Isn’t it awesome when a new place completely astounds you? For me, that was Upper Antelope Canyon.
A few years ago, I saw my first photos of Antelope Canyon, with its glowing, red canyon walls, twisted, scalloped rock faces, and beams of light shining through the dusty air.
Does this place really exist?
Yes, it does. Located in Page, Arizona, Upper Antelope Canyon (also simply referred to as Antelope Canyon) is one of several slot canyons available for tourists to visit.
We toured both Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon on the same day. It was the Upper Canyon that I fell in love with. However, Tim’s favorite was the Lower Antelope Canyon, with its narrow passages and series of ladders inside the canyon.
How to Visit Upper Antelope Canyon
Antelope Canyon can only be visited on a tour. There are several companies offering tours into the canyon. The scenic tour lasts 1.5 hours. This time includes 30 minutes transportation to and from the canyon and one hour inside the canyon. You should book your tour at least four months in advance since spots can sell out quickly.
What We Did
We visited Antelope Canyon in May 2017, back when photography tours were offered (this ended in 2018). Tim took the 1 pm Scenic Tour and I took the 1 pm Photography Tour. Both of us had a good experience, and I loved the Photography Tour. For me, it was worth every penny. Who knows if or when I’ll be back to Page, Arizona and it was worth paying the extra money to get these photos.
See for yourself.
Upper Antelope Canyon in Photos
Our Tour Company
We used Antelope Slot Canyon Tours. They are the #1 company offering tours to Upper Antelope Canyon. The meeting point is at their office in Page. From Page, it is a 10 minute drive out to the slot canyon (included in your ticket price). Both of our guides were great, teaching us about the canyon and pointing out the best photography spots.
If tickets are sold out for your dates of travel, you can also purchase a ticket through GetYourGuide.
Lower Antelope Canyon
Just around the corner from Upper Antelope Canyon is Lower Antelope Canyon. You can visit one or both of these in one day. Learn more in these articles:
Lower Antelope Canyon: A Photographic Tour
Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon: Which One Should You Choose?
Have you been to Antelope Canyon? How was your experience? Comment below!
More Information for Your Trip to the American Southwest
PLACES TO GO IN ARIZONA: Go hiking in Sedona, visit Saguaro National Park and Petrified Forest National Park, explore Monument Valley, and visit the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Learn how to put all of this together in our Arizona Road Trip Itinerary.
GRAND CANYON: Check out our guides to the Best Things to Do on the South Rim, how to spend one perfect day in the Grand Canyon, and which South Rim viewpoints are the best ones to visit. For amazing views of the Grand Canyon, check out our guide to the Grand Canyon Helicopter Tours.
SEDONA: Get links to all of our articles in our Sedona Travel Guide. To help you plan your visit, we also have guides to the best things to do in Sedona, the best hikes in Sedona, and how to plan the perfect Sedona itinerary. Learn where to stay in our Sedona Hotel Guide.
SLOT CANYONS: Here are 10 slot canyons to explore in the American Southwest. Which ones do you want to explore?
VALLEY OF FIRE: The Valley of Fire is a stunning state park that is a short drive from Las Vegas. Plan your visit with our Guide to the Valley of Fire.
If this is part of a bigger road trip through the USA, visit our United States Travel Guide and our Arizona Travel Guide for more inspiration and travel planning tips.
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Comments 21
I’ve used your itineraries for travel through Italy and your information was incredibly helpful. I couldn’t have done it without the detail you provided, so thank you for all that you do to help others! We’re planning to take a road trip in late April/early May to several national parks in AZ and UT and I’m checking out your website for helpful hints. We plan to visit both the Upper and Lower canyons at Antelope Canyon on April 30. With regards to the lighting effects in the slots, do you know if one time of day is better than another to tour the Upper Canyon?
Thanks in advance!
Author
The sweet spot is between 10 am and 2 pm. Our photos are from very early May. We did the lower canyon first, mid to late morning and the 1 pm Upper Canyon tour. It was amazing how quickly the Upper Canyon got dark, as it got past 2 pm. It was fine for our photos but if it works in your schedule, you could see if you could do a slightly earlier tour (such as 12:00 pm) so it is bright the entire time. The lower canyon is more open at the top so in general is brighter. Let me know if you have any other questions. Cheers, Julie
In your opinion, do you think it would be better to do a photography tour of another slot canyon or a normal tour at Upper Antelope Canyon?
Author
I haven’t done any other photographic tours of other slot canyons to really know if that would be worth it, instead of Upper Antelope Canyon. However, if you want a less crowded experience where you can take your time and use a tripod to capture some great photos, then it would probably be worth it. Even so, I still think that Upper Antelope Canyon would be worth the visit too. Cheers, Julie
I did a Photo Tour of Rattlesnake Canyon and honestly, I loved the photo’s I took there much more than the ones I took in Antelope Canyon (this was 3 years ago).
Author
That’s good to know. Thanks for sharing!!
I checked both canyons have been closed indefinitely from what I read until further notice due to pandemic
I’m planning a solo trip to a couple Utah national parks in April/May. Your’s has been the best and most informative site I’ve found. thank you for that. The pics you got in the page slots are amazing especially since you said it was so crowded. Think I’ll give it a try
Both canyons including Rattlesnake are closed indefinitely since March I believe since hit of pandemic. Unsure but site site stayed this when I looked up to book. This is all old information, if I’m wrong please show me right info.. please we are so excited to see them in 2 weeks!!
I just called Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours and as of the end of December 2019; they will NOT offer the photography tour.
Author
Thank you so much for this update!!
Im hoping to gk to antelope canyon this weekend. All the remaining photography tours are booked. Do you have any tips in photographing these amazing sites
Author
Linger towards the back or front of your group…you may be able to get some shots without people in them. Some of the best shots are looking up, and these won’t have people in them…perfect! Ask your guide for advice on where to get the best shots while you are there. They are very knowledgeable about the best angles and camera settings. And don’t forget to have fun! Cheers, Julie
Any recommendation on hotels or where to stay?
Author
There are a bunch of places to stay in Page. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, a decent budget hotel. You can check Trip Advisor for more options. Cheers, Julie
Great shots. We are looking forward to a trip in FEB 2018. Do you have a recommendation on the photo tour operator
Author
We used Antelope Slot Canyon Tours. They offer a photography tour. Link is in this post. Cheers, Julie
I am not seeing a photo tour on their site 🙁
Author
You’re right! I just called Antelope Slot Canyon to confirm and they stopped offering the photographic tour this month. After asking them several different ways, they would not tell why it was cancelled, only that they do not offer it anymore. That’s a bummer! You can call one of the other companies that offers tours to the Upper Canyon to see if they offer a photographic tour. Thanks for letting me know but I’m very sorry you missed out, if this is something you planned on doing. Cheers, Julie
There is no wealth like knowledge,
and no poverty like ignorance. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Here, i have written an article about Trekking the Upper Mustang
. Please go through it only if you have some time. Thanks.
Author
Looks like a nice hike in Nepal!