Canyon X Tours — Taadidiin Tours honest 2026 review

Taadidiin Tours is the only company with access to Antelope Canyon X — there is no other operator, no self-guided entry, no workaround. The standard hiking tour costs $47 per adult booked direct (or around $60 via GetYourGuide with free cancellation), lasts 1.5 hours, and takes you through two separate slot canyon sections in a single outing. Google rates Taadidiin at 4.7 out of 5 across more than 2,200 reviews. This review covers what the tour is actually like, how it stacks up against Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon, and the one alternative (Cardiac Canyon) that no other editorial review seems to have noticed.

Taadidiin Tours runs three main options depending on how much time you have and what kind of experience you want:

What is Antelope Canyon X?

Antelope Canyon X is the southernmost accessible section of the Antelope Canyon slot canyon system, located on Navajo Nation land approximately 10 miles southeast of Page, Arizona. It gets its name from an X-shaped hole in the sandstone ceiling visible near the start of the tour — your guide will point it out.

The land has belonged to the Taadidiin family for generations. In the 1860s, during the forced relocation known as the Long Walk, an ancestor named Hastiin Tadidinii avoided capture by hiding in the same slot canyons that visitors now tour. His son, Clyde Tadytin, later established a permanent homestead here — the northwesternmost settlement on the Navajo Nation at the time. The company, Taadidiin Tours LLC, is still run by the same family today.

Canyon X opened to the public more recently than Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon, which means it sees significantly less foot traffic. If you have tried to book Upper Antelope in summer and found everything sold out months in advance, Canyon X typically has availability within days.

What to expect on the tour

The Canyon X hiking tour explores two distinct slot canyon sections separated by a short sandy wash — the full route takes about 1.5 hours, with roughly 1 hour spent inside the canyons themselves. Most groups have no more than 10 people, which gives the tour a semi-private feel.

After checking in at the Taadidiin Tours office on Highway 98, guests board an air-conditioned van for a 10–15-minute drive to the trailhead. The walk in follows a downhill path through desert sand, with wooden stairs available at steeper sections. There are no ladders and no tight squeezes — the path is wide enough for two people to pass comfortably throughout.

The first canyon section features the X-shaped skylight that names the canyon and a darker, narrow passage that opens into lighter chambers. The second section has a different profile — taller walls and a lighter interior — with walls of swirling pink and orange sandstone that most visitors describe as identical in quality to the more famous canyons. Navajo guides help guests find the best camera angles and explain the geological and cultural history as you move through.

Return to the trailhead involves an uphill hike back up the stairs — not strenuous, but noticeable in summer heat. There are portable toilets at the check-in area; there are no restrooms inside the canyon.

Tour options and 2026 prices

Taadidiin Tours offers four tour types across two canyons: a hiking tour and a photography tour for Canyon X, and the same two formats for the more remote Cardiac Canyon. All prices below are for direct booking at antelopecanyon-x.com. GetYourGuide prices are approximately $10–15 higher per adult but include free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

Children ages 0–7 pay $37 on all tours. The Photography Tours require participants to be at least 8 years old. None of the tours include hotel pickup — you drive to the meeting point at MP 308 on Highway 98.

Best time to visit Canyon X

Unlike Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon, any time of day works well at Canyon X — the canyon has both open, light-filled chambers and darker sections that are photogenic in varied conditions. This is a meaningful practical advantage: you are not competing for the specific midday slot that Upper Antelope requires for its light beams.

Seasonally, March through October offers the best lighting overall. Winter visits (November–February) are possible and much quieter, but the lower sun angle can make some of the darker sections very dark. If you want any chance of seeing light beams, visit between May and early August and aim for midday — but understand that light beams are a secondary phenomenon at Canyon X, not its main draw.

Arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled tour for check-in. Note the time zone: the Navajo Nation observes Daylight Saving Time, but the rest of Arizona does not. Your phone may switch time zones automatically as you drive. Set your clock to Page, AZ local time when checking in.

Canyon X vs Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon

Canyon X costs less, books easier, and runs smaller groups than both Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon — the trade-off is fewer guaranteed light beams and less global name recognition. The scenery itself is equivalent to either of the famous canyons.

If light beams are your primary motivation, Upper Antelope Canyon is still the right choice — but book months in advance and expect to pay considerably more. If you want the slot canyon experience without the crowds and planning overhead, Canyon X delivers the same visual impact at a fraction of the cost and hassle.

Cardiac Canyon: the remote option

Cardiac Canyon is a second, more remote slot canyon managed exclusively by Taadidiin Tours — and virtually no travel sites cover it, which means almost no other visitors know it exists. The 4-hour hiking tour costs $192 per adult and involves a steeper descent than Canyon X. Groups are even smaller; on many tours you will have the canyon to yourselves.

The canyon itself rewards the effort: deeper, more dramatic wall formations than Canyon X in places, with a rawer, unpolished character that matches how slot canyons looked before tourism infrastructure arrived. Taadidiin's own description calls it a “peaceful escape from the crowds” — which, given how uncrowded Canyon X already is, signals how genuinely solitary Cardiac Canyon feels.

The 6-hour Photography Tour at $342 is the most exclusive canyon photography product available anywhere in the Page area: a full afternoon in a remote slot canyon with tripod access and essentially no other visitors. For serious photographers, this is a more compelling proposition than the Upper Antelope Canyon Photography Tours, which still run in organized groups with other photographers.

Cardiac Canyon tours must be booked directly at antelopecanyon-x.com — they are not listed on third-party platforms.

Tips before you go

The single most common mistake at Canyon X is showing up with any kind of bag — backpacks, purses, fanny packs, and camera bags are all prohibited. Leave everything in your car at the parking lot. You can carry a water bottle and a camera or phone in your hands. Walking sticks are allowed if needed.

• No video recording in either canyon — still photos only. Tripods are prohibited on the hiking tour and permitted only on the Photography Tour.
• Use restrooms before the tour. Portable toilets are at the check-in area. There are no restrooms anywhere on the canyon route.
• Arrive 30 minutes before your tour for check-in. The Navajo guides run to schedule; late arrivals risk losing their spot.
• Wear sun protection. The walk to and from the canyon involves exposed desert terrain. A hat and sunscreen matter more than most visitors expect.
• Time zones. The Navajo Nation observes Daylight Saving Time, while the rest of Arizona does not. Your phone may auto-switch. Set your clock to Page, AZ time for the tour.
• Claustrophobia. Canyon X is not aggressively narrow. The passages are wide enough for two people side by side throughout — nothing like the tightest sections of Zebra Slot or Spooky Gulch in Utah.

The verdict

Canyon X tours by Taadidiin Tours are the best-value slot canyon experience in Page, Arizona. At $47 direct for a 1.5-hour guided tour through two canyon sections with a small group of under 10 people, there is nothing comparable at this price point in the area. The scenery matches Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon in quality; the crowds do not.

For most visitors — families, couples, photographers with phones rather than DSLRs, anyone who finds the Upper Antelope booking process frustrating — Canyon X is the correct choice. Book direct at antelopecanyon-x.com to pay $47, or use GetYourGuide (~$60) if you want the flexibility of free cancellation.

If you are a serious photographer, consider the Photography Tour at $142 — three hours with a tripod, inside both canyons, in a group of two or three. If you want something completely off the tourist map, the Cardiac Canyon tour at $192 is in a category of its own.

About this guide

Written by Diego Fresno, Travel writer and independent publisher specialising in the American Southwest. Latest research conducted on location in Page, Arizona during July 2025. Guides are verified quarterly — last review April 2026.. Verified quarterly — last review April 2026. About the author →