Tse Bighanilini Tours — Attraction in Four Corners States

This tour was stellar! Our family had an awesome time even though it was 102° out on 7/8/23. The canyon itself was very cool, probably sitting around 80° inside.

Jane was our guide for the duration of the tour and she was very kind, knowledgeable, and easy going. She told us all about the different formations in the canyon, some of the history of the area including why there are so many attractions locally that are named “Antelope”.

We spent a lot of time taking photos as we walked in our group, and Jane was very helpful with that as well. She was extremely familiar with shooting angles inside the canyon, RAW, and manual DSLR settings and helped us get the best shots. We weren’t rushed through as some of the others have complained, and although there were other groups of travelers both in front of and behind our group, there wasn’t a huge crowd. Each group had about 10 people in it. For the vast majority of the tour we actually didn’t see the other groups.

The absolute highlight of the trip by far was when Jane pulled out a Native American flute in the heart of the canyon and started playing a piece called “Where Have All The Antelopes Gone” inside for us all to enjoy which was an insane treat. The acoustics inside the canyon are INCREDIBLE.

The walk back to the trucks was the hardest part of the journey from the far end of the canyon. It’s about a half mile walk, which isn’t far, but it is a steep hike up a metal platform they’ve built around the rock face in the scorching sun. You are not allowed to go back through the canyon to the trucks because of the groups behind you, so this part is not optional. Also, be advised that you cannot bring any bags of any kind with you. Water bottles and cameras with straps are fine (I have an extra large Juggy brand bottle that I was allowed to bring).

Contrary to some of the bad reviews on here, there actually are restrooms for folks to use before and after the tour at the pickup and drop off point by the waiting area. The main bathroom plaza up the way from the parking lot is closed, but there are portable restrooms by the registration desk.

TL;DR:

TAKE THE TOUR. It is EASILY WORTH EVERY PENNY. And...

⭐ 1/5 - Extremely Disappointing Experience. Worst Guide Ever.

I almost never left negative reviews for a tour /service unless it’s extremely bad experience.

I’ve been traveling and joining guided tours for over a few decades, and I can confidently say this was the worst tour experience I’ve ever had. Our tour was on Monday May 26th 2025, Group 1. The female guide we were assigned (female, around her 30s) was shockingly unprofessional, unwelcoming, and downright unpleasant.

She lacked even the most basic courtesy — no warm greetings when we got back on the vehicle, no efforts whatsoever to create a positive atmosphere. Instead, she lectured us the entire time, and seemed more focused on enforcing arbitrary rules than helping us appreciate the beauty of the canyon. She treated ppl differently (for example she took multiple poses and counted 1,2,3 each time for one group, and only took the same pic with 3 clicks for us), and sometimes only allowed rushed group shots, and offered no assistance or enthusiasm in making the experience memorable.

It felt like she genuinely hated her job and was just going through the motions — except with a bitter attitude that she projected onto the entire group. Even the group she had some “favor” was afraid of being lectured by her. Her negative energy completely ruined what should have been a breathtaking and awe-inspiring visit.

At one point, I was so frustrated by the poor service and her condescending attitude that I seriously considered demanding a full refund. This is not what I paid for, and I would never recommend this tour company/guide to anyone.

On the other hand we did see a great guide from Group 2 who was excellent with positive attitudes and lots of fun. What a pity that we arrived early and was assigned to Group 1 with that unprofessional guide.

Bottom line: Avoid this tour unless the company makes serious changes in guide training and customer service. Upper Antelope Canyon deserves better. So do...

Let’s start from the beginning. We just finished the 11:15 AM tour, Group 1, on Monday, June 23, 2025. The place itself is undoubtedly a natural wonder, there’s no question about that. The guide, a friendly guy, did a good job, so none of my complaints are directed at him.

I also want to add that I’ve been here before (nine years ago, to be precise) so I’m not new to the experience. And well, a lot has changed.

We paid over 150 USD for a tour that is advertised as lasting an hour and a half. Out of that time, around 10–15 minutes are spent getting to the site, and about the same to come back from the canyon, so roughly 25–30 minutes are already gone just in transit; which would be acceptable.

Now here comes the awful part.

They pack this canyon so full that you’re constantly being dragged forward by the group ahead of you and pushed from behind by the group following. It’s nearly impossible to find the space or moment to take photos of this breathtaking place without someone from another group inevitably stepping right into your shot.

It feels like a complete rush! The time actually spent inside the canyon won’t be more than 30 minutes! You’re paying $150 for a half-hour tour that feels more like being herded than guided, with crowds before and after you the entire way.

The Navajo speak of the sacredness of this place and the importance of its preservation, but they clearly don’t hesitate to stuff as many people into the canyon as possible, just to squeeze out more money.

It’s a real shame. And what’s worse, the solution would be incredibly simple: just space the groups out by 10 minutes, and the experience would instantly become unforgettable.

But of course, delaying the flow like that at the end of the day would mean giving up a nice pile of cash, even though this place is already a goldmine from the number of visitors it gets.

Truly a shame. And a massive...