Is Antelope Canyon on your bucket list? Well, it should be if it isn't. It's been on my Arizona bucket list for a number of years, and this is the year I made it happen. The entire week before our pre-booked tour, my friend and I were giddy with excitement, saying, "I can't wait for our trip to Page," every time we spoke. Well, my friends, we did it. My friend and I both crossed Antelope Canyon off our bucket lists and felt so accomplished when we did. If you're looking for guided tours of Antelope Canyon similar to what we did, I highly recommend the Antelope Canyon X Tour by Taadidiinn Tours.

Per journalistic integrity, we disclose that the writer of this piece was invited on this tour by Taadidiin Tours and Proof PR Agency with expenses covered. However, all opinions and thoughts expressed in this piece are their own.

Taadidiin Tours was founded in 2016 by Logan Tsinigine with his mother. And if you're wondering where the name "Taadidiin" came from, here's a quote from its co-founder:

"Taadidin translates to corn pollen in Navajo," Tsinigine shares. "Our great-great-grandfather carried that name as he protected his people by hiding them in Antelope Canyon during the Navajo Long Walk. His name, Tadidinii, means Corn Pollen Man."

This family-owned company takes adventurous visitors on tours to both Antelope Canyon X and Cardiac Canyon, both of which are located within Antelope Canyon. Taadidiin is the only company that leads tours to these slot canyons.

Antelope Canyon X is located at the southern tip of the Antelope Canyon wash. There are two parts to the canyon and a 5-minute walk in between. The first part of the canyon had walls that towered approximately 100 feet. The narrow passageways and curving walls are made of Navajo sandstone that's been formed by rain and wind over millions of years. Walking through was a magical experience, to say the least.

The tour started out at the office in the parking lot. We checked in and waited until we were called to board a van. Our tour group had 10 people, which is a nice manageable size for a tour like this. The drive to the trailhead was 3 miles and took approximately 10 minutes. Along the way, our driver gave us some information about the Navajo tribe and said more than 450,000 members were living in the Navajo Nation, which covers the northeastern part of Arizona along with parts of Utah and New Mexico.

She also told us that Lower and Upper Antelope Canyons were more popular than Canyon X, and therefore a lot more crowded. As someone who prefers hidden gems as opposed to crowded areas, this was good news.

Once we arrived at the trailhead, we met our tour guide, Justin, who led us down a long flight of stairs into the canyon. We explored both Antelope Canyon X North which is approximately 500 feet long followed by Canyon X South which is 200 feet in length. There was a short walk between the two sections of the canyon.

As our tour guide led us through the slot canyon, my friend and I lagged behind as we took photo after photo in an effort to capture the beauty of this bucket-list experience. This hidden gem is such a marvel that it was difficult not to slow down and take it all in.

Our tour guide was also nice enough to take individual photos of everyone in the group at some of the most scenic parts of the canyon.

Once the tour ended, we climbed up the stairs out of the canyon, and boarded the passenger van back to the parking lot. As sad as we were that one of the best guided hikes in Arizona we've ever taken was over, we were happy to have had the experience.

You can only visit Antelope Canyon on a guided tour - there's no other way. So, why not book a tour with Taadidiin Tours, the best way to see Antelope Canyon? Not only is there the 1.5-hour Antelope Canyon X Tour but there's also a 3-hour Antelope Canyon X Photo Tour and a 6-hour Cardiac Canyon Tour. You can book any one of these guided tours of Antelope Canyon on the Taadidiin Tours website. You also have the option to show up without a reservation, but for peace of mind, I suggest you book a tour before you arrive to guarantee a spot.

Need a place to stay during your trip to Page? We stayed at Lake Powell Resort located right on the lake. You can reserve your stay on Booking.com.