Canyon de Chelly 4x4 Tours
Mar 20th, 2011, 06:23 PM
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Canyon de Chelly 4x4 Tours
I am seeking opinions about which 4x4 tour to take. I find two.
Antelope House Tours offers a 3-hour, 24-mile tour for $71.50.
The Thunderbird Lodge offers a half-day tour for $51.50 and a full day (9 to 5), 60-mile tour for $82.95, plus tax.
I am tempted by the full-day tour. Any experience with these operators?
HTTY
Antelope House Tours offers a 3-hour, 24-mile tour for $71.50.
The Thunderbird Lodge offers a half-day tour for $51.50 and a full day (9 to 5), 60-mile tour for $82.95, plus tax.
I am tempted by the full-day tour. Any experience with these operators?
HTTY
Mar 20th, 2011, 06:46 PM
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Most people seem to really like the Antelope House Tours but I was a bit disappointed. He spent a lot of time disparaging his competition and name dropping famous clients. Maybe he was having a bad day.
OTOH, one very nice thing about the Antelope House Tour is that they are limited to just a few people. There were only four of us on the tour - making a much nicer experience when visiting the canyon. I thought Thunderbird Lodge only offered those big "shake and bake" rides, which I've heard are uncomfortable and there's quite a few people on their tours.
If I could do one thing differently, I would have gone on a longer tour. Three hours was nice, but it left me wishing for more. I wish I could have gone out to Spider Rock. If you go with Antelope House, I'd recommend asking if it's possible to go on a longer tour.
If you have time, I also recommend taking the White House hike. I enjoyed that even more than the tour.
OTOH, one very nice thing about the Antelope House Tour is that they are limited to just a few people. There were only four of us on the tour - making a much nicer experience when visiting the canyon. I thought Thunderbird Lodge only offered those big "shake and bake" rides, which I've heard are uncomfortable and there's quite a few people on their tours.
If I could do one thing differently, I would have gone on a longer tour. Three hours was nice, but it left me wishing for more. I wish I could have gone out to Spider Rock. If you go with Antelope House, I'd recommend asking if it's possible to go on a longer tour.
If you have time, I also recommend taking the White House hike. I enjoyed that even more than the tour.
Mar 20th, 2011, 07:19 PM
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Thanks, Shanti.
If you have time, I also recommend taking the White House hike. I enjoyed that even more than the tour.
Interesting to read. It was this hike we took on our first short visit to the canyon that inspired me to book two nights there in April.
We seldom take tours because too often we find ourselves annoyed by guides' inept comments or lame jokes. Unfortunately a tour seems the only way to get the most out of our visit.
Last year an Indian guide took us from Neah Bay to Cape Flattery--the most NW point in the USA. He was enthusiastic about his Makah tribe, singing traditional songs, banging a drum, and spinning tales. It was fun.
HTTY
If you have time, I also recommend taking the White House hike. I enjoyed that even more than the tour.
Interesting to read. It was this hike we took on our first short visit to the canyon that inspired me to book two nights there in April.
We seldom take tours because too often we find ourselves annoyed by guides' inept comments or lame jokes. Unfortunately a tour seems the only way to get the most out of our visit.
Last year an Indian guide took us from Neah Bay to Cape Flattery--the most NW point in the USA. He was enthusiastic about his Makah tribe, singing traditional songs, banging a drum, and spinning tales. It was fun.
HTTY
Mar 21st, 2011, 05:14 AM
#4
I just topped a trip report. The CdeC part is in orange text. Here's a later reference to the tour guide info -
Here's the link to the tour company the girl at the BW set up for us -
http://www.tseyijeeptour.com/Index.html
The 3 hour tour is $125 for 1-3 pp. It was very much worth the difference to us to go on a private tour (just the two of us) in an enclosed Jeep
Wagoneer. We could set the time we wanted to be picked up. Just liked everything about it.
Here's the link to the tour company the girl at the BW set up for us -
http://www.tseyijeeptour.com/Index.html
The 3 hour tour is $125 for 1-3 pp. It was very much worth the difference to us to go on a private tour (just the two of us) in an enclosed Jeep
Wagoneer. We could set the time we wanted to be picked up. Just liked everything about it.
Mar 21st, 2011, 07:47 AM
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Thanks, starrs.
I followed through on this and talked with Bobby Vanwinkle this morning. He was friendly and easygoing. The rate has gone up a bit ($140 for three hours), but it is competitive with other tours.
Do you have a trip report for the South Rim?
I believe it was you who turned us on to Many Glaciers--a highlight of a trip we took last year.
HTTY
I followed through on this and talked with Bobby Vanwinkle this morning. He was friendly and easygoing. The rate has gone up a bit ($140 for three hours), but it is competitive with other tours.
Do you have a trip report for the South Rim?
I believe it was you who turned us on to Many Glaciers--a highlight of a trip we took last year.
HTTY
Mar 21st, 2011, 08:08 AM
#6
Yes, I'm the one that was promoting your going to Many Glaciers even if the Going to the Sun road had not opened by your trip. 
I've been to the South Rim several times but no trip reports on the South Rim. It's an amazing experience. The first time I was there was a LONG time ago and we had no idea that we would need reservations in March/April (spring break). As were were driving in, cars were pouring out because of snow. We hung around the lobby waiting for the room releases at 4pm and were able to snag a room on the rim. I took 3 rolls of 36 exposure film. 1) the GC while it was snowing. 2) the GC in light snow 3) the GC in full sunlight with snow dusting the levels like powdered sugar on a cake. 100+ pictures that pretty much all looked alike, but it was so exciting. I've done the one day mule ride and that was an amazing experience. The South Rim offers amazing views. The views aren't as panaromic at the North Rim but I still like the feel of it more. It's what I imagined a national park to be like when I was a kid.
Seriously consider taking a tour like Bobby's vs a "shake and bake" tour with lots of other people. Our guide was a daughter/granddaughter who was heading back east shortly - but she may be back. She had been in the military based in NC and she shared how she hated being away from the open sky. She hated the forest of the east coast - she felt crowded by all of the trees. She was a delightful guide.
I've been to the South Rim several times but no trip reports on the South Rim. It's an amazing experience. The first time I was there was a LONG time ago and we had no idea that we would need reservations in March/April (spring break). As were were driving in, cars were pouring out because of snow. We hung around the lobby waiting for the room releases at 4pm and were able to snag a room on the rim. I took 3 rolls of 36 exposure film. 1) the GC while it was snowing. 2) the GC in light snow 3) the GC in full sunlight with snow dusting the levels like powdered sugar on a cake. 100+ pictures that pretty much all looked alike, but it was so exciting. I've done the one day mule ride and that was an amazing experience. The South Rim offers amazing views. The views aren't as panaromic at the North Rim but I still like the feel of it more. It's what I imagined a national park to be like when I was a kid.
Seriously consider taking a tour like Bobby's vs a "shake and bake" tour with lots of other people. Our guide was a daughter/granddaughter who was heading back east shortly - but she may be back. She had been in the military based in NC and she shared how she hated being away from the open sky. She hated the forest of the east coast - she felt crowded by all of the trees. She was a delightful guide.
Apr 29th, 2011, 07:21 AM
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Thanks for the advice. We booked a jeep tour at the Holiday Inn and ended up with Oscar Bia--a great guy who has his own little business: Canyon Ancient Jeep Tours, [email protected].
The three-hour tour is just right, and I highly recommend making the effort to take in the three less-often visited lookouts on the north rim.
HTTY
The three-hour tour is just right, and I highly recommend making the effort to take in the three less-often visited lookouts on the north rim.
HTTY
