In this guide, I will share tips on what you should know before visiting Antelope Canyon in Arizona. Including detailed tips on booking a tour, what to wear, the best time to visit, and more.

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I learned these lessons first hand from our visit to Antelope Canyon and wanted to share the knowledge that I gained from our experience so that others may not have to face the stress that we did.

For example, did you know that hiring a tour guide is required in order to visit Antelope Canyon? I didn’t until the day before we left on our trip! All of the tours were nearly sold out by that point and we had to hunt to find any availability. Don’t let this happen to you.

We took a weekend trip to Northern Arizona to visit the Grand Canyon and take a day trip to Page, Arizona to see Horseshoe Bend, Glen Canyon, and Antelope Canyon. But our favorite part of the entire trip was taking a tour through Upper Antelope Canyon.

But there were a lot of things that we didn’t know ahead of time. This made our visit somewhat stressful, but everything worked out and it was completely worth it in the end. Antelope Canyon was breathtaking.

But because of our experience, I wanted to take the time to write a post about all of the things that I wish I had known before visiting Antelope Canyon. Hopefully, it can help you avoid the stress that we faced so that you may simply enjoy the beauty of Antelope Canyon.

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you make a purchase through one of these links we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you, helping to fund our future travels. For more information, read our Disclosures page.

What is the difference between Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon?

Before researching Antelope Canyon when planning our trip, I didn’t even know that there was an Upper and a Lower Antelope Canyon. I thought it was all the same thing! If you’re like I was, you may be wondering what the difference is between the Upper and Lower Canyons. Should you visit the Upper or the Lower Antelope Canyon?

Below is a short description of each canyon outlining their key differences. Both offer unique pros and cons. But whichever you choose to visit during your trip to Antelope Canyon, you are sure to enjoy it!

Upper Antelope Canyon

The more popular of the two canyons, the Upper Antelope Canyon is usually the more crowded of the two canyons and more likely to sell out in advance. Why is it more popular? Upper Antelope Canyon is known for its signature light beams and high canyon walls. But if you want to avoid the crowds and are willing to miss out on the light beams, aim to book your tour for early morning or later in the afternoon. These tours don’t sell out as quickly.

This is the more photographed and recognizable of the two canyons. If you’re a photographer, people recommend that this the Upper Antelope Canyon is the one you should visit.

Lower Antelope Canyon

Lower Antelope Canyon is less popular, but this means it is generally less crowded and the tours don’t sell out as quickly as those for the Upper Canyon.

The Lower Canyon is narrower and longer, which makes it more interesting to twist and turn through the passages (maybe not if you’re claustrophobic or anything like that though). Lower Antelope Canyon is also known for the ladders that are used throughout it. Because of these features, many people agree that the Lower Antelope Canyon is more “fun” to tour. But I haven’t gotten to tour Lower Antelope Canyon yet so I can’t personally confirm this.

Note: Because of the stairs that are required to pass through the Lower Antelope Canyon, those with limited mobility that cannot use stairs should book a tour for the Upper Antelope Canyon which is entirely flat.

You need a tour guide in order to visit Antelope Canyon.

When researching Antelope Canyon, one of the most-asked questions is “Can we visit Antelope Canyon without a tour?” The answer is no.

In order to visit either the Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon, you have to book a tour guide. This is the most important tip offered in this guide of what you should know before visiting Antelope Canyon. Because without booking a tour, you won’t get to visit!

Why do you need a guide to visit Antelope Canyon?

Can you go to Antelope Canyon on your own? Unfortunately, no. Antelope Canyon is protected by the Navajo Parks and Recreation. Only authorized tour guides may take visitors into the canyon. This rule came into effect in 1997 and the canyon was no longer available to the public in an effort to reduce vandalism and better protect this sacred landmark.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this guide, I had no idea that booking a tour guide was required to visit Antelope Canyon until only a day before our trip. I simply assumed it was like any other National Park where you pay a fee to enter and then explore at your leisure. Hopefully, you’re doing your research and reading this guide further in advance than I did. Because these tours book up far in advance, especially for peak seasons and times of the day when light beams are visible in the canyon. Check out the different tour groups available below.

Antelope Canyon Tour Groups

Here are links to the main tour groups for both the Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons. Do your research and read reviews about the tour group before booking to make sure you get what you’re looking for. But from the research that I did before our trip, it seemed like they all offer a pretty similar experience.

Upper Antelope Canyon Tours

Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours (the tour group we booked)
Antelope Canyon Tours
Antelope Slot Canyon Tours
Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours

Lower Antelope Canyon Tours

Ken’s Lower Antelope Canyon Tours
Dixie Ellis’ Antelope Lower Canyon Tours

Top Rated Antelope Canyon Tours on GetYourGuide

Book in advance to get the time that you want.

Antelope Canyon’s peak times sell out fast

As Antelope Canyon has grown in popularity thanks to Instagram, travel bloggers, and general increased awareness, the peak times are more likely to sell out far in advance. If you want to visit between March and October, over a weekend, at midday – so does everyone else. Especially if it’s midday at Upper Antelope Canyon to see the light beams. Or if it’s during a holiday!

For peak times like these, try to book 6 months in advance if you can. Or at least a few months prior to your visit. If you’re visiting during the week and are okay with tours in the morning or the evening, you’ll have an easier time finding availability and don’t need to book quite as far in advance.

Can you book a last-minute tour to Antelope Canyon?

For our trip to Antelope Canyon, we booked a tour pretty short notice (about 3 days before our scheduled tour date). I had to scour the web and check all of the different tour groups’ websites for availability. There were only two options available to us: a 5:30pm tour of Upper Antelope Canyon or a 6:15am tour of Lower Antelope Canyon. It also didn’t help that we had a group of 3. There were a few slightly more ideal time slots still available for 1 person. These last available tours were the least desirable time slots, but we weren’t going to let that stop us from visiting!

This was a little extreme and any average day would probably not sell out like this, but we were booking for a holiday weekend during peak season. If anything, I would imagine the times slots at midday when the light beams are seen in the canyon would sell out first but there would probably still be more morning and afternoon tours available. But it’s always better to be safe than sorry and book in advance.

How much does it cost to visit Antelope Canyon?

Navajo Park Permit

As Antelope Canyon is a part of the Navajo Parks land, there is an $8 fee for everyone 8 years or older. This is generally not included in the price of your tour. The tour company will state this during booking (if the park fee is included or if you’ll need to bring it).

Tour Group Cost

The cost of your Antelope Canyon tour will vary depending on which canyon you visit, what kind of tour you book, and what time of day you book your tour for. Lower Antelope Canyon is cheaper than the Upper Canyon (like $40 vs. $70). Tours at midday will often come at a higher price as this is the peak time to see light beams. General sightseeing group tours will be the most cost-effective. Specialty tours such as photography tours or private tours will cost you twice as much if not more.

Tour Guide Tip

Do you have to tip your tour guide?

While researching for our trip to Antelope Canyon, I saw a number of comments in forums from people asking if they should tip their Antelope Canyon tour guide and if so how much they should tip. Tipping is never “required”, but it is generally considered good etiquette in the U.S. and may be expected by the guide. However, the choice is ultimately yours.

How much should you tip?

We knew we would tip (unless the guide ended up being terrible for some reason) and planned ahead by bringing some spare cash. None of us usually carry cash and we had to get some before our trip. We tipped our tour guide a $20 USD bill from our group of 3 people. So it was about $6.67 per person.

How do you decide how much to tip? Again, there’s no right or wrong answer here. Did you enjoy the tour? Was the tour guide informative and friendly? Consider their time and effort. Some people say tipping 10-20% of the cost of the tour is a good rule of thumb.

Total Cost

In total, on average it will cost you about $100 USD per person to visit Upper Antelope Canyon. For Lower Antelope Canyon, it will cost about $60 USD per person total. Of course, this all varies depending on when you visit, if and how much you tip, and what type of tour you opt for.

There are two different time zones used here.

Keep in mind the different time zones when making your booking! There are two different time zones used near Antelope Canyon. Mountain Standard Time (that the community of Page, AZ operates on) versus Mountain Daylight Time (which the rest of the Navajo Nation operates on). Double-check which time zone the tour company operates on.

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How to see the light beams at Antelope Canyon

If you’ve been researching Antelope Canyon, then you’ve likely already seen the classic photos of light streaming down from the top of the narrow slot canyon and hitting its sandy floor. Because of the popularity of these photos, everyone and their cousin want to visit Antelope Canyon when they themselves can see and photograph these light beams.

There are two important things you should know if you’d like to see these light beams: the light beams are not always there and they are not at both the Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon.

1. Go to Upper Antelope Canyon

The light beams are only seen at the Upper Antelope Canyon. This is due to its narrower slot at the surface that concentrates the light. I have read claims that others have seen light beams at the Lower Antelope Canyon under the right conditions, but it seems like less of a sure thing as the Lower Canyon isn’t known for this. It is primarily because of these light beams that the Upper Antelope Canyon is more popular.

2. Visit at Midday with Sun

Also, the light beams only occur at midday because the sun needs to be directly over the canyon for the light to shine down. Earlier in the morning or in the afternoon, the canyon may be illuminated by a sunny sky but there will not be light beams. If its a cloudy day, even at midday, there will also not be light beams. The light beams are unlikely to be seen during the cloudy winter months, which spans from around November to February.

3. Book in Advance

Due to these ultra-specific conditions, these times sell out first long in advance. If you are set on seeing light beams, book in advance for Upper Antelope Canyon during midday, between March and early October. Just keep in mind that it will also be much busier and crowded in the canyon during this time. And tour groups generally charge a higher price for the peak times at midday.

Is it worth visiting not at midday?

So is it even worth visiting Upper Antelope Canyon not at midday, or on a cloudy day? Even though this means you won’t see the light beams? Absolutely! Especially for those that either don’t really care about seeing the light beams or dislike overly-crowded situations. I just don’t want someone to discount the possibility of visiting at another time of day simply because every other online resource tells them they must visit at midday.

Ultimately, you have to decide what is more important to you. Visiting at peak times means it will be crowded. It might be harder to get that perfect picture or really enjoy your time at Antelope Canon. And the prices are cheaper for times other than at midday. But if you are set on seeing the light beams at Upper Antelope Canyon, then you’ll have to visit at midday. Your call!

Our experience visiting in the evening

We ended up booking the 5:30pm tour of Upper Antelope Canyon with Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours. During this time of year in May, the sun sets at 7pm. So this meant that the light would be growing darker as we did our tour. But everything turned out great and it wasn’t too dark at all (check out the pictures throughout this post for evidence). So don’t let a “less-than-desirable” time deter you from visiting Antelope Canyon.

Be prepared for the sand!

Bring a Hat

This was another thing I didn’t know prior to our visit: be aware that there will be sand falling from above! It is a slot canyon in the middle of a desert, after all. Wear a hat or some kind of headcover to protect your hair, face, and eyes from the sand. Also, keep phones and cameras covered when you’re not using them to avoid getting sand in them.

My Experience

Right before our tour left, the guides advised us to wear some kind of hat if we had one. Of course, I didn’t have one and hadn’t even thought about it before our trip. I wish I had brought my favorite Sloggers sun hat!

While there wasn’t a ton of sand falling from the slot above us at any given time (it was only a dusting every now and then as the wind blew sand into the canyon), by the end of the tour my hair and face were covered in grains of sand. Luckily, my camera was spared as I tucked it into the inside of my coat whenever I wasn’t using it.

It’s really not that much of a hike.

Saying that you’re going to “hike” Antelope Canyon is a bit of an exaggeration. It’s really more of a walk or stroll. The tour through Upper Antelope Canyon is entirely flat and only 660 feet (200 m) long. Lower Antelope Canyon does require some walking up and down stairs and it a little longer at about 1,335 feet (407 m) long. But still an easy walk.

Admittedly, before our visit to Antelope Canyon I was under the impression that the canyons were much longer and more of a “hike”. I suppose that’s because all you ever see in pictures is a small slice of the canyon and its easy for one’s imagination to run wild. It seems endless and grand. But in reality, these canyons are just short slot canyons off the side of the road. Driving past them from the main road you wouldn’t even know that they’re there if it weren’t for the signs and cars!

What to wear to Antelope Canyon

You can dress cute

The nice thing about Antelope Canyon not being much of a hike? You can dress cute for pictures! Yes, these are the things that I think about. But so often Peter and I enjoy doing cool hikes to beautiful locations and then all of our pictures of us are in sweaty athletic clothing. It was a nice change of pace to get to go somewhere so breathtaking like Antelope Canyon and dress accordingly for some high-quality pictures of us.

Plan your outfit

So if you’re like me and want to get some nice pictures for Instagram or next year’s Christmas card, plan ahead and wear a cute outfit. It is sandy and dusty here so I would avoid wearing white. And it is still probably a good idea to wear comfortable walking shoes, even if they are nice-looking tennis shoes or comfortable sandals.

Depending on the time of year that your visit and the time of day of your tour, you may want to bring a light jacket. Our tour was in the late afternoon and it got quite cool inside the canyon. And don’t forget a nice looking hat, headscarf, or bandana to cover your head from the falling sand. Here’s a list below so you don’t forget anything.

Outfit packing list

Comfortable shoes. Either a nice pair of trainers (I have these Adidas shoes) or sandals.
Hat or headcover. I personally love my Sloggers sun hat. But a classic baseball cap or a bandana would also do the trick.
Light jacket. Jean jackets are super cute and very Americana. Bring a jacket with pockets since you can’t bring a bag (more on that below).
Cute outfit! For women, maybe a romper or a jumper. I would go for subdued, natural colors that will complement the reds and browns of the canyon, but this is totally up to your taste.

No bags are allowed in Antelope Canyon.

Since the canyon is a tight space and is often crowded, rules have been in place to restrict tourists bringing bags. Most tour groups will clearly state the rules on their websites and during the booking process. They might vary slightly between tour groups like some will say NO BAGS and others might allow very small bags. Check your tour group’s rules carefully before your trip.

Small bags might be allowed

I did see some people with fanny packs or small camera bags (like basically just big enough to cover their cameras from the falling sand) inside the canyon. If you’re not sure if your bag will be allowed, contact your tour group ahead of time to ask if it will be ok or come prepared with a backup plan such as wearing a coat with pockets.

What we did

Knowing that we wouldn’t be able to bring our bags into Antelope Canyon with us, we planned ahead by bringing only our essentials (wallet, phone) and carrying them in our pockets and keeping our cameras strapped around our necks. We left our backpacks in our car in the parking lot of the tour group before we left.

Tripods are not allowed unless you booked a photography tour.

Along with placing restrictions on bringing bags into Antelope Canyon, there are also pretty strict about bringing selfie sticks and tripods. Again, this is to be conscious of the tight space in this crowded slot canyon. And like with the bags and backpacks, the tour groups are pretty straight forward about this on their websites.

Photography Tours

However, there is an exception to this rule. A few tour groups offer specialty “photography tours” that are generally longer and more expensive. For example, the tour group that we booked with, Adventurous Antelope Canyon, offers different photography tours led by an expert photographer. Our guide was telling us more about these, and one is even after dark and they photograph the starry sky through the slot of the canyon above. How cool is that? And no, this blog post is not sponsored (I wish).

I would love to go on one of these tours someday. But they are significantly more expensive than a regular tour. I’m talking like $200 to $300 dollars rather than the $50 to $100 for a regular Antelope Canyon tour. This is because they are a lot more involved than a simple walk through the canyon. They are generally longer and include hands-on instruction and tips from a photographer guide.

Is it worth visiting if the weather isn’t clear?

Rainy or Cloudy

I can’t speak to this one from firsthand experience, but our guide assured us that it is still worth visiting Antelope Canyon even if the weather is rainy. According to the guide, even if it rains it will be cool but in its own unique way. He told us that the rain running down the sides of the canyon and dripping through the narrow slit above is eery and beautiful.

Even if the sky is cloudy, the rocks are a striking red color and even a little light from above will illuminate them enough for pictures. The day that we visited the sky grew cloudy and you can’t even tell from our photos!

Cancelations

If the weather is really bad though, your tour group will inform you of any cancelations ahead of time and work with you to reschedule. Our guide told us that flash flooding is extremely rare and nothing to be worried about as the tour groups keep a close watch on the weather.

Check the weather in advance

If you’re worried about the weather during your visit to Antelope Canyon, make sure to keep an eye on it in advance before your trip: Page, Arizona weather forecast. And if the weather is looking like it will be bad, you can try to reschedule with your tour group in advance.

Use the bathroom before your visit.

This may seem like an odd tip to add to the list of what you should know before visiting Antelope Canyon, but it’s something I would want to know! Use the bathroom before your visit at your hotel or a restaurant or gas station. At the tour groups’ locations outside of town, they seemed to only offer porta-potties. And at the Antelope Canyon parking lot there were only questionable looking porta-potties as well. For example, our friend walked into one and immediately walked out of it, assuring us that she could hold it until after the tour.

Planning your visit to Antelope Canyon

When is the best time to visit Antelope Canyon?

Between March and October

An important part of what you should know before visiting Antelope Canyon is knowing when to plan your visit! Maybe rainy and cloudy weather isn’t your thing or you’re dead set on seeing light beams at midday. If that’s the case, aim to plan your trip between the end of March and early October. You will likely see the famed light beams at Upper Antelope Canyon during this time if you visit at midday (some say you can see them at the Lower Canyon as well but I can’t confirm this). However, this is also the high season so expect it to be busy. Come early in the morning or in the later afternoon for lesser crowds and lower prices, but you will miss the light beams.

If you visit in the dead of summer, between the months of June and August, expect hot weather. I’m talking like 90 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit or more! It is in a desert, after all. Check the weather at Antelope Canyon ahead of time and plan accordingly.

Visiting in Winter

While planning your trip to Antelope Canyon between the end of March and early October is considered the “best time to visit Antelope Canyon”, that isn’t to say that you can’t visit during the winter months. Antelope Canyon IS open during the winter and this time is considered the low season. This means fewer crowds, more availability, and cheaper prices, but no light beams, and colder weather.

Even in the middle of Arizona’s winter, between the months of December and February, the weather isn’t generally lower than the mid-’40s. Nights can be chilly with lows in the high-20 degrees. Snow is very rare. But when it does snow, the pictures look very beautiful.

Where to stay near Antelope Canyon

Shown above: Hyatt Place Page Lake Powell. Images source: Booking.com

Hotels in Page, Arizona

If you want to stay close to Antelope Canyon, then look at hotels in Page, Arizona. Page Arizona is a pretty small town. But it gets a lot of tourism for the many amazing natural wonders in its vicinity including Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Glen Canyon, and Lake Powell. Because of this, there is a decent selection of hotels in Page.

Here are a few of the most popular hotels in Page, Arizona:

Explore more of the available hotels near the Antelope Canyon using the Booking.com search below.

Hotels near the Grand Canyon

As you may have heard by now, we took a day trip to Page, Arizona from Vale, Arizona (where we were staying primarily to visit the Grand Canyon). It was about an easy 2-hour drive. And along with Antelope Canyon, we saw Horseshoe Bend, Glen Canyon Dam, and Lake Powell during our day trip.

If you want to do more things around Arizona you can easily turn your visit to Antelope Canyon into a full weekend trip or more. For this reason, staying near Grand Canyon National Park may be worth considering.

Here are some of the most popular hotels near the Grand Canyon:

For a full list of hotels and camping options both inside the park and in towns nearby the Grand Canyon, see the “Where to stay near the Grand Canyon” section of the Grand Canyon Weekend Trip Guide.

Continue planning your trip to Antelope Canyon

Below are a few more helpful resources to continue planning your trip to Antelope Canyon.

Should You Visit Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon – Earth Trekkers
Antelope Canyon information – Visit Arizona
Antelope Canyon on TripAdvisor
Page, Arizona Weather Forecast
Explore hotels on Hotels.com

Do you have any other tips on what to know before visiting Antelope Canyon?

Have you ever been to Antelope Canyon and have some other tips on what you should know before visiting Antelope Canyon? Please share them in the comments below! This was only my first time visiting so there are probably even more helpful tips to share. And I would love to know them myself for our next visit.

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