A long-time dream for us both, has been to visit and see the spectacular Antelope Canyon just outside Page, Arizona. And dreams come true, albeit with some good planning and saving up before heading out to the great deserts of the western US.

There are two Antelope Canyons, the Upper (which is the one you most probably have seen photos of) and the Lower. Both canyons require advanced purchase of tickets, and especially the Upper Antelope Canyon requires a LONG time planning in advance. We booked about 9 months before our visit in “low season” mid-May, and we have to settle for the earliest tour the day we were in Page, all other times were fully booked. We booked via antelopecanyon.com and that was a great choice! All tours are Navajo run, since this is tribal country. The Navajo name for Upper Antelope Canyon is Tsé bighánílíní, which means ‘the place where water runs through the (Slot Canyon) rocks’. 

After a check in at the office, we got ushered into open 4X4 jeeps and the 20 minute drive from Paige to the canyon began, first on tarmac road and then on the dry river bed into the valley where the canyon starts, it was a bumpy and dusty ride but still great fun.

What to expect?

You are led into the canyon in groups followed by a Navajo guide, we had a woman who had great knowledge about the canyon, and even more, she showed us all how to take great photos with our Iphones. The canyon itself is a little chilly and quite dark with only daylight way up above at the very top, so it makes it quite hard to make great photos.

Those magic photos

The photos here are taken by me and my Iphone, those magic photos that you might have seen of the whole slot canyon being bathed in sunlight, the red rock glowing and maybe a person standing in an ray of light show down from the sky above like a gigantic flashlight? Those photos are taken during small window between 11am and 1:30pm from May-October, and of course the price of tickets are higher as well for those peak hours. It is said that 11am in June is best. In addition to this, tripods are not allowed, and you have a short time in each of the sections to take photos. So do not expect to have that light on the morning or the afternoon, and do not expect to have time to take masses of photos. And do not forget that you are in a group, and there are groups ahead and behind you as well.

You must go!

When all this is said, the Upper Antelope Canyon is a truly magical place to visit. It is seldom that we are in total awe of anything anymore but that canyon was amazing! Walking in that narrow space with the sandstone walls almost completely surrounding you, just a small glimpse of the blue sky far up above was something else. The walls looked like skin with sinews, waves of red and orange mixing with shadows and light was epic. It is probably one of the most spectacular natural wonders we have ever been so lucky to visit and it did not matter that we did not get that ray of light, it was still beyond what we could imagine before we came. Pictures does not make the scale and grandness of the Upper Antelope Canyon any justice. Pure epicness!