The feisty fauna, such as spiders, scorpions, and snakes, will be keeping to themselves more than spending time out in the open. Closeby youll find Horseshoe Bend, Lake Powell, and other spots of rock formations similar to that found in the hefty Grand Canyon. The walls seemed to close in as they narrowed to just a couple of feet wide. How long had it been there? Purchases made through links earn us a small commission, at no extra cost to you. So I asked around, did some research and discovered Horseshoe Bend Tours, a company that has exclusive access to Secret Canyon and a private Navajo viewpoint of Horseshoe Bend. Hotel Review: Hotel La Cambuse, Thyon, Les Collons, Hotel Review Chalet Royal, Veysonnaz, Switzerland. The Secret Canyon area is near Sedona - maybe RedRox can comment on that. Many of these images were sleeping on a harddisk.They got a bit reworked and I thought to present them here The textures and shapes with the variety of shadows also create potential for stunning black and white images too. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. My wife and I were in Page last fall and toured Upper (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Bring plenty of water, theres no shade along this trail except inside the slot canyon. It took a lot of help from the tour guide to get me out of there, but he had a good sense of humor about it, and I considered it part of the adventure! PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS. Welcome to my blog! Discover Canyon X in Antelope Canyon on a guided tour, with timed entry for a hassle-free adventure. Some spots we still needed a tripod for a longer exposure but generally, we just handheld our DSLR for photos. I was able to hit both canyons during their prime times by booking . For tour information and prices clickhere. Ill pay more for a smaller, more intimate tour than an assembly line-like one any day. As a desert canyon formed by water erosion, Antelope Canyon is subject to dangerous flash flooding, which is one of the reasons trained tour guides are required. Not to worry if you dont have a DSLR or a tripod, our iPhone 6+s captured stunning photos here too! It cant just be tours, right? Slot canyons are always significantly deeper than they are wide. The permit is $12 per person, less than a general sightseeing tour of Antelope and much less than the photo tour of Antelope Canyon. Maybe there would be more light in the canyon closer to mid-day. Or, you can rent a car and do the scenic drive yourself. He even helped us to set the cameras to the optimal lightning so we could all get the most out of our photo session. Description. How to Get a Permit for Hiking Waterhole Canyon To hike this slot canyon, you get a day permit from the Slot Canyon Tours shop next to the Burger King in Page, AZ. Added by Josiah Roe. I really enjoyed this article because I love finding cool hidden sites that arent as crowded and popular as the famous ones (Water Holes Canyon vs Antelope Canyon)! UPDATE: You can no longer visit this canyon on your own with a permit. Slot Canyons start as narrow cracks in the rock. Even Lower Antelope Canyon now prohibits tripods making almost impossible to photograph that section. No bags or tripods are allowed on the hiking tour. Its remote, its currently less traveled, but still a visually stunning and unique tourist experience. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The colors keep changing because of different angles, so dont worry. What's a slot canyon, you might ask? You do not need to purchase a permit to go to Waterhole Canyon beforehand. The company recommends advance reservations, as tickets sell out quickly, and suggests that visitors without them arrive one hour prior to their preferred tour start time. It costs you nothing extra and helps support this website. Tours depart multiple times daily. It operates 90-minute small-group hikes through the canyon. See "What to bring" below for more specific items. In fact, it has become so popular, you have to book your tour a few days ahead (you can't do it alone, as the land is owned by Navajo tribe) especially if you are on a road trip and can't afford to lose time. This is more likely to happen from June to September, during Arizona's monsoon season. Antelope Canyon is like no other spot on earth. The large parking lot is able to accommodate boats, buses and RVs.The Bear's Den B&BOwners "Bubba and Deb-B" operate this cozy three-room bed and breakfast in Page that's fully ADA-compliant. The ability to explore at our own pace was a huge plus and it felt like we were at Antelope Canyon without a guide to herd us along. Exploring the Lower Canyon, in contrast, requires visitors to have some degree of endurance, as travelers must climb and descend several staircases. If you (like me) are middle-aged, overweight, out of shape, or not used to the 7000-ft altitude, you may have trouble with the steep climb out of the canyon. Upper Antelope Canyon is by far the most popular of the two. What time of day is best? The sign reads Lake Powell. Navajo owned and operated, Antelope Canyon Tours frequently wins praise for its knowledgeable and helpful guides. Waterhole is a slot canyon just like Antelope Canyon without a tour. Several local companies provide guided tours of Upper Antelope Canyon. Crowds will be at their peak then, which may make it difficult to snap that perfect shotFind better rates, fewer people and still amazing views during the off-season from November through late February, and especially in January.Though uncommon, Antelope Canyon may close during days of heavy rain or snow. (866) 275-5816 | (602) 364-3700, Copyright 2023 VisitArizona.com | Privacy Policy, Don't forget to look up! The tour excludes infants and costs approximately $130 per person. Do: Wear closed-toe, sturdy shoes and layered clothing. Learn more about this architectural marvel on a guided tour. I would hike the rest of the way to the spilt in the canyon wall that served as the entrance to my destination. I was excited to return and try to capture its beauty with my newer equipment and techniques. The first thing to know about Antelope Canyon is that these are slot canyons. Guides are frequently described as informative and friendly and the scenery as unsurpassable. HB is a longer, more continuous slot than AC, but is beautiful in its own way. Book your next cruise vacation on one of these floating megaresorts. Mike was getting great results with his iPhone, so I let him take over photographer duty in places while I simply enjoyed the surroundings. Just as we were exiting the canyon, the next tour group was beginning their exploration. / Credit: John Volk, Hampton Inn and Suites Page - Lake Powell, Embark on the Northern Arizona Road Trip of Your Dreams, A Guide to Visiting Horseshoe Bend 'the Right Way', A Guide to Visiting Havasu Falls the 'Right Way', Arizonas Wildly Different Desert Regions. It feels like a whole other planet! Note: Some tour providers on this list may be running more limited operations due to COVID-19 or may impose testing or vaccine requirements. Waterhole Canyon was our last stop on our Page, AZ tour, and we headed to Monument Valley next. Dixie Ellis also offers daylong van tours that combine the Lower Antelope Canyon Tour with visits to the Navajo National Monument and Monument Valley. Tags: Tours, Vacations, Travel, Arizona Vacations, Southwest Vacations, US Vacations. As independent travellers, we appreciated the laid back nature of the tour- not being held back and made to stay with the group, yet having a guide available to answer questions as they came up. See and be seen at these stunning natural wonders. You can check the rest of my photos in my Facebook album. First of all, let me say that your pictures are absolutely amazing! We left this water jug out in the sun all day and it was still cold the next day. It's a narrow canyon formed by the wear of water rushing through rock (of the sandstone and limestone varieties). It would be a shame for that to happen here. Upper Antelope Canyon is the more popular (and well-known) of the two and is more photogenic but is also generally darker (and gets darker quicker) due to the narrow canyon walls. The Upper Canyon is a much deeper but slightly wider canyon to walk through. What a nice surprise and a lot less work. These tours depart four times daily (two in the morning and two in the afternoon). But we're here to help show you the ropes, from how to book a Navajo guide to tips on photographing the shifting light. The journey to Canyon X begins MP 307.8 on Highway 98 near Page, AZ on the Navajo Nation Reservation. Get to Antelope Canyon (or, the nearby Page, Arizona). Several miles after leaving Highway 89 we came to the end of the road where our transport stopped. Your email address will not be published. Please confirm directly with service providers. Upper Antelope Canyon is called Ts bighnln, 'the place where water runs through rocks' by the Navajo People in that specific area.It is the most frequently visited by tourists because its entrance and entire length are at ground level, requiring no climbing; and because beams of direct sunlight radiating down from openings at the top of the canyon are much more common all year round . Yes Please!|ProPhoto Photography Template, How to Spend 3 Days in Zion National Park, Observation Point Trail- A Classic Hike in Zion National Park, Hiking Fairyland Loop Trail- Bryce Canyon National Park, Hiking White Domes Trail- Valley of Fire State Park, Photo of the Week: Horseshoe Bend, Arizona, The Best of Central Park- Self-Guided Walking Tour. Here's the essential information you need for a satisfying visit. We stood around asking questions about the canyon and Navajo land it sits on before heading back the way we came. Antelope Canyon X which gets its name from the X-shaped formation at the top of the canyon is located within Antelope Canyon, so it still features the same geologic features the Upper and Lower areas are known for, but its relative anonymity makes it less of a tourist magnet. She is the author of two guidebooks and a contributor to Fodors Arizona & The Grand Canyon. Upper Antelope Canyon is most famous for its "beam of light" phenomenon. Look for the Tour sign pictured above on the right-hand side of the road. This was my main concern as well, but Tim ensured me that colors would be wonderful at any time. Interesting comparison Donna, thanks. 22 February 2023 Recommendations for Navajo Heritage Dinner/Show 15 February 2023; Travelling from Marseille to Cayyene 09 February 2023; Advice on whether we can take sedan to Wave . ) 275-5816 | ( 602 ) 364-3700, Copyright 2023 VisitArizona.com | Privacy,! 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