Should I Take a Guided Tour in Monument Valley?
Monument Valley is one of the greatest places to visit in the country. The rich Navajo history of the valley, the beautiful natural landscape, and history as a filming location make this place one of the best places to visit in the United States.
Guided or Self-Guided Tour?
Of course, any visit to the Monument valley should include some sort of tour. But is it better to do a self-guided tour or to go on a tour provided by Goulding’s? Many people believe that it may be better to take the cheaper option and joust go on a self-guided drive around the area. Admittedly, the Monument Valley is so beautiful that people can still see many beautiful sites from their own vehicles.
Benefits to Guided Tours
However, there are several benefits to going on a Goulding’s Monument Valley tour. Firstly, guided tours allow visitors to hear about the cultural and historical importance of the different sights that are visited during the tour.
The tour guides are local Navajo and are very familiar with the historical and natural context of the Monument Valley. Going on a guided tour will allow you to learn about the history and cultural significance of everything you see along the way. In fact, for some of the tours, visitors will have the opportunity to visit a Navajo Hogan and witness a rug-weaving ceremony.
Vehicles
Secondly, Goulding’s tours are provided in clean open-air vehicles. This gives tourists an immersive experience which puts them directly in touch with the local nature. Nothing beats a tour throughout the Monument Valley that gives direct access to the crisp, fresh Monument Valley air! If the weather does change, the vehicles are able to cover up with flaps to keep everyone safe from the elements.
Other Experiences
Third, some of the Goulding’s tours give access to experiences that are otherwise not available to visitors. The All-Day Tour includes a barbeque lunch cooked by the tour guide. It also includes views of rock art and ruins that are not visible from the main road.
Enjoying The Tour
Fourth, Goulding’s tours allow everyone to sit back and enjoy the sights. For self-guided tours, someone in your group will have to be driving. Unfortunately, this means that that person will miss out on a lot of the tour. This is not the case with a guided tour – everyone in your group will get to sit back and enjoy the sights!
Options
One of the great things about the tours offered by Goulding’s is the flexibility of the different options that are available. There are tours for various times of the day, to include morning, day, evening, and night. There are tours as short as 2.5 hours, and tours as long as eight hours.
Tours can be mostly focused on visiting the sites or could be more expansive and include meals and an expanded itinerary. Regardless of what specific type of tour you would like, Goulding’s probably has something which matches what you need.
Monument Valley Tours
All in all, arranging for a guided tour is the best way to experience the Monument Valley in its full glory. The expertise of the Navajo tour guides, the amazing open-air vehicles, and special experiences of the tours are all what makes the guided tours so much better than a self-guided tour of the Valley.