Lower Antelope Canyon is a gorgeous place to visit. With its glowing red canyon walls and narrow, twisting passageways, this place is fun to visit and a joy to photograph.
Antelope Canyon is made up of two slot canyons, Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon. When people refer to Antelope Canyon, they are usually referring to Upper Antelope Canyon. With its darker canyon walls, falling sands, and light beams shining through the dusty air, the Upper canyon has been the more popular of the two slot canyons.
Until even just a few years ago, Lower Antelope Canyon had the reputation of being the canyon to visit if you wanted smaller crowds of people. Not so, not anymore. Now, Lower Antelope Canyon is just as busy as Upper Antelope Canyon. Why? A tour of the Lower canyon is considerably cheaper, tours run more frequently, and some people say that it is more fun, with narrow passageways to squeeze through and ladders to climb.
How to Visit Lower Antelope Canyon
Antelope Canyon can only be visited on a tour. There are several companies offering tours into the canyon. The general tour lasts one hour.
In 2020, it costs $40 per person for this tour, plus taxes, service charges, and an additional $8 for the Navajo Park Permit Fee. Your grand total for an adult is $52.80.
There are two tour companies that run tours into Lower Antelope Canyon: Ken’s Tours and Dixie Ellis’ Tours. We chose Ken’s Tours. Both companies run tours every 30 minutes, with approximately 10 to 15 people per group. That is 30 people every 30 minutes and the canyon can fill up fast. Even if you reserve a 1 pm time slot, your tour group could end up waiting in line to enter the canyon, especially during the peak summer months.
Update for 2020: Ken’s Tours is now offering a Deluxe Tour ($147.60 per person). This is a small group of just four people. You still walk the same path and you will still be in the canyon with all of the other larger tour groups. So this does not save you waiting in line or help you avoid the crowds, from what I read online. But what it does give you is a smaller group size and more time with your guide. This is worth it if you want learn more about the canyon and the Navajo culture and even get help with your photography (although you get some of this in the larger tour groups too).
Book your tickets online in advance! This is recommended especially during peak season. Midday is the most popular time to visit Antelope Canyon because the lighting is the best at this time. If you don’t mind sacrificing ideal lighting to avoid the worst of the crowds, go early or go late in the afternoon.
The option to take a photography tour is over. This was a new change in 2018. Lower Slot Canyon has become so popular that the tour operators can no longer offer general tours and photography tours.
Our Experience
Tim and I visited Lower Antelope Canyon in early May 2017. We took the 10:20 am general tour with Ken’s Tours. Crowds were relatively low, but we still had to wait about 10 to 15 minutes to enter the canyon. Once inside, guides kept ushering us through, keeping the groups on schedule, in order to avoid bottlenecks and longer waits for tour groups later in the day.
Even though we felt a little rushed, Lower Antelope Canyon is fun to visit. It’s narrow at the bottom, with ladders to climb and narrow passageways to squeeze through. This canyon is shallower and brighter than Upper Antelope Canyon. Light beams are unusual here, but we got lucky and were able to see a few.
Lower Antelope Canyon in Photos
Here’s a tour through Lower Antelope Canyon in photos. Enjoy!
Walking to the entrance of the canyon.
From the very start, the views are amazing.
Touring the canyon with a large group of people is almost unavoidable, especially during peak hours.
Just don’t forget to look up.
A photography tour of the canyon. Photography tours are no longer offered in Lower Antelope Canyon.
Here is one of several ladders to climb.
At times, the canyon gets very narrow. For some, that can be fun. If you suffer from claustrophobia, maybe not so fun.
We did get lucky and saw a few light beams.
Our guide, Boo, and the last ladders of Lower Antelope Canyon.
Tim emerging from the canyon.
How to Have the Best Experience
To avoid the crowds, visit during the shoulder or off-season months. Summer is the most popular time to visit Antelope Canyon and midday is the busiest time of day. We heard horror stories of people waiting an hour or longer in the hot sun just to enter the slot canyon. Although the lighting may not be ideal, go early or go late to miss the worst of the crowds.
Book your tour in advance. I recommend making your reservation as soon as you start planning your trip. Some of our readers mentioned tours being sold out months in advance. If you are visiting during the peak seasons of summer and winter break, book your tour at least three months prior to your visit.
Handheld photography only. Tripods and selfie sticks are not allowed in the canyon.
Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon? If you only have time for one slot canyon, which one should you choose? Read our detailed post about the good and the bad of visiting each of these canyons.
See Upper Antelope Canyon in Photos: Upper Antelope Canyon: A Journey in Photos
Have you visited Lower Antelope Canyon? Comment below about your experience!
More Information for Your Trip to the American Southwest:
- 8 Amazing Slot Canyons to Explore in the American Southwest
- 10 Days in the American Southwest: The Ultimate Road Trip
- 16 Amazing South Rim Viewpoints in the Grand Canyon
- The Ultimate Guide to Monument Valley
- Zion Narrows Bottom-Up & Top-Down: Which One Should You Choose?
- 12 Fun Things to do in the Valley of Fire, Nevada
- Angels Landing Survival Guide: Things to Know Before You Go
Comments 17
Hi Julie, I am an amateur photographer and will be visiting Antelope Canyon in late March. I would like to know what to expect. Can you really see the purples and blues that I see in many images or are they brought out in post processing? Thanks!
Author
All the colors that you see in our photos are real. Nothing has been added and I did not do anything to change the hue of the photographs. I did increase the saturation post-processing so that the photographs pop, but I did not alter the colors. You will see more purples and blues in lower light and more yellows and light orange in the brighter spots in the canyon. Now I can only speak for my photos, of course. It’s a very cool experience…have fun! Cheers, Julie
Thank you so much for responding! Can’t wait!
Hello,
Thinking about visiting around New Years. How great is the lighting and weather going to be?
Author
It will be chilly/cold. Temps can average somewhere around 50 degrees Fahrenheit, if I remember correctly, although it can get much colder than that in December. Lighting isn’t great, since the sun sits so low on the horizon, so it’s very important to get a midday tour if possible. Even though lighting is not ideal, it will still be gorgeous inside the canyon and well worth it. Cheers, Julie
What lense do you recmnd I use? I have a 24-70. 16-35? Or something even wider? I also be shooting the grand canyon msharinn@gmail.com
Author
I use a 24-70. It would be worth it to bring something wider, maybe not so much for Antelope Canyon but it would be great for the Grand Canyon. If you go to Horseshoe Bend, you will need a lens wider that 24mm to capture the entire width of it (I ended up borrowing someone’s lens while we were there). Cheers, Julie
Hi! First of all I love your pictures and your blog! But I was wondering how child friendly the canyons are? And the hikes? Mine is 12 so I’m wondering if this is doable or if it’s more a grown up thing?
Author
A 12 year old would love this!! I think that Lower Antelope Canyon would be a little more fun for kids that the Upper Canyon. The Lower Canyon is a narrower canyon with ladders, as you can see in the photos. This whole area (Arizona, Monument Valley, the Grand Canyon, and the parks in Utah) is a great place to visit with a 12 year old. If you haven’t seen it and want more ideas, check out our American Southwest itinerary. Have fun! Cheers, Julie
Hi Julie,
Appreciate your response in this!!
My wife and I are planning to visit Antelope through a tour operator from Las Vegas (1 day tour) on Memorial weekend 2018. Am an amateur photographer and wants to take beautiful pics of antelopes without a people.
Now, please suggest me which antelope I can visit (Lower or Upper).
Note – Am planning to go through general tour not a photographic tour which is sold out . So please consider the lighting availability in antelopes and suggest me as i cant carry tripod.
Author
All of our photos of lower antelope canyon (on this post) were taken on a general tour with hand held photography, so you can get an idea of what you will see. My advice is to be the last in your group so you can take photos of the canyon without people in it. This doesn’t always work but it’s your best option to take photos without people. Also, don’t forget to look up…some of the best views are looking up at the canyon walls. Ask your guide where to take photos and they can help you with camera settings. I think it’s a little easier to take photos of lower antelope canyon because it is brighter. But both are gorgeous…take a look at both of our pics and use that to decide where to go. The best time for photography is between 10 am and 2 pm. Cheers, Julie
Thanks so much for all the info. I already booked the tour, however in the info the tour company sent me they say no tripods, no gimbals, etc… and in your pictures I see tripods…were allow at that time?
Author
In that photo (which was taken in 2017), those people were on a photography tour, which is no longer allowed in the canyon. So no tripods, self sticks, etc. Cheers, Julie
As a geologist, Antelope Canyon has always been on my bucket list. I hope to visit during my student’s spring break of 2019 (mid march). Would that time of year interfere with lighting in the upper canyon? From your fantastic photos, it looks like the lower canyon might be a better idea for me anyhow. The sunbeams and falling sand do not intrigue me anywhere as much as the layers and erosion patterns. I would love your input.
Thanks,
Chris Balsley
Author
In mid-March, the sun will be a little lower in the sky, but for Lower Antelope Canyon I do not think this is a big deal, since it is wider at the top and brighter than Upper AC. Schedule your visit midday for the best lighting conditions and keep your fingers crossed that waits aren’t long to enter the canyon. The guides will rush you through the canyon, but we lingered at the back of the group to get these photos without people in them. We got scolded a few times but it was worth it. 🙂 Enjoy! Cheers, Julie
SO, do I understand you correct??? After reading your blog. I am NOW booking our tours for spring break 2019…way late. Got the Upper all set at 10.30…Are you saying that I should be going later in the day to get the best sun pics through the openings?? Now, going to try for the Lower ones. Ken’s only says it is 1 hour..doesn’t seem long enough..
Author
10:30 is a good time to visit Upper Antelope Canyon. The best time is between 10:30 and 1 pm. Ideally, if you can get into Lower Antelope Canyon between 2 and 3 pm you’ll get great lighting for both. Cheers, Julie