Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend: Day Trip from Vegas with Lunch

Summary

Antelope Canyon colors, Horseshoe Bend views, Navajo stories on a Vegas day trip

You’ll step into Antelope Canyon’s shifting light with a local Navajo guide, hike out to Horseshoe Bend’s sweeping overlook above the Colorado River, and catch glimpses of Lake Powell from the road. With lunch included and pickup from Las Vegas, you’ll have time to listen to stories, touch ancient stone, and see colors you didn’t know existed.

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I remember is the way our Navajo guide, Talia, smiled when she saw me squinting at the entrance to Antelope Canyon. “It’s brighter inside than you think,” she said — and she was right. The light bounced off those sandstone walls in ways I didn’t expect. There was this cool hush as we stepped in, broken only by Talia’s stories about how flash floods shaped the canyon. She pointed out a spot where the rock felt almost smooth as glass; I ran my hand along it and tried to imagine centuries of water carving that line. It smelled faintly like rain on hot stone, even though it hadn’t rained in days.

Getting there from Las Vegas took a while — we left early (I dozed off for part of the drive), but waking up to see Lake Powell stretching out under that sharp blue sky was worth it. We passed through Kanab too; someone in our group joked about cowboy movies, and our driver actually knew which ones were filmed there. Lunch was simple but good — sandwiches and fruit — nothing fancy but honestly I was just hungry after walking around so much. Free WiFi on the bus meant I could send my mom a photo before we lost signal near the Grand Staircase-Escalante cliffs.

Horseshoe Bend was hotter than I’d expected for October. The walk wasn’t hard but it’s all sand and sun — bring water (they had bottles for us). Standing at the edge looking down at that wild curve of the Colorado River, I felt small in a good way. A couple next to me argued quietly about whether the river looked green or blue; I couldn’t decide either. On the way back, someone asked Talia if she ever gets tired of showing people these places every day. She just shrugged and said, “The light changes every hour.” That stuck with me more than any photo did.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend tour

• Drive through Virgin River Gorge
• Pass through Kanab town
• View Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell
• See Lake Powell panoramic views
• View Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
• Hike Horseshoe Bend overlook
• Explore Antelope Canyon with guide

Top questions

How long is the drive from Las Vegas to Antelope Canyon?

It takes several hours each way by air-conditioned vehicle from Las Vegas to Antelope Canyon, with stops along the route.

Is lunch included on this day trip?

Yes, lunch is included as part of your booking.

Do you need to walk far at Horseshoe Bend?

The hike at Horseshoe Bend is about 1.5 miles round-trip on mostly sandy terrain.

Are local guides provided at Antelope Canyon?

Yes, tours through Antelope Canyon are led by local Navajo guides.

Is pickup from my hotel in Las Vegas available?

The tour includes pickup and drop-off from Treasure Island Las Vegas.

Can you choose which section of Antelope Canyon to visit?

You can choose between Upper Antelope, Lower Antelope, or Canyon X when booking.

Are there restroom stops during the journey?

The itinerary allows for breaks along the route for restrooms and refreshments.

What’s included

Your day includes pickup and drop-off from Treasure Island Las Vegas, all admission fees for both Antelope Canyon (with a Navajo guide) and Horseshoe Bend, bottled water throughout the journey, free WiFi on board so you can share photos or check messages on the road, air-conditioned transport for comfort during long stretches across Arizona and Utah landscapes, plus lunch served midday before heading back toward Vegas in the evening.