Antelope Canyon

Antelope Canyon is divided into the upper and the is lower Antelope Canyon.

Cost: Tours to the lower canyon costs around $35 per person and upper canyon costs around $45 per person which includes, entry to the antelope canyon and entry fee to Navajo country.There are no combination/concessional tickets for both upper and lower canyon. We should buy the tickets individually. Photography tour, which is designated only for professional photographers costs around $145.

Time to visit: Best time in the day to visit the canyon is when the sun is at its peak around 12.00 PM to 1.45 PM. Entry tickets at peak hour is $10 more than the regular prices. Tickets for this time slot tend to get sold quickly. We were lucky to get 1.15 PM tour slot.

Also, please know that the tours are scheduled to be canceled if there is a flash flood alert.

As the path in the canyon is tight there is no wheelchair accessibility and small children are not allowed ( only in the lower canyon). The canyon is the sacred place for the tribes. Hence its advised to treat the canyon with respect.

We were been asked to assemble at the tourist office 15 minutes prior to the departures time. We were divided into groups of 15 to 20 headed by one tour guide. At 1.15 PM slot, there were around five groups which departed from our tourist location. Also, please be aware that we cannot drive our private vehicle till the entrance of the canyon. The tour company takes us up and down to the canyon. Which means the tour starts at the tourist office and ends at the tourist office. The distance from the tourist office to the canyon is around 15 minutes drive. At the end of the tour, tips are appreciated by the guide.

The drive to the canyon is on a sandy unpaved road more like sand dunes.

Antelope Canyon

The picture below shows the entrance to the canyon. As I mentioned the path to the canyon is tight. Tour enters in one line, one direction and exists in the other direction. In the picture, we can clearly how the canyon was cut by the flash flood and of course the views inside again proves, nature is the best artist.

Entrance of the canyon

You tour guide will point out at the various place inside the canyon and what it depicts. They even assist you to capture pictures of the canyon.

Inside the canyon

     

If we closely observe sides of the canyon, we can get the feel how the water would have flown gushing through. When the lights penetrate through the canyon, it reflects vibrant colors.

Our experience about the trip: It was a very beautiful place to be in. We would vouch for its uniqueness and beauty. However, we were a little disappointed with the way the tour was organized.

1) Too many people inside the canyon, making the place congested.
2) Our tour guide would point out to a particular place inside the canyon and say, "stand here focus your camera to this point you will be able to see a dolphin, George Washington's face" etc;. It's a canyon any person can associate the formation as per his thoughts. It's just like looking at the cloud and telling it looks like a man's face while other will end up telling it looks like a girls face and the third person ends up telling I am unable to figure out anything.
3) When the tour guide points out to take picture of something our co-tourist used to push, come in front of our camera to take their picture. Totally inconsiderate. How nice will it be if each one of us took our turns? We didn't like the feel of people pushing into us. We ended up lining up last in the line in the batch of 15 people.
4) As we ended up being the last in the line we could listen to what our tour guide described and what the tour guide behind us describes. It was funny at the point where our tour guide describes as George Washington's face and the one behind describes as Abraham Lincoln's face. This is just an example and this happened multiple time. They were not consistent with the tour description.
5) Finally, there was no  useful information at the end of the tour like
a) geographical details
b) specialty of the canyon
c) anything about the flash flood
d) scientific details of the fine sand that you can find on the ground (walkway) not even
e) a short introduction about their tribal community, why the canyon is sacred to them. When I asked my tour guide. "Are prayers performed even today by the Navajo residents?" she replied. I am not sure but I guess not.

We paid $45 just to enter the canyon and walk around. Do you want to spend so much? or not? the ball is your court.

I would say its a beautiful place but not worth $45 after the tour, we decided not to take the tour of the lower canyon. We were just happy with one tour.

Glen Canyon Dam:

After visiting the canyon we headed to Glen Canyon Dam and took the guided tour of the dam for $5, they will take way to the generator room (which is down in the dam ) talk about the history, construction, maintenance etc.,

Generator room

From the bottom of the dam, focusing up the visitor center (the circular building that you can spot)

 Tour of the dam was great. We had a few kids in the tour, who enjoyed it the most.

After the tour, we headed to our campsite at the Powell Lake campground.