Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona
Last Updated: 3/29/2024
“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”
Antelope Canyon had been at the top of our bucket list of stunning natural wonders for a long time. “The views in Lower Antelope Canyon change constantly as the sun moves across the sky, filtering lights softly across the stone walls. These ever-moving sun angles bounce light back and forth across the narrow canyon’s walls, creating a dazzling display of color, light, and shadow” (Ken’s Tours).
Here are a few tips for visiting Antelope Canyon that we learned along the way. Hope they will help you have an amazing trip.
The walk to the entrance stairs of Lower Antelope Canyon.
Book a Tour in Advance:
Antelope Canyon is located on Navajo Land, so in order to explore you must book a guided tour. We booked our tour through Ken’s Tours. The general tour is $55/person (ages 4 and up).
That price does not include the $8 Navajo Park Permit, 6% Navajo Sales Tax, and 6% processing fee per reservation. Tours run every 30 minutes, and they last approximately 1 hour. Definitely book your tour in advance.
Picture of a “Seahorse” during our tour of Lower Antelope Canyon.
What to Bring:
You are only allowed to take one transparent bag, camera, water bottle, and/or cell phone on the tour. So no backpack, purse, hydration pack, etc. Lower Antelope Canyon has tight spaces making it inconvenient for you to move through with a bag, and it could damage the environment as well.
We also recommend you bring water with you on your tour, especially in the summer. Although it is more shaded down in the canyon, it is still hot (and there is no shade on the walk to the canyon entrance). I would also suggest eating a snack and using the bathroom before you begin your tour. There is no access to food or a bathroom once you are inside the canyon.
Your guide is willing and available to take pictures along the way.
Photography in the Canyon:
Antelope Canyon is a treasure trove of stunning photo opportunities. Over time flood rains and wind carved pathways from the red sandstone. The beautiful sloping angles of the rocks, paired with the shifts of light that make their way down from the rim of the canyon, is an image you will be anxious to capture and show your friends and family back home. So you definitely want to bring a camera or your phone to take pictures. Just a heads up, you cannot bring a Go Pro, Tripod, Monopod, Selfie Stick or Stabilizer.
Your guide will point out amazing photo opportunities, and provide tips on getting the best shot.
What to Expect When You Arrive:
Arrive 30 minutes prior to your tour time for check-in. Make sure to set your phone or watch to the correct time zone. Your tour time is on Arizona Standard Time (Summer time: Same time as Pacific Time; Winter time Same time as Mountain Time).
You will be directed to an indoor waiting area after you check in at the front of the building. Use this time to use the bathroom, put anything in the car you don’t need, or check out the gift shop. Just be in the inside waiting area 15 minutes prior to your tour time.
When it’s time for your tour, you will be divided into groups. Then you will head outside to meet your guide. One by one, each group will start the short walk to the entrance of the canyon. There you will wait until your group is released to officially enter the canyon.
Photo Credit: Ridley Pflasterer
What to Expect on Your Tour:
To enter Lower Antelope Canyon, you descend a steep ladder-like staircase single file. If you’re not agile enough to climb up and down ladders, do not book a Lower Antelope Canyon Tour. When you reach the canyon floor, you’ll wait again with many other groups in a wider area.
You’re allowed to take pictures while you wait. So take time to look around, there are plenty of beautiful shapes and colors to enjoy. Once you leave this holding area, things move along a little smoother. As you wind your way through the canyon, you will learn how the canyon was formed and how it continues to be shaped.
You will also learn photography tips, and other fun facts. There will be several opportunities to stop and take pictures, but for the most part you’re continually moving throughout the canyon at a very slow pace. When your tour ends, you’ll walk the short distance back to the start. And that concludes our tips for visiting Antelope Canyon.
This was taken at the exit of Lower Antelope Canyon. You can see the others in our group coming out of the canyon on the right.
Hope these tips for visiting Antelope Canyon were helpful! Definitely add this to your bucket list of amazing things to see in Arizona. And while you are in Arizona, you could also hop over and visit Grand Canyon National Park!!