Day Trips to Antelope Canyon from Las Vegas

Among the many things to see and do in Las Vegas, one of the best is to visit some of the natural wonders found on the outskirts or near the city. Antelope Canyon, a slot canyon that is one of the most visited and most photographed canyons in the world, is one of those wonders and is one of Arizona's must-see sites.

As visits to Antelope Canyon have certain particularities due to safety issues and the drive from Las Vegas is a bit complicated, the alternatives to visit it are not so simple, although it is possible to do it and I assure you it is worth the effort.

Antelope Canyon is more than 400 kilometres from Las Vegas, so the bus ride through the winding mountain roads of the southwestern United States will take several hours.

This day trip takes you deep into Navajo territory to see the canyon, as well as Horseshoe Bend, a horseshoe-shaped meander around the rocks.

Horseshoe Bend is the first stop on this journey to one of the most visited and photographed sites in the United States. Your visit to Antelope Canyon will be led by a local Navajo guide and you'll be able to walk into the dunes created by the erosion of water, wind and sand on the rocks.

If you visit Las Vegas in winter, when night falls earlier, you can marvel at the rays of light streaming through the cracks in the canyon walls and watch one of the most beautiful sunsets in the region.

Details of interest

• Tour price... Approximately 204 euros per person including hotel pick-up and drop-off and skip-the-line entrance fees to Antelope Canyon.
• Duration of tour... Approximately 13 hours.
• Advantages of this tour... A day tour is the classic way to see Antelope Canyon.

On these tours you not only get to see Antelope Canyon, but also the Grand Canyon, giving you access to two of the most famous natural wonders of the Southwest on a two-day tour with entrance fees and accommodation included.

Day One

You will travel by bus and the first stop will include a tour of the Grand Canyon, specifically the south side. During the tour, you'll have access to panoramic views that will allow you to take in the majesty of Arizona' s most representative geological formation.

A tour of Zion National Park is also common.

Day 2

On the second day you will visit Horseshoe Bend, the unmissable horseshoe-shaped meander, and Antelope Canyon, including the canyon's high and low trails.

There you will have time for some great photography and a tour with the assistance of a local Navajo guide, as the tours are conducted by the locals for safety.

At the end of the Antelope Canyon tour you will return to Las Vegas. These tours usually include round-trip hotel pick-up and drop-off, first night's accommodation and tour entrance fees.

Details of interest

• Price of the tour... Approximately 405 Euros per person, including hotel pick-up and return transfer, first night's accommodation and skip-the-line entrance fees to the attractions.
• Duration of the tour... Approximately 2 days.
• Advantages of this tour... This is a great value for money tour if you want to see Arizona's two most famous natural attractions.

If you don't want to travel several hours by bus or are looking for a more comfortable way to see Antelope Canyon , these tours could be the answer.

You'll fly in a small plane from Las Vegas to Arizona, over Hoover Dam and Lake Powell and tour Antelope Canyon with the assistance of a local guide.

Of course, if you're interested in seeing the former in more detail, you can always book a tour to Hoover Dam from Las Vegas.

The tour also includes a trip to Horseshoe Bend to visit the cliff over the Colorado River and the accompaniment of a guide for the entire itinerary. At Antelope Canyon you will have a three-hour tour to visit all the nooks and crannies of the site with guided assistance and also some time to hike at your own pace.

It's an ideal option if you're planning a short stay in the city. In that case, here's a complete guide to what to see and do in Las Vegas in three days.

Interesting details

• Price of the tour... Approximately 650 euros per person, including round-trip airfare with hotel pick-up, lunch and entrance fees to the attractions.
• Duration of tour... Approximately 11.5 hours.
• Advantages of this tour... This is a convenient and quick tour, especially if you are planning a short stay in Las Vegas.

If you're looking for an intense tour of the best sites in the southwestern United States, you might be interested in this type of tour.

On a complete tour you will be able to visit Antelope Canyon, the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley and Lake Powell. The itinerary also includes Horseshoe Bend and Williams, a picturesque town.

At Antelope Canyon you will have a full tour with the assistance of a local guide, at Grand Canyon you can visit the south rim and at Monument Valley you can opt for one of the best off-road vehicle tours in Las Vegas.

At Williams the bus will make a stop so you can visit the souvenir and gift shops.

Details of interest

• Price of the tour... Approximately 400 euros per person including round trip transfer with hotel pick up, lunch and entrance fees to the attractions.
• Duration of tour... Approximately 19 hours.
• Advantages of this tour... This is an express option to see some of the most iconic sites in the American Southwest. It is an interesting tour if you are planning a few days stay in Las Vegas and if you like intense trips, as it will be several hours of sightseeing and walking through many sites.
• Disadvantages of this tour... It proposes a very intense tour so if you are not used to it you might not fully enjoy it.

If you have time to spare in Las Vegas, the choice of tours to Antelope Canyon and the Wild West is increasing. On these three-day tours you can also visit the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Lake Powell and Monument Valley.

The tours are divided into daily itineraries and at each attraction you can choose to do activities at extra cost, such as a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon or include a visit to Death Valley. Transfers are by bus and accommodation is in campsites.

At Antelope Canyon you will have time to explore at your own pace after the tour with your local guide. You will also be able to take the best pictures of Horseshoe Bend, the horseshoe-shaped meander that can be visited from the canyon cliff.

These tours are a great way to take a leisurely stroll through the Wild West of the United States.

Interesting details

• Tour price... Tours start at 695 euros per person including hotel pick-up and drop-off, lunches and entrance fees to attractions.
• Duration of the tour... Approximately 3 days.
• Advantages of this tour... It is an interesting option to discover the American Far West at your leisure.
• Disadvantages of this tour... It may not be an economical option if you want to include at extra cost the suggested activities outside the established itinerary.

You can either book a tour to Antelope Canyon in advance from Las Vegas online or book the tour once you're in town, although in these cases you'll depend on the availability of the activities and whether they're sold out.

Booking at the last minute may also incur extra costs, especially if you're visiting Las Vegas in December, which is one of the busiest months for tourists and when tours to the National Parks are sometimes reduced due to the weather.

The answer depends on the tour you decide to book, although you should bear in mind that Antelope Canyon is a little over 400 kilometres from Las Vegas, so the quickest tours are by plane, take about 12 hours and can be expensive.

If you have time for a leisurely tour of Antelope Canyon and the attractions in the region, you can also do two or three day tours which are considerably less strenuous.

These are undoubtedly the best tours to the National Parks of the southwestern United States from Las Vegas, not to mention visiting some of the country's most outstanding natural wonders, such as the Grand Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, as well as Antelope Canyon.

Depending on the tour you choose, you'll also get to see other unforgettable sights such as Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Lake Powell, Monument Valley and the Valley of Fire.

In all cases you will find some of the most beautiful natural sites in the United States where you will be able to take the best pictures of your trip.

If you have the chance, don't miss the sunset at Antelope Canyon, where rays of light pour through the cracks in the eroded rocks, making for a spectacle not to be missed.

Antelope Canyon tours from Las Vegas are very well organised so there is little room for error.

A local Navajo guide is essential for the canyon tour and will know what to do in the event of flash floods, which are torrential rains that occur in the region and can cause total flooding of the canyon.

If you have time to take a leisurely tour of Antelope Canyon, I recommend you do so, as it offers one of the best views accessible from Las Vegas and also because you can manage your time to wait for the sunset in the canyon.

If you're in town for a short stay, I'd still recommend a visit, as it's a natural site worth seeing.

The answer depends on the tour you choose, but on average the cheapest tours to Antelope Canyon from Las Vegas start at around 200 euros.

On these tours you will travel by bus on full-day tours and the price usually includes entrance fees to the attractions.

Tours to Antelope Canyon by plane start at 650 euros and two- or three-day tours of the canyon and other Wild West attractions start at 400 euros, including transfers and entrance fees.

Be aware when booking a tour what services are included, as entrance fees to Antelope Canyon are around 65 euros, so you may find it more economical to opt for a slightly more expensive tour that includes entrance fees.

Visit Antelope Canyon is one of the best things to do from Las Vegas, so I recommend that you include it in your Las Vegas travel itinerary and take the time to explore it, because it's really worth it.

Antelope Canyon is home to some of the best views in the southwestern United States, the best photographs of your trip and if you want you can also visit other nearby must-see sites such as Horseshoe Bend and the Grand Canyon of the Colorado, Arizona's biggest attraction.

Given the distance between the two destinations, planning a trip from Las Vegas to Antelope Canyon may take a bit of effort, but I'm sure you'll love seeing one of the natural wonders of the Wild West.

Certainly getting to Antelope Canyon from Las Vegas on your own can be a bit of a hassle. The routes are accessible, but it's a distance of over 400 kilometres, and travelling by public transport can be exhausting.

The best alternative to doing it on your own is to rent a car, although it can be expensive.

On the other hand, entrance fees to Antelope Canyon are around 65 euros and on an organised tour you could make the most of your trip to the canyon by seeing other natural landmarks included in the itinerary.

If you're looking for a relaxing trip, I recommend opting for a guided tour of Antelope Canyon to save you time and money and avoid the hassle of organising your own tour.