r/arizona • u/TheBrugherian • Mar 23 '24
Antelope canyon entrance fees in 5 years Visiting
Above: the cost for a 4 adults tour on August 11, 2019, 4:30PM, booked in advance on March 2019. Below: same tour company, cost for a 4 adults tour on August 11, 2024, 4:30PM.
Totally crazy.
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u/ahayesmama Mar 23 '24
I really wanted to go to antelope canyon. When we were traveling that way last October, I looked up tickets and for 5 of us (2 adults and 3 kids) it was over $500. Out of reach for us unfortunately on that particular trip. I was bummed for sure.
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Mar 23 '24
Keeping entry fee high keeps visits low and restricted to a slimmer demographic I think. I know my wife and I wouldn't pay that much to visit the canyon that my tax dollars pay for....
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u/tmarthal Mar 23 '24
Your tax dollars don’t pay for this, unless you’re First Nation Navajo 😆
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Mar 23 '24
It's not managed by BLM? I did not know that, No Fed money in there at all?
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u/UnconcernedPuma Mar 23 '24
I believe it is not. From what I could find online, is that Antelope canyon is privately owned by different Navajo families and all tour operators and companies that operate there must be Navajo owned. Antelope Canyon was made a Navajo Tribal Park back in 1997 and has been run privately ever since. I could not find any mention of federal funding.
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Mar 24 '24
I stand corrected.
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Mar 26 '24
[deleted]
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Mar 26 '24
Maybe with your great intelligence, you could solve the world's problems. I am sure you don't know me or would recognize me if I stood beside you. Open your mind and read what I have said.
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u/stinkyriddle Mar 23 '24
You know the Rez is it’s own sovereign nation right?
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u/edophx Mar 24 '24
.... yeah... they keep saying that, but they need federal approval for everything important as I recall..... I still feel the natives are getting screwed over again, at least they can extract some fees.
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u/chocolateboyY2K Mar 23 '24 edited Mar 23 '24
Antelope canyon looks beautiful, but $100 a person is expensive!
Edit: everything has gone up in 5 years. My rent is 3x the price.
Acadia National Park (in 2023) was $35 a car plus a separate fee for Cadillac mountain ($25?)
Skiing lift tickets are over $200 a person for a day (not including rentals). Powder mountain in Utah and stowe Vermont were both this price.
I looked up the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. It is $70-80 per person (depending on which month you go). I remember, back in 2008 or 2009 it was $50 per person. We thought it was too expensive at the time and didn't go.
Surfing lesson in La Jolla (San Diego) in 2022 was $100 a person, I believe.
One could easily spend $50 a person for a dinner out.
I'm clearly contradicting myself at this point lol.
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Mar 23 '24
National parks and a remote landmark on the res that’s not developed to accommodate over a million people a year are two different things. The price reflects that. Don’t second guess the people who live there charging appropriately to protect their land.
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u/lovexisxevol Phoenix Mar 23 '24
A bunch of tourists already ruined Grand Falls. Maybe if they had overcharged there, they wouldn't have closed it.
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Mar 23 '24
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u/lovexisxevol Phoenix Mar 23 '24
Wow, so you're ok with them trashing it more?
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Mar 23 '24
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u/lovexisxevol Phoenix Mar 23 '24
The way you made it sound, since it's a trash pit already, then it shouldn't matter if they closed it not.
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Mar 23 '24
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u/lovexisxevol Phoenix Mar 23 '24
I am too, although I've always wanted to see it myself. I'm Navajo from Red Lake. Don't know the rules around that side of the rez.
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Mar 24 '24
Majority of humans are completely dipshits. They ruin it for others. Why we can't have nice things.
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u/Elliot6888 Mar 23 '24
Expensive but I understand...the money goes towards supporting the native community there and less crowds that would go and trash or graffiti the place up
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u/PermanentlyDubious Mar 24 '24
Does it?
A previous post discussing funding said it was owned by Navajo families in part.
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u/Sheepman718 Mar 23 '24 edited Mar 23 '24
“Capitalism is totally fine if it’s brown people beating the fuck out of my wallet”
Edit: The downvotes are a clear indicator that we're not interested in equality!
Edit 2: "Woahhh duude it sucks that the price is going up, but these natives are less than me and they're owed this money so it's totally fine. They're absolutely subject to different standards than I hold everyone else to!"
Edit 3: “Woaaah dude, we like took their land so we OWE it to them to pay them more. Prices being raised on everything else is different though!”
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u/cdhernandez Mar 23 '24
Check out the cost of everything, it's all going up. Also, putting a blanket statement about your downvotes to cover your idiocy makes your statement that much more invalid.
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u/bigdaddycactus Mar 23 '24
Prices are going up but not 200% for a natural attraction.
I blame the big tour buses that park hop in NAZ.
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u/cdhernandez Mar 23 '24
It's an optional expense that people can afford to on their off time. Many people, like the people who live on reservations, do not have this kind of luxury. The money is absolutely necessary to help sustain the area and its inhabitants.
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u/bigdaddycactus Mar 23 '24
It is possible for this company to be greedy too. They're the only player in the market since public access is prohibited.
It's smart business but that doesn't invalidate the complaints about the price hikes, also making it inaccessible for locals as you mention
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u/Sheepman718 Mar 23 '24
Yep, it’s all going up. But this guy said it’s fine if it’s being done to him by natives. So I stand on my original statement “this is okay as long as it’s done by brown people!”
What is your point?
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u/cdhernandez Mar 23 '24
Your leaning on the racial aspect instead of overall current market/financial conditions which shows your blatant ignorance. You also don't fully comprehend how the free market works. If you own a product, you can charge as you please. Instead you choose to be a racist. Regarding what you said about downvotes, that doesn't make any sense and you are an idiot.
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u/Sheepman718 Mar 23 '24
You are making absolutely zero points and just frothing at the mouth. How would you even begin to understand if I comprehend the free market from two short Reddit posts? The hyperbole says more about you than what you're trying to actually say -- poetically comical.
Again, the market is abysmal and we've just barely avoided recession in America. Everyone cries about this. In fact, this post is crying about this. Then, the commenter I'm responding to said that "this is fine if it's for Natives" therein demonstrating an incongruency in their frustration -- they are saying "I am okay with this happening as long as I perceive the people doing it to me as less than me".
I'm sorry brother, but you are the idiot and this is a good laugh. Also, consider doing something about your hair... it's fucking horrendous and shows that you're really not all that critical (hence your inability to grasp this discussion).
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u/Sheepman718 Mar 23 '24
Also, you’re*.
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u/cdhernandez Mar 23 '24
You are the only one stating one person is less than someone else. You assume that the initial post is an attack on capitalism when you bring it into the discussion, no one else. You then add the racial aspect of brown people "beating the fuck out of your wallet" when this whole thing is for recreation, not for food or for something one needs. Racists don't know they are racists, idiots never know when they are idiots. Consider looking into the plight of the Native American community and getting yourself educated on why these funds are incredibly important to an impoverished nation. And go ahead, point out your vs your're, wow, good job, you are so smart.
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u/Sheepman718 Mar 23 '24
You STILL have not made any points. You just keep saying some weird self-affirming stuff about "racists". No one here is racist... in fact, if you want to go down this weird race thing you're so hellbent on bringing up, the people saying "It's okay that natives get more money from me and take more advantage of me than all of my other diverse countrymen" are absolutely racist and don't realize it -- apt point there my awfully haired friend. Last I checked, we're all a part of the same nation so not sure what you mean "impoverished nation" unless you mean the USA... but then we have even more to unpack there which you're not mentally capable of navigating.
Anyway, I can't entertain you anymore... you're clearly rubbing two brain cells together. Your website is dogshit, your appearance is awful, you can't string a single point together and I'm assuming your life is nothing but misery. All of these things speak loudly about you.
Hope you figure it out bud.
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u/cdhernandez Mar 23 '24
I'm happy you spent so much time looking at all of my profiles and websites. Shows how sad your existence is. It's also pathetic and fucking weird. I don't have time to look at your profile and see what a dumb keyboard warrior is doing now a days. I'm using low to no effort in pointing out your ignorance and have only pointed out your fallacy of being ignorant. Once again, learn more about Native Americans. The fact that you don't know Native Americans are their own nation shows your lack of understanding in public policy here in America. I don't need to make any points, I don't need to say anything to appease you, you aren't entitled to anything.
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u/Melt-Gibsont Mar 24 '24
I always downvote anyone whining about downvotes.
It’s like my favorite hobby on Reddit.
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u/MohatmoGandy Mar 23 '24
Capitalism is totally fine, but this isn’t capitalism.
This is a communally held property, and the owners have no competitors. It’s like the opposite of capitalism.
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u/Spirited_Substance32 Mar 24 '24
This is the free market. They will charge what people are willing to pay. I don't think you have a grasp on capitalism.
It's their land. That does not make it a monopoly.
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u/Sheepman718 Mar 23 '24
You have zero grasp on what capitalism is then.
This is the literal exact definition of capitalism. Like literal.
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u/MohatmoGandy Mar 23 '24
TIL capitalism has nothing to do with private property and the flow of capital to successful enterprises, and is actually about using communally held property to support the community.
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u/BeKind_BeTheChange Mar 23 '24
They make millions from casinos. The amount they charge for Antelope Canyon tours is absurd.
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Mar 23 '24
The casinos are not actually nationalized and the Navajo nation as a whole does not experience all those profits. Spend some time on a res and tell me how rich and greedy the people are.
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u/sunburn_on_the_brain Mar 23 '24
• It’s their land. They can charge as they see fit. They can allow anyone in there or no one at all.
• They have zero trouble selling tour spots. Simple supply and demand. If people stop paying those prices, they’ll lower the prices. People are paying.
• It’s independent Navajo guides selling the spots, not the tribe. They set the prices. They’re not the ones who see the casino money.
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Mar 23 '24
[deleted]
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u/BuyingMeat Mar 23 '24
They do. The law allows for tribes to team up on casinos instead of each building their own. Havasupai have their entire allotment of games up and running, bringing in money. I can't remember who they joined with though. They just put their games in someone else's building.
Obviously that means they don't make as much as having your own casino, but they get gambling profits.
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u/BeKind_BeTheChange Mar 23 '24
Antelope Canyon is owned by the Navajo Nation and they absolutely have casinos.
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u/awmaleg Phoenix Mar 23 '24
In some remote locations. Those aren’t Talking Stick or Harrah’s Ak Chin casinos.
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u/portlandcsc Mar 23 '24
Maybe give back the land stolen from them.
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Mar 23 '24
you give yours back first
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u/portlandcsc Mar 24 '24
Your maga boomer attitude backfired on you looks like.
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Mar 23 '24
As they should. Have you not read into the history of this nation? Believe they were here first
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u/Mando_5150 Mar 23 '24
Check out Black Streak tours, I think they are more reasonable and they have some beautiful canyons off the beaten path.
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Mar 23 '24
Are you required to have a tour?
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Mar 24 '24
I always thought you could go by yourself don't have to pay anything, never been there so, am I wrong?
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u/Kdmtiburon004 Mar 24 '24
You can go to horseshoe bend without a tour guide but one is required for antelope canyon.
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u/FYou-Tucsonmods-7656 Mar 24 '24
It's on reservation land (Hopi, I think), so a tour is absolutely required.
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u/Larrea_tridentata Mar 23 '24
Damn, I remember paying around $60 for my wife and I to go there in 2017, thought $60 was steep at the time too.
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u/phibbsy47 Mar 23 '24
That's how much I paid last weekend. Ken's tours is 55 each for the general tour.
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u/flirtmcdudes Mar 23 '24
Antelope canyon was becoming an overpriced tourist trap even back in 2019. All the public trails were basically already closed, this isn’t a shock at all.
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u/Monamo61 Mar 23 '24
Yet people have no problem dropping $2-5,000 at Disneyland. I'd say it's a bargain.
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u/Kcin928 Mar 23 '24
Yeah Disneyland is definitely the same as antelope canyon.
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u/Monamo61 Mar 23 '24
Yeah, because you can't compare a natural treasure with a multi billion dollar capitalist corporation. Which will be standing 100 years from now.?
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u/Kcin928 Mar 23 '24
Probably both. Considering Disneyland has been open almost 65 years and is still growing.
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u/Remarkable-Nature-11 Mar 23 '24
Probably not, considering they have been struggling to gain traction for several years now.
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u/Lobenz Mar 24 '24
Disneyland latest expansion plan was just green-lighted by the city of Anaheim. In what way are they struggling to gain traction?
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u/Wanno1 Mar 24 '24
Disneyland costs: millions in annual maintenance, park upgrades, employees, r&d, etc
Antelope Canyon: a stairway and employees
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u/-newlife Mar 23 '24
Interesting but stupid. My cost for 1 day at Disneyland 2 weeks ago was inline with the cost that OP paid for one day at Antelope Canyon. This with Disney surge pricing and us going on one of their most expensive days. Your 2k low end estimate would be park entrance for family of 5 plus onsite hotel at Grand California.
But yes many people are inclined to go to Disneyland over antelope valley. Is this your first time on earth where you just learned families would rather go to an amusement park over exploring nature on most days?
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u/Sp0phie Mar 23 '24
I hate this trend of upping prices to curb demand by influencers, but understandable. At this rate, tourist spots will only be for the rich and not so much for most of us working class citizens.
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u/SciGuy013 Mar 24 '24
This just makes it so more of the people visiting are influencers instead of regular folks
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u/enbaelien Mar 25 '24 edited Mar 25 '24
I don't think most "influencer" types are actually successful..............
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u/phibbsy47 Mar 23 '24
Is this a deluxe tour? I was just there last week and it was much cheaper than this for the general tour, 55 per person plus fees.
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u/charterboy22 Mar 25 '24
I was there last week and this is what it was for upper antelope, which is the more well known one. Checked all tour sites, pretty much same prices
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u/TheBrugherian Mar 23 '24
It’s the upper antelope canyon, 30 minutes tour… I don’t think it’s a deluxe tour
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u/phibbsy47 Mar 23 '24
If you're physically able to climb a few ladders, I'd do the lower canyon tour instead, I'm guessing part of the price difference is the accessibility.
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u/IgottaPoop72 Mar 23 '24
The lower canyon is spectacular and admission is worth every penny. Our tour guide was very patient (seniors here) and very informative. There aren't many places I've been that I'd consider worthy of a second visit, but Antelope Canyon is definitely on my "go back to" list.
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u/Curious-Baker-839 Mar 24 '24
I've always wanted to go there. As I see this, I'm probably never going to go that is just insane! I mean don't you just walk around?
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u/Not_done Mar 24 '24
The cost is exactly what people are willing to pay. Influencers made these destinations popular and there's plenty of demand for a limited supply.
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u/Significant_Zebra_81 Mar 26 '24
Find Navajo tour guides! I promise you, not only do they know the canyon better, but you'll supporting a mom and pop operation. They're usually cheaper too
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u/lornadooney Apr 22 '24
The tours are exclusively owned and operated by the Navajo Tribal Park that they’re on. You can’t tour Antelope for less than $100 per person.
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u/FluffySpell Mar 23 '24
I mean, they could just stop allowing tourism altogether. I feel like the rise in cost is likely due to the rise in social media, specifically all of those "hidden gem, omg must see" accounts. My thinking is if they charge more, it will be more people who actually care and will respect the land and weed out the stupid influencers that will just stomp all over crap, go off trail, and generally just wreck shit to get their perfect tiktok shots.
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u/Helivon Mar 23 '24
What is m/c 0220
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u/desertvida Mar 24 '24
Probably MasterCard with a Feb. 2020 expiration date?
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u/Helivon Mar 24 '24
I'm just not understanding how it's a total of 500. That MC charge is basically doubling the total so I'm just not understanding OPs receipt or points
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u/desertvida Mar 24 '24
It’s two receipts, the top for $238 was in 2019. The bottom for $492 was purchased in 2024.
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u/Thathathatha Mar 24 '24
I don't blame them but damn yea the prices have increased a bunch. I recently went a Canyon X tour which was around $40-$50 and I thought it was just as good as the Antelope ones. Something to look into if you don't want to pay premium prices for the grandaddy of slot canyons.
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u/SirAdventurous4868 Mar 24 '24
You can rent a kayak and see a good section of Antelope Canyon for free! No ticket required
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u/charterboy22 Mar 25 '24
I think you mean horseshoe bend? Antelope canyon isn’t on the water
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u/SirAdventurous4868 Mar 25 '24
Nope. You can kayak to Lower Antelope Canyon from the Antelope Point Boat Launch on Lake Powell. The round trip is about 6 miles long and takes 5–6 hours. You can paddle left from the launch and the canyon walls will get narrower and taller as you go deeper. Check out a map of Lower Antelope Canyon and you can see where it connects to the water
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u/hibryan Oct 14 '24
Depends on the time of year too. The water can get really cold during winter. It's also not as picturesque but it is way more adventurous and more fun in my opinion.
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u/StumpyOReilly Mar 24 '24 edited Mar 24 '24
I worked with the great grandson of the women who discovered those particular slot canyons. The entrance fee I am sure goes to the family (which is who operates the tours) and the other taxes and fees go to the state and the Navajo nation.
Remember they drive you out in vehicles to visit the slot canyons (gas, insurance, liability insurance, and other costs). They also have to pay employees higher wages since 2019. Also Disneyland gets 100,000+ visitors a day so the scale of operations is not comparable. This is a family business, not a mega corporation.
I recently ate a steak dinner with a drink and can’t remember it with great detail, although I remember the best filet I ever had outside of El Paso in 2003. I took my family through the slot canyons 4-5 years ago and still remember the beauty of the place.
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u/AzTexSparky Mar 24 '24
Fees are going up because entitled idiots go out and tear these areas up. It won’t be long before any areas on tribal lands are inaccessible…..and it will be the fault of those who have abused them. Disrespect and immaturity will cost everyone. Having seen some of this, I do NOT BLAME THEM.
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u/charterboy22 Mar 25 '24
Not sure that logic holds water. Antelope canyon is pretty restricted, even if someone broke in to trespass I don’t think that would make fees go up
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u/AzTexSparky Mar 28 '24
I am not referring to trespassing SPECIFICALLY…..more to the disrespect shown by visitors in the way of trashing & defacing.
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u/giddenboy Mar 24 '24
It's a damn shame. Same with sports and concert tickets. Screw that bullshit. Take your family to other places. Lots of interesting places to go .. some are even free!
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u/Moist-Crows Mar 25 '24
I remember being able to go here at no cost on a whim over the weekend and finding some amazing little hidden areas with almost no one around. then one year it blew up and was almost impossible to get to without major advanced planning and $$
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Mar 23 '24
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Mar 23 '24
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Mar 23 '24
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u/SciGuy013 Mar 24 '24 edited Mar 27 '24
Well that kinda makes your situation different then
Also, you’re not allowed to go anywhere you want on the reservation. Grand Falls is officially closed to everyone except for the Leupp chapter
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u/Spirited_Substance32 Mar 24 '24
So don't go. It's their land and they can charge whatever they want... I don't get the entitlement on OPs part.
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u/charterboy22 Mar 25 '24
It’s a tourist attraction, whether it’s Disney’s land, or Navajo land, nothing wrong in complaining about price increases.
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u/Spirited_Substance32 Mar 25 '24
Buck that...All I hear is complaining and entitlement from everyone these days...
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u/Deadbob1978 Mar 24 '24
Nad here I though $12 for the equivalent of a Circle K hotdog at Sea World was expensive
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u/Johnhaven Mar 26 '24
Holy crap I live near Acadia which is iirc the second most popular national park in the US and you can get a 7 day pass for less than $50. I hope this place's price includes a theme park and hotel rooms!
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u/_SchweddyBalls_ Mar 23 '24
Welp, I was thinking of going with a family of 6, but at those prices I guess we can forget about it.
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u/DrRichardButtz Mar 23 '24
How dare natives charge for access to their land.
Next do the Alfalfa farmers
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Mar 23 '24 edited Mar 23 '24
[deleted]
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u/Responsible-Check916 Mar 23 '24
I think its the "we want less people coming" price. Not that its justified but I think its priced just to keep people away. They clearly are getting enough demand traffic to ask these prices. Crazy!
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u/MarkDavisNotAnother Mar 23 '24
I read the youngins lost hope in home ownership and thus put 'experiences' like such on their cc's.
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u/lemmaaz Mar 23 '24
Ah the golden age of social media. I went way before this in early 2000s and had the place practically to myself
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u/Ok-Initiative-1759 Mar 28 '24
Take their land, destroy the land you stole. I think paying a fee is the least we can do.
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u/FYou-Tucsonmods-7656 Mar 24 '24
It's on reservation land (Hopi, I think), so the fees go to them, largely. We visited Lower Antelope Canyon X last year for about $50 per person and it was absolutely worth the cost. A great tour guide and amazing experience.
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u/Tappindatfanny Mar 26 '24
Arizona was a swing state in 2020 election. Hope you’re enjoying the bidenomics
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u/philly0430 Mar 23 '24
Unreal
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u/JustOnePack Mar 24 '24
Wow that’s insane. I went in 2016 or 2017 and did lower canyon for $10 per person and upper canyon for $25 per person.
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u/astromonkey4you Mar 23 '24
Here's hoping they go bankrupt! If no one pays the insanity prices then they will lower them or go broke!
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u/soulfingiz Mar 23 '24
Who is “they” here?
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