It’s Hard To Believe That Antelope Canyon Is A Place On Earth

We’ve all seen the pictures, but we’ll probably never get sick of them. That’s because Antelope Canyon is as close as most of us are going to get to an alien planet.

Shaped by millions of years of wind and water erosion, Antelope Canyon’s twisted passageways are both hauntingly beautiful and confusing as hell to the naked eye.

Antelope Canyon is a red rock slot canyon found east of Page, Arizona, on the Navajo Reservation. The sandstone walls of the canyon look like flowing waves that curve through the eerily-lit corridors.

Antelope Canyon consists of two separate parts; the upper canyon and the lower canyon. The upper canyon is called Tsé bighánílíní by the local Navajo people, which means “the place where water runs through the rocks”. This narrow passage features walls that stretch up over 35 metres. The lower canyon is known as Hazdistazí, or the “spiral rock arches”. This canyon is a lot shallower than the upper one and can be a difficult trek for visitors, but it’s made easier with metal staircases.

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The canyons are subject to flash flooding throughout the year, so the space is only accessible to tourists by way of Native American Navajo-led tours. All trips are timed to coincide with the arrival of sunbeams at key points in the caves which, when filtered through gaps in the ceiling, are a photographer’s dream.

Lighting conditions are said to be best between April and September during the mid-morning – winter colours are a little more muted, but still super impressive.

On the bucket list? Check out Qantas flights to the US here.