Antelope Canyon is one of those places that shows up on you Windows screen saver. It is a place in nature so spectacular, it almost doesn’t appear real. But sometimes a destination doesn’t live up to the photographs, and Antelope Canyon has had a bad reputation for overtourism in the last several years. Until recently, Antelope Canyon was usually so crowded, it was impossible to enjoy and impossible to actually capture any of those beautiful photos you see online. However, all that has changed in the aftermath of the pandemic, and our two days exploring Antelope Canyon were pure magic!
Upper Antelope Canyon
There are two main areas of Antelope Canyon: Upper and Lower (although now they run some tours in other areas like Canyon X as well). Upper Antelope Canyon is shaped like a triangle, narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, and is the more famous of the two. Here is where you will find those amazing light beams. Lower Antelope Canyon is shaped like a V, wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. Both areas are on Navajo land and can only be visited with a tour guide, and these tours usually sell out months in advance.
We chose to do a tour to Upper Antelope Canyon in September, 2021. We were fortunate to be able to visit Antelope Canyon right after they reopened post-pandemic. This meant that when we visited, there were strict social-distancing measures in place and limits to how many people could be in the canyon at one time. You know what that means— no crowds! We were able to explore the canyon with our guide at a leisurely pace, take tons of photos, and learn a little bit about the history and geology of the canyon. It was an amazing experience, and while I don’t know if there are plans for the tour groups to reopen for large crowds any time soon, now is definitely the time to do an Antelope Canyon tour!
Antelope Canyon by Kayak
If, however, you don’t manage to grab one of those coveted tour spots, there is another way to see Antelope Canyon, a way that is more adventurous and, perhaps, more fun: by kayak! We rented a two-person kayak in Page, strapped it to the top of the car, and drove to Antelope Point Marina where we got in the water. When we visited Page, the water levels were very low, so getting the kayak in and out of the water was a bit of a challenge. But after some stumbling, slipping, and splashing, we were off to see Antelope Canyon.
Most of Antelope Canyon is located within the Navajo Reservation, but the section you reach by kayak is not. This means it is the only part of the canyon you can visit without a guide. However, if you would prefer to have a guide, you can also book kayaking tours through a few different operators.
I was a little bit nervous kayaking, especially since I couldn’t find super clear directions about where to go. Thankfully, it would be hard to get lost. When you get in the water, turn left and start paddling. The first part of the paddle (is that what you would call a path in the water?) is through a wake zone, which means the water is pretty choppy. At the first chance you get, turn left into a smaller canyon. Or just follow all the other kayaks. Everyone here is going to the same place! Once you turn into the smaller canyon, the water becomes calm and peaceful. There are places to swim, or you can simply marvel and the smooth canyon walls as you glide through.
At some point, the water will end, and that’s where you find a place to stash the kayak and get out to walk. Like I said, the water was low when we visited, so I think we had to walk farther than most people. After just a short walk, you’ll be able to enjoy the smooth slot canyon walls that we all know and love.
Due to some rain a few days before, we had quite an adventure hiking through Antelope Canyon! There were a couple of puddles that proved to be almost waist deep that we waded through as we wandered further and further into the canyon. But that’s just part of the adventure, and we had a blast!
There’s not a clear turnaround point, so we just walked until we started to feel hungry, then headed back to the kayak. The whole experience took about four hours.
Antelope Canyon is a special place to visit, and famous for a reason. Don’t miss it if you are traveling in Arizona! While I loved the tour and the kayak, if you only have time for one or the other, I’d say go for the kayak! We had so much fun in the water, and we loved being able to explore the canyon on our own without a guide. It was so much fun!
Horseshoe Bend
If you are already in Page to visit Antelope Canyon, don’t leave without also seeing the famous Horseshoe Bend. We went at sunset, and while it was spectacular, it was also very crowded, so I’d suggest going for sunrise instead.
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