Monument Valley evening tour with Navajo dinner and campfire

Watch the valley light change while a Navajo guide tells the stories behind each rock formation.

The Dreamcatcher is a 4-hour evening tour of Monument Valley led by a Navajo guide in English, moving through backcountry and restricted areas to see Big Hogan arch, Sun's Eye arch, Totem Pole and other formations, then stopping at a Hogan to watch rug weaving. Dinner is traditional Navajo tacos with frybread served at Rain God Mesa, followed by a live performance of traditional dancing, drumming, chanting and storytelling around a campfire. Departure times vary by season (3:00pm to 5:30pm); entrance fees to Navajo Tribal Park are not included and vary by option.

Step-by-step itinerary

Evening Navajo tour and cultural experience

• Join 2.5 hour Monument Valley tour
• Visit Big Hogan arch and Sun's Eye arch
• See Ear of the Wind arch and Totem Pole
• Explore Yei bi chei rock formations
• Stop at John Fords Point
• Visit Navajo Hogan and watch rug weaving
• Enjoy traditional Navajo dinner near Rain God Mesa
• Attend Navajo dancing, chanting, and storytelling
• Sit around campfire under stars

The Experience

You arrive in the afternoon with a few hours to spend, and the tour picks you up for the drive into Monument Valley's backcountry. The 2.5-hour guided portion moves through landscape most visitors never see—restricted areas and off-road routes that open up when you have a Navajo guide who knows where to go. You stop at Big Hogan arch, Sun's Eye arch, ancient rock art, Ear of the Wind arch, Totem Pole and Yei bi chei rock formations, and John Ford's Point. At a Navajo Hogan along the way, you watch a weaver at work, making the rugs that take weeks to complete.

As the sun starts to drop, you arrive at Rain God Mesa for dinner. The Navajo cooks serve traditional tacos made with homemade frybread, and you eat sitting outside in the open air with the valley around you. After dinner, a dancer in regalia performs while a master of ceremony drums, chants and tells stories near an open campfire. The stars come out above. The whole evening runs 4 hours from start to finish, and you're back with time to settle in for the night.

The tour runs in all weather and operates year-round, with departure times shifting by season—earlier in winter months, later in summer. An open-air vehicle takes you out if conditions allow; an enclosed van is used when weather demands it. Bottled water is included, and a minimum of two people per booking means you'll have at least one other traveler with you, though groups stay small.

What’s included

• The tour includes an open-air vehicle or enclosed van depending on weather.
• bottled water.
• a live Navajo guide speaking English.
• traditional Navajo dinner with frybread and drinks.
• the live entertainment program with dancing, drumming, chanting and storytelling.
• and fuel surcharge.

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Monument Valley Simpson's Trailhandler Tours, LLC

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you have an evening free and want to move beyond the main viewpoints—the backcountry access and the Hogan visit are what set this experience apart from a standard daytime drive. The fixed departure time and included dinner mean you don't have to plan a meal separately or wonder how long the day will run.

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Top questions

What exactly will I see on the 2.5-hour drive through Monument Valley?

The tour visits Big Hogan arch, Sun's Eye arch, ancient rock art, Ear of the Wind arch, Totem Pole, Yei bi chei rock formations and John Ford's Point. You also stop at a Navajo Hogan to watch a weaver demonstrate traditional rug-making, and the route includes backcountry and restricted areas a solo visitor cannot access.

Is the Navajo Tribal Park entrance fee included in the tour price?

Entrance fees to Navajo Tribal Park are not included and vary depending on which departure time you choose at checkout. Confirm the fee for your selected option before booking.

What time does the Dreamcatcher tour depart, and how long does it run?

Departure times change by season: 3:00pm January through February and November through December; 4:30pm in March and October; 5:00pm in April and September; and 5:30pm May through August. The full experience runs 4 hours from pickup to return.

What kind of vehicle will I ride in?

An open-air vehicle takes you through the valley when weather permits. If conditions turn, an enclosed van is used instead. Both operate in all weather, so dress appropriately for the season.

What does the traditional Navajo dinner include?

Dinner is traditional Navajo tacos made with homemade frybread, served at Rain God Mesa with drinks included. You eat outdoors in the open air as the sun sets.

What happens during the evening entertainment program?

After dinner, a dancer in traditional regalia performs various dances while a master of ceremony drums, chants and tells stories near an open campfire under the stars. The program is part of the tour and runs as the evening concludes.