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Upper vs. Lower Antelope Canyon, Which to Choose?

07/25/2019 by Kristin Addis 49 Comments

Upper Antelope Canyon or Lower Antelope Canyon? If you are short on time, here's an extensive guide on which one to pick | Be My Travel Muse | Upper VS Lower Antelope Canyon | Arizona travel guide | Antelope Canyon photography guide
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When I first started doing my research for visiting Antelope Canyon during my American Southwest road trip, a striped and bright orange Navajo Sandstone canyon in Arizona carved by flash flooding and erosion, I realized that there are two – upper and lower. They are accessed via different locations and have quite a few things that set them apart from each other as well. Then came the question of which to choose or if it made sense to visit both.

The photographer in me couldn’t resist photographing both and the writer in me couldn’t resist covering both here on the blog, so I visited each at their respective best times of day for lighting. This probably also means I visited at the most popular time of day, and in one of the most popular months (May).

It was a crowded and claustrophobic but also a must-have experience because of the way that those canyons swirl and curve into some kind of trippy corridor that feels like it’s leading you to the bowels of Earth. You have to see it to believe it, and even then you still might not.

Both canyons are located on Navajo land and the only way to see them is by taking a guided tour. I only saw Navajo guides, which made it feel more authentic and connected.

If you’re trying to choose between the two, here is an honest firsthand account of both Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon:

Lower Antelope

upper vs lower antelope canyon
Looking up in Lower Antelope

I visited the Lower Antelope Canyon first since at the time that I visited in May, 10:10 AM was the optimal time for light.

I booked my tour ahead of time as I figured that at a prime time like that, it would be all booked up. But a friend I met the day before was able to join me, so don’t fret if you didn’t book ahead of time. There may still be availability!

NOTE: As of 2018, tour operators can no longer offer both general tours and photography tours because Lower Antelope Canyon has gotten so popular in recent years. As a result, Lower Antelope photography tours do not seem to be available anywhere. Here are the tours available:

With Dixie Ellis‘s Canyon Hiking Tour:

  • 1 hour long
  • tours run every 30 minutes from late morning until late afternoon (10+ tours per day depending on the time of year; some days offer a few early morning tours, too.)
  • $51.51/person ($40 ticket + $8 Navajo Nation fee + 2.2% processing fee)

With Ken’s Tours‘s General Tour:

  • 1 hour long
  • tours run every 30 minutes from early morning to early evening (14 to 22 tours per day depending on the time of year)
  • $52.80/person ($40 ticket + $8 Navajo Nation fee + 6% Navajo sales tax + 6% surcharge)

Other tours available:

  • Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend Tour
  • Antelope Canyon Small Group Tour
  • Lower Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend Tour

So what was great and not-so-great about Lower Antelope? Let’s start with the good stuff:

Perks

upper vs lower antelope canyon
So beautiful

Longer

The standard tour in Lower Antelope lasts for one hour and the photography tour lasts for over two hours. The tour through lower antelope Canyon last for much longer because the canyon itself is a lot longer. This was both a blessing and a curse for me because as much as I loved to be in there and see it, I found it to be a slightly dizzying experience as well. If you are not bothered by small and enclosed spaces this won’t be a big concern.

Slightly less crowded

upper vs lower antelope canyon
Got my solo shot

Being real, both canyons are incredibly popular and quite crowded. However, Lower Antelope Canyon is a bit less so. Even without being on a photography tour, I was able to get photos without other people in them from time to time.

Drawbacks

upper vs lower antelope canyon
No beams but still beautiful

Stairs

One big reason why people shy away from Lower Antelope Canyon is the stairs. They’re honestly not a big deal, though. If you are mobile and don’t have problems with stairs in everyday life, these won’t trip you up. Don’t worry about them being treacherous. This would really only be an issue for the elderly or those who have mobility limitations.

No light beams

It is rare to see the light beams in Lower Antelope Canyon that have made Upper Antelope so famous. The light still does get through and make the walls glow, but you won’t get those iconic beams shining through to the ground.

Most of the photos you have seen of sand falling to the ground were probably also taken in upper rather than lower antelope Canyon. In upper they regularly threw up sand so that we could see it reflected by the light, but in lower they said that they did not want to create dust. I suspect that on the photography tour in lower that they do throw some dust on the walls to photograph. I don’t know that for sure, though.

Upper Antelope

upper vs lower antelope canyon
Amazing colors

Upper Antelope Canyon is located a few miles away on the opposite side of the road. For this one, you’ll climb into a 4 x 4 truck and be caravanned over to the entrance. I highly suggest paying the $10 more for ‘prime time,’ which is when the light beams shine through. I was able to hit both canyons during their prime times by booking Lower Antelope for 10:10 and Upper Antelope for 12:30.

This is the canyon where the guides will throw up dust into the light beams and some will even take your photo for you, which is nice for a solo traveler! I chose Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours and paid $60. Since I had already paid the $8 Navajo Nation fee, I was able to show the receipt and not have to pay twice. Here are some of the other tours available:

With Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours:

Tour 1 (Photography Tour):

  • 2 hours long
  • tours run once a day (10:15am)
  • $158/person (price includes Navajo Nation Fee but does not include tax)

Tour 5 (Nighttime General/Photography Tour):

  • tour runs for 2 hours after sunset
  • $263/person for photographers; $79/person for non-photographers (price includes Navajo Nation Fee but does not include tax)

Tour 8 (General Tour):

  • 1.5 hours long
  • tours run 4 times per day (8:30am, 2:30pm, 4:00pm, 5:30pm)
  • $66/person (price includes Navajo Nation Fee but does not include tax)

Prime Time Tour 9 (General Tour):

  • 1.5 hours long
  • tours run twice a day (10:15am, 12:30pm)
  • $77/person (price includes Navajo Nation Fee but does not include tax)

With Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours:

Guided Sightseer’s Tour:

  • 1.5 hours long
  • tours run 6 or 7 times per day, with the first tour starting at 8:45am and last tour finishing around 4:00pm
  • $60/person (price includes tax and the Navajo Nation fee)

Guided Photography Tour:

  • 2.5 hours long
  • tours run once a day (11:00am)
  • $160/person (price includes tax and the Navajo Nation fee)

Perks

 

A post shared by Kristin Addis (@bemytravelmuse) on Jun 17, 2017 at 9:35am PDT

Light Beams

The light beams are the biggest perk of visiting Upper Antelope Canyon. Most of the famous photos that you’ve seen of these canyons, including the most expensive photo in the world by Peter Lik which sold for $6.5 million, were taken in this canyon.

However, this is highly dependent on time of day so keep that in mind when planning your trip. Ideally the sun will be directly overhead, which in May was at 1 PM. If you’re a photographer, this is probably the better canyon for you to visit if you’re dying to get those iconic light beam shots.

upper vs lower antelope canyon
Those famous light beams

No Stairs

If the idea of climbing stairs in a narrow canyon makes you dizzy just thinking about it, take solace in the fact that this is just an easy, flat, and shorter walk through the canyon. That said, I think this also leads to one of the biggest drawbacks which is that you have two-way traffic going through the canyon. It’s already quite narrow, so this makes it feel even more claustrophobic.

Drawbacks

upper vs lower antelope canyon
But you do get the falling sand

More Crowded

As mentioned in the previous section, this is the narrower canyon of the two and it’s more popular. We were not even allowed to bring backpacks inside since it gets so crowded in there!

After you walk through the canyon, the guides will ask you to turn around and walk back through going the other direction. That makes it even more crowded and packed in Upper Antelope. In Lower Antelope, traffic is mostly just one way, though those on photo tours will occasionally pass you going the other direction.

upper vs lower antelope canyon
We took turns taking photos but it felt super rushed

More Expensive

Upper Antelope Canyon is more expensive than Lower. In fact, it was more than double. However the guides prioritized us getting photos, and they even took some for us, which was a nice perk that Lower did not offer.

upper vs lower antelope canyon
Towards the end, the guide took this photo for me

Would I recommend that you choose one over the other, or try to do both? It’s hard to say, because both have their perks. It really comes down to your intentions. For photographers, it probably makes sense to go to Upper Antelope Canyon. As you can see by comparing the photos, I got better ones out of Upper.

If the light beams don’t matter that much to you and you want a slightly more relaxed and cheaper experience, however, head to Lower Antelope Canyon.

Should you do both? Well, to be brutally honest, neither experience was all that enjoyable. In both cases I felt like we were being herded through the canyon and sharing the experience with tons of other people. That’s just how it is with something as beautiful and popular as these canyons. Both were absolutely beautiful, but both are very narrow and enclosed as well.

In the end I’m glad that I got to have the experience and the photo opportunity. These canyons are a bucket list item for good reason, but it’s probably not something that I would repeat.

Tips for Page: The nice thing about this part of Arizona is you also have horseshoe bend nearby, which is perfect at sunset, as well as Lake Powell and White Pocket, the Wave, and Vermillion Cliffs National Monument.

The town itself is not particularly amazing, but I was able to find a free BLM campsite that was walking distance to Lake Powell and camped there overnight twice in my camper van, which was beautiful and peaceful.

For more, click on the link below for the entire 9-day Southwestern itinerary.

Read next: The Perfect American Southwest Road Trip Itinerary

Get the guidebook for solo female travelers!

About Kristin Addis

Kristin Addis is the founder and CEO of Be My Travel Muse, a resource for female travelers all around the world since 2012. She's traveled solo to over 65 countries and has brought over 150 women on her all-female adventure tours from Botswana to the Alaskan tundra.

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Comments

  1. Pilot Mark says

    06/09/2017 at 9:40 am

    This place looks hauntingly beautiful – and even unearthly. You must feel so privileged to have visited. Its incredible to think how nature creates these formations on its own. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  2. Adam says

    06/10/2017 at 4:16 pm

    Gotta love all those delicately smooth red rocks – definitely on my list of American national parks to check out!

    Reply
  3. Jeremiah says

    06/25/2017 at 9:17 am

    Great article.
    I wrote one back in January after visiting the canyons again.
    The Upper is great if you’re there for the right lighting. However, if you get there too late in the day it can get rather dark in the middle.
    I personally liked the Lower more.
    Page is still one of my favorite places in all of Arizona.

    Reply
  4. Alex Baackes says

    07/24/2017 at 10:08 am

    I’m really glad that I did the ridiculously overpriced photography tour of Upper Antelope. We stopped in Rattlesnake Canyon en route and we were totally alone there. I liked the balance of seeing the big one (and all guides from all the tour companies seemed to really respect it when someone yelled “photo tour coming through!” — they hustled their groups out of the way!) and having another one totally to ourselves.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      07/25/2017 at 8:51 pm

      Lame I didn’t see rattlesnake canyon

      Reply
  5. Jessica says

    07/28/2017 at 10:05 am

    Love this post! I am planning a trip for my husband and I to travel here. You are helping me decided which canyon to pick 🙂 both seem beautiful, but we have limited time and I am super claustrophobic! I’m leaning towards lower since you said it’s less crowded and less narrow. Thank you for the info!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      07/28/2017 at 10:45 am

      I’d say lower is the better bet then. Have fun!

      Reply
  6. Frankie says

    10/21/2017 at 5:19 pm

    Hello, I am headed here in November and trying to figure out which canyon to go to. In my lifetime I hope I would be able to go to both but for this trip there will only be time for one. I am drawn to the lower canyon because it will be cheaper, and less crowded. Also out of all the tour sites I have looked at the prime visiting time for upper canyon is booked but we could go to the tour right after. Also I will probably only be taking pictures with my cell phone. What did you use to get your shots and did you do the photographer tour in the upper canyon?

    Thank you

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      10/22/2017 at 6:09 am

      In the upper canyon yes, I did the photo tour since at that time of day it’s all that was available. I honestly don’t think there’s a point in doing upper if you won’t be there for the light beams. I liked the experience of lower better. My camera gear is here https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/bemytravelmuse-camera/ (didn’t use a phone for most of it but I did for a few photos which I featured, with iPhone photography tips, here: https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/how-to-take-travel-photos-iphone/)

      Reply
  7. Mike says

    11/29/2017 at 9:53 am

    You wrote that the Lower Canyon tour is longer. When I compare the times of Upper vs Lower they both seem almost the same. Sometimes even the Upper Canyon tours are longer:

    Lower Canyon:
    Standard: 1 hour
    Photo: 2 hours

    Upper Canyon:
    Standard: 1 hour – 1,5 hours
    Photo: 2 hours

    Maybe the tours in Upper are shorter, but walking back through the canyon takes a while??

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      11/29/2017 at 11:48 pm

      There’s driving time involved to upper as well and maybe that’s included. I just felt like I got more time enjoying the canyon in lower.

      Reply
  8. Crazy Dave says

    12/11/2017 at 11:48 am

    Do them both! We booked the upper, and walked on the lower. Upper is easy walking, lower is not. If you are obese or unsteady, I would think twice about doing lower. Unless you are a real psycho, claustrophobia is not a factor. We were in awe of the upper, but decided we liked the lower a little more. We went in December, so crowds were less, but we had to dress a little warmer.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      12/11/2017 at 1:06 pm

      The claustrophobia was a bit of an issue for me…would love to think I’m not a real psycho but hey maybe the shoe fits.

      Reply
  9. jonathan c says

    03/26/2018 at 2:13 pm

    hello, thanks for this helpful article

    how far is the drive from lower to upper antelope canyon?

    upper tour says to arrive 45 mins ahead of your reservation

    if we plan to do the lower tour at 945-1045ish and upper at 1230pm..do you think we will be able to arrive by 1130am for the upper tour?

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      03/26/2018 at 7:12 pm

      Hi Jonathan, they’re practically across the street from each other and 45 minutes sounds pretty excessive tbh. I think they just say that because they know that people tend to run late.

      Reply
  10. Shirley Kenney says

    04/28/2018 at 3:11 pm

    what kind of shoe is best for the lower tour? The tour people have said the park guides say hiking shoes but she said 90% of the people actually wear sneakers. I have Hush Puppy shoes which have slight tread but not as thick as some of the athletic sneakers. Will they be good enough? I also have hiking boots but of course are heavier and more bulky. Which should I wear?

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      04/29/2018 at 10:34 am

      I think it’s less about the tread and more about not letting the sand in. It’s a flat, sandy bottom with some stairs to get down to lower, so as long as it’s enough tread to not slip on the stairs and closed enough to keep the sand out you’re good.

      Reply
  11. Melody says

    05/06/2018 at 8:36 am

    Very helpful. Thanks !

    Reply
  12. Robyn says

    06/11/2018 at 12:54 pm

    We did Lower a couple years ago and were so lucky to get some light beams. Even our guides were saying they rarely see them. Also our guide helped us with camera settings and took photos for everyone in our group. That being said, while I’m glad we went I would probably not go again. Too many other beautiful slots in the area without the crowds.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      06/13/2018 at 2:16 am

      Nice! Did you do a photography tour?

      I would love to check out different slot canyons for a less crowded vibe.

      Reply
  13. Alyse Tumelson says

    07/07/2018 at 8:04 am

    Thank you for the helpful information. I really enjoyed reading and looking at your fabulous pictures! I couldn’t help but notice what a beautiful coat you had on! Do you mind sharing where you got it?

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      07/08/2018 at 9:48 am

      It’s a Roxy brand sweater 🙂

      Reply
  14. Mel Coekr says

    07/31/2018 at 7:29 am

    Thanks for your report and pictures. I’m putting together a plan for an epic 12 day, 11 night Utah road trip for May 2019.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      08/06/2018 at 1:09 am

      Awesome! Let me know how it goes for you 🙂

      Reply
  15. Annemiek van nieuwkerk says

    07/31/2018 at 8:39 am

    anyone, coming from europe we would like to visit antilope canyon on august 10th, 3 adults, lower or upper, looks impossible to find tickets, who can help me here? any hints?

    Reply
  16. Aditya Saha says

    09/12/2018 at 1:09 pm

    You mentioned about horse bend near by. Can you share the location? Are you talking about this one? https://goo.gl/maps/7rJcmY6Hso92 ? If yes, then, it’s far from Antelope.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      09/17/2018 at 3:41 pm

      Yes both horseshoe bend and antelope canyon are in Page and it’s only 10 or so minutes away by car.

      Reply
  17. David says

    09/25/2018 at 10:54 pm

    The price is not 26$ at all. It starts at 40$-50$. So basically both canyons are same expensive.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      09/26/2018 at 2:18 pm

      Looks like they raised their prices. Thanks for letting me know!

      Reply
  18. Catherine Hamlet says

    11/12/2018 at 12:56 am

    We are planning a trip in May 2019. We are not “crowd” people. what other slot canyons are around that are just as beautiful and less crowded? Thanks, Catherine

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      11/12/2018 at 1:57 am

      Check out Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. For a lot of those you’ll need a 4×4, though.

      Reply
  19. Sashia says

    11/18/2018 at 8:46 am

    hi do you have any recommended tour for the upper antelope canyon? I’m going to go there on this Dec. thank you 🙂

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      11/18/2018 at 12:36 pm

      Yep, the one I mentioned in the post!

      Reply
  20. Anne says

    12/12/2018 at 11:13 am

    How many stairs are there in the Lower Antelope Canyon to climb? Is the path in the canyon easy or rough to walk on? Would this be okay for adults that are out of shape?

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      12/12/2018 at 11:32 am

      I think you’re fine as long as you’re free from anything that severely limits your mobility.

      Reply
  21. Katherine says

    01/17/2019 at 6:10 pm

    Can I just hike / visit ourselves at Lowee Antelope without tour? Going next month, what is the best time of the day to visit?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      01/17/2019 at 7:46 pm

      Nope, it’s required that you take the tours. Midday to get the light beams.

      Reply
  22. Julie Low says

    03/06/2019 at 6:39 am

    Hi there-

    My family is planning a trip to Antelope Canyon next month and I read your blog review of both Upper and Lower. Wondering if you could weigh in on another question. I watched a walk through of lower and while I don’t normally feel uncomfortable in small spaces, I did feel slightly aware of just how small the walkways can be. Would you say that one had slightly more room vs the other? Lower seems like more of an adventure with the stairs and all but I’m wondering if Upper might feel slightly wider…..I think in your post you mention feeling that Lower was wider and less crowded (which might be nice is you are feeling claustrophobic)

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      03/13/2019 at 12:02 pm

      Lower is actually wider!

      Reply
  23. Michele says

    03/15/2019 at 2:47 pm

    I’m planning a surprise trip and want to include Antelope Canyon. I can’t ask my husband without spoiling the whole trip but am worried about the clausterphobia factor. He can’t go in an elevator but he is always ok if he feels like he knows there is a way out (ie he can walk through a tunnel because he knows can just turn around and walk out of needed). Which do you think would be better factoring in space and crowds? We would be going in May and I see times available at 10:15 for upper and 10:30 for lower. Thoughts? (he will know 72 hours prior so I can always cancel with refund if he vetos it!)

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      03/16/2019 at 8:09 am

      I found lower to be less claustrophobic. I think both could be bad for anyone who has serious issues with enclosed spaces. It’s my only phobia but I force myself to still go caving and hike through slot canyons because I want to confront it. If he’s like me then elevators feel problematic because there’s no opening or fresh air, and at least the top of the canyon is open.

      Reply
  24. Lee says

    05/07/2019 at 8:15 am

    Thanks for the valuable information. I’m planning to visit the area soon and was very curious about the difference between upper and lower. Your article not only provided the answer but many other valuable pieces of information. That is much appreciated. I’m concerned about being able to get my shots with the crowds but thanks to you, I’m mentally prepared for it going in.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      05/07/2019 at 9:18 am

      Have fun!

      Reply
  25. Richard Diilio says

    05/22/2019 at 3:46 pm

    I have done both and much preferred Lower Antelope Canyon. I did get some light beams doing the lower. The guide helped us in getting some of the unique “formations” for pictures, including the correct camera settings for my digital SLR camera. The tour had a much more personal feel and the one way direction gave more opportunity to get pics without people in view (this was not a photographic tour, per se). I’m thinking of another visit next week to the lower canyon.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      05/23/2019 at 4:01 am

      That’s wonderful! Yes it was a bit hard for me that there was two way traffic in upper

      Reply
  26. Melissa Beeman says

    06/22/2019 at 10:43 pm

    Just wanted to thank you for a great read! I am headed to Antelope Canyon tomorrow and this answered every question I had! Cheers!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      06/23/2019 at 9:45 am

      Great! Enjoy!

      Reply
  27. Cheryl D says

    11/15/2019 at 7:05 am

    Thank you so much for this information! I appreciate your honest opinions and also for providing the names and links for the tour operators. I have fallen down this research rabbit hole a few times and always end up confused and lost. Your article will be a huge help for planning a trip in March.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      11/15/2019 at 9:06 am

      Oh good i’m so glad it was helpful!

      Reply

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