Antelope canyon in Arizona is totally a must for so many travelers that this place is becoming so touristic and crowded. And expensive! That is comprehensive because this canyon is breathtaking beautiful and people are willing to pay a lot of cash and wait in the long line just for a single photo.
But what if I tell you that you can visit Antelope canyon cash free and tourist free? It might not be as beautiful as the lower or upper Antelope or it might…I don’t know as I have never been to either of them. But what I know is that the “free” Antelope I know is gorgeous! We had a hard time leaving this magical place. And now only just by looking at the photos brings tears to our eyes.
Ok, I am sorry, I lied! It’s not totally free as you will need to rent a kayak at the lake Powell point marina. We rented our double kayak for 45$ here. From 8am-4pm you will have the kayak so it is totally worth the money! All the information you need you can find on their website.
I have loop in the itinerary from Antelope Marina to Antelope Canyon. It took us about an hour to paddle from the marina to the canyon. And David was basically the one who did it all by himself.
We meet a couple who snap the photo for us if you are wondering!
Now and then we saw tour boats passing us by at the larger passage. The further in we paddled the more narrow the passage became. And more beautiful and peaceful!
End of the road. From now on one can only explore this magical place by foot.
We didn’t know what to expect when we parked our kayak and walked into the canyon.
The silence, the heat from the stone walls and the shimmering 50 shades of red took us by surprise! The only we heard were our own heartbeats and our footsteps in the sand. I couldn’t help myself walking with my fingers stroking the millions of years old walls.
I didn’t mind getting lost in there. For awhile we were imagining that we were the first human on earth exploring this place. We have heard that you can go as far as to the other very touristic parts of Antelope canyons.
But of course our imaginary adventure has to end because it was getting dark and we needed to return the kayak. But on the way back we stopped for a swim.
Next time when we have more time in the USA we will without any hesitation rent a kayak for a week and explore other wonderful places around lake Powell. We are really looking forward for it!
Want to know more about other slot canyons? How about Spooky and Peek-a-boo, have you ever heard about them? Click Here
Spooky slot canyons
144 Comments
We were so disappointed that we missed Antelope Canyon when we visited. We did not book a tour in advance and everything was all booked. It is so great that you got to see Antelope Canyon by kayak. We actually rented a speedboat at Antelope Marina but only had a short time. We were advised we would not see much of Antelope Canyon. So we did Navajo Canyon instead. Navajo Canyon was broad and interesting. But I love that you got an amazing view of the narrow and steep Antelope Canyon. And you even got to walk into the slot canyon. We will go that way next time!
I’m seeing more and more posts about Antelope Canyon, that it seems like a sign almost! You’ve given some excellent tips on how to visit for free. Even though I’m not the most adventurous person, I’d still love to visit and see these incredible formations for myself. Your photos are mesmerising!!
How long did it take to get to the walking portion of the canyon after you kayak-ed in? Could you have fit a jet ski in there? We are visiting the area in May, but canceled an Antelope Canyon tour because of the high crowds that we read about, didn’t want to be herded like cattle! But we would love to still see the canyon!
Hi Bonnie, I am sorry I don’t understand your first question. I think jet ski should fit👌 Have fun, its beautiful out there!
Hi! I am scheduled to rent jet skis - will there be a map that makes finding your spot to hike into antelope? Thanks!
Yes there is a map your can bring.👌 Have fun! Would love to be back there!