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The waving walls of Antelope Canyon

My husband and I, sandwiched between a middle-aged Russian couple and a trio of Japanese exchange students, fidget in our seats and exchange glances as an argument rages next to us. An overzealous traveler in our group has jumped the gun and dropped the metal ladder from our truck with a resounding clang. The tour guide is not happy, and she isnÂ’t shy about voicing her opinion. Antelope-Canyon-width “I told you to wait!” “IÂ’m sorry.” “Well then wait!” “I already said I was sorry, what else can I do?” “Next time someone says to wait, then wait!” “I said I was sorry!” I canÂ’t blame the traveler for taking initiative. We have just arrived at the mouth of Upper Antelope Canyon, the destination that we woke up at dawn to see, and a destination on many travelersÂ’ must-visit lists in the American Southwest, including mine. Antelope Canyon looking up Tourists, tourists everywhere! Antelope Canyon is one of the most popular slot canyons in the American southwest. Located just outside Page, Arizona, the slots are narrow and tall, a winding, zig-zagging path carved over millions of years from erosion and flooding. Visitors can see the way swirling water and wind have etched themselves into the canyon walls. There are two slots: the upper canyon sits at ground level with walls meandering up from the sand. The lower canyon requires hiking down steep stairs and is slightly less busy. Both make for excellent photographic opportunities and a psychedelic experience as travellers walk between the dusty Navajo sandstone formations. Increased vandalism from tourism activity led to restrictions in 1997. Now everyone visiting the area is a visitor accompanied by a licensed Navajo guide.The only way in is via a part-highway, part-offroad route, complete with whipping wind and flying grit. ItÂ’s a beautiful and exhilarating ride. Tours are limited to approximately 45-minutes at the canyon with an extra 20 minutes of land travel. Special tours for photographers grant a maximum of two hours inside. Our tour cost $35USD, but some reports online say they can cost up to $80USD. Antelope Canyon wall detail Inside the waving walls Cheryl, our tour guide, eventually cools down about the ladder mishap and gathers us together, explaining some rules before entering Upper Antelope Canyon. Stay together. DonÂ’t carve “Smith wuz here” on the walls. Avoid flash photography if you want decent photos. At 8:30am, the day is shaping up to be bright and sunny. Typical for late April. ItÂ’s a different story at the height of the summer months, Cheryl warns, as she points to a branch lodged in between the walls about 3 metres off the ground. The branch got stuck when water flooded the canyon and brought it well above human height, an occasional occurrence during monsoon season. When the canyons flood, tours pause until the water recedes, sometimes within 24 hours, sometimes taking weeks. Within ten steps inside, IÂ’m taking photos, swivelling left and right, moving sideways and backwards. ThereÂ’s so much to take in! Cheryl, used to bobbleheaded tourists, ushers the group along, pointing out rock formations and silhouettes aptly named “the bear,” “Abraham Lincoln,” “the heart,” and “the candlestick”. I hear hushed whispers of oohing and aahing, and itÂ’s really a remarkable sight. Cheryl positions us at the “prime” photography spots, angling cameras in our hands for us to get the shot before motioning the next visitor forward. Those hoping to score serene shots of an empty canyon wonÂ’t have any luck on this tour as weÂ’re whipped from one spot to the next. Antelope Canyon bear Around us, I can tell that other tour guides arenÂ’t as no-nonsense as Cheryl. Some come with laser pointers and flashlights to help outline specific shapes. Regardless of their methods, the tour guides are almost unnecessary as a visual wonderland unfurls before me. As we get deeper in, my sleeves unroll. The air becomes still and cool. It gets too dim for my dinky cell phone camera to get good photos. It doesnÂ’t matter because IÂ’m too busy looking around in wonder and avoiding jutting rocks. The only light source comes from above, lending a purple-orange glow to the walls. ItÂ’s a sight that photos canÂ’t do justice. We are told that the early morning hours are best for lighting and crowds. ItÂ’s hard to imagine the number of peak time visitors as we make our way back through the ⅛ mile canyon, hugging the walls to avoid oncoming groups. As we emerge from the entrance/exit, the day has warmed up considerably, and I have to squint in the light. I peel down to my T-shirt, slip my sunglasses on and enjoy the ride back to Page, savouring the refreshing wind in my hair and fresh memories of one of the coolest places IÂ’ve seen. Cheryl the tour guide might see Antelope Canyon so frequently that its magic is commonplace. But I didnÂ’t come for the guide anyway.

Joanne Yeung

Joanne is the team lead of digital media at William Osler Health System. When she’s not strategizing or creating content, she daydreams about awesome place to visit in the world. She has reached her goal of visiting every continent (minus Antarctica, the expensive one) and is now hunting for her next adventure. When her feet are firmly planted in Canada, she focuses on balancing healthy eating with social eating, fitness, and jamming with her band. Find her @jojiggly on Twitter and Instagram.

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11 Comments

  1. Otherworldly and surreal are the only words I can use to describe these photos Joanne. Quite a capture with your ‘dinky’ camera! I had never heard of this part of the US until last year, and have wanted to visit ever since. I’m happy to see they’ve made strides to make the area sustainable with the restrictions imposed, and I would be thrilled to become one of Antelope Canyon’s bobbleheaded tourists!

  2. Stunning it is one of the destinations i would love to visit some day, the colors are so amazing to see in pictures. It must be wonderful to see in person.

  3. This seems very magical indeed. What a shame that some people ruin it for others, so that now it has to be so restricted, instead of being free like nature intended. Super photos.

  4. These images are absolutely stunning! I always find it crazy whenever you are taken on tours that there are certain individuals that spoil it for the rest of the group. Why not just follow the guidelines and the majority of the time you will be given ample opportunities to take pictures and realy experience the attraction. I guess not everyone thinks like ‘normal’ folks!

  5. I loved the information you shared here! This is a place I long to see and didn’t know how crowded it can become and how structured the tours are. I have some planning to do and know I’ll be going as early in the morning as possible.

  6. This was one of the best vacations I have had. If you like Antelope Canyon another one I love is Rattlesnake Canyon. It’s not as crowded and equally beautiful. You do have to climb up and down a ladder to get it.

  7. I really wanted to go to Antelope Canyon and passed very close years ago but just didn’t have the time. Every time I see a photo in the intervening years I regret not making the time to see it.

  8. I have been twice in Antilope canyon. This is stunning. Make sure, when you go, that you will be there at noon when the sun is just above the canyon. It´s magic

  9. Loved reading of your experience at Antelope! I am planning a trip there in June so currently researching online. Would you mind telling me what hotel you stayed at in the area? The options aren’t great. We were thinking of spending 3 days in Page but perhaps this is too much? Any recommendation would be really appreciated! Thank you.

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