Upper Antelope is the one you have seen in photographs.
It is A-shaped, wide at the floor and narrowing to slots overhead. Around the middle of the day, between roughly mid-March and mid-October, the sun climbs high enough to send shafts of light straight down through those openings and onto the sand. That is the whole reason this tour runs at the hour it does.
The walk itself is a quarter of a mile, one way, above ground and flat. There are no ladders.
Not sure which canyon is yours? We wrote the honest comparison: Upper vs Lower Antelope Canyon.
Upper Antelope Canyon light beams, and how the day runs
11:15 am
Pickup in Page, or meet us at the Shell station.
At the canyon
Check-in, then into open-air 4×4 trucks for a ten minute ride across two miles of unpaved desert road.
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Inside the canyon, on a one-way quarter-mile walk, at peak light.
Around 1:15 pm
Out over the top on the covered walkway, then down to the trucks.
Around 1:45 pm
A stop at Big Lake Trading Post for snacks and restrooms, then drop-off.
Your Navajo guide
Your Shun’Diin guide checks you in and walks you to the entrance, then hands you to a licensed Navajo guide who leads you through the canyon. We take you back at the other end.
Before you book: Arizona time and what you can bring
Every tour runs on Arizona time, which does not change for daylight saving. Utah and the Navajo Nation around Page do change, so between March and November your phone can jump an hour ahead on its own. Set it to Phoenix for the day.
No bags of any kind are allowed inside: no backpacks, hydration packs, purses or camera bags. Leave them on the van, which stays locked on site. A camera or phone you can carry or wear is fine.
Good to know
- Duration
- About 2.5 hours, pickup to drop-off.
- Typical departures
- One departure daily, 11:15 am, timed for the midday light. Live times are in the booking calendar.
- Pickup
- Free pickup anywhere inside Page city limits: your hotel, Airbnb or campground. Staying outside Page, or checking out early? Meet us at the Shell station, also known as Big Lake Trading Post.
- Difficulty
- Above ground and flat, on sand. No ladders. Getting in is a ten minute ride in an open-air 4×4 truck. Getting out is a shaded covered walkway: a steady 45 degree climb, then a staircase down to the trucks.
- Ages
- Adults 8 and up, children 4 to 7, infants 0 to 3.
- Group size
- Up to 14 guests
- Best light
- Midday, mid-March to mid-October, when the sun is high enough to send shafts of light all the way to the canyon floor.
- What's included
- Navajo Nation permit and all fees
- Entrance to Upper Antelope Canyon
- A licensed Navajo guide inside the canyon
- The 4×4 ride to the canyon entrance
- Round-trip transport in a Mercedes Sprinter, with hotel or Airbnb drop-off
- Bottled water and a light snack
- What to bring
- Photo ID for check-in
- Closed-toe shoes. Flip-flops and heels are not allowed
- A camera or phone you can wear or carry, since bags stay on the van
- Hat, sunglasses and sunscreen for the open-air truck ride
- Cash if you would like to tip your guides
- Accessibility
- Not wheelchair accessible, but easier going than Lower Antelope: no ladders, and a flat sandy floor. Only portable restrooms at the canyon check-in sites.
Questions guests ask
What time can you see the light beams in Upper Antelope Canyon?
Around midday, and only from about mid-March to mid-October, when the sun is high enough to send light all the way to the canyon floor. This tour is inside the canyon from 12:00 to 1:00 pm.
Are there ladders in Upper Antelope Canyon?
No. Upper Antelope is above ground with a flat sandy floor. The way out is a shaded covered walkway: a steady 45 degree climb, then a staircase back down to the trucks.
Is Upper Antelope Canyon easier than Lower Antelope Canyon?
Yes. No ladders and a flat quarter-mile walk. Lower Antelope has 82 steps down and eight ladders coming out.
Can I use a tripod in Upper Antelope Canyon?
No. No tripods, monopods or selfie sticks, and no GoPros or camcorders. Filming inside the canyon is not permitted.
How do you get into Upper Antelope Canyon?
An open-air 4×4 truck carries you about two miles across unpaved desert road from the check-in area, roughly a ten minute ride.
Can I visit Upper Antelope Canyon on my own?
No. Every visit is on a guided tour with a licensed Navajo guide. It is Navajo Nation land and the permit is part of your booking.
How long is the Upper Antelope Canyon tour?
About 2.5 hours from pickup to drop-off, with an hour inside the canyon. Pickup is 11:15 am.
What time zone do the tours use?
Arizona time, all year. Arizona does not change for daylight saving, but Utah and the Navajo Nation around Page do, so between March and November your phone can jump an hour ahead on its own. Set it to Phoenix for the day.
