Sightseer’s Tour – Upper Antelope Canyon
After about two and a half hours of driving from the Grand Canyon, we arrived at Antelope Canyon Tours, which we had booked in advance. Antelope Canyon is a famous canyon located in Arizona, USA, within the Navajo Nation. This canyon is renowned for its beautiful natural scenery and unique geological formations, and it is divided into Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon. Each has its pros and cons; Upper Antelope Canyon is situated on flat terrain, making it easily accessible on foot and is quite popular, so reservations tend to fill up quickly. Lower Antelope Canyon is located below ground level, requiring descent via several steep stairs, but it offers more time slots than Upper Antelope Canyon, providing a wider selection and is somewhat cheaper.
Since we had many other plans later in the day, we booked the Upper Antelope Canyon tour, which allows for a more leisurely walk. Additionally, Antelope Canyon is located within the Navajo Nation reservation, so visits can only be made through authorized tours for safety and to prevent damage to the site, so it is essential to book a tour in advance. Our tour time was from 9:50 AM to 11:35 AM, and it was specified that we needed to arrive by 9:20 AM, 30 minutes prior. There were several tour groups and more people than expected, so it took quite a while to confirm our reservations, making it important to arrive early.
After boarding the assigned guide and vehicle, we traveled for about 15 minutes to reach the entrance of Antelope Canyon. It was windier than expected, and there was a lot of sand blowing around, so it’s good to keep that in mind. The unique curves and shapes of the sandstone canyon visible from the entrance heightened our anticipation for the tour.
As I ventured a little further inside, the beauty of Antelope Canyon, which I had only seen in photos, unfolded before my eyes. From that moment on, I was so busy taking pictures that everywhere I pointed my camera turned out like a work of art. One tip is to stay at the back during the tour; if you’re at the front or in the middle, it’s hard to take nice photos because there are too many people in the way. Being at the back made it easier to take pictures of each other in places without crowds.
The guide adjusted the filters and settings to ensure the photos turned out beautifully, and if you capture images in places where light comes in, you can take stunning photos like the ones above.
The first photo above is of a heart, and the second photo is of a dragon’s eye. Later, while choosing souvenirs to buy magnets, I found many souvenirs made from this heart photo, and I felt so proud that I had taken it myself. The dragon’s eye was taken by the guide, who showed us their own image of the dragon’s eye for comparison, and it was amazing how identical they were.
As I went further back, there was less light coming in, which was a bit disappointing. However, I didn’t realize it at the time of taking the photos, but later when I looked at them, I found that the pictures taken in the darker areas had a certain charm that I really liked.
After finishing the tour, we had to walk back to where the vehicle was parked. The specified tour time was 45 minutes, but it actually took about 50 minutes. As soon as we finished the tour, both of us remarked that it felt too short. I think the feeling of disappointment just shows how much we enjoyed it. Next time, I definitely want to visit Lower Antelope Canyon.
Antelope Canyon Tours
This tour allowed us to fully experience the beautiful Antelope Canyon, sculpted by water and wind over millions of years. Next up is a post about the Horseshoe Bend, the next destination in the Grand Circle.
