This tour is advertised as a way to see parts of Monument Valley that most visitors don't get to see. So we decided to bite the bullet and pay $95 each to take the tour. The truth is, the tour involves visiting parts of the valley that are of virtually no interest .
We thought we would see those magnificent rock formations we're all familiar with from unusual angles and different vantage points that would allow us to get more interesting photographs. And that we would see other, similar formations that we're not so familiar with and be able to photograph them as well. What we discovered is that for the most part, we were shown big expanses of rock of almost no visual or photographic interest.
Most visiors to Monument Valley explore it by driving a 17-mile loop that takes them past the more familiar sites and allows them to spend as much time at each one as they wish. The first part of our tour included a few of those sites, but instead of stopping to let us take the time to enjoy them, the guide drove past them so quickly that enjoyment and photography were impossible.
Also, we had signed up for the sunset tour, which is supposed to include the opportunity to view the sun as it sets behind one of the valley's most scenic locations. But since the day had been cloudy, the guide skipped the sunset, even though the sun had come out by the time the tour ended, and instead raced back to the lodge as quickly as possible.
Monument Valley is a beautiful place, and if you have any interest in visiting it, you should definitely do so. But skip the guided tour and drive the 17-mile loop. You'll enjoy it more, and save yourself