Page, Arizona: alternative itinerary

Page, Arizona is probably most famous for three spectacular sights: Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend and Lake Powell. We'd heard, however, that with great fame comes even greater crowds, especially in the summer months when we'd be there. So I did a little digging and came up with an alternative itinerary for two days in Page, without compromising on stunning views and adventure.

Instead of Antelope Canyon, visit Canyon X

Canyon X is part of the same chain of canyons as Antelope, but with the benefit that only one tour company is licensed to show visitors around it. As a result, it sees a fraction of the traffic of Antelope Canyon, which we've heard can be quite a stressful experience during peak times when tourists are stuck shoulder-to-shoulder inside the narrow slot canyon.

We arrived for our tour at Canyon X at what would be a busy peak time at Antelope:11am. Yet we were two of only around 25 people allowed into the canyon at this time. The nice thing about Canyon X is that you get two canyons for the price of one, each with its own character. One is slightly wider and lets lots of light in, while the other is narrower and more shadowy.

Our Navajo guide was great, too, pointing out all the unusual rock formations and explaining how they came to be. We'd heard that Antelope tours can feel kind of rushed, but we felt like we had all the time in the world at Canyon X, as there was no backlog of tours waiting for us to vacate the canyon.

Instead of stopping at Lake Powell, visit Rainbow Bridge

Boat rides to Rainbow Bridge, one of the world's largest natural arches, run once a day and take several hours. The payoff, though, is a secluded planetscape that can't be accessed by land.

The approach to the dock by boat takes you through narrow canyons. Once docked, it's a 1.5 kilometre hike (best to go early in summer, as shade is limited) to the bridge itself. The moment when you turn a corner and get hit with the view in the photo above is breathtaking.

You can also continue on the trail around to the other side of the arch, where there's a pretty amazing echo around the canyon walls. The arch used to be a bridge over a hefty river, but over time, sadly, this has completely dried up.

Boat trips can be booked here, and cost around $120 for a full day tour.

If visiting Horseshoe Bend, go early!

When I first visited Horseshoe Bend seven years ago, there were no railings, no boardwalks, just a sheer drop! But then, the crowds were a fraction of what they are these days. Nowadays, there is a $10 entry fee to deter crowds, and it can be quite difficult to take photos from the boardwalk. The best thing to do, then, is to go early or late. We went early, beating the crowds by only about 20 minutes. It's a shame, as some of the canyon was in shadow due to the low sun and I would have liked to see it at midday, but I just wasn't prepared to brave the crowds!

The photo below is actually from my first visit back in 2013 - as you can see, it's worth visiting, regardless of when you go!