Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon – which should you visit?
February 19, 2019
Antelope Canyon
If you’ve never heard of Antelope of Canyon, it is a slot canyon in the Southwest located on Navajo land and it includes 2 sections: Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon. Slot canyons are deep and narrow and are formed by erosion, primarily due to flash flooding. Over time the rushing flood waters sculpt natural corridors through the sandstone.
Since these canyons are located on Navajo land you must book a guided tour to visit them. I was initially surprised by the many options and ranges in price offered by the tour groups and therefore buckled down to do some research to learn which is the best one to visit, during what time, and if possible which tour group to book.
Mainly I was eager to witness the beam of light that can be seen at these canyons. This beam of light was made iconic by paintings or IG photos taken at Upper Antelope Canyon and therefore this was my first choice to visit. I visited Upper Antelope Canyon in May of 2018 and Lower Antelope Canyon in July of 2018.
Check out my previous posts for an itinerary of my visit to Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon.
Upper Antelope Canyon
Upper Antelope Canyon has 4 different tour groups running at the same time. This canyon is known as being more photogenic due to the beams of light that radiate down through the openings of the canyon. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to witness the sunlight beams.
I was surprised by how rushed this tour was. The guides wanted us to move along and only allowed us to take a photo while moving, resulting in blurry images, or when we were stopped in line. I didn’t want to take a photo with a line of people in the background because that’s what’s convenient for the touring groups vs the customers.
To add insult to injury, a tour guide from another group threatened (not exaggerating here) to kick me out of the canyon because I was holding up his group to move forward – mind you they were going to be waiting in line up 20 ft. ahead. If we were moving I would understand his frustration, but his reaction ended up ruining this experience for me. All I wanted was to get a good photo of myself in Antelope Canyon, just like everyone else who books these tours. I had read reviews that people felt like they were being herded, and after this event I couldn’t disagree.
This was the most expensive event in the itinerary and left me feeling disappointed. The cost of the tour varies between $50-$80, depending on the tour company and time slot.
Lower Antelope Canyon
To visit Lower Antelope Canyon you need to descend down the canyon via ladders that are provided. These canyons have 2 tour groups (Ken’s or Dixie Ellis’ Antelope Canyon Tours) in operation. This tour included narrower walls and several ladders to climb. It’s also a longer route and overall way more fun!
I expected a similar experience to my previous visit at Upper Antelope Canyon and was pleasantly surprised that this was not the case. The tour guide actually took several individual photos of each group so that we could leave with that amazing shot!
After the Navajo tax and permit fee this tour came out to $50/person.
Tips for your visit:
- The tours operate on Mountain Standard Time, which is the same as the local community of Page, AZ although the land is on Mountain Daylight Time
- Plan to arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled tour start time
- It is cooler inside the canyon walls so consider bringing a light sweater if you tend to get cold easily
- You’re not allowed to bring a backpack inside the canyons so have your breakfast, lunch, or snack beforehand. A water bottle is allowed
- Off-season is not as hot and less crowded, but the beams of light occur more often in the summer months
- For prime lighting it is recommended to visit the canyons between 10am-12pm, which coincides with the morning slot for 10:30am. Since this is a popular time be prepared for it to be sold out if you don’t book in advance
- If you want to experience the canyons at a slower pace consider booking a photography tour. Bring along a tripod for your camera. Keep in mind that the photography tours do come with a bigger price tag
Which Antelope Canyon should you visit?
I enjoyed my experience at Lower Antelope Canyon and therefore this is the one I recommend! If your interest is mainly capturing the beam of sunlight at the canyons, I recommend booking a photography tour with Upper Antelope Canyon tour groups. If you want to explore slot canyons at your own pace without the crowds consider visiting Wire Pass Trail/Buckskin Gulch near Kanab or Peek-a-boo/Spooky slot canyons trail in Grand Staircase-Escalante area.
Happy Travels!
