Antelope Canyon Tickets and Prices: Every Tour, the Navajo Fee and the Rules
There is no gate at Antelope Canyon where you buy a ticket and walk in. Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation, which manages the canyon as part of Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park, allows visits only on a guided tour: tour guides are mandatory at every Antelope Canyon location. So an “Antelope Canyon ticket” is really two things: a tour from a Navajo-permitted operator, and the tribal park’s entry fee of $15 per person, per location, per day.
What you pay depends on which canyon you choose and whom you book with. On the operators’ own sites in 2026, a general tour of Lower Antelope Canyon lists at $80.50 all-inclusive; Upper Antelope Canyon tours range from about $85 to $120 before the Navajo fee and booking fees; Canyon X is $47 for an adult plus the $15 permit; and the kayak-and-hike trips from Lake Powell run about $120. This guide sets out every price, what is and is not included, and the rules that decide whether you get in with your bag, your tripod or your toddler.
Why every visit is a tour
Antelope Canyon is on Navajo Nation land, and the Navajo Nation requires a permit from anyone providing guided tours in its tribal parks. Navajo Nation Parks keeps a list of the operators it works with:
- Lower Antelope Canyon: two operators, Ken’s Tours and Dixie’s Lower Antelope Canyon Tours.
- Upper Antelope Canyon: several, including Antelope Canyon Tours, Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours, Antelope Slot Canyon Tours and Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours.
- Other canyons: among them Taadidiin Tours, the only operator at Canyon X, and the Horseshoe Bend tour company that runs Secret Antelope Canyon.
The operators trace the guide-only rule back to 1997, when, as Antelope Canyon Tours puts it, the canyon became unavailable to the public without a tour. That August, eleven tourists were killed by a flash flood in Lower Antelope Canyon, from a storm that fell on the basin 7 miles (11 km) upstream.
The Navajo fee: $15, and when you pay it twice
The tribal park’s entry fee is separate from the tour. Navajo Nation Parks’ operator page puts it at $15 per person, per location, per day; the Lake Powell tribal park page words it as $15 per person, per entry, with guided tours an additional cost. How it shows up in your price varies:
- Added on top. Antelope Canyon Tours lists its Upper tour at $92 plus a $15 Navajo park fee for anyone 8 and older, plus card and booking fees. Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours prices it as $85 plus the $15 permit, $100 in all before processing fee and tax. Taadidiin adds a $15 hiking permit for ages 8 and up at Canyon X.
- Folded in. Dixie’s and Ken’s Tours quote their Lower Antelope prices as all-inclusive or including taxes and fees.
Because the fee is per location, visiting two canyons in a day means paying it twice, unless you keep the receipt. Dixie’s will refund the $15.00 Navajo Nation fee at Lower Antelope if you already visited Upper Antelope Canyon, Canyon X or Waterhole Canyon on the same business day and bring the receipt. Antelope Canyon Tours may refund it at Upper on the day if you hand over a paper receipt from another Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park visit with matching dates; an email confirmation will not do.
National park passes do not count. Lower Antelope Canyon is on the Navajo Nation, separate from the National Park Service, and Taadidiin says the same of Canyon X: it is a tribal park, not a national park. The only Antelope Canyon trip where a park pass helps is the kayak route from Antelope Point, which is in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
Price list by canyon and operator
These are the prices listed on each operator’s own site in October 2026. Most say rates vary by season or time of day, so treat them as a guide and check the checkout total.
| Canyon | Operator and tour | Length | Listed price | Navajo fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower | Ken’s Tours, General | 50–60 min | From $80.50 | Included |
| Lower | Ken’s Tours, Deluxe | 75–90 min | From $173.63 | Included |
| Lower | Ken’s Tours, Combination | Half or full day | From $148.00 | Included |
| Lower | Ken’s Tours, Premier | 8 hours 30 min | From $287.41 | Included |
| Lower | Dixie’s hiking tour | 60–90 min | $80.50 adults and ages 4-7; infants free | Included |
| Upper | Antelope Canyon Tours, sightseeing | 100 min | $92 adults, $87 ages 0-7 | Plus $15 (ages 8+) |
| Upper | Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours | 90 min | $85; $105 for the 11:40 slot | Plus $15 |
| Upper | Antelope Slot Canyon Tours | 90 min | From $95 adults, $90 ages 6-11, $85 military | Ask when booking |
| Upper | Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours | 1 hr 20 min | $120 adults and ages 8-12 | Ask when booking |
| Canyon X | Taadidiin Tours, hiking | 1.5 hours | $47 adults, $37 under 18 | Plus $15 (ages 8+) |
| Canyon X | Taadidiin Tours, photography | 3 hours | $142 | Plus $15 (ages 8+) |
| Secret Antelope | Horseshoe Bend tour company | About 2 hours | $110 (age 6+), plus 6% online fee | Ask when booking |
| Lake end | Kayak Powell, hike and kayak | About 4 hours | $120 adults, $100 ages 5-12 | Not a tribal park tour |
| Lake end | Hidden Canyon Kayak, hike and kayak | 4 hours | $120 ($110 discounted), $100 ages 5-11 | Not a tribal park tour |
A few things the table cannot show:
- Ken’s Tours’ group sizes. The General Tour takes up to 15 per reservation; the Deluxe, Combination and Premier tours are limited to 6. The Deluxe adds the Hozho Haza heritage site and a complimentary meal at the on-site cafe.
- Private options. Taadidiin runs a private Canyon X tour at $150 per person with a minimum of 5 people. Secret Antelope Canyon sells a private truck for $1,200, and its shared tours need 4 paid seats to run.
- The kayak trips’ park fee. Every vehicle entering Glen Canyon pays a $30 entrance fee, valid for a week; national park annual passes are accepted. Kayak Powell’s kayak-only tour is $85, and its prices do not include a tip for the guide.
- The boat tour. Lake Powell Resorts lists an Antelope Canyon boat tour at $88.88 for adults and $40.56 for children aged 3 - 12, but marks it as currently unavailable until further notice.
What changes the price
Time of day. The midday slots, when the light is strongest, cost more at Upper Antelope. Antelope Canyon Tours prices its 11:20 AM tour higher; Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours charges $105 rather than $85 for its 11:40 tour, so $120 with the permit.
Season. Antelope Canyon Tours advertises its Upper tour from $85, varying by season, with discounts in late fall and winter.
Who is coming. Children’s pricing is all over the place. Some charge everyone the same (Dixie’s for ages 4-7, Adventurous for ages 8-12, Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours for children including infants); others have a child rate (Antelope Canyon Tours, Antelope Slot Canyon Tours, Canyon X). Antelope Slot Canyon Tours has a military and veteran rate of $85 with valid ID.
Booking fees. Several operators add card or booking fees at checkout, and Secret Antelope Canyon adds 6% online. Compare the final total, not the headline.
Age limits and children
Before you book a family trip, check the age rules, which differ more than the prices:
- Antelope Canyon Tours (Upper): all ages; even babies need a ticket, and you must bring your own car seat for young children.
- Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours (Upper): car seats are required for children 5 and under, supplied by you.
- Antelope Slot Canyon Tours (Upper): ages 6 and up only.
- Adventurous (Upper): children under 8 are not allowed, and pregnant women are advised against it.
- Dixie’s (Lower): all ages, infants 0-3 free; toddlers 2 years old and younger should ride in a hiking backpack.
- Ken’s Tours (Lower): the General Tour suits all ages; the Combination package is best for children 10 and older.
- Canyon X: all ages; children 0-7 need a car seat provided by the parents.
- Secret Antelope Canyon: children under 6 are not permitted.
Booking windows and walk-ins
Ken’s Tours recommends booking ahead, especially in peak season, March to November, when tours sell out. Other operators have their own patterns:
- Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours releases slots only 1-2 months in advance, but welcomes walk-ins.
- Canyon X releases January–March dates on December 1, April–June on January 1, and July–December on March 1, 2026. You do not need a reservation, and walk-ins are accommodated where possible, but booking is recommended around US holidays.
- Antelope Canyon Tours says it can sell out far in advance and keeps no waitlist; neither does Dixie’s.
The practical rule: book the canyon first, then build the rest of the trip around it.
Cancellation and refund rules
These vary widely, so read them before paying:
- Dixie’s (Lower): fully refundable, booking fees included, up to 24 hours before; rescheduling is free by phone up to one hour before.
- Ken’s Tours (Lower): the ticket price (not the booking fee) is refunded for cancellations 72 or more hours ahead.
- Antelope Canyon Tours (Upper): full refund 48+ hours before; bookings made inside 48 hours are final.
- Adventurous (Upper): 94% back at 72 hours or more, 50% between 24 and 72 hours, nothing inside 24 hours.
- Antelope Slot Canyon Tours (Upper): all sales final unless you buy refund protection at $10 per ticket, which allows cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
- Canyon X: a full refund for notice of 72 hours or more, by email.
Weather is the exception everyone agrees on. Dixie’s and Ken’s refund or reschedule tours cancelled for flash flood warnings, and Taadidiin gives a 100% refund or a new date. A missed tour, by contrast, is usually simply lost, which is one more reason to get the time zone right (our getting there guide explains it).
Hours, tour times and closures
The tribal park’s summer hours of operation are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and it closes on major Navajo Nation holidays: Thanksgiving Day, the day after (Navajo Nation Family Day), Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Within those hours each operator sets fixed departures, on Page time:
- Antelope Canyon Tours: 9:00 AM, 11:20 AM, 1:40 PM and 4:00 PM; the 4:00 PM tour runs only from April 1 through September 30.
- Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours: 8:20 am, 10:40 am, 1:00 pm and 3:20 pm on Phoenix time.
- Secret Antelope Canyon: typically hourly from 8am until 4pm, depending on daylight.
- Kayak Powell: 8:00 am, 9:00 am, 10:30 am and 1:00 pm Arizona time, each about four hours.
Check-in is 30 minutes before at most Upper operators and Canyon X, and 45 minutes before at Dixie’s.
The bag rule, operator by operator
Nothing causes more trouble at check-in than bags. There is no single rule:
| Operator | Bags |
|---|---|
| Dixie’s (Lower) | None, including clear bags, since May 4, 2023 |
| Canyon X | None of any size, clear bags and camera bags included |
| Adventurous (Upper) | None of any kind, including baby carriers and water bags |
| Antelope Canyon Tours (Upper) | Clear, transparent bags only |
| Antelope Slot Canyon Tours (Upper) | Clear or transparent only |
| Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours (Upper) | Must be transparent |
Bring a phone, a small camera, and water in your hand. Leave everything else locked in the car; Canyon X notes that lockers are not provided.
Cameras, tripods and drones
- Tripods, monopods and selfie sticks are banned on general tours at every operator listed here. Ken’s Tours also bars professional camera equipment, and Dixie’s bans GoPros.
- Photo tours are rarer than they were. The tribal park does not issue photography or filming permits for Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon, citing visitor numbers, and Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours no longer offers its 2-hour Photography Tour. Canyon X still runs a 3-hour photo tour that allows a tripod and one camera bag.
- Drones are prohibited at all Navajo Tribal Park locations and will be confiscated.
- People: the tribal park asks you to get permission before photographing Navajo people.
Other rules worth knowing
- No pets, and no service animals on the canyon tours; dogs are prohibited at all Navajo Tribal Park locations.
- No ashes. Scattering cremated remains is strictly prohibited; the operators ask the same, because the canyon is sacred to the Navajo.
- No alcohol or drugs on the Navajo Nation.
- Closed-toe shoes. Dixie’s bars sandals and open-toed shoes; the Upper exit routes include sand and stairs.
- A time limit at Upper. There has been a two-hour limit inside Upper Antelope Canyon since May 1, 2011, which is why tours are tightly scheduled.
Weather, heat and the monsoon
Tours run year round, but the weather shapes the day:
- Monsoon season, roughly July through September, brings the flash flood risk. Dixie’s says tours can pause at short notice when storms threaten the drainage upstream.
- Heat: summer temperatures near Page can reach up to 100 degrees, though inside the canyon it is roughly 10 to 15 degrees cooler than outside.
- Cold: winter mornings start near freezing, so dress in layers.
When the light is best
The famous light beams fall into Upper Antelope Canyon. Antelope Slot Canyon Tours suggests April to September around midday; Ken’s Tours says they are most visible from late spring through mid-fall, typically between 10 AM and 1 PM. That is why the midday slots cost more.
Lower Antelope is about color rather than beams: Dixie’s suggests 7:15 am to 10:45 am or after 1:45 pm from March to October. In winter, Adventurous notes that the canyon is darker on its 3:15 pm tour, and that 11:05am and 1:10pm get the fullest sunlight. Our Upper vs Lower guide goes further into which canyon suits which kind of photo.
Frequently asked questions
How much is an Antelope Canyon ticket?
There is no stand-alone ticket. A general tour of Lower Antelope Canyon lists at $80.50 including fees; Upper Antelope tours list from about $85 to $120 plus the $15 Navajo fee at most operators; Canyon X is $47 plus $15.
Is the $15 Navajo fee included?
It depends on the operator. Lower Antelope operators quote all-inclusive prices, while several Upper operators and Canyon X add the $15 on top. It is charged per person, per location, per day.
Can I use my America the Beautiful pass at Antelope Canyon?
Not at the Navajo canyons: Lower Antelope Canyon and Canyon X both say national park passes are not accepted. A pass does cover the Glen Canyon entrance fee for the kayak route from Antelope Point.
Which Antelope Canyon tour is cheapest?
Of the listed prices, the Canyon X hiking tour at $47 plus the $15 permit, and the Lower Antelope general tours at $80.50 including fees. Midday Upper tours are the most expensive general tours.
Can I bring a backpack?
Generally not. Lower Antelope and Canyon X allow no bags at all, clear ones included; some Upper operators allow clear, transparent bags only.
What happens if my tour is cancelled for weather?
The Lower Antelope operators and Canyon X refund or reschedule tours cancelled for flash flood warnings. Missed tours, on the other hand, are usually not refunded.