First thing on the agenda today is to arrange some of the tours we would like to take here. Top of the list? Antelope Canyon. It has been on my bucket list for a while. There is an upper section and a lower Antelope Canyon. The lower section is more popular, especially between 10:15-1:30. At that time, the tour costs more, and some tours are photography tours with no non photographers allowed. To get to the lower canyon, you walk out, descend 5 flights of stairs and then use ladders and stairs to get out of the canyon later. The tour set up is kind of disappointing. It's a first come, first serve basis and waits are around 3 hours long out in the parking lot under a shade structure. We were also told that 5 tour companies offer tours to Antelope Canyon and they take 70 people in every 20 minutes. Photographers have complained about people walking in front of their cameras because it is crowded. The tour lasts 1 hour. It was difficult to get any straight answers to our questions and the people selling the tours were definitely unfriendly. It is a turn off for something you've built up so much anticipation to see. We finally found the Visitor Center and talked to an elderly staff member there who answered all our questions. He tried to book a tour to the upper canyon for us, but when they are busy, (which is all the time), they don't even answer the phone. He suggested checking next door about a hummer tour, and he would try again later.
So, we headed next door to see what they offered. They do not go to Antelope Canyon. Only 5 companies have permits from the Navajo Indians to go there because it's on their land. The Indians rule the show here because they own the land where most of these attractions are located. They only do hummer tours to Secret Canyon. Secret Canyon is the second most popular slot canyon in Arizona. They are the only tour group to have a permit for that canyon. They take maximum 6 people out in the hummer, or 10 out in a covered dune buggy type vehicle. So far she had 2 people signed up. It is now 1 pm and the tour leaves at 1:45. She had me at maximum 6 people. I started to drool and get excited. We were in! Just enough time to slather on the sunscreen, get our shoes on and the rest of our gear.
It takes 1/2 hour to drive out to the canyon, you get 1 1/2 hours in the canyon and 1/2 hour back. We were gone for 3 hours! The guide was a young guy that has lived here all his life. He was very patient and good at explaining the geology and plants around there. The other people on the tour were a young couple from Germany who had been planning this trip for a year. They were going to Bryce Canyon next. They said they have been training for 6 months at 3000 feet above sea level so they could do the Fairyland hike.
What is a slot canyon and why do I want to go there? A slot canyon is a narrow canyon that gets formed because of water rushing through the rock. Slot canyons are much deeper than they are wide. It is similar to walking in a tunnel that has many twists and turns. Strangely, although slot canyons are formed by rushing water, they are usually found in dry areas. Many slot canyons are formed in sandstone and limestone rock. Only a small number of creeks will form slot canyons due to the type of rock and the amount of rainfall. Utah has the largest concentration of slot canyons in the world.
Sometimes you wonder if the actual bucket list event is going to be everything you imagined it to be. It absolutely lived up to what I thought it was going to be! I was thrilled going through that canyon. I can see why photographers go crazy for them. Moving your camera even slightly gives you a completely different photo. Pretty much I was on my own to enjoy, Dave was up front interrogating the guide, and the other couple was behind me with their tripod happily snapping away. Complete bliss! When we got back to the hotel, we had to take our shoes off in the tub because they were full of red sand that had been sloshing around inside during the walk. We just added it to the small amount of sand the tour guide said we could take.
We had a sushi dinner afterward.