Is Antelope Canyon Worth it: No, Here’s Why!
Antelope Canyon in Arizona has become pretty famous in recent years due to social media. It’s not hard to understand why. It is an incredible place and a great spot for photography but in our opinion, Antelope Canyon is a little overrated.
After seeing Antelope Canyon all over my Instagram feed for months, I was dying to see it for myself. When Dave and I planned a 2 week road trip through Utah and Arizona, adding it to the itinerary was non-negotiable.
Before I get into why I don’t think Antelope Canyon was worth it, I want to say that this is purely my personal opinion. Depending on how you like to travel and visit certain attractions, you may or may not agree with me.
If you still want to visit Antelope Canyon like we did I have included tips to make your visit the best possible in this guide.
You’ll also find alternative, less busy canyons to visit, along with extra activities for you to do while you are in Page, Arizona further down in this guide.
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Quick Tips for Visiting Antelope Canyon
If you are dying to visit Antelope Canyon, like we were, here are some tips to help you plan your trip.
Where to Stay:
Budget
A Little bit fancy
Cost to visit Antelope Canyon:
Upper Antelope Canyon Tour: $203
Best Time of the Year to Visit:
Late March or early October
Best Time of the Day:
Mid – late morning to get the best light (light beams)
Things to do nearby:
- Glen Canyon Dam Overlook
- Wahweap Overlook
- Horseshoe Bend – You CAN’T miss this one!
- Take a luxury speedboat tour through Antelope Canyon or;
- Kayak through Antelope Canyon
Is Antelope Canyon Worth it?
My experience
I know, I know, I’ve left you hanging for long enough! I’m going to start by letting you know what I was expecting when we decided to visit Antelope Canyon.
I had seen the Instagram photos and I was impressed. I wanted to take my own photos of this magical canyon.
We decided to add Antelope Canyon to our 2 week road trip itinerary. As we approached Page, we began to see the occasional makeshift sign “Antelope Canyon Tours.”
I didn’t really do much research beforehand so I actually had no idea that you needed to join a tour to see the canyon. Maybe if I had, my expectation wouldn’t have been shattered and I would have left with a better impression.
We turned up and realised we needed to pay USD50 per person, which we had not been expecting. We did the tour anyway because we had been really looking forward to it, but after having to line up and pay to get tickets, our perspective of Antelope Canyon was skewed before we even got the the canyon.
After experiencing it myself, I think that Antelope Canyon is not worth it because:
- The tour was expensive (Although, it was only $50 per person back then 😅)
- Being in a tour group, we felt rushed at each stop through the canyon to take our photos and move on.
- Expectations versus reality: If we had done more research and knew what to expect, we probably would have enjoyed the tour more.
- There are other slot canyons in the area which are much less busy. We didn’t realise this at the time.
Would we still have done an Antelope Canyon tour if we had known what it would be like? You know what, I think we would have! HAHA
It is such a beautiful place and I can’t really imagine missing out… but I definitely would have planned ahead and been ready to spend money on a tour. I think the worst part was that the necessity of a tour really took us by surprise.
What is an Antelope Canyon Tour Like?
Arriving and purchasing tickets
We arrived to a busy parking lot with small office at the end with “book here” signs and people absolutely EVERYWHERE. I was in shock and Dave was not impressed because neither of us had been expecting this.
This was in 2017 and we were able to purchase tour tickets to the Upper Canyon on the spot which back then were USD50 which we thought was outrageous.
However by the looks of things the prices have at at least doubled since then. I would definitely recommend booking in advance to make sure you don’t miss out. I can’t imagine lining up on the day and hoping to get tickets now because Antelope Canyon has become increasingly popular.
👉 Book your Antelope Canyon Tour in advance here before they book out!
We purchased our tickets and joined a tour group. We were all bundled into a 4×4 tour vehicle and off we went. The journey to the canyon’s entrance was not long, about 10 minutes or so.
The Upper Antelope Canyon Tour
I will say that everything felt super organised and ran really smoothly. The tour operators knew what they were doing.
Each tour group was spaced out from the time they entered the canyon and had a certain amount of time at each photography spot inside the canyon. At each spot that we stopped at, the tour guide provided us with a load of information and then gave us tips on how to get a good photo.
The guide even doubled as a photographer which was awesome but for Dave and I, we wanted to spend some time taking our own photos and because of the limited amount of time each time we stopped, we weren’t able to do this.
What to bring with you on your Antelope Canyon Tour
You are not allowed to bring a bag with you on either Antelope Canyon Tour, however you can bring a camera and a bottle of water. You are also not allowed to bring selfie sticks or tripods.
Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon?
The popular (and more expensive) choice is Upper Antelope Canyon. This is the part of Antelope Canyon that you will see in most of the photos in social media.
Upper Antelope Canyon is the tour that we did because we were told it was the most beautiful which is why it is the most popular. If you are visiting Antelope Canyon to get some great photos, Upper Antelope Canyon is the best choice. Upper Antelope Canyon is an easy stroll through the canyon.
👉 Check prices and availability for Upper Antelope Canyon here
Lower Antelope Canyon is the more adventurous canyon of the two. The walk through the canyon includes ladders and squeezing through narrow spaces in the slot canyon. The lower canyon is also less expensive than the upper canyon due to it being less popular. This of course, also means less crowds!
👉 Check prices and availability for Lower Antelope Canyon here
Antelope Canyon Tours and Prices
Alternative, Less Busy Slot Canyons
Some great alternative options to Antelope Canyon which are less crowded and less rushed are:
- Secret Canyon – located near Horseshoe Bend so you can pair your canyon tour with a horseshoe bend tour.
- Rattlesnake Canyon – a LOT less business as there is only 1 tour company that you can book with.
- Cardiac Canyon – only 6 people can go per day and involves a 2.5 mile hike and a 6 hour tour so is great value for money.
- Cathedral Canyon – A little more of an adventure, as well as slot canyons, you will see Cathedral Hall, The Four Sisters, Thumb Rock, and Pucket Rock.
Things to Know about Antelope Canyon
Where is Antelope Canyon Located?
Antelope Canyon is located in Northern Arizona near the town of Page and the Colorado River.
Page has an airport which you can fly into domestically, however, not all that many flights run from there.
The best way to get to Page and Antelope Canyon is to fly into Las Vegas (Harry Reid International Airport) and rent a car from there.
From Las Vegas, it is around a 4.5 hour drive to Page and Antelope Canyon.
Click here to open the map in Google Maps!
🚗 Tip: DiscoverCars is our favourite way to get the best prices on car rentals!
Where to Stay Near Antelope Canyon
If you want to stay somewhere close to Antelope Canyon, the closest town is Page. The below 3 options range from camping to luxury accommodation.
Page Lake Powell Campground – At this campground you can choose between tent camping, RV camping or glamping in a Wagon!
The Rodeway Inn at Lake Powell – Decent accommodation that won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
Home2 Suites By Hilton Page Lake Powell – Rated 8.4, the Hilton has lovely rooms and facilities including an outdoor swimming pool to cool off in on those hot Arizona days.
Other things to do nearby
The slot canyons aren’t the only reason to visit Page Arizona.
Another bucket list place to visit in Page is Horseshoe Bend. It would be EVEN more incredible to take a helicopter flight like this one OVER Horseshoe Bend.
Glen Canyon Dam Overlook is only a 5 minute drive from Page and worth a look because it is quite impressive! You will need to hike down a short set of rock-carved stairs to get to the viewpoint.
Wahweap Overlook is a 10 minute drive from Page. We stopped here on our way out of Page without realising what it was. 😅 From the lookout, you will get insane views of Lake Powell with no hiking involved!
The Navajo Bridge is a 40 minute drive from Page and is SUPER IMPRESSIVE! The bridge’s length is more than 750 ft and is 470 ft high above the Colorado River. You can walk all of the way across the bridge to to see the awesome views of the Colorado River.
Also visiting Kanab? Check out my friend Lita’s guide on the Best things to do in Kanab!
Commonly Asked Questions
frequently asked questions
Our Thoughts
Even though we thought the Antelope Canyon tour was overpriced and overrated, it is still a really amazing place to see with your own eyes.
So if crowds and paying extravagant prices for nature tours don’t annoy you, then Antelope Canyon might just be for you!
I will say that when we went on the Antelope Canyon tour, we didn’t realise that there was other, less popular slot canyons around that we could have seen. We thought Antelope Canyon was it. Going on a tour did also make it easier as we didn’t need to plan a hike in by ourselves and figure out the flooding risks in slot canyons etc.
Whether you choose to see Antelope Canyon or an alternative slot canyon, you will be blown away by the natural beauty!
Happy adventuring! 🥾
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