Secret Antelope Canyon, Then Horseshoe Bend From a Private Navajo Rim
A three hour trip out of Page that reaches Secret Antelope Canyon by six miles of off-road driving, then a private Navajo viewpoint above Horseshoe Bend that stops a hundred meters short of the rim.
Two sights make Page worth the detour, and each one has a crowded version and a quiet one. Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon move timed groups through the sandstone all day. The Horseshoe Bend overlook is reached from a National Park Service parking area that fills early.
This three hour trip takes the other way in to both. A 4x4 leaves the office on Highway 89, drops off the pavement after about three miles, then runs six more across sandy washes and rolling hills onto Navajo land south of Lake Powell.
What waits at the end of that drive is Secret Antelope Canyon, part of the same Lake Powell canyon system. A 300 meter nature walk gets you to the entrance, and you have up to an hour inside to photograph and wander back out. Afterwards the truck carries you to a private Navajo viewpoint of Horseshoe Bend, on a dirt road that stops within 100 meters of the canyon edge.
Guiding is in English. The operator describes groups of twelve or fewer, and children under six are not permitted. Bookings are confirmed by the operator rather than instantly.
Secret Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend Tour from PageThree hours, 4x4 transport, admission to both stops included. Rated 4.9 from 374 reviews.www.viator.comSix Miles of Sand, Then Three Hundred Meters on Foot
The drive is part of what you are buying. After the highway the truck runs about six miles over sandy washes and low hills, which is why the operator describes the vehicle as shaded and cushioned. It is either an open-air 4x4 truck or an enclosed van, assigned by availability rather than by request.
From where it parks, a 300 meter nature walk leads to the canyon mouth. Inside, you get up to an hour. The operator calls this one of the longest slot canyons toured on the Navajo Nation.
Two notes on fitness, both from the listing. It is described as suitable for all physical fitness levels. It is also listed as not recommended for travellers with spinal injuries, for pregnant travellers, or for anyone with poor cardiovascular health.
A Dirt Road That Stops a Hundred Meters From the Edge
The public Horseshoe Bend overlook sits next to a National Park Service viewing area. This tour uses a private Navajo road instead, and that road ends within 100 meters of the rim, so the walk out is short.
From there, undulating sandstone runs along the side of a thousand foot drop. The Colorado River loops around a rock promontory below, which is the shape the photographs are named for. Around an hour is allowed here.
One restriction comes from the Navajo Nation rather than from the operator. Wedding, bridal and engagement photo shoots are not currently permitted.
The Sign on the Office May Not Match Your Booking
Check in at 821 US Highway 89 in Page, thirty minutes before your confirmed tour time.
The listing is sold under the name TakeYourTrip, and the office you walk into is the tour office of Deer Spring Canyon Tours. The listing says so itself, and adds that map applications may still show a different company name at that address. Search the street address rather than a business name and you will not lose time circling the lot.
What the Price Covers, and What Is Collected Separately
Admission to both Secret Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend is included, along with the 4x4 transport.
Two costs are not. A Navajo permit fee sits outside what you pay at booking. Navajo Parks and Recreation states that all areas on the Navajo Nation are closed to non-Navajos without a valid pass or permit issued by the department, so visitors pay it on top of the booking. Guide tips are also excluded, and the operator suggests USD 2 to 5 per person.
All sales are final, and the operator writes that no refund is issued for no-shows or for arriving late. Illness, forgotten reservations, misjudged travel times and traffic are each named in that policy as things it does not bend for.
You get up to an hour in the canyon to photograph and wander, and roughly the same on the sandstone above the river. Both stops sit on Navajo land, reached by roads the public route does not use. Three hours after check-in, the truck brings you back to the office on Highway 89.