Entry requires a mandatory $15 Navajo Nation permit plus a guided tour fee starting at $80.50. Tours depart daily year-round between 7:30 AM and 4:00 PM, though flash floods halt all access during the July to September monsoon season.
Antelope Canyon tours operate daily year-round, with operator offices open from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM Arizona Time. Departure schedules vary by company, running roughly between 7:30 AM and 3:50 PM. An additional 4:00 PM tour slot opens from April through September.
| Day | Hours | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Sunday | 07:00–16:00 | Office hours; tour departures vary by operator and observe MST non-daylight time. |
Tours run every day of the year. Monsoon season from July through September brings a high risk of flash floods. Operators immediately cancel all scheduled departures if local weather forecasts show danger or siren systems detect rising water levels.
Guided tours are mandatory, with baseline prices starting at $80.50 for the Lower section and $85 for the Upper section. Every visitor aged eight and older must also pay a separate $15 Navajo Parks permit fee per location, per day. Prime midday tour slots climb to $159 and sell out months in advance.
Infants under four enter Lower Antelope Canyon for free, but independent entry is illegal and there are no free admission days for adults.
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View All ToursMidday between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM from April through October provides the best conditions for visiting Antelope Canyon. The sun reaches its peak during these hours, projecting distinct light shafts onto the sandy floor. Because these prime slots guarantee the famous beams, they draw the largest crowds and carry premium price tags up to $159.
A single slot canyon tour takes 60 to 90 minutes, stretching to 1.75 hours with mandatory transport. Independent exploration is illegal, so your schedule depends entirely on which authorized Navajo guides you book. Combine Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons for a four-to-five-hour trip, or allocate up to eight hours to explore additional sections like Canyon X.
Secure your reservation online several months before your trip. Peak slots sell out the fastest, especially for the popular 11:20 AM departures. Expect to pay a $15 Navajo Parks & Recreation permit fee per person alongside your tour cost.
Shafts of sunlight pierce the canyon floor from April through October. Winter months lack these beams due to the sun's lower angle. Tours cancel immediately if operators detect summer flash flood threats or hear warning sirens.
Loose sand, uneven rocks, and steep metal ladders make sandals dangerous. Temperatures drop inside the shaded slot canyons, requiring layered clothing. Carry at least twice the water you expect to need in a transparent bottle with a strap.
Standard sightseeing tours strictly ban backpacks, purses, tripods, and selfie sticks to prevent damage to the narrow 120-foot walls. Fine desert sand blows constantly through the corridors, easily scratching sensitive camera gear. Ask your Navajo guide to adjust your smartphone white balance to shade before entering.
Tour operators require guests to check in at their Page offices 30 to 60 minutes before departure. This window allows time for safety briefings and boarding the transport trucks. Families with young children must bring their own car seats for the ride to Upper Antelope Canyon.
No, independent entry is illegal on sacred Navajo Nation land. All visitors must book a guided tour with an authorized Navajo-led operator. Guides accompany groups at all times to enforce 'Leave No Trace' principles and prevent vandalism on the delicate sandstone walls.
The Navajo Parks & Recreation entrance fee is $15 per person per day for visitors ages 8 and older. Guided tour prices are separate, with Upper Antelope Canyon tours ranging from $85 to $159 for prime 11:20 AM slots. Lower Antelope Canyon hiking tours by Dixie's cost $80.50 for adults and children, while infants enter free.
Tours operate daily year-round, with operator offices open from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM Arizona Time (MST non-daylight). Departures run between 7:30 AM and 3:50 PM, depending on the company. The 4:00 PM slot is only available from April 1st through September 30th.
Midday tours between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM offer the best chance to see shafts of sunlight hitting the sandy canyon floor. These beams appear primarily from April to October when the sun sits highest in the sky. Winter months lack the proper sun angle to produce the effect.
Backpacks, purses, and large bags are banned on standard sightseeing tours. Some operators permit small, completely transparent bags, but carrying only a water bottle with a strap is the safest approach. Tripods and selfie sticks are also prohibited unless you book a dedicated 3-hour photography tour.
Neither Upper nor Lower Antelope Canyon accommodates wheelchairs or strollers due to deep sand and rocky terrain. The Lower Canyon requires descending five flights of steep metal stairs. Upper Antelope Canyon exits now force visitors to climb a 200-foot elevation change with a 20-degree incline and stairs.
Operators immediately cancel tours if there is any risk of flash flooding in the basin above. The monsoon season from July to September carries the highest cancellation risk. Emergency safety systems inside the canyons include sirens, rope nets, and metal ladders.
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