Welcome to ExploreBeyondYourDoor!
EBYD is a new spot to talk travel and share experiences about places far from home, in the greater Southwest or right in our own backyards.Speaking of our own backyard...did you know one of nature's wonders (in my opinion) is right here in the state of Arizona? I'm referring to Lower Antelope Canyon, one of the beautiful slot canyons located on Navajo land near Page, AZ.
The Navajo name for Lower Antelope Canyon is Hasdeztwazi or "Spiral Rock Arches." Maybe you've seen a photo or two of this famously photographed canyon before?
I was lucky to be invited on this trip by a good friend, Terish, who was taken with photos she'd recently seen of the canyon. She and I hit the road and headed up to Page from Sedona.
We knew this would be a trip to remember...but we forgot about the blocked road on 89! We had to backtrack 20 minutes to a small village called "Gap" to find the turn off to Indian Highway 20 to take us into Page (IH 20 turns into Coppermine Rd).
One thing we did remember to do was to get the location of where to see this wondrous place. The only way to see the canyon is through a guided tour. Ken's Guided Tours is the best choice! They have places to park and a building where you can buy tickets and reserve your spot. Here's their website for more info: http://www.lowerantelope.com/
The sun overhead will change the color of the rock, so keep this in mind when taking photos. I've read early morning or late afternoon is better for photos in this canyon. We paid for our reserved spot at 3:00p. (thank you Terish for the discount!) Chris was our tour guide. He lead us down the steep metal stairs into the slot canyon (beware if you're afraid of heights!)
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Stairs leading down into Lower Antelope Canyon. |
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This rock is called "Lion's Head" and was one of the first formations we saw on the tour. |
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Chris, our tour guide, showing us the route we will take through the canyon. |
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Over time, the canyon was formed by the erosion of the sandstone from flash flooding flowing into the narrow passageways smoothing the hard edges of the rock. |
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I love these two photos that really show the amazing texture and curves of the rock! |
Our tour guide, Chris, told us Lower Antelope Canyon is a world destination and people from all over come to see it! The most popular countries represented are India, Japan, Germany and France. Surprisingly only 5 to 10%, of the approx. 1,000 visitors a day, are Americans.
A fellow explorer, from India, was with us on the tour and he brought his flute. We learned the canyon provided some amazing acoustics for a magical and musical tour. Check out the video of the flute player (Can you tell what song he's playing? Think a very large ship.)
Thousands of people travel thousands of miles to see this photogenic slot canyon. Lucky for us it's practically in our own backyard! I think Terish was right when she said, "This is a place one MUST see if you live in Arizona."
Lower Antelope Canyon, a true treasure, proves you don't have to look far to see nature's beauty. There are so many amazing places to experience that are only half a day away. I invite you to get out and visit Lower Antelope Canyon and see what you discover if you...Explore Beyond Your Door!
Happy Travels!
~ Chris & Terish
