Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend Day Trip from Las Vegas

bus tour

Duration
about 14 hours by road (Canyon Tours) or about 9 hours by plane with hotel transfers (Papillon)
Price
from $213 per person by road with Antelope Canyon X, plus taxes and a $10 fuel fee collected at booking (Canyon Tours)
Departs from
Las Vegas hotel pickup (Canyon Tours, 5:30 a.m. tour time); Papillon flies from Boulder City, NV to Page, AZ
Age policy
Papillon: guests must be 8 or older; not recommended for pregnant guests. Canyon Tours road tour: ages 0-17 pay the adult rate. Photo ID for 18+.

About

Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon near Page, Arizona, on Navajo Nation land. Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation says every Antelope Canyon location is open only by guided tour, and it licenses the tour companies. It also charges an entry fee of $15 per person, per location, per day, on top of the tour price.

Horseshoe Bend is a 270-degree bend in the Colorado River about 1,000 feet below the overlook. The river there is in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The overlook and trail are on the Navajo Nation, and the trailhead parking lot belongs to the City of Page.

Page is a long drive from Las Vegas, so the road tour fills the whole day. The flying version cuts travel time but costs more.

What to expect

On the road tour, pickup comes before dawn. Canyon Tours lists a 5:30 a.m. tour time. The coach heads northeast through the Virgin River Gorge, St. George and Kanab, then into Page. There you are handed to a Navajo guide for the section you booked. Upper Antelope Canyon is reached by an easy walk. Lower Antelope Canyon has five flights of steep stairs. Canyon X starts with a 100-meter hike in.

After the canyon, the group goes to Horseshoe Bend. NPS describes a 1.5-mile round-trip walk on a hardened path, with two shade structures and a railed platform at the overlook. On Papillon's flying version you board a plane in Boulder City, see Lake Mead and Glen Canyon from the air, then visit both sites by vehicle from Page airport.

Who runs it

Several companies run this tour from Las Vegas. These are the published terms on each company's own site; we don't rank them or earn anything from them.

  • Canyon Tours - Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend Tour$213 (Antelope Canyon X), $234 (Lower), $268 (Upper) per person; taxes and a $10 fuel fee collected at booking · about 14 hours hotel to hotel · Hotel pickup and drop-off, drive via the Virgin River Gorge and Kanab, guided tour of the chosen canyon section, Horseshoe Bend overlook
  • Papillon - Antelope Canyon Expedition (airplane)from $769 per person · about 9 hours with hotel transfers; about 1.5 hours flying each way; about 3.5 hours on the ground · Flight from Boulder City to Page, Horseshoe Bend stop, Navajo-guided Antelope Canyon tour, box lunch, optional hotel transfers

Good to know

  • Guides are mandatory at every Antelope Canyon location, per Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation. There is also a $15 per person entry fee per location, per day; ask your operator whether it is included.
  • Neither tour is wheelchair accessible: the canyon floor is sandy and the Horseshoe Bend trail has rough ground and a climb. Wear sturdy shoes.
  • Heat: NPS warns that the Horseshoe Bend trail has little shade and no water. Bring water, sun protection, and avoid the hottest part of the day.
  • Much of the rim at Horseshoe Bend has no railing. Railings are only at the overlook platform. Watch children closely.
  • Canyon Tours allows one carry-on no larger than a backpack and has a 96-hour (4-day) cancellation policy. Papillon allows no changes within 72 hours.
  • Papillon does not run tours to Page on December 25.

Questions about Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend Day Trip from Las Vegas

Can I visit Antelope Canyon without a tour?

No. Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation says all Antelope Canyon locations are accessible only by guided tour, and guides are mandatory. It keeps a list of licensed operators for Upper Antelope Canyon, Lower Antelope Canyon and other nearby slot canyons. A day trip from Las Vegas hands you to one of these local guides once you reach Page.

Which section of Antelope Canyon will I see?

That depends on the operator and what you book. Canyon Tours lets you pick Antelope Canyon X, Lower Antelope Canyon or Upper Antelope Canyon, each at a different price. Upper is reached by an easy walk. Lower requires five sets of steep stairs. Canyon X starts with a short hike. Papillon's flying tour includes a guided Antelope Canyon visit.

How long is the walk to Horseshoe Bend?

About 1.5 miles round trip, according to the National Park Service. The path is hardened and meets federal accessibility rules. There are two shade structures along it but none at the overlook, and no toilets or water on the trail. The City of Page charges for parking at the trailhead, and national park passes do not cover it.

Is there a minimum age?

Papillon requires all guests on its Antelope Canyon tour to be at least 8 years old. It also does not recommend the tour for pregnant guests or people with limited mobility. Canyon Tours' road tour charges the adult rate for everyone aged 0 to 17 and lists no minimum age on its booking page.

Is it worth flying instead of driving?

It is a trade of time for money. Canyon Tours' road trip runs about 14 hours for $213 to $268 plus fees. Papillon's flight version runs about 9 hours with hotel transfers for $769, with about 1.5 hours in the air each way and about 3.5 hours on the ground in Page.

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