Fodor's Travel Talk Forums

Fodor's Travel Talk Forums (https://www.fodors.com/community/)
-   United States (https://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/)
-   -   Antelope Canyon & Monument Valley Tours (https://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/antelope-canyon-and-monument-valley-tours-870827/)

Jacqui_H Dec 26th, 2010 01:08 PM

Antelope Canyon & Monument Valley Tours
 
I am planning a trip to the Southwest in late April - early May next year,and will have one night in Page, and one night at The View.

I would like to do a tour at Antelope Canyon and Monument Valley while I am there. I will be travelling solo, and wonder if I am better to book a tour in advance, or can I just turn up and wait for the next tour? How busy will it be at this time of the year?

If I am better to book in advance do you have any tour companies that you can recommend?

Thanks!

kathybay Dec 26th, 2010 01:26 PM

Book before you go! Antelope Canyon tour is the most popular, but for a real adventure, do the Hummer Tour! Well worth the money to have a semiprivate tour. Page ina day is a crime, stay longer if you can. We did four days and felt we were rushed. There is more to do than the "typical".

emalloy Dec 27th, 2010 05:07 AM

In April/May you should be able to just drive to the Antelope Canyon parking lot and get a tour. You have to go with them in any case, so pre booking just gets you the few miles from Page to the parking lot. There is an upper and a lower. The upper is the only one that I've done and is beautiful. The key is to have a sunny day. We went in the mid afternoon and it was great.

We did a tour of MV with a guide also and I think the quality of the tour depends on the particular guide you get. Ours was only fair and I think we would have had as good a tour (and at a better pace) if we had just done the drive on our own. You would need a fairly sturdy car as the road had not been graded recently when we took the tour.

I have some pictures of these at www.flickr.com/photos/emalloy2009/sets if you are interested. In the 2008 set I think.

Have a fantastic trip.

Myer Dec 27th, 2010 06:53 AM

I went the end of May and had no trouble. I didn't even drivbe into Page.

First I went down 89, stopped at the Horseshoe Bend parking lot and walked a hot, 3/4 mile to a spectacular view.

The I drove back up to 98 and went east to the parking lot. Paid $6 for parking and the fee for the tour. waited about 10 minutes for the next guide/driver and spent a great hour walking thru the little canyon. The guide knew good spots for photographing.

No need to book a "real" tour or in advance.

You can see photos at:
www.travelwalks.com

Select the trip to Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon and Sedona. They're in there.

Jacqui_H Dec 27th, 2010 03:42 PM

Thanks for your replies, and the links to the great photos.

I think I will just go to Antelope Canyon and wait for a tour. I was worried that I would have to wait for a while for a tour to leave.

I guess for Monument Valley I should be able to join a tour from the visitors center.

tomboy Dec 27th, 2010 05:00 PM

We went in Sept.
Didn't pre-book, booked the morning of the tour at a strip mall near motel.
Got out there (parking lot), and there were bazillion Indians standing around, each trying to hustle tour-ists on their own. Apparently the "sanctioned" guides get the prime booking spots in town, and the unsanctioned ones on on their own at the parking lot.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 02:50 PM.