Navajo Tribal Park Monument Valley Self-Guided Driving Tour
Description
Purchase only one tour per vehicle, not per person. Everyone listens together! Explore the “Wild West” of Hollywood and Navajo history as you drive through Monument Valley’s dramatic landscape. This self-guided audio tour along a 17-mile Navajo route allows you to enjoy the incredible panoramas while learning about Navajo culture, tribal history, and Hollywood stardom. Explore with maximum flexibility and value. After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.
Tour Options
Itinerary
As we begin driving along this trail through the Navajo Nation, we'll learn about the Navajo, the first tribe of Monument Valley, and how this desert formed out of a vast sea. Note: This 44+ mile-long tour covers the essentials of Monument Valley in 2-3 hours. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
Our tour of Monument Valley actually begins a little outside the valley: Forest Gump Point. The crest of this hill offers a fantastic panorama of Monument Valley... made famous by the movie!
Explore Monument Valley’s dramatic landscape and rich history with a self-driving audio tour along the 17-mile marked Navajo route. Hear about Monument Valley’s stunning “Wild West” formations as you drive. Monument Valley’s scenic vistas provide insights into Navajo culture and history, breathtaking panoramas of a strange landscape, and an unparalleled experience. This self-guided audio tour allows you to explore with maximum flexibility and value.
We'll hit our first detour at Wildcat Trail, where you can hop out walk into the valley itself.
Our tour continues past the three striking formations of the iconic "Monument Valley" panorama. These are the East and West Mittens and Merrick Butte. Why mittens? Why Merrick? We'll learn all about these structures and their histories as we get closer.
As we follow the trail deeper into Monument Valley, we'll learn more about the Navajo, the mythical buried silver, and their struggle to defend their land against the ever-encroaching colonists. We'll learn about the Long March of the Navajo, the Navajo Code Talkers of WWII, and the Navajo families on the reservation land today. We'll also explore the depiction of the Navajo in Western movies -- specifically in John Ford's Hollywood.
As we learn, we're also driving. The tour brings us next to Artist's Point. This overlook, unsurprisingly, is famously popular among painters and illustrators. Countless artists have set up canvasses here and recreated this stunning landscape with paint and brush.
Our drive continues towards the North Window Overlook, a picture-perfect spot for the sunrise. Those morning rays illuminating the buttes and spires of Monument Valley aren’t something you’ll soon forget! Even if you're here after sunrise, the vistas are unparalleled.
Finally, we're at the last incredible vista of the tour: Camel Butte and Elephant Butte. Camel Butte might not look especially like a camel, but when you’re naming rocks you have to get creative! Camel Butte almost hits 1,000 feet but pales in comparison to its sibling, Elephant Butte, stretching over 1,000 feet high. Now that might be impressive on its own, but remember that you’re on a plateau right now which is already raised around 5,000 feet. That means the peak of Elephant Butte is more than 6,000 feet above sea level!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
- How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
- Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
- Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
- Monument Valley’s Valley Drive has rough dirt roads and sandy areas. RVs, camper vans, motorcycles, large SUVs, and off-road vehicles are not permitted on the Valley Drive. Travelers with restricted vehicles can visit the main viewpoints near the Visitor Center. Please check current park conditions before visiting, as road access may change due to weather.
- New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
- Audio Setup: Connect your phone to your car's stereo system using Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. For the best experience, consider using headphones for walking tours. Audio playback is compatible with Apple CarPlay, with navigation features coming soon. Support for Android Auto is also on the way.
- The tour requires a supported mobile device for navigation. Please use an iPhone with iOS 15 or later, an Android device with Android 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular service.
- Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
Reviews(76)
It's busy and hot so stay hydrated. Watch out for crazy tour bus drivers and don't try to take photos if you're driving.
Bill, I’m so glad you enjoyed my Navajo Tribal Park Monument Valley GPS Driving Tour. It’s wonderful to hear you had a beautiful experience exploring this iconic landscape. Thank you for sharing your helpful tips on staying hydrated in the heat and driving safely in busy areas. I appreciate your reminder to fellow travelers to enjoy the scenery responsibly and save photos at designated stops. If you’re exploring more of Utah, I’d love for you to try my Ultimate Utah Bundle Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour, which includes Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Zion, Capitol Reef, Monument Valley, Grand Staircase Escalante, Goblin Valley, and more. Happy exploring!
Got to the starting point, the app connected and it never started despite numerous attempts so we just closed it and used the map. Highly recommend Monument Valley though.
William, I’m glad you were still able to enjoy Monument Valley, but I understand how frustrating it must have been when the app connected, yet the narration did not begin. Could you let me know what appeared on the app screen when you tried to start the tour? Did you see any error message, or did the audio simply not trigger? Please feel free to reach out so I can look into this and help troubleshoot further — I’m available daily from 9 AM–6 PM EST.
Navajo Tribal Park Monument Valley Self-Guided Driving Tour Utah, United States Only high clearance vehicles allowed! When we arrived nearby, ready to take our self driving tour, we were informed by the tribal authorities that our vehicle ( a Sprinter camper van), was not allowed on the tour road. Only trucks and high-clearance off road vehicles are allowed. No cars, vans or RVs. The photo on the website which shows a paved road is very misleading. The road is very rutted and full of potholes, hence the reason for only high clearance vehicles. We had to cancel. Very disappointing. Viator refunded our tour charges after we complained. Reviewing here because Viator site said my review was ineligible. Hmmm.
Karla, I understand how disappointing that must have been, especially after learning your Sprinter camper van was not permitted on the tour road. Vehicle access and road conditions are managed by the tribal authorities and can vary, so I have already mentioned vehicle restrictions in the listing and always recommend checking the official road status before taking the tour. I’m glad Viator was able to refund your tour charges, and I’ll pass your feedback along to my team so we can review whether the vehicle guidance can be made even clearer for future travelers.
The narration was engaging and easy to follow, offering fascinating historical and cultural insights we might otherwise have missed. We loved exploring at our own pace and stopping whenever we wanted for photos. It was a fantastic way to experience one of the most iconic landscapes in the American Southwest. Standard passenger vehicles are generally allowed on the Valley's 17-Mile Drive when conditions permit, while RVs, motorcycles, and off-road vehicles are not permitted.
I’m so glad to hear my Navajo Tribal Park Monument Valley GPS Driving Tour exceeded your expectations! It’s wonderful to know the narration was engaging, easy to follow, and helped add historical and cultural insight to such an iconic landscape. I’m especially happy you enjoyed exploring at your own pace and stopping whenever you wanted for photos. If you’re exploring more of Utah, I’d love for you to try my Ultimate Utah Bundle Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour, which includes Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Zion, Capitol Reef, Monument Valley, Grand Staircase Escalante, Goblin Valley, and more. Happy exploring!
Viator should do a better job of explaining where to go to start the tour. The directions should be: Drive to the Monument Valley entrance booth. There, pay $10 per person to enter the park. Also, pay $15 per vehicle to drive the park trail. This has to be done with a credit card. You will then drive through another checkpoint to show them the receipt of the money you just paid at the entrance booth. Once you go through that checkpoint, pull over to the side and start your downloaded audio tour. Proceed. These instructions will eliminate future confusion for other guests. Had I been provided these instructions, I would have given the top score because the audio tour itself was excellent. Also I would note that the Navajo people at the park are not at all interested in seeing the audio tour voucher.
George, I’ve passed your comments on to our contact at Viator. I love the clear recommendation and hope they do too.
Very easy to use , I recommend. Just download action. Arrived at destination explanations work even offline
MarieJose, I’m really glad to hear that my Monument Valley GPS Driving Audio Tour was easy to use and worked smoothly offline once you arrived. If you’re exploring more of Utah, I’d love for you to try my Ultimate Utah Bundle Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour, which includes Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Zion, Capitol Reef, Monument Valley, Grand Staircase Escalante, Goblin Valley, and more. Happy exploring!
I was able to connect it to Apple CarPlay so that not only did we hear it throughout the car and everyone could seethe pictures on the screen. The app was easy to use and I will definitely use it again in other locations if it’s available.
Eric, I’m happy to hear you enjoyed my Monument Valley driving audio tour. It’s great that Apple CarPlay worked well for you, so everyone could listen to the narration and view the images together, which really enhances the experience. I’m glad the app felt easy to use and that the tour fit naturally into your drive through such an incredible landscape. Thanks for sharing, and I’d love for you to use the tours again in other locations on your future trips. If you’re exploring more of Utah, I’d love for you to try my Ultimate Utah Bundle Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour, which includes Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Zion, Capitol Reef, Monument Valley, Grand Staircase Escalante, Goblin Valley, and more. Happy exploring!
Fantastic day driving through monuments at monument valley. The self driving tour audio was great, lots of facts about the area and Navajo history. The tour responded to where we were on the 17 mile drive, and gave clear instructions. It was nice to do at own pace and stop and take pictures when we wanted. Highly recommend but make sure you have high clearance vehicle. Road rough and not for all vehicles as stated in the Navajo park rules. Stunning scenery and well worth the visit.
Nicola, great to hear you enjoyed my Navajo Tribal Park Monument Valley Self-Guided Driving Tour. Loved hearing that the GPS-based narration matched your location smoothly and that the Navajo history and local facts added to your experience. It’s such a stunning 17-mile loop, and being able to stop for photos at your own pace really makes it special. Thanks also for mentioning the high-clearance vehicle—definitely helpful for others. Really glad the tour made your visit even better, and I appreciate the recommendation. If you’re exploring more of Utah, I’d love for you to try my Ultimate Utah Bundle Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour, which includes Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Zion, Capitol Reef, Monument Valley, Grand Staircase Escalante, Goblin Valley, and more. Happy exploring!
Very easy to use, to pause, and it follows exactly where you are as you are traveling. What would have been neat would to insert a little authentic Navajo music along with it. Enjoyed using the audio guide.
Melvin, I’m so glad you enjoyed my Navajo Tribal Park Monument Valley Driving Audio Tour and found it easy to use and follow along the route. That’s a great suggestion about adding authentic Navajo music — I’ll pass this idea to my team for future updates. I really appreciate your thoughtful feedback, and I'm happy to hear that the audio guide enhanced your visit. If you’re exploring more of Utah, I’d love for you to try my Ultimate Utah Bundle Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour, which includes Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Zion, Capitol Reef, Monument Valley, Grand Staircase Escalante, Goblin Valley, and more. Happy exploring!
What a fun and beautiful experience! The guide made the tour easy with good information about the monuments and history of the area and the people. Well worth the time. But be sure to take your time and enjoy the beautiful journey!
Joseph, I’m so glad to hear you had such a fun and beautiful experience with my Monument Valley Audio Tour. It’s great that the guide provided helpful information about the monuments and the area’s rich history. I love that you took your time to enjoy the journey—it really is a beautiful place. If you’re exploring more of Utah, I’d love for you to try my Ultimate Utah Bundle Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour, which includes Bryce Canyon plus Arches, Canyonlands, Zion, Capitol Reef, Monument Valley, Grand Staircase Escalante, Goblin Valley, and more. Happy exploring!
