How to Visit Lower Antelope Canyon & Photo Tour

Lower Antelope Canyon is a gorgeous place to visit. With its glowing red canyon walls and narrow, twisting passageways, this place is fun to visit and a joy to photograph.

Antelope Canyon is made up of two slot canyons, Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon. When people refer to Antelope Canyon, they are usually referring to Upper Antelope Canyon. With its darker canyon walls, falling sands, and light beams shining through the dusty air, the Upper canyon was once the more popular of the two slot canyons.

Until even just a few years ago, Lower Antelope Canyon had the reputation of being the canyon to visit if you wanted smaller crowds of people. Not so, not anymore. Now, Lower Antelope Canyon is just as busy as Upper Antelope Canyon. Why? A tour of the Lower canyon is considerably cheaper, tours run more frequently, and some people say that it is more fun, with narrow passageways to squeeze through and ladders to climb.

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How to Visit Lower Antelope Canyon

Antelope Canyon can only be visited on a tour. There are several companies offering tours into the canyon. The general tour lasts one hour.

It costs $55 per person for this tour, plus taxes, service charges, and an additional $8 for the Navajo Park Permit Fee.

There are two tour companies that run tours into Lower Antelope Canyon: Ken’s Tours and Dixie Ellis’ Tours. We chose Ken’s Tours. Both companies run tours every 30 minutes, with approximately 10 to 15 people per group. That is 30 people every 30 minutes and the canyon can fill up fast. Even if you reserve a 1 pm time slot, your tour group could end up waiting in line to enter the canyon, especially during the peak summer months.

Book your tickets online in advance! This is recommended especially during peak season. Midday is the most popular time to visit Antelope Canyon because the lighting is the best at this time. If you don’t mind sacrificing ideal lighting to avoid the worst of the crowds, go early or go late in the afternoon.

The option to take a photography tour is over. This was a new change in 2018. Lower Slot Canyon has become so popular that the tour operators can no longer offer general tours and photography tours.

Our Experience

Tim and I visited Lower Antelope Canyon in early May 2017. We took the 10:20 am general tour with Ken’s Tours. Crowds were relatively low, but we still had to wait about 10 to 15 minutes to enter the canyon. Once inside, guides kept ushering us through, keeping the groups on schedule, in order to avoid bottlenecks and longer waits for tour groups later in the day.

Even though we felt a little rushed, Lower Antelope Canyon is fun to visit. It’s narrow at the bottom, with ladders to climb and narrow passageways to squeeze through. This canyon is shallower and brighter than Upper Antelope Canyon. Light beams are unusual here, but we got lucky and were able to see a few.

Lower Antelope Canyon in Photos

Here’s a tour through Lower Antelope Canyon in photos. Enjoy!

Walking to the entrance of the canyon.

From the very start, the views are amazing.

Touring the canyon with a large group of people is almost unavoidable, especially during peak hours.

Just don’t forget to look up.

A photography tour of the canyon. Photography tours are no longer offered in Lower Antelope Canyon.

Here are one of several ladders to climb.

At times, the canyon gets very narrow. For some, that can be fun. If you suffer from claustrophobia, maybe not so fun.

We did get lucky and saw a few light beams.

Our guide, Boo, and the last ladders of Lower Antelope Canyon.

Tim emerging from the canyon.

How to Have the Best Experience

To avoid the crowds, visit during the shoulder or off-season months. Summer is the most popular time to visit Antelope Canyon and midday is the busiest time of day. We heard horror stories of people waiting an hour or longer in the hot sun just to enter the slot canyon. Although the lighting may not be ideal, go early or go late to miss the worst of the crowds.

Book your tour in advance. I recommend making your reservation as soon as you start planning your trip. Some of our readers mentioned tours being sold out months in advance. If you are visiting during the peak seasons of summer and winter break, book your tour at least three months prior to your visit.

Handheld photography only. Tripods and selfie sticks are not allowed in the canyon.

Tours of Antelope Canyon

If you are unable to purchase tickets on the websites listed above, you can also purchase your ticket through GetYourGuide or join one of the tours below.

Upper Antelope Canyon

Just around the corner from Lower Antelope Canyon is Upper Antelope Canyon. You can visit one or both of these in one day. Learn more in these articles:

How to Visit Upper Antelope Canyon & Photo Tour

Isn’t it awesome when a new place completely astounds you? For me, that was Upper Antelope Canyon. A few years ago, I saw my first photos of Antelope Canyon, with its glowing, red canyon walls, twisted, scalloped rock faces, and beams of light shining through the dusty air. Does this place really exist? Yes, it […]

Should You Visit Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon?

With its glowing, red canyon walls and beams of light shining through the dusty air, Antelope Canyon is a breathtaking destination. Two different slot canyons make up Antelope Canyon and both offer very different experiences. If you can only visit one, how do you decide which one? Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon? Antelope Canyon is […]

Have you visited Lower Antelope Canyon? Comment below about your experience!

More Information about the American Southwest

If this is part of a bigger road trip through the USA, visit our United States Travel Guide and our Arizona Travel Guide for more inspiration and travel planning tips.