There are experiences that surprise you, those that surpass expectations, and those that resonate with you long after. On our third visit to Monument Valley my wife and I thought we had a pretty good idea of what this majestic, beguiling beautiful and harsh environment had to offer. We didn’t want to miss a moment of changing light gazing avidly from every conceivable angle. We hiked the limited trails and drove the gorgeous loop drive as we always had. This time we wanted to go deeper. We decided to do a guided tour. Because we were familiar with the loop and wanted to venture into deeper recesses away from crowds we choose a private tour with an independent guide. We chose Navajo Spirit Tours. It was clear from the start that our host, Gary was not the usual scripted tour guide. He grew up here and lives here. After a period of city life and other ventures, including lecturing on Navajo life at the university level, he brought his wife and family back to the valley and opened Navajo Spirit Tours. Gary has a talent for connecting with people on a deeply human level. On his tours you’ll share experiences far beyond the typical sightseeing. He is a native speaker and a soft spoken orator. He is equally well versed in culture, history, mythology, geology, movie history and will happily contour tours to the specific interest of his guests. I won’t share the specifics of our afternoon. Everyone will have their own unique experiences. But I will say the back country tour was electrifying. I knew it as it was happening and feel the same days after. My wife and I own an historic house. Do do group tours. I am always fascinated to see how other guides engage their audiences. Gary did so by first making us comfortable, then gently coaxing out of us what we hoped to gain from our visit. If you prefer a “Disney-like” experience (nothing against the mouse) you’ll be happy to climb into a covered trailer with a clutch of fellow tourists and listen to dictation over a loudspeaker. There are a great many options for you. If you truly want to delve into the place, the Navajo and Anasazi cultures and the spiritual dimensions of Monument Valley I can’t imagine a better way to find that than Navajo Spirit Tours.