Antelope Canyon
The sights of Antelope Canyon were some of the most breathtaking views I have ever seen. As you move through the canyon, you see different layers, shapes, curves, colors, and it is truly astonishing.
Antelope Canyon is a sandstone slot canyon, and it happens to be one of the most photographed slot canyons in the world. That being said, it is also where the most expensive photo ever sold was taken.
Located in Page, Arizona, Antelope Canyon lies on Navajo land, and you can’t just hike to it. So in order to get to it, you must sign up for a guided tour through an authorized tour company. (I really recommend these guys, our tour guide was really helpful, knowledgable, and just overall great.)
Departing to the canyon takes place from the tour guide office, about 20 minutes from the canyon. From there, we (my sister, her boyfriend, and his sister, along with other tourists) hopped on the back of a truck, and our tour guide drove us over to the opening of the Upper Antelope Canyon. Each truck fits up to 12 people.
The ride to the canyon was all but smooth. We drove on the street for about seven minutes or so, but next thing we know, we were driving on sand.
Our tour guide gave us a heads up about the bumpy ride, and even I thought, “shouldn’t be too bad,” but boy was I wrong. He told us it would get very dusty and bumpy due to the fact that we would be driving on the dry riverbed that leads through the canyon.
Upon arriving at the opening of the upper canyon, also known as ‘The Crack,’ our tour guide gave us some tips on how to get the best pictures depending on what camera and/or phone we had.
There are other tour groups that go through the canyon, so each group did have to keep a consistent pace and distance from the groups behind and before them.
When we entered the canyon, it was very dark and pretty narrow. The only light inside was the light coming in from the cracks at the top of the canyon, near the opening at the entrance of the canyon, and then the opening at the end of the canyon. The length of the canyon is about the same as a football field. The depth of the canyon is about 120 feet.
Even though it was pretty dark, the darkness mixed with the limited light and the water carvings in the canyon, made the entire experience that much more beautiful.
Our tour guide informed us that the color of the canyon actually changes every 15 minutes or so. He also told us that the ground level can either be higher or lower, depending on the amount of water from the flash floods or rain when they flow through the canyon. The water that flows through the canyon is what causes the smooth shapes and layers of the rocks.
The sights of Antelope Canyon left me speechless.
As I walked through the canyon, I kept thinking to myself, “This isn’t real.”
Everything about the canyon just appeared to me like it was one of the default screensavers on my laptop… One of the default pictures is actually Antelope Canyon, so it makes sense as to why I thought that.
It’s just crazy because I never would’ve thought I would actually be going to one of those places anytime soon.
We see a bunch of these places in pictures and screensavers, but pictures don’t compare to the real thing.
I’m all for pictures, and I thank our tour guide for showing us the best angles and photogenic spots of the canyon, but it’s something else when you see and experience it in person.
I tried my best at capturing some of my favorite sights of the canyon, and you can see them below.
I like how some of these came out, but at the same time, I can’t do the canyon any justice. But I do look back at the pictures I have on my camera and phone, and it still takes my breath away. I look down, and the pictures don’t even seem real.
Everything about the Upper Antelope Canyon was stunning. I’m still amazed at the fact that nobody will ever see and experience the same views of the canyon as someone who visits/visited it another time.
The fact that the ground level changes, the color of the rocks change every 15 minutes, and there are constantly different floods of water that flow through and change the shape of the canyon, blows my mind.
During the summer, it’s rare, but sometimes tourists can see light beams shine to the ground from the top for a short amount of time, and I hope to see that one day. I’ve seen pictures, and it looks angelic and unreal. I also hope to visit the Lower Antelope Canyon someday.
It’s just so crazy to me that no one will see exactly what I saw, and I won’t see exactly what other people saw/will see. But again, below are some of the views that I got to capture when I went.
I highly recommend that people visit Antelope Canyon. It really is an amazing place to experience.
Disclaimer: I’ve heard that during the peak season, (March — October) for there are more tours, and therefore more people. I’ve heard that it can get pretty crowded in there. I went during the off-season, (November — February) and there were still a good amount of tourists. Depending on the time you go may affect your overall experience. However, I personally don’t think that it will ruin the experience for you because in my opinion, what you will see is worth it.
I also just want to take this time to thank my sister, her boyfriend, and his sister for making this trip one that I will never forget. Thanks for everything guys.
Also, there is a ton of history connected to Antelope Canyon, and it’s pretty interesting, so check out some facts at this link.
