Phoenix to Antelope: Breathtaking Slot Canyon Journey

Thank you Detours American West for the one-day Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon trip! The pick up was smooth, the van was comfortable (in the future, please make sure that each SB ports under the passenger seats works! Some of us need to charge our phones after constantly taking mesmerizing pictures), and our guide Hyun was attentive, fun, and caring. I love how informative and entertaining the guide at the Antelope Canyon (Archie) too. Detours' choice of restaurant for lunch was also excellent!

Long drive but worth it. The guide is very knowledgeable and informative. The meal arrangements are good.

Full day tour from Scottsdale for sure! Good communications from the tour company called Detour Tours. Our driver was Mark. The shuttle bus was very roomy, newer and comfortable. We received our meeting location and needed to be there by 530am and did not return until about 8pm. We went in July, so very hot. I recommend dressing in light clothing, sunscreen, lightweight hiking shoes, and a hat, but also have a lightweight pullover to protect from sun or use on the bus if you get cold. Did this tour with my wife and 15yr old daughter. Bring snacks that won't melt and extra water. Even though the tour provided water, it was warmer. We stopped for breakfast and our first break at McDonalds, about an hour into our drive. It is nice that breakfast was included, but we would have preferred a local place/busines, as McDonalds is not our thing. It then took about another 2.5+ hours to reach horseshoe bend. Mark did extensive narration on the state, area, and scenary around us on the ride. He is very passionate and knowledgeable. They pay the entry into Horseshoe Bend which is per vehicle. We had 1 hour to explore on our own. It is about a ten minute walk to the bend along a dirt path. The walk is slightly downhill so allow for about fifteen minutes to walk back. The bend is really nice and allows for great photos. There is a railing area where most people congregate, and you can then walk along an adjacent area of large rocks to get away from everyone and take your own photos. There are no railings in these adjacent areas, so these areas are not for children or people who are afraid of heights. Our next spot stop was Lower Antelope Canyon, which is only about 10 minutes from Horseshoe Bend. Mark was able to move up our tour time in antelope, which was nice. The walk from the meeting area to the Canyon entry takes about ten minutes. Most of this walk is slightly downhill in sand and/or rocks covered in sand so it could be slippery. The descent into the canyon was 5-6 flights via metal stairs. One of these flights is a tight ladder style. The Canyon is beautiful and unique. You've likely never seen anything like it. Our local guide took 15 of us in. They moved w/ us throughout, pointing out the best photo areas, of which there are many. The floor of the canyon is all sand and rock. There are some very tight skinny areas to maneuver and more shorter flights of stairs throughout the ascent to the top. Some areas required single step movement as the terrain was only the width of a shoe. Some minimal bending and ducking to avoid rocks along the way. The point is you can be out of shape, but you should have good balance and mobility. It takes about 30ish minutes to move through the canyon with enough pace to keep moving, but to also enjoy the scenery and take photos. We had someone in our group who was out of shape and under hydrated so she needed more rest breaks, so it took us closer to an hour. After Antelope we went to lunch, which is in downtown Page and about 15 minutes away. The restaurant was a local and they have amazimg chicken. Downside is it is quite rundown, with one bathroom, and we had to sit outside. They had misters, which made it tolerable, but the flies, we're a bit extra. So, the the restaurant itself is not very comfortable. Mark gave us the option to eat on the bus but based on the meal, that wasn't a great option, since you will want to wash your hands after eating and use the bathroom bfore the long ride back. Recommendations next time for this company is to use the very nice looking local brewery across the street. After a long day driving and being outside, eating inside in the A/C would have been nice. From Page we made a quick stop at Glen Canyon damn which was cool to see. From here buckle up for the long 4 hour ride home. Mark did great. Played good music. Did some narrating where needed but mostly stayed quiet to let everyone rest. Be warned, there our minimal bathroom stops along the way. So if you need to go tell him right away as it could, then very easily be another 30-40+ minutes for the next place to stop. We got beat up by the sun on the right side of the bus, so the cover-up helped with that. There was an amazing sunset to the right and full moon to the left just before coming into Scottsdale, which was a great ending to a long day. I definitely i would recommend this tour, although, from Scottsdale, it is not for those who can't ride in a vehicle for long periods of time. I wouldn't recommend taking children under 10 or so.

Very tiring trip but it was worth it. The view at horseshoe bend and antelope canyon definitely worth sitting in the car for more than 10 hours.

This trip was a long day but seeing Antelope Canyon was worth it. You're definitely gonna be in the van for a good chunk of the day but there are plenty of stops for the restroom or food.

Our guide, Nathan, was very knowledgable about what we were seeing as we travelled to Page, AZ. He made enough stops so we had time to stretch our legs or use the facilities. The 12 passenger bus was clean and comfortable.

I had a wonderful experience with Detours. Not only was the itinerary great, the customer service was impeccable. Communication from the time of booking to tour start was on point. And our guide Hans really customized his approach to the group of us that were on the tour. He was relatable and funny and very engaging. I highly recommend this tour.

Wonderful trip! Driver Mark picked us up from our hotel in Phoenix with Starbucks coffee and snacks. We stopped for restrooms as needed. He informed us about the history of the region and gave us some good movie recommendations. Our guide drove us safely north to horseshoe bend and then for our upper Antelope canyon tour. He checked us in and waited as we boarded our bus to drive into the Navajo canyon. The canyon was easy to walk and absolutely awesome! We took such memorable pictures. Mark met us after our tour and picked up lunch for my vegan daughter and brought us to his recommended fried chicken restaurant. Best fried chicken ever! Our last stop was at the Cameron trading post. We found many souvenirs here. We got back home on schedule. It was an overall great day and I’d highly recommended this tour for families, friends or solo travellers.

Amazing experience!! The whole day was perfect, our tour guide Mark did a great job. He was informative, friendly, and kept us on time during all of our stops. 100% recommend!!

Amazing! A perfect day in every way. Mark Lane was an outstanding guide. The drive though varied biomes of Arizona was fascinating. Horseshoe Bend was beautiful. Our stops at Glen Canyon dam and the Grand Canyon starting place were interesting, too, but the centerpiece of this day was Antelope Canyon. What a place! Beautiful, colors and lights, history and totally unbelievable. No pictures can truly capture it. This day was absolutely wonderful. Not to be missed.