I would appreciate any info on others' experience with tours at Monument Valley. I am traveling with one other person and it would be OK to join a group of no more than 8. I have read good reviews of Simpson’s, but one traveler reported that their reserved Simpson's guide was a no show. I would appreciate any info on other’s experience with guides there.

We will be staying at Gouldings for one night only. I understand you can book a trip at the visitor center when you arrive. Is it safe to wait until then and are those tours as good as the Gouldings, Simpson’s, Sacred Mountain or other tour companies that you can reserve ahead of time? We are going just before Memorial day, if wait could all the tours be booked? Do the prices between companies vary?

What are the best sites to see? I have read that the sunset from the lodge is fantastic so I am wondering if you see and learn more on a trip during the day than a sunset or sunrise tour.

We've taken Simpson's tours twice and love them. I wouldn't hesitate to use them again. We toured both times with the owner's brother Richard. He sang in Navajo one time and played a Navajo flute the other time. He knew all the good places for special pictures and acted as our own personal photographer. With Simpson's it will be just the two of you and a tour guide in a jeep. Gouldings loads a group into a truck. To me, there is no comparison.

I believe it is sunrise rather than sunset that is best viewed from Gouldings lodge. I would take the sunset tour and then get up early to see sunrise from the lodge.

My husband and I stayed at Gouldings lodge and took their tour. DH went in the morning and I went in the afternoon (our toddler stayed behind in the room so we split up). We had a Navajo guide who was very friendly. I thought we saw some very impressive sights. The tourist stop with the Indian horse was very touristy but remains one of my favorite photos of the trip. We both enjoyed stopping at the hut with the Navajo elder weaving. We both thought the whole tour was terrific. Having gone separately we each had different stories to tell when we shared experiences over dinner.
I can't speak to the more personalized tour (which sounds lovely), but you will probably have a wonderful experience either way.

Can anyone give me a review of a tour that they booked at the visitor's center?

I talked with Gouldings, Simpsons, and Sacred Monument tour representatives at the Visitors Center and booked with Sacred Monument on a hike, horseback, and jeep overnight tour over three days. This was a very memorable experience for my family of 4 who wanted to see what the Navajo people are like. Our guides were extremely courteous and knowledgeable. This company developed a custom tour for us which made this trip a must when coming to Monument Valley. I have heard of no shows and I understand it is common but Sacred Monument did not disappoint us. They have reviews in Frommers and other travel guides that is very immpressive. I would recommend highly.

Keyah ozoni tour is a good company.
They have a website :
www.monumentvalley.com
where the different options are explained.
The whole day tour with lunch is a very nice option, but the best is the Hunt's mesa tour if you are able to hike.
Tom and his guides know a lot about navajo culture, medecine remed, how to use the flora,(to make basket, ropes,..)...
Erik

I can't give any opinions about the tour, but I can strongly urge you to make sure you get up before dawn and go out on the balcony of your room at Goulding's Lodge and watch the sun rise over the monuments. It's a thrilling sight that you'll long remember.

I've been to MV many times photographing, often with a private Navajo guide. Some of the guides are quiet and seem stand-offish to tourists (culturally they are more quiet than most tourists, this is seen a virtue), others are comedians and entertainers who keep you laughing while they educate you about life on the Rez.

I can recommend Vergil Bedoni, who owns Totem Pole Tours, and Daniel Chee, who used to work for Vergil but now own Daniel's Tours, and Fred Cly of Fred's Adventure Tours. All are Navajos who spent their entire lives in the valley. One of the main buttes is named for Fred's grandfather and he has worked as a movie stuntman and appeared in TV commercials shot at MV, and Vergil has worked with film crews from several countries.

The basic tour from Gouldings will be similar to a basic tour from one of these three guys, and probably a good bargain. As I said, a lot depends on the personality of your guide. Most of the Goulding trips have full jeeps but you can get a more private experience by paying more.

Here is contact info:
http://www.moab-utah.com/totempole/index.html for the Bedoni family
http://www.navajonationparks.org/htm/monumentvalley.htm (list of guides at the bottom with contact info for Fred and Daniel)

Bill