Travel Planning for Canyon de ChellyAirline Travel
Planning ahead will save you time and money. You could fly to Phoenix and drive north about 250 miles to Chinle. Check for discounted fares by Southwest and America West. Don’t reserve a rental car in advance for pickup at the airport because it costs more. On arrival, take a hotel shuttle for an overnight stay, then pick up a rental car at one of the pickup stations away from the airport the next morning, You’ll save time and money.
Albuquerque is an alternate destination, but flights to the city aren’t as frequent as to Phoenix. The drive from Albuquerque to Chinle is about the same as from Phoenix.
Accommodations
Chinle offers excellent accommodations considering the community it serves and the sparse volume of tourists going to the canyon.
Thunderbird Lodge. This is your best jumping-off point for the canyon tour. Operated by the Navajo Nation, the lodge has almost 100 manicured rooms and cabins. All rooms have private bath, air conditioning, central heating, phones and color TV. 2003 rates were as follows:
* Two double beds: one person, $97…two persons, $101…three persons, $105…four persons, $109.
* Two queen beds: one person, $102…two persons, $106…three persons, $110…four persons, $114.
Make reservations in advance by calling 1-800-679-2473, or by e-mail at thirdlodge@frontiernet.net.
Thunderbird lodge has a cafeteria offering excellent food.
Reserve a half-day or full-day tour of the canyon by calling the 800 number. Half-day tours are $43.10, including tax, and 70.37 for a full-day, including basket lunch.
Canyon de Chelly Best Western Inn, only three miles west of the visitor center, offers everything tourists want: lodging, restaurant, and indoor pool. For reservations, call 800-327-0354, fax 520-674-3715, no e-mail.
Chinle Holiday Inn, only a quarter-mile from the visitor center, has ample lodging, restaurant and outdoor pool. For reservations, call 800-465-4329, fax 520-674-8264, e-mail at holidayinncdc@cybertrails.com.
Private jeep tours of the canyon by Navajo guides are available for $100 per hour, with a three-hour minimum. Call 928-3772 ext 5000.
If you want information from the National Park Service about Canyon de Chelly, call 520-674-5500 or via the Internet at www.nps.gov/cach.
Shopping
When you ride through the canyon, Navajos will welcome you at a half-dozen rest stops. Navajos strew blankets on the ground to showcase their jewelry and other offerings. You needn’t bring mega dollars on the Jeep ride because Navajos will meet you at your motel after the tour to display whatever jewelry you’re interested in. That’s when you dig into your purse or wallet for the $$$$.
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