Preserve the Memory of the Canyon! Get Your Own Copy of Our Award Winning Film, Canyon De Chelly Through Navajo Eyes on DVD for $30.00. (Includes tax, shipping & handling.)
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Call Leon Skyhorse Thomas
Phone (928) 349-1600 or (928) 349-1391
for Reservations & Information

(If no answer, please leave a message and we will call you back!)


WE ARE A 5 STAR TOUR COMPANY


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RESERVE TOURS ONLINE

Current Chinle, Arizona Time

"Rated #1
Tour Company"
by Trip Advisor
 

Jeep Tours
Cultural Consulting
Group & Private Excursions
Travel in our Jeeps, or your S.U.V.

 
About Us
Tours
Rates
Vehicles
Driving Conditions
What to Bring
Canyon Maps
Links
Order Film

"Canyon De Chelly
through Navajo Eyes "


 We utilize jeep models from 1994 to 2007 
 and other 4 wheel drive SUVs. 
There are over 2700 archaeological sites within the many canyons of Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Only 13 of the 700 standing ruins have been stabilized, re-inforced, or protected from degradation. We are professional Navajo guides who can teach you the history of our canyons and about the Anasazi, Hopi and Navajo peoples. We pride ourselves in offering you more than just viewing our scenery - but we can do this too!

Canyon de Chelly National Monument is located in the heartland of the great Navajo Nation. Monument Valley, Chaco Canyon, Mesa Verde, Sedona, Lake Powell and the majestic Grand Canyon are just a day's drive from us. Book a tour with us today!

    

Who We Are. . .

Canyon De Chelly Tours is an enterprise of Leon Skyhorse Thomas. Every guide is a professional, certified by the National Park Service and the Navajo Parks and Recreation Department by examination. In addition to tours of the Canyon de Chelly National Monument, cultural consulting needs are addressed on a case by case basis for those who seek a more intimate insight onto the Navajo Way. Leon has assisted film-makers on location in Navajoland and is used to delivering high quality services to the people and organizations he serves.

Leon Skyhorse Thomas remains close to his own cultural roots, as well as those of neighboring peoples. They are residents of Chinle and a 100% Navajo owned business. Dollars spent here remain in Navajoland and are not shipped to owners who live elsewhere.


We appreciate your business!
Cell Phone
(928) 349
-1600
Contact Leon Skyhorse Thomas
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Reservations & Evenings
(928) 349-1600


RESERVE TOURS ONLINE

Three Hour Tours

Basic three hour tour includes Antelope House Ruin in Canyon Del Muerto and the White House Ruin in Canyon de Chelly. The following ruins may be viewed on the tour:
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  • Kokopelli Cave
  • Petroglyph Rock
  • First Ruin
  • Junction Ruin
  • Ceremonial Cave
  • Ledge Ruin
  • Antelope House Ruin
  • White House Ruin
This is only a partial listing of archeological sites on our 3 hour tour. Total distance traveled is 24 miles on the canyon floor. Departure is from the Visitor Center parking lot.

*** We highly recommend a minimum of a 4 hour private tour (see tour rates below).

   

Extended Tours, Overnight Trips
Consulting and Lectures

Day tours lasting six to seven hours are available. The most common are the following three, but we will tailor a trip to meet your individual needs. We can accommodate individual tours, as well as small and large groups.
  • Mummy Cave, Antelope House Ruin and Navajo Fortress
    This tour travels almost the full length of Canyon Del Muerto.
    Mummy Cave is a partially restored Anasazi apartment complex constructed under an arching overhang in the weathered sandstone. At Antelope house colored drawings of antelope created at the beginning of the last century are side by side with creations of the Anasazi. Canyon walls at Antelope House Ruin arch into the canyon over the stream bed below. Further up the Canyon are farms, orchards and field still farmed by the current residents. The round trip exceeds thirty miles.

  • White House Ruins and Spider Rock
    A thorough exploration of Canyon de Chelly travels to the base of the towering 800 feet monolith of Spider Rock, where canyon walls rise to well over 1000 feet. Many ruins are along the way in the lower canyons. The round trip exceeds thirty-two miles.

       

  • Conducted Rim Tours
    For those unable to journey into the canyons, much of its beauty and significant sites can be seen from the many viewpoints along the two major roads that parallel two canyons.

  • Ventana Mesa, Lost City of Lukachukai and out of Monument sites
    These seldom visited locations have unique geology, windows and arches in addition to plentiful ruins.

  • Overnight Trips & Storytelling
    Individuals and groups wishing to stay overnight in Canyon de Chelly can do so with advanced reservations. We can assemble a package for you and/or your group that includes traditional foods and an evening's worth of tales told by a master story-teller that will be the highlight of your stay.

  • Conducted Bus Rim Tours
    We contract with outside tour companies who want to provide their guests with a personalized tour of the overlooks for Canyon de Chelly along the North and South Rim drives. We will step aboard in Chinle. We can enhance your tour by providing your guests with an opportunity to meet and talk with us, as well as gain an insight into our canyon and its history and place in our lives.

  • Cultural Consulting, Filmmaking and Lectures
    Large and small groups desiring these services with an emphasis on the Navajo people, their history and culture, and Canyon de Chelly may be arranged as needed on a individual case by case basis.
    Please contact us if you are seeking these services for yourself or your group.

    Photographers: Fall colors change during the 3rd and 4th week of October.

   

LARGE BUS GROUPS
Due to changes in the National Park Service policy, there is a limit on the amount of tours authorized to enter the canyon daily. We can break the tours up into 2 groups by leaving at 9AM and 1PM (Mountain Standard Time). There is a limit of authorized tour operators operating within the Canyon de Chelly National Monument due to this decision.

All tours depart from the southern end of the Visitors Center parking lot near the mouth of the canyon.

All cash tours are payable to Irene Becenti (Tour Manager, 928-349-1391) at the time of the tour.

CASH RATES FOR PRIVATE TOURS MORE THAN 3 HOURS, PLEASE CALL 928-349-1600 or 928-349-1391 FOR TOUR ARRANGEMENTS.

PLEASE NOTE: Online booking for private tours is for 3 hours only. For longer PRIVATE TOURS, please leave a comment in the COMMENTS section with the number of hours you want to go and a travelling cell phone number. This note is for online booking for private tours longer than 3 hours only.

The National Park Service and The Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation Department now co-manage Canyon De Chelly National Monument and Canyon de Chelly Tribal Park.

Schedule & Rates
Rates are competitive with tour companies operating all state, tribal, and national monument tours in Northern Arizona.

Payment with Cash or Traveler's Checks receives a 10% discount!
Navajo Tribal Business Tax included.
RESERVE ONLINE!
ONLINE RESERVATIONS MUST BE PAID WITH A CREDIT CARD.
Vehicle Departure
Time
 

Credit Card
Rates

Cash Rates

3 Hour
Group Tour

March-October Only

Passenger Limit:
4 person minimum

(Ask for quote on added hours)

9:00 AM
1:00 PM
4:00 PM
Daily from the
Visitor Center parking lot.
Adults $82.50 $75.00
12 & Under $55.00 $50.00

Our Jeeps/SUVs
3 Hour
Private Tour


For more than 3 hours
pay additional hours
in cash to guide.

Online Booking For Private Tours is For 3 hours only. For longer tours leave a note in the COMMENTS section with the number of hours and your cell phone number.

By Appointment 1- 3 People $220.00 $200.00
4 People $247.50 $225.00
5-6 People $275.00 $250.00
Additional Hours
1-3 People
4 People
5-6 People

 

$77.00
$88.00
$99.00

 

$70.00
$80.00
$90.00

Your S.U.V.
Minimum 3 hours
Up to 5 vehicles in caravan.

For more than 3 hours
pay additional hours
in cash to guide.

Cash rates for private tours more than 3 hours, please call 928-349-1600 or 928-349-1391 for tour arrangements.

Online Booking For Private Tours is For 3 hours only. For longer tours leave a note in the COMMENTS section with the number of hours and your cell phone number.

By Appointment Per Hour
3 Hours Min
Single SUV
$55.00
Single SUV
$50.00

  Added vehicle per hour.

$16.50 $15.00

Overnight Campouts in the Canyon

Added Costs may incur for transporting camping gear in and out.

By Appointment Negotiable Landowner Fee $55.00
Guide Fee $55.00
Details by arrangement
$125.00

Accompanied Bus Tours -
South Rim Drive & Overlooks


2 1/2 hours

By Appointment Per Hour
2 Hours Min.
$82.50/hour $75/Hour

Pickup and return to Chinle airstrip is $30 per day.

A surcharge for increased fuel charges may be added to all tours using our vehicles, depending upon rising gasoline prices beyond our control.

Reservation Payment Policy: Partial credit card payment can be made at the time of the tour reservation and the balance can be paid on the day of the tour.

Cancellation Policy: A $75.00 cancellation fee will be charged to your credit card if you do not take the tour. The reason for the cancellation fee is that an authorized Navajo tour guide has been scheduled to pick you up with a company SUV.

visa mc
RESERVE ONLINE!
Tour Recommendations
(Four hour private tours or longer)

In planning your tour in advance, we highly recommend ordering our film titled, "Canyon De Chelly, Through Navajo Eyes", at least two weeks in advance, from Drumbeat Indian Arts.

Please ask for our film by name when contacting Drumbeat Indian Arts, 1-800-895-4859. The Canyon de Chelly National Monument Bookstore in Chinle also carries our film.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument is very beautiful during the summer and winter months. Our recommendation is to see the canyon during the late afternoon hours. You can do the south rim overlooks in the morning hours on your own. And/or hike the White House Ruin on your own without a Navajo guide (3 miles round trip). The canyon walls are 600 feet in height in that area.

Click here to view 3 film scenes from
"Canyon De Chelly, Through Navajo Eyes".



The sun is higher and weaker later in the day (4 PM tour departure schedules). Again, tours in the late afternoon hours are recommended.

***PLEASE NOTE: All tours depart from the southern end of the Visitors Center parking lot near the mouth of the canyon.

***PLEASE NOTE: Online booking for private tours is for 3 hours only. For longer PRIVATE TOURS, please leave a comment in the COMMENTS section with the number of hours you want to go and a travelling cell phone number. This note is for online booking for private tours longer than 3 hours. **

 

   

Vehicle Notes

Canyon De Chelly Tours offers a variety of vehicles engineered to make your visit enjoyable, memorable, and educational.
  • Group Tours
    The smaller passenger capacity results in more personal attention for each passenger.

  • Our Open Jeeps
    These are specially designed jeeps that have an enlarged passenger compartment and can carry up to 6 guests.

  • Our Enclosed 4x4 SUVs 
    These are standard jeeps with no air conditioning. They are often requested in the summer by those sensitive to heat, as well as being used in winter when the temperatures drop below what is comfortable for touring exposed to the air.

  • Your S.U.V.
    True four wheel drives designed for off-road use that are in excellent mechanical condition are suitable for canyon trips. Recommend high clearance vehicles only!

    All-Wheel-Drive minivans or sedans are not adequate: They lack the needed clearance and usually bog down in the fine sand or mud. These vehicles will also high-center where roads are deeply rutted, or may hit the frame and "bottom out" on some dips and may be unable to ford to crossings in wet weather.

   

Driving Conditions

Canyon de Chelly has no conventional roads. Sandy washes that are often the beds of flowing streams serve as major thoroughfares. Un-maintained trails often cut across wooded regions. Private S.U.V.'s should be in excellent mechanical condition and not prone to overheating. High clearance is a plus, since often you will travel through ruts created by another concessionaires two and one-half ton trucks.

Knowledgeable guides are essential. It is not unusual for a vehicle to be trapped in the wet sand when water is flowing. This is caused when unseen water flowing beneath the surface of the sand is forced up to the surface when it meets an impenetrable rock formation. The upward moving water suspends the sand grains and they no longer can support weight, thus forming a pocket of what is commonly referred to as "quick-sand". Extraction is costly.

Our "wet-season" usually runs from February to May. Ice may coat the canyon floors from December through February. In past years, the advent of winter often closed the canyon to tourism. The weather in the last few winters however, has been extremely mild. The canyon has remained open all year. Inquire of the conditions before you depart .

Sudden summer thunderstorms may produce flooding although the rain is miles away in the mountains. It is not unknown for the canyon bottom to go from almost dry, to 4 feet deep, then again become driveable before the day is over.

  

   

What to Bring

Canyon De Chelly Tours provides no water, consumables, personal use items or perishables. In order to make your trip as memorable and pleasant as possible, we recommend you bring the following items:
  • Water
    Local tap water is tested and is pure and safe to drink, however some guests prefer brand name bottled water, which is available both in local area grocery and convenience stores, as well as most motels.

    For your trip into the canyons, include an ample supply. One liter per person per hour is not unreasonable in hot weather. Most resturants at your motels will be willing to leave a bottle overnight in their freezer for you. If you freeze one bottle, it can keep all your water cool as it melts.

  • Snacks/Food
    Bring your favorites. Area restaurants will prepare sack lunches upon request. Use common sense. It gets hot in the canyon during the summer, so chocolate bars can get messy.

  • Sun-Block
    Three hours in an open vehicle can burn almost everyone. Most people find it necessary to get the highest rated sunblock they can find, then re-apply the lotion at least once for good protection.

  • A Straw Hat / Umbrella
    Even with good sun screen, visitors often get burned. If you are susceptible to sunburn, a hat or umbrella can help. Sunglasses can help minimize the glare off the white bottom sands.

  • Binoculars
    General Purpose Binoculars from small 6x30's to 12x50's will enlighten your canyon experience by bringing close the details on distant walls and in distant ruins on rim and canyon tours. Just remember, the more powerful the magnification, the more shaking will be amplified as well. Small roof prism binoculars are available from Walmart at reasonible prices. 8x30 or 7x35 are good general purpose instruments.

  • Camera & Film
    If you have neither a camera nor video recorder, disposable cameras available at stores and gift shops are a good investment. They are easy to use and require absolutely no photographic skill to preserve mementos of your visit, as long as you remember not to take photographs into the sun! Digital cameras require mega-pixel imaging to produce photographs with adequate detail. A zoom lens can help.

  • Light Jacket
    Inquire of your guide based on current conditions.

  • Cash and/or Traveler's Cheques
    You will have the opportunity to purchase jewelry, rugs and crafts from Navajo crafts people at the Antelope House Ruin and White House Ruin stops. Prices are substantially less than marked up items in area stores. If you have a question about the quality of an item, please contact your guide.
    There is also a food concession stand at Antelope House Ruin.

  • For Our Smaller Guests...
    Parents of small children and infants need to provide their own infant or child seats that can be secured with a seat belt. Also please bring your own container for soiled diapers (Zip-lock bags are recommended) : Trash cans exist, but not at every stop.

  • Restroom facilities
    Restroom facilities are available at Ledge Ruins, Antelope House Ruins, and White House Ruins only.

  • NO PETS ALLOWED on canyon tours (National Park Service policy).

All Skyhorse Products Available Through Mail Order:
 
Drumbeat Indian Arts
4143 N 16th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85016
1-800-895-4859 Fax: 602-265-2402
azdrumbeat@aol.com
www.drumbeatindianarts.com
 

Prices below reflect orders through Skyhorse Productions.
Canyon De Chelly, Through Navajo Eyes

Canyon De Chelly, Through Navajo Eyes has 17 Speaking roles and 30 extras. (26:50 min.) The short, historical re-enactments include the Anasazi, Hopi, Navajo, Spanish, and U.S. Government prescences. This film utilizes Hopi, Navajo, and Spanish languages with English subtitles.

Leon Skyhorse Thomas wrote, produced, narrated, and directed this film.

DVD: $30.00 (Includes Shipping & Handling)
Click here to view 36 film images of this Docu-Drama
  Click here to view 3 film clips
 
To hear the sound tracks below, click on your selection.
 
Primeaux and Skyhorse
(Thunder and Rain)
Native American Spiritual Healing songs (50 min.)

Sample 1: Memories (Love So Pure)

Sample 2: Calling In The Rain


CD: $25.00 (Includes Shipping & Handling)
 
Skyhorse - Lost Tapes
The two original songs were stored in a vault for 30 years.
Recorded in July of 1982

Sample 1: Rock Me, Love Me (3:20 min.)

Sample 2: Searching For A Fortune (3:55 min.)


CD: $10.00 (Includes Shipping & Handling)
For your copy, or to share your trip with a friend or family member,
Send Check or Money order to:
Skyhorse Productions
PO Box 976
Chinle, Arizona 86503


We accept credit card orders by phone.
Phone (928) 349-1600 for orders


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ORDER NOW!

Resellers please call for quantity pricing. We have some outlets stocking this unusual movie and we always welcome more! Help increase your profits. Make this available to your guests! They will thank you.
 

"SKYHORSE: LEGENDS LIVE FOREVER"
Original framed oil painting for sale: Size 30" x 40"
Pictured from left to right: Narbona, Barboncito, Skyhorse,
Manuelito and Ganado Muncho.
Navajo Artist: Anonymous
The painting is on loan to the Navajo Nation Museum
in Window Rock, Arizona until 01/24/2014.
Price: $15,000
Contact Leon Skyhorse Thomas: (928) 349-1600



Coming in the fall of 2013!!!
Primeaux and Skyhorse CD: "Into The Storm"

Coming in the summer of 2014!!!
"People of the Fifth World"
(Book) Written by Leon Skyhorse Thomas

Area Maps
Area Road Map
Roadmap of the Four Corners
Map of Canyon de Chelly Area
This is a large color graphic and may be slow to load!

Links
 Antelope Canyon Tours specializes in slot canyons around
 Page/Lake Powell area. Book a tour with us today!

 http://www.antelopecanyon.com
Unique Place to Stay in Chinle:

Sacred Canyon Lodge (formerly Thunderbird Lodge)
                      928-674-5841

Sacred Canyon Lodge is a Navajo operated
National Monument concessionaire. When booking
your accommodations, please mention our company
by name. Thank you.

Cottonwood Campground:
Overnight campground rates are determined by the
Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation Department,
and are payable on site at the small trailer.

** No hookups or showers available **
Campground fees payable on site at time of arrival.
HOLIDAY INN TOUR CUSTOMERS: IF YOU ARE APPROACHED
BY OTHER INDIVIDUALS SOLICITING YOU FOR CANYON TOURS
ON THE HOLIDAY INN PROPERTY, PLEASE REPORT THE INCIDENT
TO HOLIDAY INN MANAGEMENT IMMEDIATELY.
 
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Contents Copyright © Leon Skyhorse Thomas © 2013

Last Updated May 14, 2013

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