout lower antelope canyon.

Pay attention to the temperature, depending on what season you go, and stay hydrated! In the summer, the temperatures in Arizona can reach well over 100 degrees. However, it is slightly cooler at the bottom/inside the canyon, mostly shaded throughout, and there is plenty of ventilation due to an opening of the canyon to clear blue skies.

WHAT TO SEE/DO AFTER YOUR TOUR:

• Horseshoe Bend - about 15 minutes away from Antelope Canyon
• Kayak Lake Powell
• Zion National Park, Utah - about 100+ miles away (roughly 2 hour drive)
• Painted Desert - you can pass this en route to Zion!
• Bryce Canyon National Park - about 150 miles (roughly 2 hr 45min drive)
• Grand Canyon National Park - about 130 miles (roughly 2.5 hours)