The Antelope Canyons have fast risen to Top 5 status among the Page, Arizona area’s “must do” activities. You are required to tour them with a Navajo Tribe-authorized guide service, and advance reservations are an absolute must! Why You Should Book In Advance…
So where does one start? To book a tour for Antelope Canyon, you must first decide whether you want to tour Lower or Upper Antelope Canyon, or both.
Upper Antelope Canyon is an above-ground slot canyon. It’s an easy, flat 100 yard walk, following a 2-mile off-road ride from the Navajo Tribal Park Gate on US98 to the canyon’s entrance. Upper Antelope Canyon is also where you can catch those world-famous sunbeams between the spring and fall months, but only during peak time tours. If you are traveling with infants, young children, seniors, or anyone with mobility limitations, Upper Antelope Canyon would be the best choice for your slot canyon touring experience, however, only 3 of the 5 Upper Antelope Canyon tour operators allow children under 6 on their tours. Also, wheelchairs and strollers are not allowed due to the difficulty of maneuvering these devices through potentially deep sand and the newly installed network of walkways from the exit of the canyon back to the tour vehicle parking area.
Lower Antelope Canyon is a longer slot canyon (~600 yards), situated below-ground. Touring it requires descending and ascending a series of ladders, and stepping over a few boulders. Access to the canyon is directly from the Tribal Park Gate on US98. If everyone in your traveling party is in reasonably good health and can handle moderate exercise, you should be fine in Lower Antelope Canyon. Although infants and younger children are allowed on Lower Antelope Canyon tours, parents should consider carefully whether this would be an appropriate or safe activity. Although backpack and chest child carriers are allowed, low rock ledges and other hazards could detract from the enjoyment of this experience for all concerned. Consider these facts carefully before booking a tour of Lower Antelope Canyon with your baby or toddler.
For more information on touring Antelope Canyon with young children, read “Antelope Canyon FAQ: Bringing Kids.” Also check out our Full Video Walk Through of Lower Antelope Canyon
Upper Antelope Canyon in Page, Arizona, is the most famous slot canyon formation in all the world, and for good reason: Book a tour today and capture the magic. Find out why the American Southwest is considered the Canyon Capital of the World!
Book your party of up to six people and get your own Exclusive Tour vehical to yourself, a guide for your group and first access to the canyon. *Check for Limited availability after selecting Date and Time.
Maybe you are coming from Las Vegas the South Rim or Phoenix. Perhaps you are looking for things to see besides just Antelope Canyon. Here are a few of our recommendations
We know you didn’t come all this way just to see one part of such a magnificent Canyon. In the past it has been difficult to book more than one canyon run at a time due to the hassles of having to book through different vendors. Well no more! We have done all the hard work so you can Book your bundle today and enjoy the natural wonders that are the Upper & Lower Canyons as well as by boat! Find out why these canyons are some of the most photographed canyons in the world! The advantage of booking here on Antelopecanyon.az is that many times bundle deals are available when stand alone tours are not!
Benefits of a Bundle Deal…
#1 – All inclusive booking price. Don’t get caught with hidden fees!
#2 – Our service does all of the work finding any possible booking combination and times. Saving you valuable time.
#3 – Our bundle deals take into consideration how far you have to travel and how long you may have to wait to enter the Park or add time for lunches.
#4 – Many times bundle deals are available when stand alone Tours are not!
972 Responses
Hi Alley,
Thanks you so much for all the detailed travel information you share with the people who post on this forum. You are awesome.
I am planning to drive from Las vega to Page on 6th December and want to go to Arizona further on 7th Dec staying 1 day in Page.
Travelling with family (older kids). Can you please suggest a suitable iternary that would I should plan so that will help me cover all the Page beautiful spots ( horseshoe-lower/upper canyon / etc) in the off season of Dec.
I hear that winter months the views of canyon are not at its best so please suitable suitable time for the tours as well.
Thank you in advance.
Hi Kanchan,
Honestly, the manner in which you plan your itinerary will come down to availability of Antelope Canyon tours. Book a tour that fits your schedule, then plan the remainder of your activities around it. For Horseshoe Bend, just after sunrise is the best time to visit since the overlook tends to get crowded between 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM and then again at sunset. In the winter months, it’s not so much that the views aren’t great (they still are), but some activities such as the Glen Canyon Half Day Float Trip and the Rainbow Bridge Boat Tour are on seasonal hiatus. If you do a water-based activity, it’s best to keep it short for the sake of your family’s comfort due to colder weather. Antelope Canyon waterside tours from Antelope Point Marina are a good choice, which can be “bundled” with Antelope Canyon slot canyon tours.
Hope that helps. Good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂
Hi Alley,
Can I run this itinerary by you!
May 17 – Scottsdale
May 18 – Prescott
May 19 – Grand Canyon
May 20 – Page (Horseshoe Bend & Antelope Canyon)
May 21 – Zion National Park
May 22 – Lake Powell
May 23 – Sedona
May 24 – Leave from Phoenix Airport
Does that seem doable?
Hey Jessica,
It’s doable, but it’s rushed, plus it has you packing up and driving every single day when you don’t necessarily have to do so. For example, Prescott, AZ, is close enough to Sedona (~1 hour and change away) that you could stay in Sedona for 2 nights and maybe visit Prescott as a day trip.
Other attractions that you have divided into different days unnecessarily are Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, and Lake Powell. For those areas, stay 2 nights in Page, AZ, and save yourself the hassle of picking up and moving again, not to mention all that backtracking.
Another consideration is whether you prefer to get the longer drive out of the way first or save it for last? Most visitors prefer the former option, in which case, you might start off by beelining it up to Kanab, UT, which is ~a 6 hour drive, overnighting in Kanab, UT, spending the next morning sightseeing in Zion, then heading to Page, AZ, that afternoon to catch a tour of Antelope Canyon. The following morning, hit Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise, then maybe do a boat tour on Lake Powell. The Rainbow Bridge Boat Tour takes the better part of a day, but the scenery is amazing!
In light of those proposed changes, here’s what I’d recommend:
May 17 – Scottsdale
May 18 – Scottsdale to Kanab, UT (~6 hour drive), overnight in Kanab
May 19 – Sightseeing in Zion, then drive to Page, AZ (~2 hours via Marble Canyon – this diversion minimizes backtracking, plus it’s a beautiful drive!), tour Antelope Canyon, overnight in Page
May 20 – Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise, tour Lake Powell, 2nd night in Page
May 21 – drive to Grand Canyon South Rim (~3.5-4 hour drive factoring in stops), overnight at Grand Canyon
May 22 – drive to Sedona (~3 hour drive), maybe take Pink Jeep Broken Arrow or other backcountry tour, overnight in Sedona
May 23 – day trip to Prescott (~1 hr 15 minutes each way), 2nd night in Sedona
May 24 – drive back to Phoenix (~2 hour drive), fly home
Of course, the feasibility of changing your itinerary at this point will be contingent on availability of lodging in the areas you wish to visit, so, if you haven’t done so already, start checking on hotels right now. Antelope Canyon also requires a guided tour to visit, but 2020 seat inventory won’t be opened up until November or December of this year.
A couple of other things to keep in mind: you want to do any and all driving during daylight hours. Roads in this part of the U.S. are very dimly lit (a deliberate move to preserve the natural darkness of the night sky), and tend to attract deer, elk, and other wildlife after dusk, which elevates your risk of an accident. Not something you want to have happen in an unfamiliar area that’s pitch black, where cell service is spotty (if you can get cell service at all), and help will be a long time coming, not to mention VERY expensive! At the time of year you’re visiting, sunrise occurs at ~5:15 AM, and sunset takes place at around 7:30 PM. Another consideration when venturing into Utah, is that there is a time difference to contend with: Arizona DOESN’T observe Daylight Savings Time, but Utah DOES, so you’ll “lose” an hour traveling from Arizona to Utah, but “regain” it traveling from Utah to Arizona.
Good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂
Hi Alley,
I’d like your input for a trip I am planning with my three teenagers (14, 14 and 18) in early April. It involves a fair amount of hiking, and lots of sightseeing. This is the plan so far:
– April 4 – arrive in Las Vegas mid-morning (9am), tour Hoover Dam, then on to the the west rim of the Grand Canyon, and finally lodge in Tusayan for 2 nights
– April 5 – hike Grand Canyon (Bright Angel Trail or Kaibab Trail)
– April 6 – drive to Page, see Horseshoe Bend, maybe Marble Canyon? (I figure on a lot of scenic stops along the way), lodge in Page
– April 7 – tour/hike Antelope Canyon (Lower, and maybe Upper?). see Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Dam, drive to Moab, lodge in Moab for 2 nights
– April 8 – Whitewater rafting in Westwater Canyon (fingers crossed)
– April 9 – Hikes in Arches and Canyonlands, then drive to Capitol Reef and Grand Staircase Escalante, finally lodging in Bryce Canyon
– April 10 – Hike in Bryce Canyon, drive to Zion, lodge one night
– April 11 – Hike in Zion, drive to Las Vegas, see the sights late afternoon, night, lodge in Las Vegas
– April 12 – flight home mid-day
I realize it’s ambitious, but is it possible? I figured that doing the drive after a day of hiking would be ok, as long as we can get to our destination before dark (hopefully). What are your suggestions? I have the lodging pretty well booked at this point. Thank you for all the input you can offer!
Hi Linda, and apologies for the delay in response to your inquiry. I was working over the weekend!
Your itinerary looks pretty fun, but I’d still recommend making a couple of minor changes.
On your first travel day, for example, you propose to drive to Tusayan via Grand Canyon West. This is a lot of driving for one day’s time. It takes approximately 2.5 hours to drive from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon West. It would then take you another 4.5 hours or so to drive from GC West to Tusayan.
That’s at least 7-8 hours of driving (factoring in restroom breaks, the inevitable photo op, etc.) in one day. Another consideration at the time of year you’re traveling is daylength: in early April, it’s still relatively short. Sunrise occurs at ~6:00 AM and sunset takes place at around 7:00 PM. You’d need to time your trip so that you’re not doing any of the drive at night. Roads in this part of the U.S. tend to be very dimly lit, which is a deliberate move to preserve the natural darkness of the night skies, plus deer, elk, and other wildlife tend to be wandering about after dusk. Believe me, you don’t want to get into a collision with a large mammal in an unfamiliar area that’s pitch black, where cell phone service is spotty (or nonexistent), and help will be a long time coming, not to mention VERY expensive. In light of those concerns, I would recommend either skipping Grand Canyon West, or lodging that first night somewhere between Grand Canyon West and Tusayan, maybe Kingman, AZ, or Laughlin, NV.
On April 5, where you indicate you want to “hike Grand Canyon,” I hope you’re referring to a day hike, because attempting to hike rim to river and back in one day is strongly discouraged. Fortunately, there are many day hikes available in the Grand Canyon that will be fulfilling and fun for your family. If you opt for anything on the South Kaibab Trail, remember that the trailhead parking lot is closed to private vehicles and you will need to utilize a shuttle to get there, which is free of charge.
On April 6, plan on the drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Page taking at least 3.5-4 hours, longer if you detour to Marble Canyon. It’s a very scenic drive with lots of photo opportunities, especially between Grand Canyon Village and Desert View Point. There over half a dozen named Grand Canyon Viewpoints along this route, not including the fascinating Tusayan Ruins & Museum. Plan on stopping at either the Cameron Trading Post for breakfast/brunch, or, if you do make the detour to Marble Canyon, you might grab a bagel or muffin for breakfast at your hotel, then save your appetite for the Cliff Dweller’s Restaurant. However you decide to go, again, keep an eye on the time so you’re at your hotel well before nightfall. If by chance you arrive in Page, AZ, around sunset, you might find the parking lot at Horseshoe Bend full already. If this takes place, plan on hitting it just after sunrise the following morning.
On April 7, where you propose to tour both Lower and Upper Antelope Canyon before driving to Moab, UT, here again, you’ll need to make sure you’re on the road so that you’re settled into your hotel well before dusk. The drive from Page, AZ, to Moab, UT, will take you at least 5 hours, but don’t be surprised if you end up taking more like 7 because – surprise surprise LOL – it’s a beautiful drive that will take you through Monument Valley, and the Eastern flank of Bears Ears National Monument.
One factor working in your favor is the fact that Utah DOES observe Daylight Savings Time, where Arizona (most of it, anyway) does not. Even though you will “lose” an hour traveling from AZ to UT, sunset in Moab will occur at around 8:00 PM, which buys you a little time. Be sure to book your Antelope Canyon tours as soon as possible. Seat inventory for 2020 will open up in November or December, and the time of year you’re traveling is Spring Break, so demand for tickets will be high.
On April 9, where you indicate “hiking in Arches and Canyonlands,” chances are, you’ll only get to do one or the other. Both parks are huge, with lots of opportunities for exploration. Frankly, this area needs 4-5 days to fully explore and enjoy. I can pretty much guarantee you’ll be planning a return trip before you leave the Moab, UT, city limits! Ditto for Capitol Reef and Grand Staircase, but seeing these areas on a “drive-by” basis is better than not seeing them at all. Here again, the drive time is given as 5 hours on Google maps, but plan for it to take longer.
This leg of the trip in particular (Utah Scenic Byway 12) is absolutely stunning, and you will be stopping to take photos often! One thing to remember about Bryce is that it’s 8,000′ above sea level, so it will be cooler up there, possibly even snowing. Pack jackets, gloves, etc., and be prepared to dress in heavier layers that you can easily remove and put back on if needed.
Zion National Park is another area that deserves more of your time, but at least you’ve given it one night, which is better than nothing at all. If you’ve booked lodging inside the park, that’s pretty sweet! On your way back to Las Vegas, plan on making a detour through Valley of Fire State Park. Gorgeous area, with rock formations a lot like “The Wave,” but you don’t need a permit to get in.
Good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂
Hi Alley,
I love Grand Canyon a lot, the last 2 times when I visited it was too hurry that I had to return back to Vegas the same day visiting only Horseshoe bend and Antelop for a very quick tour. But this time I want to utilize my time the best at Grand Canyon and my wife is visiting the first time (she is very exited and want to give the best experience) and a 7 month old.
Please guide me to plan my trip the best way, Arriving Nov 22nd night at Vegas and returning on Nov 30th morning from Vegas. Can start driving to Grand Canyon on 23rd morning. Want to spend 2 days/nights at Vegas at the end of the trip. Also, please let me know where to stay, eat (if any Indian/Asian restaurants available if not as well fine). Want to use boat tours once or twice (different tours if available). If any points closed during the season for weather etc also please let me know.
Thamks in advance!
Hi Aditya,
Glad to hear that you can give the Grand Canyon and surrounding attractions the time they deserve on your upcoming trip!
With the timeframe you specify, also the requirement of spending the last two nights of your vacation in Las Vegas, you can accomplish quite a bit, but keep in mind with an infant in tow, that you’ll be somewhat limited on the activities you can realistically partake of. Another thing to keep in mind is that you’re traveling around the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S., which is very busy to begin with. Don’t be surprised if you find that lodging at some attractions is sold out, so you need to be willing and able to reverse your itinerary if the situation warrants it.
The two key things to check availability for are: Grand Canyon lodging and Antelope Canyon tours. Regarding Antelope Canyon, you’ll be limited to touring Upper Antelope with a baby.
Assuming that you can find lodging and tours on your desired dates, you could do something like this:
November 23rd: Drive from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon South Rim, optional stop at Hoover Dam (~5 hour drive), overnight at Grand Canyon
November 24th: 2nd day/night at Grand Canyon, sightseeing around Grand Canyon Village Historic District, Hermit’s Rest/West Rim overlooks using free shuttles
November 25th: Drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Page, AZ (~3.5-4 hour drive factoring in stops in the East Rim/Desert View Drive and in the Navajo Reservation), tour Upper Antelope Canyon in the afternoon, take boat tour of waterside of Antelope Canyon overnight in Page, AZ
November 26th: Visit Horseshoe Bend, drive from Page, AZ, to Zion National Park (~2 hour drive), overnight in Springdale, UT
November 27th: 2nd day/night in Zion, Springdale, UT, lodging Family-friendly hiking in Zion
November 28th: Drive from Springdale, UT, to Las Vegas (~3.5-4 hours factoring in possible delays due to a construction project in the Virgin River Gorge)
November 29th: Overnight in Las Vegas
November 30th: Fly home
One area I have not included in this itinerary is Bryce Canyon. Not that it isn’t beautiful, but at the time of year you’re visiting, it is very likely the area will have snow, making travel with an infant more challenging than it already is.
Regarding places where you can get Indian/Asian food, inside the parks like Grand Canyon, Zion, etc., won’t feature that type of dining. Flagstaff (~90 miles Southeast of Grand Canyon South Rim), has several fine Indian restaurants; my personal favorite is the Delhi Palace (I like Indian food, too ;). In Page, AZ (by Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend) and Springdale, UT (near Zion), the closest you’ll probably be able to get is Thai food. In Las Vegas, you have your pick of over 20 Indian/Asian restaurants. If you are vegetarians, and are OK with dairy products, you shouldn’t have much of a problem accommodating your dietary preferences wherever you go. If you are vegan, you might have to get a bit more creative, and might want to invest in a small cooler so you can purchase your own food to be on the safe side.
Also, start monitoring local weather about 2 weeks before you get ready to travel. Best case scenario, the weather will be cold; worst case, you could encounter snow. Be ready by packing jackets, gloves, etc. at the very least.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂
Thanks a ton AlLey! That’s a very detailed plan and covers my dream Grand Canyon. Can we make a slight modification please, On Nov 23rd after visiting Hoover Dam can we drive towards North rim, as I listen that Hoover Dam to North Rim have beautiful views but the South Rim is dry.
Hi again, Aditya!
Glad our suggestions helped. Unfortunately, visitor services at the North Rim will close for the season October 15th. Also, Hoover Dam would be most logical to stop at en route to the South Rim, since it is located Southeast of Las Vegas. The South Rim, though “drier” than the North Rim, is still beautiful, and even though you might not get to visit the North Rim on the ground, you might consider flying over it in an airplane or helicopter from the South Rim. Touring aircraft do not land at the North Rim (no airstrip there), but will still give you enough time above it to give you a sense of how different it is from its Southern “sister.”
For more information, visit GrandCanyon.com: South Rim Tours
Take care and have a good trip,
Alley 🙂
My bad! I want to say the drive from Vegas to Page (not to North Rim). What I’m looking is during the entire drive want to drive through scenic views. You already shared a very detailed plan, very thankful for that, if any of the drives you mentioned don’t have a scenic view could you please redirect to another route, else will follow the plan above it looks very good.
Hi again, Aditya –
Virtually every mile of every road in Northern Arizona and Southern Utah is a scenic drive, so you’re all good in that regard!
Another consideration, too, is that sometimes there’s only one route that’s really practical for getting from Point A to Point B, and the drive from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon to the South Rim is one of those situations. You’re pretty much “stuck” (although that word is a little too harsh) with taking US93 from Las Vegas to Kingman (you can stop at Hoover Dam if you wish), then I-40 from Kingman to Williams, then AZ64 from Williams to Grand Canyon South Rim. Time permitting, one variation you might consider is driving from Kingman to Seligman via one of the last remaining intact sections of Historic Route 66. That will tack another 60-90 minutes onto an already long drive, so an early start in the AM is definitely in order.
Driving from Page, AZ, to Las Vegas, you can opt to drive through Zion National Park (see map below):
Or you can detour South from Page, AZ, to Bitter Springs, then take US89A from Marble Canyon to Jacob Lake, which will take you along the Southern flank of the Vermilion Cliffs. If you take me up on this suggestion, plan on stopping for a meal at the Cliff Dweller’s Lodge – their on-site restaurant is one of Northern Arizona’s best-kept culinary secrets! Also, a quick pop in to the Jacob Lake Inn is a must so you can grab a bag of delicious home-made cookies at their world-famous bakery.
At the time of year you’re traveling, be sure to verify that all roads you propose to take are open, especially around the Jacob Lake area. Being over 7,000′ above sea level, you could encounter snow up there.
Have fun!
Alley 🙂
Hi Alley,
My husband and I are flying into Las Vegas on Wed., Nov 6 (10am arrival) and will depart Sat. Nov. 9 (11:30pm). We’d like to see the Hoover Dam (quick stop/no tour) Sedona, Grand Canyon (South Rim), Antelope Canyon (via kayak tour) and Horseshoe Bend. From the quick searches I’ve done, it looks like the kayak tours end Oct. 31st 🙁 Perhaps a quick stop at Zion, if it’s not too out of the way–otherwise drive straight through and perhaps walk around the Vegas strip for a few hours. We aren’t accustomed to road trips and the long drive seem a bit daunting. Wondering if we should scale back and just do Sedona and Grand Canyon, but it seems a waste to backtrack the same road to Vegas? What are your thoughts?
Hi Kim!
We’re all for taking a “quality over quantity” approach to a vacation, especially if you want to include Sedona in your trip plans. Sedona is a stunning area, and you’ll quickly find that even if you spent a week there, you’d merely scratch the surface of all there is to see and do! Still, with the time you have, you could enjoy a nice 2-day visit there, topped off with a night at the Grand Canyon, or vice versa depending on Grand Canyon lodging availability. As for the backtracking issue, I wouldn’t sweat it too much. It would give you an opportunity to catch things that you might have missed on the drive over, such as one of the last remaining intact sections of Historic Route 66. Long drives are how we roll in this part of the U.S., so, not much to be done about that!
Zion National Park is another area that warrants more time than a quick drive-by. It’s a huge park with lots of opportunities for hiking and sightseeing geared to people of all ages and physical fitness levels. At least an overnight is preferable to a look-see from a car window! Springdale, UT, a small community on the Western border of the park, would be where you’d want to stay as it is the central hub of the Zion Canyon Shuttle System, which is mandatory to use for those not staying inside the park.
Another consideration at the time of year you’re traveling is weather. Early November is in the transitional zone between fall and winter. Weather will be cold, and worst case scenario, you could encounter snow. Being able to take your trip at a more relaxed pace definitely works in your favor in case you are delayed or detoured by inclement weather. Of course, it’s too soon to call, but you should start monitoring the weather about 2 weeks before you get set to travel.
As you’ve also seen, many water-based activities at Lake Powell are on seasonal hiatus, like the kayak tour. However, shorter boat tours are still running, such as Antelope Canyon waterside boat tours from Antelope Point Marina. These can easily be “bundled” with land-side tours of Antelope Canyon, which makes the reservations process a lot more convenient than in was in years past.
If you do wish to visit Antelope Canyon and Zion this time around, the best way to go about that is to drop Sedona and do something like this:
November 6 – Drive to Grand Canyon South Rim (~5 hour drive), overnight at Grand Canyon
November 7 – Drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Page, AZ (~3.5-4 hour drive factoring in stops), visit Horseshoe Bend, tour Antelope Canyon, overnight in Page, AZ
November 8 – Drive from Page, AZ, to Zion National Park (~2.5-3 hour drive with stops), overnight in Springdale, UT
November 9 – Drive back to Las Vegas w/detour through Valley of Fire State Park if desired (it’s amazing!) (~5-6 hour drive), fly home
Yes, the above trip plan is rushed, but could work with careful planning, including advanced reservations at all lodging and for Antelope Canyon tours.
Which way would be best for you to go? IMO it comes down to asking yourself if you realistically think you might be able to return to the area in the foreseeable future. If the answer is “yes,” then I’d say take things slow this time around and enjoy some “chill” time in Sedona and a night at the Grand Canyon! If this trip is going to be a once in a lifetime (or at least a blue moon) thing, then make the most of the time you have.
Hope that helps. Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂
Thank you so much Alley! Your advice and suggestions are incredibly helpful! We’ll likely follow your suggested itinerary and return in the near future (flying into Phoenix) to see Sedona at a more relaxed pace.
Hi again, Kim!
Glad our advice helped. Have a wonderful trip, and let us know how you get on.
Alley 🙂
Hi Alley,
Thank you for all the wondering information on this site. It is all very helpful and overwhelming at the same time. Please help us plan our itenirary. I’m planning a trip to Vegas with my family (with 2 kids age 13 and 6). I land in Vegas on Nov 23 morning (11am) and want to spend time in Grand Canyon from Nov 23 to Nov 25. How do you suggest we travel from vegas, where do we stay and what all can we cover in 2 days? I’m thrilled with the photos of Horseshoe Bend and would certainly like to cover that. Eagerly looking forward to hear your response. Thank you!
Hi Kaydee,
How you travel from Las Vegas will largely depend on lodging availability at the Grand Canyon and availability of Antelope Canyon tours.
Assuming your flight to Las Vegas arrives on time and you don’t encounter any difficulties collecting your rental car, it will take you approximately 5 hours to drive from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon South Rim. Spend the night at the Grand Canyon, then, the following morning, make your way to Page, AZ, to visit Horseshoe Bend and tour Antelope Canyon. Parking permitting, you can hit Horseshoe Bend on your way into town, then tour Antelope Canyon the following morning. Afterward, start the trip back to Las Vegas, which will run anywhere from 5-6 hours depending on traffic through a construction zone on a stretch of I-15 through the Virgin River Gorge.
The main thing working against you on that first day is daylength: in late November, it’s very short, with sunrise occurring at 7:15 am and sunset taking place at around 5:15 pm (Arizona time, which is 1 hour ahead of Las Vegas time). You’ll want to do everything possible to be sure that you arrive at the Grand Canyon before sunset so you can actually see sunset on the rim, and avoid doing the last half of that drive at night. Deer, elk, and other wildlife tend to be nocturnal, and they have a tendency to congregate around the roads to graze. That means high-tailing it out of Las Vegas as fast as possible, and only making stops that are absolutely necessary. Maybe grab an In-N-Out Burger in Kingman, AZ, about 2 hours outside of Las Vegas.
Another consideration you might have to take into account is weather: the time of year you’re visiting is within the transitional period between fall and winter in the American Southwest. Best case scenario, you’ll have days that are sunny but cool; worst case, you could encounter true-winter weather, including snow, especially at the Grand Canyon, which is 7,000′ above sea level. Of course, it’s too soon to call at this point, but I’d recommend monitoring the weather about 2 weeks before you get set to travel, and packing jackets, gloves, etc. regardless.
If all that rushing around doesn’t appeal to you, and you’d prefer to spend that first night in Las Vegas, then I’d recommend prioritizing the Grand Canyon, and saving the visit to Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon for a future trip when you can take things at a more relaxed pace, and maybe spend a week or more exploring Northern Arizona and Southern Utah!
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂
Hi Alley,
We are making a trip to see Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and the Grand Canyon in mid October. The light beam isn’t a big priority so we’re leaning more towards touring the lower canyon. However, we are going to have our 6 month old with us. I plan to wear her in a carrier, which she does great in and both me and my husband are active so the stairs shouldn’t be an issue. What are your thoughts? Also, I’m curious about the ride out to the canyon. Do they allow car seats or will we have to hold her on the ride?
Here’s the projected timeline:
Friday Oct. 11: drive to Page from Pheonix in morning, AC tour, view Horseshoe Bend, stay in Page overnight
Saturday: drive to South Rim and view Grand Canyon- possibly do a tour (I haven’t looked into this part too much yet), stay overnight in Tusayan
We need to be back to Pheonix by Sunday afternoon.
I know it’s not ideal for the Grand Canyon to be done in one day, but what would be the best thing we can do with our time there?
Thanks for your resources!!
Hi Ciara,
You’ve actually planned your trip quite well and are making good use of an admittedly short time frame.
Folks do tour Lower Antelope Canyon with infants and toddlers, but for everyone’s safety, we tend to recommend Upper Antelope for families with younger kids. Bringing Kids to Antelope Canyon
If you end up touring Lower Antelope, what you do there is check in at the visitor services kiosk, then walk to the canyon’s entrance (~10 minutes, no truck ride). If you opt to tour Upper, then you must provide a car seat on the vehicle for the ride to the canyon’s entrance.
Instead of visiting Horseshoe Bend at sunset, when it’s super-crowded and you might have trouble finding a place to park, I’d recommend popping in just after sunrise on the way out of town to the Grand Canyon. Early morning visits offer the dual benefits of cooler temperatures and smaller crowds.
As for visiting the Grand Canyon in one day’s time, in your case, you don’t need a tour. You’ll actually see quite a lot of it on the drive from Page, AZ, since the route naturally takes you along the East Rim/Desert View Drive of the park. Here, there are over half a dozen named Grand Canyon viewpoints you can stop at if you wish, so what is given as a 2.5 hour drive “on paper” can realistically take you 3.5-4 hours factoring in stops. Be sure to stop for breakfast/brunch at the Cameron Trading Post! Time permitting, you might use the free shuttles to tour the Grand Canyon Village Historic District and the viewpoints on the West Rim/Hermit’s Rest Road.
Hope that helps. Good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂
This is super helpful! Thank you 🙂 I can’t wait for our trip up there!
Ciara,
Glad that our advice helped. Feel free to contact us again if you need more guidance, and let us know how your trip went!
Take care,
Alley 🙂
Hello,
We are planning a trip for February 2020 and it seems there will be some backtracking, but I don’t see a way to avoid it. Do you have any suggestions please? The flights into Phoenix and out of Vegas have already been booked.
Feb 15 at night arrive at Phoenix airport
16- triple crown tour Antelope
17-drive to Bryce canyon and maybe Zion
18, 19- grand canyon
20, 21 – las vegas
thank you so much
Vita
Hi Vita,
You are correct in that your itinerary does involve some unnecessary backtracking. Also, where you indicate that on your third day you would “drive to Bryce and maybe Zion,” first of all, you can’t really do justice to those areas in a single day. You need at least one day for each park, but another consideration is that in February, Bryce may not be practical. At 8,000′ above sea level, it receives copious amounts of snow in February, so you may want to skip it this time around.
If your lodging and tours have not been booked yet, a more logical way to arrange your itinerary would be like this:
February 15 – at night arrive at Phoenix airport
February 16 – drive to Grand Canyon South Rim (~5 hours), overnight at Grand Canyon
February 17 – drive to Page, AZ (~3.5-4 hour drive factoring in stops), visit Horseshoe Bend
February 18 – Antelope Canyon Triple Crown Tour (the boat tour portion of the AC Triple Crown may not be available at the time of year you’re visiting due to weather), 2nd night in Page, AZ
February 19 – drive to Bryce Canyon (~2.5 hours from Page, AZ), overnight in Bryce Canyon City, Panguitch, Tropic or Kanab, UT
February 20 – drive to Zion National Park (~2 hours), overnight in Springdale, UT
February 21 – drive to Las Vegas for flight home (~3.5 hours from Springdale)
If having 2 nights in Las Vegas is a non-negotiable element of your trip, then dropping Bryce from the itinerary would be the most logical way to accommodate that.
Hope that helps. Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂
Wow! Thank you so much! I can’t believe I didn’t think of this, it makes much more sense and less driving.
Vita,
Glad it helped — let us know how you get on!
Alley 🙂
Hi there,
I will be at Antelope Canyon in October. What kind of hiking shoes/boots do you recommend?
Thank you!
Hi Dana,
In Upper Antelope Canyon, the trail is flat, but can be somewhat sandy. In Lower, you have to contend with stairs, ladders and a few small boulders. Whichever branch of Antelope Canyon, or alternate slot canyon you choose to tour, closed-toed shoes are a definite must. However, you needn’t go as far as purchasing hiking boots for the trip if you don’t wish to. Walking/running shoes or tennis shoes will be just fine.
Hope that helps,
Alley 🙂
Thank you so much!
🙂
Hi Alley,
we are planing to visit Utah for a 6 days on September 14th. The trip starts from Salt Lake City on a rented car – the last stop is Las Vegas. I have aproximated guide for a couple of days, but I have no idea how to plan everything in the best way.
September 14th (rent a car)
Direction to (optional):
-Genealogy test.
-Mirror Lake Scenic Byway,
-Big Cottonwood Canyon Byway,
-Little Cottonwood Canyon Scenic Byway,
-Provo River Scenic Byway,
-Nebo Loop National Scenic Byway.
-Fruita
Stay: Nights 14 -16 (hotel)
September 15-16th
Things to do (optional):
-Canyonlands
-Dead Horse Point
-Arches Monument
-Goblin Valley
-Monument Valley
-Early departure.
Stay: 16?
September 17th
Things yo do:
-Horseshoe Bend
-Kayaking on Lake Powell
-Antelope Canyon (lower, upper)
Stay: 18?
September 18th
-Bryce Canyon
-Zion National Park
Stay: 19?
September 19th or 20th
-Grand Canyon
Stay: Las Vegas
Please HELP! Check the plan, Im really worried!
I appreciate any help you can provide! 😉
Hi Alena,
Unfortunately, you should be worried, because you’re trying to cram too much sightseeing into a very limited time. You seriously need to look at a map and get a truer sense for the driving distances between the various places on your wish list. Your days are also overplanned. You simply don’t have enough time to do “every. single. thing.” on your wish list, and that’s OK. Often, the most memorable moments of a vacation are those that unfold in an unexpected and unplanned manner. Granted some elements, such as Antelope Canyon, absolutely require advance planning, but others, not so much. Another consideration: the order in which you’re planning to hit the parks will require too much backtracking. On September 18th where you propose to see Bryce and Zion is totally unrealistic. You’re in need of a major reality check, but it’s not too late to save your vacation.
On that first day, instead of spending the night in Fruita, I would strongly recommend starting the drive to Moab, UT. I have no idea how long a geneaology test would take, and if it is indeed optional, as you indicate, I’d skip it. The drive from SLC to Moab takes ~4 hours. It’s a very scenic drive, so you shouldn’t feel short-changed at all by skipping Mirror Lake, Cottonwood, Nebo and Provo Canyon. Plan on stopping in Helper, Utah, for lunch, then overnight in Moab, UT on the 14th and 15th. Explore Arches and Canyonlands on the 15th, then on the 16th, head to Bryce. Overnight there, then hit Zion on the 17th, overnight in Springdale, UT. On the 18th, hit Page, AZ, tour Antelope Canyon and visit Horseshoe Bend, then go to the Grand Canyon, overnight there, then end the trip in Las Vegas as planned. So a day-by-day breakdown would look like this:
September 14th: Drive from SLC to Moab, UT (~4 hours), overnight in Moab, UT
September 15th: Explore Arches/Canyonlands National Parks, spend 2nd night in Moab, UT
September 16th: Drive from Moab, UT, to Bryce (~5 hour drive), take Scenic Rim Drive in park, overnight in Bryce Canyon area
September 17th: Drive from Bryce to Zion National Park (~2 hours), take Zion Canyon Shuttle from Springdale, UT, overnight in Kanab, UT
September 18th: Drive to Page, AZ (~1 hour drive), tour Antelope Canyon, overnight in Page, AZ
September 19th: Visit Horseshoe Bend on the way to Grand Canyon South Rim (~3.5-4 hour drive factoring in stops), overnight at Grand Canyon
September 20th: Drive to Las Vegas (~5 hours), optional stop at Hoover Dam, overnight in Las Vegas or fly home
Hope that helps. Please don’t hesitate to write in again if you need further guidance.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂
Hi!
I am in desperate need of guidance. I have never hit the road, but feeling spunky and full of adventure. I am confused by the time zones, and order of travel options.
These are the areas I would love to visit (not in any order of preference):
1. Antelope (upper)
2. Horseshow Bend
3. Grand Canyon (perhaps the orange bus line)
4. Sedona (Birthing Cave)
I have 4 full days. Arrive in Phoenix at 7am on 09/20/ departure time is 3pm on 09/23
Recommendation on a realistic route and places to stay? I have an booking in Cameron the night of the 20th.
Hi Janeth,
A couple of concerns:
First off, I would recommend cancelling your booking in Cameron on the 20th. Not that that town isn’t fascinating, but staying there would necessitate backtracking in order to visit the Grand Canyon, then drive to Page to visit Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.
A better plan would be to stay either in Grand Canyon Village or Tusayan, 7 miles South of the park on the evening of the 20th (~a 5-hour drive from Phoenix). Then, the next morning, do your sightseeing utilizing the Blue and Red shuttle lines in Grand Canyon Village and on the Hermit’s Rest/West Rim Drive respectively. Drive to Page, AZ, that afternoon (09/21), which is ~a 3.5-4 hour drive factoring in stops, including the Cameron Trading Post. stay overnight in Page, hit Horseshoe Bend at sunrise on 9/22, then tour Antelope Canyon sometime that afternoon.
Drive to Sedona (~3 hours) that afternoon, overnight in Sedona, then do the Birthing Cave hike the following morning before heading back to Phoenix for your return flight. The drive from Sedona to Phoenix takes ~2.5 hours.
Be sure that you reserve your Antelope Canyon tour in advance, as well as all lodging on your trip.
RE: the time zones, Arizona DOES NOT observe Daylight Saving Time, so we will be on Mountain Standard Time, the same time as California, Nevada, and the Pacific Daylight states at the time of your visit. The Navajo Reservation (which is also in Arizona) DOES observe DST, and Antelope Canyon is technically located on Navajo land. However, the tour operators run on Mountain Standard Time for the convenience of local visitors.
In all honesty, I think you should drop Sedona from your itinerary. Not that it isn’t beautiful; it is, amazingly so, but you really don’t have enough time to do the area justice. Many visitors report spending 4-5 days there and still feeling as though they’d only “scratched the surface.” I can guarantee that a quick overnight there will leave you wanting more!
Also, be sure to complete all your driving each day before sunset. Nighttime driving is not safe in this part of the U.S. due to roads being very dimly lit, and the possible presence of deer, elk, free range cattle, and other animals. Sunrise occurs at ~6:15 AM, sunset at around 6:15 PM.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂