Trip Planning • 2026
Antelope Canyon Day Trip from Las Vegas: Guided Tours vs Driving Yourself
Page, Arizona is about 270 miles from the Strip, so a day trip to Antelope Canyon means a 14–16 hour day. Here's how the bus tours, driving yourself, flying in and a night in Page compare on price, time and your chance of the light beams.
Quick answer
Yes, you can do Antelope Canyon as a day trip from Las Vegas, but it's a 14–16 hour day. A guided bus tour ($160–$309 per person) is the smart pick for solo travelers and anyone without a car. Couples and families save money driving themselves, and if you can spare one night in Page, that beats both.
The Short Version
TL;DR: three ways to do it in a day
Guided bus tour
Hotel pickup around 4:45–5:30 AM, back around 8–9:45 PM, roughly 1 hour inside the canyon plus Horseshoe Bend. Most tours default to Lower Antelope or Canyon X; Upper costs extra (about $269+ per person on most tours; GC Tours' 7-seat van is $200).
Self-drive
About 270 miles and 4.5 hours each way via I-15 and US-89 through Kanab. Usually the cheapest for two or more, and you pick your own Upper Antelope slot, but it means 9+ hours behind the wheel in one day.
Fly-in tour
About $759–$789 per person, 9–12 hours door to door, with a ~1.5-hour flight each way from Boulder City. The least tiring option, and the most expensive.
Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend options we'd book ourselves. Prices were checked in October 2026; recheck before booking. New to the canyon? Start with Upper vs Lower Antelope Canyon and our 2026 cost guide.
Side By Side
Your four options at a glance
| Guided bus day tour | Self-drive day trip | Fly-in tour | Overnight in Page (self-drive) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Door-to-door time | 14–16 hrs | 14–15 hrs | 9–12 hrs | 2 days |
| Solo (total) | ~$200–$330 | ~$260–$340 | ~$760–$800 | ~$400–$550 |
| Couple (total) | ~$400–$660 | ~$360–$460 | ~$1,520–$1,580 | ~$500–$700 |
| Family of 4 (total) | ~$800–$1,300 | ~$560–$720 | ~$3,000+ | ~$700–$950 |
| Flexibility | Low | Medium | Low | High |
| Comfort | Sleep on the bus | Tiring drive | Best | Best |
| Light-beam odds (Upper) | Depends on assigned slot | Good if you book a midday slot | Depends on tour | Best: pick any slot |
| Best for | Solo, no car, short stay | Couples/families on a budget | Limited time, bigger budget | Anyone who can spare a night |
Estimates include tour and permit fees, gas or rental, Horseshoe Bend parking and a tip allowance; the overnight column includes one hotel night at an assumed $120–$250. Checked October 2026; recheck before booking.
Round Out Your Trip
Other experiences you might enjoy around Page
Most Las Vegas day trips pair the canyon with Horseshoe Bend, about 10 minutes from Page, and a night in town opens up more. Lower Antelope Canyon tours run across Highway 98 from Upper, boat trips on Lake Powell reach the flooded end of Antelope Canyon, and the free Glen Canyon Dam Overlook is five minutes from town. On the drive you pass the Virgin River Gorge, Kanab and, on the scenic route, Zion National Park. Coming from another Arizona base instead? Compare the drive in our Sedona guide (about 2.5 hours) and our Phoenix guide (about 4.5 hours, like Las Vegas). Live availability for tours around Page is below.
The Drive
Distance, routes and road conditions
Page sits roughly 270–276 miles from the Strip. Route planners put the non-stop drive at 4 hrs 12 min to 4 hrs 55 min; budget 4.5–5 hours with a fuel stop.
Route 1: via Hurricane and Fredonia (the default)
I-15 north through the Virgin River Gorge to St. George, UT-9 to Hurricane, UT-59 / AZ-389 across the Arizona Strip to Fredonia, then Kanab and US-89 south to Page. It avoids Zion's entrance fee and crowds.
Route 2: via Zion
I-15, then UT-9 through Springdale and the Zion–Mount Carmel Tunnel to Mount Carmel Junction, then US-89 through Kanab to Page. It's gorgeous, but it adds time and the park fee. Zion charges $35 per private vehicle (valid 1–7 days), and in 2026 non-U.S. residents aged 16 and over pay an additional $100 per person unless admitted with an Annual or America the Beautiful Pass.
Zion tunnel rule change
Starting June 7, 2026, vehicles over 35 ft 9 in long, 7 ft 10 in wide, 11 ft 4 in tall or 50,000 lbs are no longer permitted on the Zion–Mt. Carmel Highway between Canyon Junction and the East Entrance, and the old $15 tunnel escort is gone. A normal rental car or SUV is fine; RVs and big campervans must use Route 1.
Road conditions and gas
It's all paved highway. Expect steep grades in the Virgin River Gorge and some winter snow or ice risk around Kanab. Mesquite, St. George/Hurricane and Kanab are your reliable gas, food and restroom stops, and Kanab is the last real town before Page (about 75–80 miles). As you arrive, stop at the free Glen Canyon Dam Overlook above Lake Powell, five minutes from town.
Read Before You Book
The time zone trap
You'll cross three time setups in one morning.
| Place | Rule | Summer (DST: Mar 8–Nov 1, 2026) | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas (Nevada) | Pacific, observes DST | PDT | PST |
| St. George/Kanab (Utah) | Mountain, observes DST | 1 hr ahead of Vegas | 1 hr ahead of Vegas |
| Page/Antelope Canyon tours | Arizona MST, no DST | Same clock as Vegas | 1 hr ahead of Vegas |
| Navajo Nation (generally) | Observes DST | 1 hr ahead of Vegas | 1 hr ahead of Vegas |
What this means for you:
- Summer: a 10:40 AM tour in Page is 10:40 AM Vegas time. Utah will make your phone jump ahead an hour along the way; ignore it.
- Winter (from November 1, 2026): Page is one hour ahead of Vegas, so leave an hour earlier.
- Even though the canyon is on Navajo land, operators run on Arizona time. Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours says it operates on Phoenix time, and Ekis' Antelope Canyon Tours says its tours always operate on Arizona time. At least one Lower Antelope site's blog claims Page observes Navajo daylight saving time; the operators' own pages say otherwise, so go by your voucher and the operator's site.
- Before you set off, set your phone's time zone manually to Phoenix/Arizona. Phones near Page often grab a Utah or Navajo tower.
Option 1
Guided day tours from Las Vegas (2026)
Almost every tour follows the same pattern: a pre-dawn Strip pickup, a breakfast stop in Utah, Horseshoe Bend, a roughly 1-hour Navajo-guided canyon walk, lunch and the drive home. Most arrive at the canyon around 11:30 AM–12:15 PM, which is prime light-beam time in summer. Check which section you're booked into, though: base prices usually cover Lower or Canyon X, not Upper.
| Operator / listing | Price from | Upper or Lower? | $15 Navajo fee included? | Pickup | Duration | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Park Express ("Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend with Lunch, WiFi") | $160–$219 (X), $229 (Lower), $269 (Upper, ages 8+) | Your choice of X, Lower or Upper | Yes (except Secret Antelope, +$16.05) | 5:15 AM | ~15 hrs | Best all-round value; choose Upper |
| Jupiter Legend ("Award-Winning Lower Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend"): Las Vegas: Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend w/Lunch & Wi-Fi on GetYourGuide, 4.6★ (309); 4.9★ from 8,478 on Viator | ~$160–$189 | Lower | Admission included | 4:50–5:30 AM | 15–16 hrs | Most-reviewed budget pick (on Viator) |
| Canyon Tours (Vegas-owned since 2001) | $213–$268 | X, Lower or Upper | Admission included; confirm at checkout | Early AM | Full day | Booking with a local agency |
| TakeTours (Utour, Chinese/English) | $198–$208 (Lower), $269 (Upper), $289–$309 (Upper VIP, max 14) | Both | Check "mandatory fees" line | 5:00–7:00 AM | ~14.5 hrs | Bilingual groups, small-group VIP |
| Maxtour (on GetYourGuide: Lower Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend day trip with lunch, 4.8★ from 137) | $249 | Varies; confirm | "All inclusive" | 7:00 AM | Back ~9:45 PM | Later start, max 14 people |
| GC Tours | $165 (Lower), $200 (Upper, max 7) | Both | Admission included | Early AM | Full day | Tiny groups on a budget |
| Bindlestiff Tours (private) | $729 | Customizable | Confirm | Flexible | Full day | Private trips |
On GetYourGuide: the Las Vegas Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend day trip with lunch and WiFi (4.7★ from 2,478 reviews) lets you choose X, Lower or Upper; the Vegas: Upper Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend Tour with Lunch (4.7★ from 69 reviews) goes to Upper only; and the Lower Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend day trip with lunch (4.8★ from 137 reviews) goes to Lower only and is run by Maxtour. Canyon Tours, TakeTours, GC Tours and Bindlestiff aren't sold on GetYourGuide, so book them on their own websites.
What's usually included: hotel pickup, a coach or van with A/C, the canyon ticket and Navajo guide, Horseshoe Bend entry, a deli-sandwich lunch and one bottle of water. Usually extra: breakfast, the Upper Antelope upgrade and gratuities.
Group size: big coaches carry up to 55 travelers; small-group vans cap at 7–14.
What reviewers say (2026): the praise is consistent: the drivers and guides are well organized, and the long day is "totally worth it." The common complaints:
- "14 hours on a bus is a long time."
- Only about an hour inside the canyon. Some felt the Navajo-guided walk was rushed.
- One large-bus guide pushed a $20-per-person minimum tip.
- One group was switched to Canyon X when Lower closed for weather.
- On one trip, a guide charged $15 a head for a buffet lunch.
Cancellation: most GetYourGuide and Viator listings give a full refund up to 24 hours before (some require 4 days). Canyon closures are decided by Navajo Parks & Recreation and the local operators, not your Vegas tour company.
Pink Jeep note: we found no 2026 Pink Jeep Antelope tour departing Las Vegas; its Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend tour leaves from Sedona (see our Sedona guide). Grand Canyon + Antelope + Horseshoe Bend "in one day" tours from Vegas run 17–19 hours (from about $346–$398); we don't recommend them.
Option 2
Fly-in tours from Las Vegas
Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines' Antelope Canyon Expedition flies from the Boulder City terminal (about 30 minutes from the Strip) to Page Municipal Airport in about 1.5 hours each way, with views of Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, the Vermilion Cliffs and Glen Canyon. A shuttle then takes you to Horseshoe Bend and a guided Antelope Canyon tour.
- Price: listed from $789 per person (ages 8+ only); resellers list it at $759–$779.
- Duration: 9–10 hours (operator) or 11–12 hours including hotel transfers.
- Which canyon? Listings conflict: some say Upper, others "Secret Antelope." Confirm before you pay if Upper matters to you.
On GetYourGuide, Grand Canyon Airlines sells this flight as the Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend Day trip from Las Vegas (4.4★ from 45 reviews, from Boulder City). Its listing doesn't say which canyon section you visit either, so ask before you book.
Option 3
Driving yourself: costs, timing and which slot to book
Cost breakdown (self-drive day trip, October 2026)
| Item | Estimate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rental car (1 day) | $25–$90 | Vegas deals from ~$25/day; airport taxes and fees add more |
| Gas (~560 miles round trip, ~30 mpg) | ~$90–$100 | Nevada gas is pricier than Utah/Arizona; fill up in Kanab or Page |
| Upper Antelope tour | $100–$120 pp | Navajo Tours: $85 tour + $15 permit = $100; premium slot $120 (processing fee and tax extra) |
| Horseshoe Bend parking | $10 per car | City of Page lot; national park passes don't apply |
| Food + Navajo guide tip | $30–$45 pp |
Book direct with Navajo operators where you can. Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours runs Upper tours at 8:20 AM, 10:40 AM, 1:00 PM and 3:20 PM, about 90 minutes each, with check-in 30 minutes before. Ekis' Antelope Canyon Tours runs at 9:00 AM, 11:20 AM (priced higher), 1:40 PM and 4:00 PM, from $92 plus the $15 Navajo fee. Avoid resellers selling the same slots at $150–$180 as non-refundable.
On GetYourGuide, Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours is an option on the Upper Antelope Canyon Entry Ticket and Guided Tour (4.5★ from 3,043 reviews, from $115 plus the permit, so more than the $100 direct, but with free cancellation up to 24 hours before). For Lower, the Lower Antelope Canyon Entry and Navajo Guided Tour has 4.7★ from 9,705 reviews. Ekis isn't sold on GetYourGuide, so book it on its own website.
Which slot to book
From Vegas, the earliest realistic arrival is about 9:30–10:00 AM Arizona time. Book the 10:40 AM–1:00 PM window (10:40 or 1:00 with Navajo Tours, 11:20 or 1:40 with Ekis). Those are also the light-beam slots, mainly from April to September, with weaker beams from late March into early October; see our light beam timing guide. Skip anything before 10 AM: one traffic delay and you forfeit your tour, because no-shows and late check-ins get no refund.
Sample self-drive itinerary (summer clock; winter notes in brackets)
| Time (Page/AZ time) | Plan |
|---|---|
| 4:30 AM | Leave the Strip [winter: leave 3:30 AM PST] |
| 5:45 AM | Gas and coffee in Mesquite |
| 7:45 AM | Breakfast and fuel in Kanab |
| 9:30 AM | Glen Canyon Dam Overlook, then into Page |
| 10:10 AM | Check in for the 10:40 AM Upper tour |
| 12:15 PM | Lunch in Page |
| 1:15–2:45 PM | Horseshoe Bend (1.5-mile round trip, little shade) |
| 3:00 PM | Head back to Vegas; swap drivers if you can |
| ~8:00 PM | Back on the Strip [winter: ~7:00 PM PST, with the last 2–3 hours in the dark] |
Want more time at Horseshoe Bend? See Upper Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend in one day, or let someone else drive on the Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend & Glen Canyon Dam Tour from Page (4.6★, only 12 reviews, so read the recent ones).
Our Take
Is a day trip from Las Vegas worth it?
Antelope Canyon is worth seeing, but a day trip from Vegas means 9+ hours on the road for 60–90 minutes in the canyon.
- Drowsy driving is the real risk. You start before 5 AM and finish after dark on two-lane US-89, where wildlife crossings are common. If you can't share the driving, take the bus.
- A day tour makes sense if you're solo, don't want to rent a car, have only two or three days in Vegas, or can sleep in a moving vehicle.
- Self-drive makes sense for two or more people who can split the driving and want Upper Antelope at a good slot.
- Overnight in Page is the best experience: an unhurried canyon tour, sunset at Horseshoe Bend and no 15-hour day. Day 1, drive to Page in the afternoon and catch Horseshoe Bend at sunset; day 2, take a midday beam tour, see Lake Powell and drive back.
- Adding the Grand Canyon turns the day into a 17–19 hour marathon. Antelope Canyon and the Grand Canyon are different places, about 2.5 hours apart, so save the Grand Canyon for a separate day.
Before You Go
What to bring, rules and weather
- Bags: Upper operators ban backpacks, purses and fanny packs. Ekis allows clear bags only; some resellers allow no bags at all. Tripods, hiking sticks and canes aren't allowed either. Each operator's rules are in our Antelope Canyon rules guide.
- Bring: a phone or small camera (photo tips), water, snacks for the car, sunscreen, closed shoes and a layer for winter mornings (what winter is like).
- Restrooms: coaches usually have them on board. Drivers should plan on Mesquite, St. George/Hurricane, Kanab and Page.
- Flash floods: tours are canceled when there's rain risk, especially during the July–September monsoon. Ekis gives a full refund if the operator cancels for weather and requires 48+ hours' notice for your own cancellation. Bus tours may switch you to another canyon section.
FAQ
Las Vegas to Antelope Canyon questions
How far is Antelope Canyon from Las Vegas?
About 270–276 miles, or 4.5–5 hours each way with a stop.
Can you do Antelope Canyon in one day from Las Vegas?
Yes. Bus tours take 14–16 hours door to door, and self-drive takes about the same. Fly-in tours cut that to 9–12 hours.
How much is an Antelope Canyon tour from Las Vegas?
Bus tours run about $160–$229 for Lower or Canyon X, and $259–$309 for Upper (GC Tours' small van from $200). Fly-in tours cost $759–$789.
Is the $15 Navajo fee included?
On most Vegas day tours, yes. Booking direct, it varies: Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours includes it in its $100 price, while Ekis adds $15 on top of the $92 base fare. Ignore older sites that still say $8.
Do Las Vegas tours go to Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon?
Mostly Lower or Canyon X at the base price. Upper is a paid upgrade.
What time zone are Antelope Canyon tours in?
Arizona time (MST), all year. In summer that's the same clock as Las Vegas; in winter it's one hour ahead.
Will I see light beams on a day tour?
You have a decent chance in Upper Antelope from about April to September, with weaker beams from late March into early October, since tours arrive around midday. Lower and Canyon X don't get the classic beams. An overnight in Page lets you pick the best slot yourself.
Is driving or a tour cheaper?
For one person, a tour is usually cheaper. For two or more, driving almost always wins.
Do I need to book the canyon tour separately if I drive myself from Las Vegas?
Yes. Antelope Canyon is guided-only, so driving to Page gets you to the area but not into the canyon. Book a guided tour with an authorized operator before you go; our tickets and prices guide explains how.
Can I see Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend on the same trip from Las Vegas?
Yes. Horseshoe Bend is about 10 minutes from Page, so most day tours include both, and self-drivers can fit it in after the canyon.
Is Antelope Canyon the same as the Grand Canyon?
No. They're different places about 2.5 hours apart. Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon near Page; the Grand Canyon is a national park to the south. Doing both in one day from Las Vegas takes 17–19 hours.
Bottom Line
Which Las Vegas option to book
Traveling solo or don't want to drive? Book a National Park Express–style bus tour and pay the upgrade for Upper Antelope. Two or more of you with a co-driver? Rent a car, book a 10:40 AM–1:00 PM Upper slot directly with a Navajo operator, and leave by 4:30 AM. Can you spare one night? Stay in Page; it's the best version of this trip. Whatever you choose, set your phone to Arizona time and recheck prices before booking (checked October 2026).
Free cancellation on most GetYourGuide options up to 24 hours before departure · Secure checkout via GetYourGuide