My son and I took one of the tours operated by The View Hotel. We travelled along the tarmaced road from Gouldings' Lodge, a couple of miles up the highway to The View Hotel and paid the Park entrance fee (I think $20 each). After some confusion about where to 'check-in' at the View Hotel for the Tour, we got started. Our Navajo Guide, Duffy, took us and another couple from Italy on our tour. He was a really affable and knowledgeable person, who gave us a very interesting insight into the lives of the Navajos in Monument Valley - including some stories from his own childhood. He pointed out some of the names of the rock formations, helped us get the best from our photos (he was a lot more teccy than me!) and played a haunting melody on his double pipes within and enclosed rock formation that actually brought tears to my eyes. I also had a bit of a 'country' dance with him.
He took us to places like John Ford's Point, where a fellow Navajo sat patiently for photographs on his horse; the three sisters; the mittens , where The Eiger Sanction was filmed and pointed out 'The king on his throne' and the hands praying. I could work out where films like Stagecoach, My Darling Clementine, etc were filmed. The scenery couldn't have been more majestic.All in all a tour of a lifetime!! Thank you!