monument valley park tour

CLOSURES MAY BE POSSIBLE, DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER.

Monument Valley Tour Operators

Navajo nation park & recreation.

To book a guided tour in Monument Valley, please select a tour operator from the list below.

There are tour guides available upon arrival.

Hours of Operation:

The Monument Valley 17- mile loop is accessible by vehicle only. You can purchase Entry Fee and Guided tour upon your arrival. RV’s, Camper van’s, motorcycles and Large SUV’s or Off-Road Vehicles are Prohibited on the valley drive. Valley drive has rough terrain and deep sand dunes.

Entry to all Navajo Tribal Park areas are enter at your own risk. Dogs are Prohibited at all Navajo Tribal Park locations.

Designated Hiking Trails are at your own risk. We ask that you sign in/out at each location for trail usage. Trails are open during Navajo Tribal Park Hours of Operations 8am to 5pm. Please wear comfortable clothing and be prepared for unpredictable weather, always stay hydrated and be aware of your surroundings.

The mask mandate has been lifted and the use of a mask is at your discretion.

All Navajo Tribal Parks are Closed on: Thanksgiving Day, NN Family Day (day after Thanksgiving), Christmas Day, New Year’s Day.

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park Security will be on duty and monitoring the area.

MORE INFORMATION: PLEASE REVIEW.

Monument Valley Guided Tour Operators

• Bennett Tours   ph. 928-221-9975
• Sacred Monument Tours, LLC    toursacred.com   ph. 435-727-3218
• Phillips Photography Tours   monumentvalley.com     ph. 928-429-0040
• Explore Monument Valley  ph. 928-429-1959
• Navajo Spirit Tours   ph. 435-444-7773
• RGJ Inc dba Goulding’s Tour    ph. 435-727-3225
• Roy Black’s Guided Tours   ph. 928-429-0637
• Valley View Guided Tours  ph. 435-485-0103
• Monument Valley Tribal Tours     ph. 385-347-6243
• Monument Valley Holiday Tour   ph. 928-489-1732
• Mitten View Tours        ph. 928-429-4672
• Hunt’s Mesa Off-Road Trails – UTV Tour  Call/Text: 928-302-8398
• Monument Valley Tribal Tours  ph. 385-347-6243
• Tinhorn Tour   ph. 928-489-9128
• MV Dineh Bekeyah Tours   ph. 928-409-0088
• MV Twin Warriors Tours   ph. 928-429-8628
• Sandstone Tours     ph. 435-200-5450
• Monument Valley Rain God Mesa Tours   ph. 928-606-9422
• Monument Valley Safari, LLC     ph. 435-220-0539
• Three Sister Navajo Guided Tours    ph. 602-327-2472
• Blackwater Tours    ph. 435-727-3312
• Monumental Tours    ph. 435-444-9529
• Tinhorn Tours    ph. 928-383-0783
• Monument Valley Tours   ph. 435-727-3313.

Horse Trail Rides

• Dineh Trail Rides  ph. 928-209-2692
• Tse Bii Trail Rides  ph. 928-489-2593

San Juan River Tours

• Tse’kooh Outfitters    ph. 928-301-7060
• Ancient Wayves River and Hiking Adventures  ph. 505-239-8505
• Dzil Taah Adventures, LLC.  ph. 928-429-8531.

Home » Travel Guides » United States » Colorado (CO) » 15 Best Monument Valley Tours

15 Best Monument Valley Tours

Translated into the language of the Native American people who call the area home, Monument Valley means valley of the rocks.

Located on the Colorado Plateau, it is characterized by immense stretches of multicolored sandstone buttes, the tallest of which tower more than a 1,000 feet over the desert floor below.

The valley sits between the southwestern states of Arizona and Utah, within the borders of the reservation of the Navajo Nation.

In the ‘30s, it was a hotspot setting for western films, though today it’s largely the realm of Native Americans and tourists from all over the world.

1. 2 ½ Hour Monument Valley Tour with Backcountry Access

You’re probably thinking that a measly 2 ½ hours won’t afford much time to see the area’s breathtaking sights, but previous tour guests agree that’s just not the case.

This small-group tour is only accessible with a local Navajo guide, giving it a unique cultural aspect not found on other tours.

Attractions include the Three Sisters, John Ford Point, and Sleeping Dragon, to name just a few.

After the sightseeing portion, it’ll be time for immersion into the local culture as you visit a Navajo home, interact with the residents, and watch a fascinating demonstration of traditional rug weaving.

2. 3-Day Iconic American Natural Beauty Tour from Las Vegas

The glitz and swank of the Las Vegas strip is definitely worth checking out when in the American southwest, but the region’s natural wonders tend to make Sin City pale in comparison.

This 3-day tour begins in Vegas and includes stops at many of the country’s most celebrated sites.

Zion National Park, Lake Powel, Antelope Canyon, and Monument Valley are among the tour’s highlights, and visitors tend to use words and phrases like breathtaking, awe-inspiring, and magnificent to describe the things they saw and experienced.

You’ll also learn about the area’s rich movie tradition, and about the Native American’s who have called it home for countless generations.

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3. Monument Valley 3-Hour Tour

Monument Valley is such a mesmerizing natural wonder that it’s best experienced in small groups.

Participants in this three-hour tour will be whisked to the valley’s gems in an African safari-style open-top vehicle, which beats a cushy air-conditioned van any day.

Stops include the Big Hogan, Sun’s Eye, Sleeping Dragon, and John Ford Point, which was named after the famous movie director from the early decades of the 20th century.

Tours include fascinating narration from an experienced guide, access to areas that aren’t open to the general public, a stop at a traditional Navajo village, and a ceremonial music performance as well.

4. 3-Day Tour of Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley & Horseshoe Bend

In the history of the universe, nobody has ever described Monument Valley as lame, boring, or just so-so.

It’s really that breathtaking, and when combined with other epic natural wonders like Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, it makes for a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

The tour begins and ends in Las Vegas, lasts from Wednesday until Friday, and also includes a Jeep tour of the Navajo Reservation with stops at the red rocks of Sedona and the Valley of Fire.

Along the way, you’ll learn from your guide how the stunning landscape was formed over eons of erosion by wind and water.

5. Antelope & Grand Canyons, Zion, Bryce & Monument Valley Tour

The rugged landscapes of the southwest were just made to be explored by 4 x 4, and this multi-day combo tour gives guests the opportunity to do just that.

It’s a rugged 3-day excursion that includes Bryce and Zion National Parks, Monument Valley, and the Grand Canyon.

Needless to say, it’s a whirlwind tour that’s a big hit with amateur photographers and lovers of the great outdoors.

Tours are generally limited to 14 participants, giving everyone a uniquely intimate experience.

It’s also possible to upgrade to a Grand Canyon helicopter tour, and hiking and Native American cultural side trips are included as well.

6. 7-Day National Parks Small Group Tour

For those who’ve got a full week to dedicate to seeing the American west’s most iconic sites, this 7-day tour is just the ticket.

You’ll camp under the stars, walk the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, hike through amazing geological formations, and probably have the time of your life in the process.

Sunrise and sunset are both magical times, so you’ll experience both in all their majesty at Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon as well.

There’s also a Jeep tour with a Navajo guide in Monument Valley.

Participants must be at least seven-years-old, but it’s not wheelchair accessible.

7. Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, and Zion National Park Tour

Have three days and two nights to spare?

Interested in being wowed by some of North America’s most stunning terrain?

If so, read on, because this natural wonders combo tour of Arizona and Utah is probably a perfect fit.

Activities include visits to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim, Monument Valley, and Zion National Park in Utah.

You and your travel companions will walk among Navajos, tour the desert by Jeep, and if the spirit moves you, opt for an unforgettable helicopter tour over the Grand Canyon.

A full day is spent at Monument Valley, and a guided hike is available in Zion as well.

8. 3 Hour Sunrise of Monument Valley

The otherworldly structures that dot the southwest landscape are the stuff of legend, and their names are usually pretty dramatic too.

The Big Hogan, Sun’s Eye, Sleeping Dragon, and the Totem Pole are a few of the most colorful; they’re all included on this brief but jam-packed tour of Monument Valley.

You’ll experience the sunrise like never before as your guide leads you to a scenic overlook near the iconic Totem Pole.

You may just be inspired to paint a masterpiece after witnessing how the sun’s peaking rays turn the impressive natural formations into colorful monoliths from bygone eras.

9. Monument Valley 4×4 Tour

There’s just something extra special about being led through Monument Valley by an experienced Navajo guide.

After all, the Navajos have called the area home for eons, and they know more about it than anyone.

The tour lasts about 2 ½ hours and visits most of the sites the others on the list do. But unlike some, you’ll be shuttled around in an open-air vehicle and spend time learning about Native American culture as well.

Depending on the weather conditions, you may also be whisked to areas that are only accessible when visited with a member of the Navajo Nation.

10. Hunts Mesa Overnight Campout

For really outdoorsy types, there’s no better way to experience Monument Valley than by hiking and camping.

Sure, the desert is full of poisonous snakes, tarantulas, and scorpions, but thankfully, they seem to avoid campers at all costs.

This overnight camping tour of Hunts Mesa lasts about 20 hours and includes amazing scenery, ample time to explore on foot, and tales of local lore around a crackling campfire in the canyon’s fading light.

Sounds amazing, doesn’t it?

In short, it is – but it’s not recommended for pregnant travelers, those with back issues, or those with less than moderate levels of physical ability.

11. 1 ½ Hour Tour of Monument Valley’s Valley Loop Drive

It may sound implausible, but it’s possible to take in the wonders of Monument Valley in less than two hours.

You won’t hike, bump over the terrain in an off-road vehicle, or mingle with Native Americans, but you’ll see much of what the valley has to offer from the comfort of an air-conditioned vehicle.

That makes it a great choice for those with limited time, and who are traveling with young children and older family and friends.

The tour follows the Valley Loop Drive and offers multiple opportunities to stop and photograph the unforgettable things you’re seeing.

Please note that children must be accompanied by an adult.

12. 2 ½ Hour Guided Tour of Monument Valley

If you’ve noticed a recurring theme in the aforementioned Monument Valley tours, it may be that longer isn’t always better.

That’s good news for travelers with limited time and budgets.

This 2 ½ hour tour covers nearly 30 miles of indescribably beautiful natural features, but you’ll also get access to petroglyphs from the ancient cliff-dwelling Anasazi people who seemed to up and vanish without a trace centuries ago.

The tour also covers ground inside the Navajo Tribal Park, from which arches, towering formations, and deep canyons are readily seen.

Multiple departure times are offered to accommodate travelers with varying schedules.

13. Monument Valley Sunrise Photo Tour

Monument Valley is one of the most photographed sites in the southwest, and this 3-hour evening tour was designed with diehard shutterbugs in mind.

Guided by experienced and enthusiastic photographers, it consistently leads guests to the perfect vantage points at just the right time to capture the moment forever.

You’ll need to rise well before the sun to reach the Totem Pole on time, but according to previous guests, it’s a small price to pay.

There’s also a 3-hour sunset tour that heads out in the late afternoon, so consider doing both, with lunch and a nap in the middle.

14. Monument Valley Tour

This small-group tour of Monument Valley gives guests the opportunity to tailor their experience to fit their personal interests.

The tour includes stops at the two Mitten Buttes, the Three Sisters, and Elephant Butte. For those who’d like a little cultural interaction, it’s possible to rub elbows with Native Americans, see how they live, and take in a traditional music show.

All tours are conducted in an open-air vehicle and led by an experienced and knowledgeable Navajo guide, so you’ll see and learn about things that those on other tours won’t.

Click the link below for a full list of options.

15. Basic Tour of Monument Valley

Loop tours are great for those who want to begin and end their day in the same location. This 17 mile Monument Valley tour is a popular option for those with less than three hours to spare.

It hits all the major attractions for which the valley is known, and offers guests the chance to stop and photograph the sights from a number of vista points along the way.

There’s also a stop at an authentic Navajo Hogan and a rug-weaving demonstration presented by Navajo women as well.

The tour’s length leaves plenty of time in the day to hook-up with other excursions to equally impressive attractions in nearby national parks.

15 Best Monument Valley Tours:

• 2 ½ Hour Monument Valley Tour with Backcountry Access
• 3-Day Iconic American Natural Beauty Tour from Las Vegas
• Monument Valley 3-Hour Tour
• 3-Day Tour of Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley & Horseshoe Bend
• Antelope & Grand Canyons, Zion, Bryce & Monument Valley Tour
• 7-Day National Parks Small Group Tour
• Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, and Zion National Park Tour
• 3 Hour Sunrise of Monument Valley
• Monument Valley 4x4 Tour
• Hunts Mesa Overnight Campout
• 1 ½ Hour Tour of Monument Valley's Valley Loop Drive
• 2 ½ Hour Guided Tour of Monument Valley
• Monument Valley Sunrise Photo Tour
• Monument Valley Tour
• Basic Tour of Monument Valley

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park: The Complete Guide

David Toussaint / Getty Images

Things to Do

Hiking in monument valley, types of tours, park guides, where to camp, where to stay nearby, how to get there, accessibility, tips for your visit, monument valley.

Straddling the Arizona/Utah border, Monument Valley is one of the nation’s most recognizable landscapes, thanks to its appearance in classic Westerns and movies like “Forrest Gump.” (Forrest decides to stop running against the backdrop of Monument Valley’s iconic buttes.) But it’s not your typical national park. In fact, it’s not a national park at all. Located on Navajo lands, Monument Valley is actually a tribal park operated by the Navajo people, who consider it a very sacred place.

As a result, access is restricted within the park. While you can drive a 17-mile section through the park on your own, you’ll need a Navajo guide to do anything more than that. However, that’s part of what makes Monument Valley so unique—you learn about Navajo history, culture, and traditions from the tribal member welcoming you into their lands. Plan to spend the night at the park’s hotel, The View, so you can watch the sunrise, sunset, or both over the amazing rock formations.

If you’re short on time, drive the 17-mile, extremely rough dirt road past the Mittens and Totem Pole formations on a self-guided tour. If you have more time, book a tour with a Navajo guide online or at the park’s visitor center. Tours range from 90 minutes to full-day adventures. Some guides even offer traditional meals, entertainment, and overnight stays in a Hogan.

Beyond that, activities are limited in the park. There are no ranger-led programs, helicopter rides, or hot air balloon rides here. You can’t mountain bike, off-road, or ride your own horse through the park either. Want to climb the monuments? Forget that, too. Rock climbing is strictly prohibited.

TripSavvy / Lauren Breedlove

The Wildcat Trail is the only one you can hike unescorted in Monument Valley. If you want to do anything more, you’ll have to hire a Navajo guide. Book a hiking tour before you go. Otherwise, there’s no guarantee a guide at the visitor center will be available—or prepared—to take you on a hike when you arrive.

Wildcat Trail: This 3.2-mile trail begins at the campground next to The View Hotel and loops around the Left Mitten before returning. Go at sunrise. Not only is it cooler, but the soft light washes the valley in ever-changing color. 

Most people experience Monument Valley on a 4x4 tour, but there are other options, including horseback rides and photography tours. Each Navajo guide or company offers slightly different tours, but these are the common ones available in the park:

• Basic Scenic Tour: Lasting about 90 minutes, these tours follow the 17-mile route through the park that you could drive on your own. So why pay the $65 to $75 per person charge for a guided tour? Many drivers don’t want to subject their vehicles to the treacherous road, but Navajo guides also give you insights on how the formations came to be, point out where movies were filmed, and share their culture.
• Cultural Tour: Held late in the afternoon, this tour builds on the full valley tours, adding a cultural experience like a weaving demonstration or live music. As the sun begins to set, the tour continues with a Navajo dinner, usually puffy fry bread topped with meat and beans, followed by traditional dancing and music.
• Time of Day Tour: Because light can change the color of the rock formations dramatically, several tours revolve around the time of the day. Many consider sunrise the best time to take one of these tours, but sunset can be equally impressive as can a night with a full moon. Often a photographer leads these tours.
• Photography Tours: Led by Navajo photographers, these tours are usually for any skill level with any type of camera—even a cell phone—but you may want to check with the guide or company before committing.
• Overnight Tours: Want to experience Monument Valley at night? Several companies offer the option to stay overnight in a Hogan, a traditional Navajo structure. Dinner and breakfast are included.

You’ll find a list of guided tour operators on the Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation website. It’s not unusual for individuals and smaller guide companies to stop offering tours for a length of time only to start up again later, sometimes under another company name, but some companies are fixtures in Monument Valley. These companies have experienced guides and provide a consistent experience for their guests.

• Roy Black’s Guided Tours : Started by a Navajo person who grew up in Monument Valley, this company specializes in sharing Navajo culture. Tours include the 4x4 adventures and overnight Hogan stays. Roy Black’s Guided Tours is one of the few companies in Monument Valley with guided horseback tours, from 30 minutes to six hours long.
• Monument Valley Simpson’s Trailhandler Tours : Guides with Monument Valley Simpson’s Trailhandler Tours know the valley better than anyone—they were all born and raised here. The company has an extensive list of tours including Hogan stays, cultural experiences, sunrise/sunset outings, and guided hikes.
• Goulding’s Lodge Tours : Operated out of Goulding’s Lodge, 5 miles from the park’s entrance, this company takes guests on partial and full-day tours of the valley. It also offers sunrise, sunset, and full moon tours as well as tours of the areas surrounding Monument Valley Tribal Park.

TripSavvy / Lauren Breedlove 

You can camp inside the park at The View Campground. Nearby, camping is also available at Goulding’s RV & Campgrounds and Monument Valley KOA.

• The View Campground : Located inside the park, this campground has dry RV and tent camping with unobstructed views of the Mittens. The RV sites do not have hookups. Restrooms and showers are available for all campers.
• Goulding’s RV & Campgrounds : Five miles outside the park, near Goulding’s Lodge, this campground has RV sites with full hookups and tent camping. In addition to restrooms and grills, the campground has Wi-Fi and access to the laundromat, convenience store, and indoor pool at the lodge.
• Monument Valley KOA : Campers will find full hookup RV and tent sites about 1.5 miles north of the park entrance at Monument Valley KOA. Campsite amenities include a dog park, basic Wi-Fi, and firewood for sale.

You can actually stay inside the park at The View, aptly named for its balconies overlooking the valley. However, you’ll pay extra for the privilege and have very limited dining options. Nearby, Goulding’s Lodge is a convenient option with similarly limited food options. Kayenta, 25 miles south of the park’s entrance, has chain hotels and several decent restaurants, some serving Navajo specialties. 

• The View Hotel : The only hotel in the park, The View Hotel is operated by the Navajo tribe and boasts some of the most outstanding views in the Southwest. Each of its 96 rooms has its own private balcony, and you can sample Navajo dishes at its restaurant. You’ll also find a gift shop and the park’s visitor center on-site.
• Goulding’s Lodge : Originally a trading post and a base for director John Ford and his crew when they filmed in Monument Valley, Goulding’s Lodge has 152 rooms, Wi-Fi, and cable TV. There’s also a restaurant, indoor swimming pool, museum, theater, laundromat, and convenience store onsite. Planning on a guided tour through Monument Valley? Goulding’s has its own tour company that leaves from the property. 

Monument Valley is quitw remote, the nearest major cities of Phoenix and Albuquerque are both roughly 320 miles away.

From Phoenix, take I-17 north to I-40. Head east to the edge of Flagstaff, and follow signs to pick up US-89 north. Drive approximately 70 miles and turn at US-160, heading east towards Tuba City. Follow this to Kayenta. Turn north on US-163 and continue 25 miles to the park’s entrance.

From Albuquerque, take 1-40 west to Gallup. At Gallup, head north on US-491. Before leaving Gallup, turn left onto SR 264 and head west to Burnside. There, take US 191 north and drive 40 miles north to Indian Route 59. Where IR-59 intersects US-160, turn left. Go 8 miles, and turn right at US-163. Head north 25 miles to the park’s entrance.

The visitor center and facilities are accessible. However, tours may not be. Check with the guide or company before hiring them. Stops on the 17-mile drive are no paved and may be difficult for some to navigate.

• Park admission is $20 per vehicle transporting up to four people. Since this is not a national park, America the Beautiful and other passes are not honored here.
• Navajo Nation observes daylight savings times even though the rest of Arizona does not. When you book a tour, confirm whether daylight savings times will be in effect and adjust your schedule accordingly.
• Drones, weapons, and alcohol are prohibited on Navajo land.
• Because the monuments are considered sacred, you are not allowed to climb them.

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• Goulding’s Museum
• Earth Spirit Theater
• Navajo Culture
• Weddings & Events
• Stagecoach Restaurant
• Gas & Convenience Store
• Grocery Store
• RV/Campgrounds
• Monument Valley Rooms

Monument Valley Tours

• Monument Valley RV & Campgrounds
• Goulding’s History

Goulding’s offers a variety of exclusive tours through Monument Valley Tribal Park and beyond. Sit back and enjoy fascinating geological and historical information about this amazing area known as the “Land of Long Shadows.”

All of our tour guides are local Navajos who grew up in and around the Monument Valley area. During the tours, they provide access to trails and paths not open to the public while offering insight about the Valley. They are proud of their heritage and are more than happy to share stories about their culture and history, so don’t hesitate to ask!

Our tour vehicles are modern, clean and well-maintained, providing top safety and comfort. The open-air vehicles in our fleet come equipped with large transparent flaps that can be quickly deployed, should the weather take an abrupt turn.

During your tour, you will have the opportunity to stop and gaze at the panorama where John Ford, John Wayne, and countless other historical figures of the Southwest have left their footprints. All tours include the entry fee to Monument Valley Tribal Park, a map, water, tickets to Earth Spirit Theater and traditional Navajo cultural demonstration. Don’t forget your camera!

CHOOSE FROM ONE OF OUR MANY TOUR PACKAGES:

This tour covers the famous 17-mile loop of Monument Valley. View many of the famous monuments when the tour makes stops at The East and West Mittens viewpoint, John Ford’s Point & Three Sisters viewpoint, the Totem Pole viewpoint, Artist’s Point, and the North Window viewpoints. This tour offers you the opportunity to visit an authentic Navajo Hogan .

Cost Per Person: $77.00 Adults | $57.00 Children 11 and under Departure Time: 1:30pm Available: April – October Duration of Tour: 2.5 Hours (approximately)

Deluxe Tour

This tour covers the famous 17-mile loop of Monument Valley plus visits some restricted back-country stops. View many of the famous monuments when the tour makes stops at The East and West Mittens viewpoint, John Ford’s Point & Three Sisters viewpoint, the Totem Pole viewpoint, Artist’s Point, and the North Window viewpoints. In the back-country, you will make stops at The Sun’s Eye & Ear of the Wind. This area of the Navajo Tribal Park boasts hidden treasures like natural arches and provides different vantage points from the traditional 17-mile loop road. This tour offers you the opportunity to visit an authentic Navajo Hogan.

Cost Per Person: $89.00 Adults | $69.00 Children 11 and under Departure Time: 8:00am & 4:00pm - April – September | 3:15pm - March –  October | 2:30pm - November – February Duration of Tour: 3.5 Hours (approximately)

Sunrise Tour

Wake up to the morning majesty of Monument Valley! Start in front of the world-famous Mitten rock formations and make your way through the Valley as the sun casts its light upon the mesas and buttes. This tour covers viewpoints along the 17-mile loop road.

Cost Per Person: $87.00 All Ages Departure Time: 20 Minutes Before Sunrise (times vary) Available: April – October Duration of Tour: 2.5 Hours (approximately)

Sunset Tour

End your day by watching nature’s slideshow of the ever-changing light and the different moments it creates. This tour winds its way around the 17-mile loop road as the light dances around and lights up the monuments. Finish in front of the Mittens for the sunlight’s last glow.

Cost Per Person: $77.00 Adults | $57.00 Children 11 and under Departure Time: 2 Hours Before Sunset (times vary) Available: April – September Duration of Tour: 2.5 hours (approximately)

All Day Tour

Do you have a day and want to see more of the Monument Valley area? Our 8 hour All-Day tour allows you to escape the future and take a trip back into the ancient past with a trip to Mystery Valley. Explore Anasazi Ruins, Rock Art panels, and hidden arches that take you back to bygone eras during the first half of the tour. Before continuing your tour into Monument Valley you will stop to recharge and enjoy a boxed lunch prepared by our staff *. Enter Monument Valley and (re)discover the beauty and comfort of the world famous Mittens as well as many more of the sacred and unique rock formations that have adorned walls across the world. Breathe in the energy, but mind the dust, as you follow in the footsteps of the legends who made this scenery so famous. This tour offers you the opportunity to visit an authentic Navajo Hogan

*Please check-in for the tour the evening prior so the front desk staff can go over the menu and get your selections ordered.

Cost Per Person: $160.00 Adults | $110.00 Children 11 and under Departure Time: 9:00am Available: April – October Duration of Tour: 8 hours

Private Tours

Special custom tours are available with a minimum of four people. call 866-313-9769 to ask about prices, times, locations and availability., what to bring.

Please keep in mind that all tours will take you to some very beautiful yet secluded locations. It is recommended that you bring the following items with you:

Hat/Sunscreen

The Mittens may cast long shadows, but the sun will find you while you are on your tour. Skin protection is highly encouraged.

Closed-toe shoes

The scenery is beautiful, but the terrain can be rough in spots. We recommend you wear shoes with good traction that will protect your feet from thorns.

Layered clothing

Weather in the valley can be very unpredictable. Windstorms can and do occur without warning throughout the year. These storms can bring lightning, rain or snow with them, depending on the season.

Water/Snacks

Water is provided on all tours, but you are encouraged to bring a water bottle and any light snacks that you may want to carry with you.

Of course, you wouldn't want to forget a camera to take pictures of the breathtaking mountains of Monument Valley.

*Taxes extra. Please consult with the front desk or your tour guide if you have any questions.

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THE 10 BEST Monument Valley Tours & Excursions

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• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. Monument Valley Tour

2. 2.5 Hours of Monument Valley's Backcountry 4×4 Tour

3. Monument Valley Daytime Tour - 3 Hours - Navajo Spirit Tours

4. 3.0 Hours of Monument Valley's Sunrise or Sunset 4×4 Tour

5. 2 Hour Monument Valley Horseback Tour

6. Sunset Tour of Monument Valley

7. Dreamcatcher Evening Experience in Monument Valley

8. Private Monument Valley Tour

9. 1.5 Hour Tour of Monument Valley's Loop Drive

10. Monument Valley Extended Backcountry Tour

11. 1 Hour Monument Valley Horseback Tour

12. Sunrise Tour of Monument Valley

13. 3.5 Hours Mystery Valley Navajo Spirit Tour

14. 2.5 Hours Monument Valley Historical Sightseeing Tour by Jeep

15. Ultimate Utah Bundle Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour

16. Mystery Valley Tour 3.5 -4hrs (TSNGT)

17. 3.5 Hours of Monument Valley's Cultural 4×4 Tour

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21. Scenic Monument Valley Tour

22. Tour Monument Valley with a Navajo guide (1.5hr TSNGT)

23. Monument Valley 4x4 Tour

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26. Monument Valley Hogan Overnight Experience

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• Monument Valley Daytime Tour - 3 Hours - Navajo Spirit Tours
• 2 Hour Monument Valley Horseback Tour
• 3.0 Hours of Monument Valley's Sunrise or Sunset 4×4 Tour
• Navajo Spirit Tours
• Monument Valley Tribal Tours
• Dineh Bekeyah Tours
• Monument Valley Safari
• Phillips Photography Tours - Day Tours
• Navajo Guided Tour Service
• Goulding's Monument Valley

Monument Valley Safari

Guided off-road adventure tours, choose from our most popular tours.

• Most popular
• Users All ages
• Hour Glass 3.5 hours

3.5-Hour Monument Valley Tour

Cover more ground and fully immerse yourself in the culture and history of Monument Valley as you embark on a guided tour with an expert Navajo local.

• Hour Glass 2.5 hours

2.5-Hour Monument Valley Tour

Private monument valley tour.

Embark on an extraordinary journey through Monument Valley, an enchanting land of sandstone wonders and cinematic allure. Join the legendary Don Mose, your charismatic Navajo guide, as he unveils the secrets of this sacred terrain that go beyond the ordinary tourist trails.

• Hour Glass 7 hours

7 Hour Hunts Mesa Tour

Embark on an unforgettable guided tour with us and delve into the heart of this extraordinary and pristine landscape. Our expert guides will lead you through the secrets of Tse’Bii’Nidzisgai, revealing its hidden stories and the cultural significance intertwined with Diné Biyakah (Navajo Land).

• Hour Glass 18-20 hours

18-Hour Hunts Mesa Overnight Tour

Capture dramatic views from 1,600 feet above the valley floor. From atop Hunts Mesa photographic opportunities abound, with sandstone monuments and canyons sprawling out in every direction.

Native American Hoop Dance

For centuries Native American Hoop Dancing has been a ceremonial and artistic form of storytelling performed by the First Nation People. Colorful hoops made of willow or reed are manipulated

• Clock Sunrise departure & 8 a.m.
• Hour Glass 5.5 - 6 hours

Private Storytelling with Navajo Code Talker Peter MacDonald

Travel into a restricted area of Monument Valley or Mystery Valley to find a special set-up where you meet and hear stories from one of the last surviving Navajo Code Talkers, Peter MacDonald.

Yá'át'ééh! Welcome!

A tripadvisor top 5 outdoor activity in monument valley.

Traveling with a native Navajo through Monument Valley was a wonderful experience! Our guide, Bobby, provided such enriching information and stories about the geology and history of the land and its people. We were able to travel off the beaten path to visit a hogan where we were treated to a weaving demonstration as well as more fabulous land formations. Highly recommend choosing this tour.

My sister and I wanted to see Monument Valley, but we didn't know what tour company to use. My sister chose Monument Safari Tours and I am so glad we went with them. Our Guide was Tony and he made our tour a really unforgettable experience. He was so knowledgeable and interesting. We went on the sunset tour and it was absolutely beautiful!

This was a fabulous experience to get to the Hunts Mesa. Excellent driver and guide. I went solo with the Navajo guide and got dropped off alone along the mesa while he went to prepare the camp and the food. He picked me up as planned just at sunset. Great food, great lodging (thick sleeping bag for the cold night).

We had an outstanding sunrise tour with Navajo guide Toney. He was extremely knowledgeable and took us to some outstanding locations in the Monument Valley backcountry. He even helped us take some creative photos. It was truly a magical experience that we will never forget! Worth every penny!

Our tour was fab - in a 4x4 across the sand and over rocks - and then we got to climb up rocks. We saw amazing rocks so it was a great family tour that everyone enjoyed thoroughly. Would definitely recommend.

Our family’s roots run deep in Monument Valley. Tracing back seven generations, our family has been exploring this part of the Navajo Nation since the early 1800s. As members of the Native American Navajo Tribe, our beliefs, language and spiritual practices are very much an integral part of our daily lives. For this reason, when you take a tour with us, you will be exposed to much more than Arizona’s stunning landscape - you will learn about the history, culture and lives of the Navajo.

We provide Navajo guided tours of Monument Valley and the surrounding attractions. Our team consists of eight members; all local and all Navajo - united with one goal, to welcome visitors into our home with kindness and professionalism. Enjoy one of our many tours while our team shows you the area with expert knowledge and local information.

What to Expect from Our Tours

We offer a variety of tours, each designed deliberately to accommodate an array of budgets, physical abilities and preferences. Our scenic and cultural tours range from 2.5 to 6 hours. Our photography tours range from 3.5 to 18 hours. Furthermore, we delight in arranging custom tours - from Navajo cultural performances to photography shoots of Native Americans in traditional regalia.

Monumental Tours

Sunset in Monument Valley

We have custom tour packages to fit your needs

Winter Season rolling through

Navajo National Monument will open April 2021

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

See our Tour packages

NAVAJO NATION PARKS AND RECREATION ARE NOW OPEN

THE COVID RESTRICTIONS HAVE BEEN LIFTED.

Explore Monument Valley’s

Cinema/movie locations, mystery valley and photography tours.

9:00 am and 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm Tours

These 3.5 hour tours are our most popular tours for the first time visiters as it includes the cinema/movie locations along with the back country arches and also to the Restrictive area to view a Hogan.

Sunset Tour 5:45 pm

There is nothing like the setting sun in the Navajo National Park. Here is your chance to get spectacular photos. You will be back in with plenty of time to enjoy an evening under the stars in Monument Valley

Private Tours

We can customize a tour for your group.

Don’t miss out on the adventure of a

Lifetime at monument valley.

• Places To Go
• Parks & Outdoors

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

• Weather: Sunny, 69F

Monument Valley, an iconic symbol of the American West and the sacred heart of the Navajo Nation, is the ideal setting for your next adventure in the warm, high desert climate of southeastern Utah. Visitors may explore the 17-mile scenic drive in private vehicles or book a jeep tour to explore the area's backroads and sacred lands with the help of a local guide.  The valley is host to towering sandstone rock formations that have been sculpted over time and soar 400 to 1,000 feet above the valley floor. Combined with the surrounding mesas, buttes and desert environment, it truly is one of the natural wonders of the world. Stay the night and step out after dark to appreciate the timelessness and wonder of the Milky Way. Stopping to appreciate the rhythms of this ancient, sacred land has the ability to change your perspective if you take the time to let it.

Winter in Monument Valley How to Visit Tribal Lands

Monument Valley Fees, Permits & Hours

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is located on the Navajo Nation Reservation, along the state line of southeast Utah and northeast Arizona. The park is a three hour drive from Moab, a little under one hour from Bluff and about 5 hours from Phoenix. Check ahead for current conditions and entrance fees.

• Fees: $8 per person per day. Children 7 and under are free. 
• Visitor Center hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., year-round. 
• Scenic Drive summer hours: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Last vehicles are permitted onto the drive at 6 p.m. and must depart it by 8 p.m.
• Closed during all major holidays in accordance with the Navajo Nation: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
• Permits are required for backcountry hiking, camping, filming and various special uses such as weddings. Visit the park’s website for more information on  current fees and permits .
• GPS coordinates of park visitor center: 37.002449, -110.172615

Visitor Center

Monument Valley Weather

Visitors come to Monument Valley year-round, but most come during spring and autumn to best enjoy the high-desert environment. The onset of searing summer heat usually begins in late May, and it can persist into mid-September. Autumn provides some of the most stable weather of the year. Temperatures may reach mid-90s F in July and August. Clear, warm, sunny days and cool nights make this one of the most delightful seasons to visit.

Winter in Monument Valley can be cold and windy, although there will be some nice days. Average highs in the winter are in the 40s, so you'll want to pack layers and water when you venture out to enjoy serene, sometimes snow-dusted, panoramas.

Utah Weather

Goulding's Lodge is tucked under soaring rimrock cliffs two miles west of the Monument Valley.

Photo: Austen Diamond

Where to Stay

The nearest town to Monument Valley is Mexican Hat , a short drive to the northeast on U.S. 163. For more lodging and dining options, continue along this same highway for another 20 minutes to reach Bluff . Accommodations are also available in Kayenta, Arizona, south on U.S. 163. Goosenecks State Park (near Mexican Hat) also has a campground. 

Gouldings Lodge is another nearby option and the most convenient place to eat inside the park. This lodge is tucked under soaring rimrock cliffs two miles west of the Monument Valley turnoff from U.S. 163 in Utah. Gouldings also has a nice campground that offers RV hookups, a pool and separate cabins. Explore their guided tour opportunities as well.  

The View Hotel is the only lodging inside Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. Reservations well in advance are a good idea if you want to enjoy the amazing views of Monument Valley from this modern hotel.

Things to do in Monument Valley

Guided jeep tours.

Butte after butte and mesas upon mesas are calling your name. Guided jeep tours of Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park are a great way to take in the iconic landscape. It is just as much fun for kids as adults, and a great morning or afternoon activity for families.

Hiking the Wildcat Trail

The Wildcat Trail is a 3.2-mile loop hike (4 miles total, including the return to the trailhead and parking area) into one of the most scenic areas that Monument Valley has to offer. This trail lets hikers feel like they stepped back in time into the Wild West.

Mexican Hat

Mexican Hat, one of Utah’s strangest rock formations, balances a flattened pancake disk atop a 300-foot-high talus cone. It’s a novel route and quick summit for expert desert rock climbers.

Monument Valley Area Scenic Drives

A scenic drive around Monument Valley is one of the area’s most popular activities, and for good reason. High-clearance vehicles are recommended to navigate the dirt, gravel and red rock road.

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Visit with Respect

• You are a guest on the reservation and tribal park land, and allowed on site with the permission of the tribe. Act accordingly. Learn more about Native Nations in Utah .
• Avoid taking pictures of people or events unless you have permission. Remember, this is where people live and work. (Watch: Voices of Bears Ears — The Navajo ).
• Act respectfully at all times, but particularly at important sites and burial grounds.
• Don’t remove pottery or other artifacts you may find — this is a violation of federal law. (Read: How to Visit Rock Imagery Sites )

Read the Stories

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The Story of Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

Ancient erosion and modern cinema joined forces to elevate Monument Valley to one of the world's most iconic places to visit — but it's also the sacred home of the Navajo people. Learn more about the history, size and scenes that define the Monument Valley Utah experience.

The Voices of Bears Ears

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Bears Ears National Monument is at the heart of southeastern Utah. These lands are imbued with layers of culture — layers of life. In this four-part video series, meet the locals who connect with the land in their own distinct ways.

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Monument Valley Tribal Park Jeep Excursions

+ 1 (928) 429-1959

• Liability Waiver

Where every tour experience feels like coming home.

Explore Monument Valley offers fun, family-friendly open guided jeep tours in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park that promote curiosity and discovery about Navajo Nation life, culture, and traditions.  

OUR APPROACH

Journeying with diné, a commitment to excellence.

Experience Diné culture firsthand on our Monument Valley tours. Our Diné tour guides  share our values, beliefs, and desire to restore harmony and balance with nature. Our guest leaves with a deeper understanding of our community.

Unique Experiences

Our open-air Safari vehicle tours are all about humor and engagement. With hands-on activities, stories, and a lively personality guiding you, we strive to make our guests laugh, giggle, and chuckle.

 Count on us to make your tour experience smooth and worry-free. With regular check-ins and meaningful connections, we prioritize your comfort and satisfaction throughout the tour. 

Choose Your Experience

Tour pricing.

Our tour pricing is pe r-person an d the l ength of the tour, so you can choose the option that best fits your budget and schedule. 

All our tours are great for all ages and run year-round . We think the best time of year to visit  Monument Valley is whenever you want.   We are open for tours on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Years.   

You can request a private jeep tour, but most tours are open guided jeep tours. Our tour group sizes are 2-12.  Whether you're looking for a thrilling adventure, scenic drive, or a peaceful retreat, our open-air Safari tours are an unforgettable way to experience one of the most stunning landscapes in the American Southwest.  

$65.00               2 hours  

$75.00               3 hours

$125.00             4 hours (Monument Valley or Mystery Valley)

$220.00             All Day Tours

Custom group rates and child pricing is available. 

Tours meet on the lower loading zone by the View Hotel located within the Park. Tour Start Times are based of of Utah MST time. We recommend you bring snacks and water.

Cultural Tour

A popular tour experience! The first Navajo lived on their land between 900 and 1525 AD. You will discover our first home still used today, the hogan. Understand how important the four seasons are to our lives. What stories we can share depends on what season you are visiting. Learn about our first jewelry, what traditional dishes are, how we craft our authentic basket weaving to this day, and learn cultural etiquette. Our favorite is sharing the Navajo language, which we work to keep alive.  

Back Country

 Are you looking for the final frontier experience? The Back Country is going to take you into our "backyard." The Navajo reservation open guided jeep tours can only be accessed with a tour guide. It allows you to step into t he wild, see the Big Chief rock formations, s tand next to th e Sleeping Dragon, be guests in our homes, and see how we still do our traditional rug weaving. This escape into the wild includes the foll owing locations: Echo Cave Ruins, Sun's Eye, Big Hogan, Moccasin Arch, and Ear of the Wind. 

Professional or novice photographers get ready for a tour experience where your photos can become an exclusive canvas in your home. Your tour guide operator is also a professional photographer. Throughout the tour, you will have a unique perspective of the landscapes, buttes, canyons, clean air, diversity of plants and wildlife, and areas of beauty and solitude.  Monument Valley photography offers unique opportunities like archeological sites and sand ripples from the wind blowing across the desert. 

Movie Locations

Our open guided jeep tours starts in a movie location and sweep you into the spaces that have become icon parts of movie stories. Some you may recognize right away, and others will surprise you. Get ready to jump into your own cinematic experience. Perhaps you will connect to locations of far-away planets or well-known westerns—sci-fi action films like The Transformers or award-winning films.

Sunrise or Sunset

Join us in welcoming a new day with our sunrise tour. One of the quietest times when your soul connects back to mother earth. An experience of genuine reflection.  

End the day with our sunset open guided jeep tours and experience the incredible colors that wash across the rocks. Each second is worthy of capturing the ever-changing colors as the sun slowly seeps down into the earth. 

We always make sure you get an iconic shot for your Instagram moment. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at [email protected] if you cannot find an answer to your question.

• Guests will pay the separate park entry fee and meet for their tours at the Monument Valley Welcome Center. The entrance fee to the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is $8 per person. The fee is valid for one day only. The park only takes credit card.

Monument Valley is located on the Arizona-Utah state line, near the Four Corners area in the Navajo Nation Reservation that is over 92,817 acres. Explore Monument Valley jeep tours will go through UT and AZ.  Navajo Nation governs Navajo Tribal Parks, Monuments, and recreation areas. All non-Navajo travelers and visitors must comply with Navajo Nation laws, regulations, and policies.

Explore Monument Valley has found that 2.5 hours is the most popular jeep tour time. No matter which tour you choose we strive to have it be culturally enriching and take you off the beaten path and discover locations that cars can't access.   

Reserve Your Spot

Questions bookings.

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Special Requests Available

For group rates, tour pricing for private jeep tours, child pricing, or special requests, message us and we'll get back to you soon.

Explore Monument Valley

Welcome Center, Oljato-Monument Valley, UT 84536

+ 1 (928) 429-1959 [email protected]

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Adventurous Monument Valley

Scenic monument valley tours in arizona.

• Most popular tour!

Scenic Monument Valley Tour

Experience Monument Valley’s highlights in 1.5 hrs. Tour the 17-mile loop in an open-air safari vehicle, see iconic landmarks, and learn Navajo history from a local guide.

• Hour Glass 1.5 hours
• User Ages 6+

Discover Stunning Landscapes at the Oljato-Monument Valley

Welcome to the best experience of Adventurous Monument Valley Tours, where we offer a unique blend of cultural, historical, and scenic explorations on private Navajo land. Dive into the heart of Navajo culture with our guided tours that have received stellar reviews from visitors from all over the world!

We take you beyond the ordinary with our luxury and affordable options, ensuring that you get to witness the best of Monument Valley in a way that suits your preferences. From the magnificent sunrise tours to the breathtaking sunset tours, and from day tours to overnight tours, we have it all. Whether you’re looking for family-friendly adventures, private tours, or photography tours, our offerings are designed to cater to every need.

Ready to see more than Monument Valley? Our tour options extend to Antelope Canyon as well. Experience the awe-inspiring beauty of these natural monuments, with the help of our skilled Navajo guides who bring the history, culture, and geology of these lands to life during your journey.

Backcountry Tour

Explore Monument Valley’s restricted backcountry. Capture photos at Ear of the Wind, visit Anasazi ruins, and learn Navajo history from a local guide. This Arizona tour is ideal for photographers. Book online!

• Hour Glass 2.5 hours

Join our Top-Rated Monument Valley Tours ★★★★★

Nat was a great tour guide. He took us to the upper canyon and from the minute we boarded the bus, he made a point to let us know he's only plan was to give us a great tour. He took lots of pictures for us, explained everything, and was overall more than I would have ever expected.

It was a fantastic tour. Lydell was tremendous. Helpful, knowledgeable, interactive. And a great photographer!! Not only would we recommend this tour, we would go back!

Absolutely worth the experience and with brilliant and supportive tour guides. Our guides were not only enthusiastic with information but also in advice and assistance with clients taking the best photos. The canyons were breathtaking and the drive was incredibly fun with the company vehicles.

We had a amazing tour guide, Nate. He offered a lot of information and was able to answer all my questions. He helped with setting up my phone so I had professional pictues. This tour guide is well worth the money and highly recommend going. A once in a lifetime.

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

Iconic Western landscapes inspire visitors to set off on scenic Arizona road trips.

Located in Northern Arizona, Monument Valley’s collection of crimson mesas and towering sandstone buttes capture colors that appear only in nature. The astonishing scenic beauty of the desert landscape also reflects the reverence Arizona’s tribal communities have for the land. Please be respectful of Navajo Nation regulations when visiting Monument Valley to help preserve this ancient site.

Take a Tour

Monument Valley is maintained by Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation. Visitors are welcome to drive the 17-mile dirt loop, Valley Drive, on self-guided tours of this pristine area. Multiple parking areas along the way bring many of the park’s most spectacular rock formations into view. Visitors can also immerse themselves in the natural surroundings on the only public hike in the valley. The Wildcat Trail is an easy 4-mile loop around Mitten Butte, one of the most iconic landmarks of the American West. Or join Jeep tours with local guides for up-close views of ancient cliff dwellings and natural arches in more isolated locations. While up north, add other Navajo Nation natural wonders to the trip, including Antelope Canyon and Canyon de Chelly .

Shop for Traditional Artwork

Meet the silversmiths, potters and weavers who preserve Navajo traditions in their artwork. Inside the park, the Trading Post at The View Hotel offers one of the largest collections of Navajo rugs in the Four Corners area of Arizona. Visitors also find a selection of traditional and contemporary Navajo art such as squash-blossom necklaces, concho belts, hand-woven baskets and sand paintings. Artisans also set up roadside markets along Valley Drive to sell their authentic Native American arts and crafts.

Explore the Colorado Plateau

The high-desert area encompassing the Arizona-Utah border features some of the most scenic drives in the United States. While this area is remote and offers limited services, small towns such as Kayenta and Dennehotso have restaurants and convenience stores to stock up on road trip supplies. Inside the park, The View Hotel offers an overnight option with rooms and cabins that frame magnificent panoramas of the valley. Options for RVs and camping in Monument Valley allow visitors to fully surround themselves with stunning rock outcroppings that come to life with color every sunrise and sunset.

For More Information

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Heritage & Culture

Journey to Tribal Lands

American Indian guides offer authentic cultural experiences and adventures in some of the state’s most spectacular places.

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Scenic road trips lead to the only place in the U.S. where four states intersect at one point.

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From the abundance of Saguaro cactuses and unique wildlife in the Sonoran Desert to the high country and forests of the White Mountains to the breathtaking Grand Canyon, Arizona’s regions are full of experiences that don’t disappoint.

7 top tips for photographing Monument Valley

F or many, Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is the American West. It’s been the backdrop to countless movies and the subject of some spectacular landscape photography over many decades, Monument Valley on the Arizona Utah border is a destination that requires some research if you are to get the most out of it. 

The classic view in Monument Valley is of three Navajo Sandstone buttes called West Mitten Butte, East Mitten Butte and Merrick Butte. There are many other compositions to try your hand at, but the view of these three buttes – as captured while standing next to the visitor center, of course – is the image most photographers want to capture. The joy is to get that image on your own terms, both at sunrise and sunset, and possibly at night, too, without ignoring the rest of the richly photogenic area. 

1. Understand the region

Monument Valley is within the Navajo Nation, the largest land area held by a Native American tribe in the U.S. that covers parts of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. As you stand beside the visitors center in Monument Valley Tribal Park and look at the three buttes you’re looking east and southeast. The position of the rising sun will differ depending on when you go, but at sunrise, you’ll get the three buttes in silhouette, with all three lit up and looking orange in the late afternoon ‘golden hour’ before sunset. It costs $8 per person per day to enter Monument Valley Tribal Park, where official opening hours vary throughout the year. In practice, it sometimes opens at 7:00 a.m. despite that not being advertised. 

2. Find a room with a view

If you want to guarantee being in the right place for sunrise and sunset then stay in the park itself. The View is a hotel beside the visitors center on the edge of the valley with a great view of West Mitten Butte, East Mitten Butte and Merrick Butte. Even if you get a room with a perfect view for photography, you are yards away from a ringside seat. The best place to stay, however, is a cluster of simple rentable cabins slightly away from the crowds at the top of the valley side that has a stupendous view. Just as good is a basic campground in the sand dunes at the top of the Wildcat Trail. All are managed by The View, a Najavo-owned business.

If you can't get a room/cabin/tent in Monument Valley Tribal Park itself then you'll have to stay outside the park, which generally means staying around four miles away back down Monument Valley Road. The most accessible place to stay is Goulding's Monument Valley, a historic trading post that is now a hotel on one site and, slightly further away, an RV and campsite at another site. Gas stations and grocery stores are available, as is a basic restaurant, though you’re not going to get a view of Monument Valley – and you’ll need to get up that bit earlier to drive into the park. You can book a range of tours at Goulding’s. 

3. Tackle the Loop Road yourself

Most visitors to Monument Valley appear just to take in the view from the visitor center, you can get far deeper into the park without getting out of your car. The Valley Drive is a 17-mile dirt road that is best tackled slowly – particularly the first steep descent – though a 4x4 will help. It’s pretty rough all the way around, though mostly flat, and there are soft sand sections. You can book a tour and see it all on the back of a safari-style truck. Most of those tours do take you down private roads not accessible to those who take their own car, but compared to driving yourself you’ll have a lot less time for photography. While the tourist trucks stop in every third viewpoint or so of the dozen pullouts between the buttes and mesas, if you have your own car you can spend as long as you like. It’s generally agreed that it takes two hours to The Valley Drive, but photographers should plan on four or five hours. It’s best done as early in the morning as possible before the crowds arrive.

4. Take the ‘secret’ photography hike

Although you can stay in the park itself and have to yourself after the gates have closed and before they open, there is a budget option very close by that’s just as good. Before you reach the gates of Monument Valley Tribal Park there’s a Navajo Nation Monument. Take a left-hand turn onto a dirt road and, after a few hundred yards, you’ll reach a couple of campsites called Hummingbird, which you can book on Airbnb. As well as being far cheaper places to stay, whether you're camping or in an RV or campervan, there is a trail that leads from here to the edge of the valley that has genuinely stunning views. It’s the ideal place for a sunset if you’ve just arrived in the region and don’t want to pay the park’s daily entrance fee. It also offers a slightly different view of the three buttes, but is no less dramatic. 

5. Bring the right gear

When tackling a subject as vast as the landscapes of the American West, it's best to come prepared. If you can only bring one lens, make it a zoom lens that covers an effective focal length range of around 25 to 105mm. However, a telephoto stretching to 300-400mm can also be for isolating specific rock formations such as the Three Sisters, and Totem Pole and Yei bi Chei. A wide-angle lens is not so critical unless you are interested in astrophotography, though since The Loop is closed at night you’ll need to stick to the rim of the valley for that (though unless you’re here in early spring and prepared to stay up very late the Milky Way is not ideally positioned). In general, the light pollution and frequent car headlights in the area make Monument Valley less than ideal for astrophotography. 

6. Venture down the WildCat Trail

Few tourists do it, but the chance to get a close-up of one of the famous buttes is not to be missed. A 3.2-mile trail from the valley rim at the visitors center, the Wildcat Trail loops around West Mitten Butte and back up to the rim. It takes a couple of hours and is best done in the late afternoon when the shadows lengthen, with half the walk in its shadow and plenty of opportunities for starburst photography and silhouettes of the mighty butte. You need to sign out at the beginning of the trail and sign in when you return, but be sure to be back at the rim for sunset – it’s the perfect place. Just bear in mind that Monument Valley is 5,550 feet above sea level, so the hike back to the rim is best taken slowly. 

7. Explore the area

Although Monument Valley Tribal Park is the place to head, there are plenty of other spectacular views to be had in the general area. The most famous is a few miles northeast of Monument Valley on Highway 163 at what’s informally known as Forrest Gump Point. It’s actually three separate small parking areas, one of them unnamed and one called Monument Valley Overlook. For all three it’s possible to get an image of the highway snaking into the distance to Monument Valley. It’s an image that's on postcards literally millions of times and not surprisingly the highway is almost permanently covered in tourists trying to snap selfies. If you are a photographer you'll want to avoid all that, which you can do by going to the overlook closest to Monument Valley, which tends to be quieter. Other iconic red rock landscapes in the general area include Mexican hat about 25 miles further along Highway 163 and, about 10 miles further on than that, the fabulous 17-mile loop road called Valley of the Gods – though you’ll need a 4x4 to be safe. 

Check out guide to other great locations for photographers: the best places for photography around the world

Chuckwalla National Monument would protect swath of California desert and preserve a sacred land

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Thomas Tortez Jr. leads a group across a gravelly wash in Painted Canyon, at the spot where his Cahuilla tribal ancestors once lived in a village.

The solar eclipse is underway. Suddenly, a strange yelp echoes from a ridge of craggy outcroppings.

Perhaps the yelp comes from a hiker who’s been struck with awe while climbing ladders into terraced slot canyons that seem to funnel echoes to the heavens.

Maybe it’s a coyote crying out as the moon passes partway in front of the sun, briefly cooling the dry desert wind and bathing bands of red, sandstone and iron green rocks in an otherworldly light.

Or might it be Mukat, the exiled Cahuilla creator god who roamed among the ironwoods, smoke trees, palo verdes and ghost flowers?

Tortez, tribal council chairman of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, spikes the sand with the desiccated yucca stalk that he’s repurposed as a walking stick. He seems at ease with the mystery of the sound and the mystique of this section of the Mecca Hills Wilderness.

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His people have cherished and watched over this canyon in the eastern Coachella Valley for thousands of years. Now they are among the Indigenous Californians, conservationists and other nature lovers who want President Biden to designate 627,855 acres of desert where the canyon sits as the Chuckwalla National Monument.

Rep. Raul Ruiz, a Democrat who represents the desert communities in eastern Riverside and Imperial counties that border the proposed land mass, joined with California Sens. Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler in introducing legislation to support the creation of the monument and to expand Joshua Tree National Park by 17,915 acres.

Chuckwalla sits at the heart of a burgeoning ecological and economic zone — a short drive from the city of Indio and the date farms of Mecca, and near the vast mineral flats and off-grid settlements of the Salton Sea and the towering Santa Rosa Mountains. It would become the fifth-largest land-based national monument in the continental U.S.

In announcing the legislation on the steps of the U.S. Capitol this month, Padilla said he was especially gratified that a coalition came together to craft the monument proposal — Indigenous leaders, community members, environmental groups, recreationists, renewable energy companies and local businesses.

Speaking later by phone, Ruiz touted the monument as important for helping California meet its conservation and climate change goals without encroaching on public lands already designated for other uses, such as green energy projects. Ruiz says his congressional district produces the most renewable energy on federal land in the U.S.

Evidence of these intersecting interests is clear in Chuckwalla, where power lines channeling electricity from solar farms farther east cut across the land.

Ruiz says the design of the monument proposal is distinct in that it gives Indigenous tribes the power to co-manage Chuckwalla alongside the federal Bureau of Land Management.

“In Congress, I really have seen a movement toward incorporating tribal, Indigenous knowledge in land stewardship,” Ruiz says.

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Co-existence doesn’t come without tension. In another section of desert south of the Salton Sea, construction has started on a $1.85-billion lithium mine and geothermal power plant, prompting some pushback from residents there who argue that developers haven’t adequately weighed the impacts on the environment and public health.

Tortez says pushing for Chuckwalla’s monument designation is hugely important to tribes, given that so many are vying for a stake in the region’s future.

Members of the Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Mojave, Quechan and Serrano nations who call the California desert home worked together to call for Biden to establish the monument using the authority granted to presidents under the Antiquities Act of 1906, which was enacted to safeguard threatened cultures as well as precious lands. The Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe wants Biden to use the same authority to establish 390,000 acres of their ancestral land in Imperial County as the Kw’tsán National Monument .

Tortez says the Antiquities Act was written for places like these.

He notes how bands of rock swirl and stack on top of each other and jut skyward at gravity-defying angles. It’s all the result of millions of years of sediment flows, soil erosion and the endless clash of the San Andreas Fault’s two plates.

“It’s like a timepiece — chapters in history,” he says of the open-faced geology of this canyon.

This place holds the ancestral memory of tribal members too.

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The landscape may look desolate and unforgiving to an outsider — a setting where Chuckwalla lizards, cactus wrens and western tanagers thrive — but for the Cahuilla it is a paradise.

According to the Cahuilla creation story, Tortez says, the people of this desert were born from a bolt of lightning that lit up the sky and flooded the empty land with life.

“Even the darkness is alive,” he says. “There’s a spirit there.”

Tortez says that his Cahuilla elders on the Torres Martinez reservation, which is a short drive down the hill, acclimated themselves to the arid conditions and 100-degree-plus summer temperatures. They would trek great distances between hidden streams and through slots as narrow as alleyways in order to build up their resistance to extreme thirst.

“You would think of it as odd now, but they would practice not drinking water,” says Tortez, 62. “My mom was born on the reservation — there were no hospitals back then. She remembers running around in the desert barefoot on dirt roads. Imagine doing that now.”

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The Cahuilla learned to live in harmony with all aspects of the ecosystem. They gathered plants and seeds for food and medicine, cut grass to weave baskets and built steps leading to wells to retrieve groundwater. They cremated their dead on wood funeral pyres for three days, to purify the bodies of the deceased and transition their souls back into the Earth.

The Cahuilla also charted trade corridors reaching from the Colorado River to the shores of the Pacific, where coastal tribes traded shell jewelry for obsidian tools and animal skins from the interior.

The ancient trails still exist, Tortez says. Southern Californians know them as State Route 74, which runs west from Palm Desert to the ocean, and Interstate 10, which skirts Chuckwalla’s northern edge.

Tortez’s ancestors didn’t need paved roads or signs. As a young man, he was amazed to learn from older relatives of how ancestors could travel from one hill to the next, through disorienting expanses of sand and rock, yet never lose their bearings.

“If you can imagine, they can remember when their grandparents were able to run up to the mountains with a message and come back down with another message, like it was nothing, like going to Wal-Mart,” Tortez says with a chuckle.

As Tortez contemplates Chuckwalla’s richness, another member of the hiking group, Stephanie Dashiell, an environmental consultant who is manager of the national monument campaign, spots a thorny ocotillo growing high on a cliff.

The canyon is even more awash in colors than usual because of the frequent winter rains : blueish lupines, indigo bushes, pinkish-purple sand verbena, golden desert poppies, powdery desert lavender, mallow blossoms in creamy orange, lemon-yellow brittlebush.

Dashiell, 43, steps in close to enjoy a creosote bush’s telltale aroma of black tar and sand after a storm. With seeds that look like tiny cotton balls, the plant can produce clones of itself for hundreds or even thousands of years.

The flora seen in Chuckwalla are true survivors.

“The plants here have so much grit,” Dashiell says. “There’s not that much left in the Coachella Valley that’s natural like this, where you just have the native species and it hasn’t been transformed into agriculture or golf courses. The desert is really important.”

Even the desert soil has properties which could prove beneficial as the state plans to transform millions of acres into landscapes that absorb more carbon than they release, as part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s goal to make California carbon-neutral by 2045.

“Plants themselves sequester carbon but in the desert soils there’s this caliche layer,” Dashiell says. “It’s this compact, hard, almost cementlike layer. A lot of carbon is stored in that.”

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Joining the hike are local residents Camila Bautista of Audubon California, which has championed the monument designation, and Brenda Ortiz, a youth ambassador for the Chuckwalla campaign.

Ortiz, 21, has lived in the Eastern Coachella Valley her whole life.

She says the monument designation is important for other reasons. The valley is exploding not just with industry but with walled-off housing subdivisions, as well as a race track and other attractions.

It can be hard for locals in California’s desert, many of whom are Latinos working low-wage farm jobs, to feel as if the change they see around them takes their priorities into account, Ortiz says.

“We’re always asking for more affordable housing, for more resources for low-income communities, and yet we’re met with these developments that are only meant for a few exclusive members from outside,” Ortiz says. “Some are only a few miles away from trailer home parks.”

A desire to make public lands more accessible to people of color and economically distressed communities drives an effort closer to Los Angeles, where a different coalition wants Biden to expand the San Gabriel National Monument by adding 109,000 acres of wilderness adjacent to the city.

Ortiz says Chuckwalla would be a place where those who don’t normally picture themselves in the outdoors can relax, get exercise and simply be at one with nature.

“I just feel like it’s a project that’s really for everybody,” she says.

Tortez nods. The Indigenous people of the desert have maintained bonds with each other despite forced displacement and the fact that their reservations are carved up to resemble squares on a checkerboard, interspersed with parcels that are not under tribal control.

Chuckwalla will help strengthen their sense of common cause, he says.

Tortez is proud to show a first-time visitor a side of this landscape that some outsiders might miss. He thinks again about his people’s creation story and the plight of Mukat.

Given his awesome yet unpredictable powers, many Cahuilla felt it wasn’t safe for him to live among mere mortals, Tortez says. So Mukat went to live out his days here.

Villagers communicated with Mukat by sending coyotes into the hills to bring back his messages of wisdom and warning.

Once he died and was cremated, it was said that his ashes gave rise to the same medicinal and culinary plants that Dashiell spots during the tour.

“His remains are within this area,” Tortez says. “Everything here spurred from the remains of that creator.”

Tortez stops to gaze at a cliff face that is so red it resembles dried blood and so hulking that humans look tiny by comparison.

The Cahuilla believe that red rocks are evidence of the shaman’s eternal sorrow.

“It’s a sign of his heart bleeding,” Tortez says.

As Tortez speaks, a strong, cold gust suddenly blows down through the canyon, drowning out his voice but filling him with delight.

“He heard!” Tortez yells over the force of the wind. “He can’t be seen, but he’s speaking now.”

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Tyrone Beason is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times who writes about America through the lenses of race and culture. He previously covered the 2020 presidential election. Before joining the paper in 2019, the Kentucky native spent nearly 25 years at the Seattle Times covering the Pacific Northwest. Follow him on Instagram @tyrone_california and Twitter @tyrone_beason.

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Monuments in the Alexander Garden

The Alexander Garden was opened in 1874, and soon became hugely popular with locals, with contemporary reports confirming that an empty bench was a rarity. In 1880, the St. Petersburg City Duma decided to further decorate the garden with busts of famous men of science and literature.

The list of candidates for the honour was long and hotly debated, among them Saints Cyril and Methodius, the "apostles to the Slavs" who established the first Russian alphabet, the 11th century chronicler Nestor, the poets Gavrila Derzhavin and Nikolay Karamzin , and the polymath Mikhail Lomonosov . Eventually, preference was given to the poets Mikhail Lermontov and Vasiliy Zhukovskiy , the author Nikolai Gogol , the composer Mikhail Glinka , and the explorer and naturalist Nikolay Przhevalskiy .

The first bust to be completed was that of Zhukovskiy by the sculptor Vasiliy Kreytan, unveiled in the eastern part of the garden on the centenary of the poet's birth in 1887. Zhukovskiy had been close to the Imperial family and a tutor to the young Alexander II. Engraved on his pedestal are his famous words: "Poetry is a god in the sacred dreams of the earth."

The next to appear, in 1892 at the garden's western end, was Ivan Shreder's bronze bust of the explorer Nikolay Przhevalskiy, with a pediment in the form of a granite cliff-face at the base of which lies a camel. Even more striking, however, is Przhevaskiy's unfortunate resemblance to Stalin. By the turn of the century, around the fountain in the centre of the garden, busts of Gogol and Lermontov (also by Kreytan), and Vladimir Pashchenko's bust of Glinka had also been erected. For symmetry, a fourth bust, of the literary critic Vissarion Belinsky , should have been installed but never completed. It was only a century later, in 1997, that the empty corner was eventually filled with a bust of the great 19th century diplomat and statesman Alexander Gorchakov .

Elsewhere in the Alexander Garden can be found copies of the famous ancient sculptures the Farnese Hercules and the Farnese Flora (brought there from the Tauride Palace) and a memorial plaque indicating the first tram line opened in St. Petersburg.

Accommodation near the Monuments in the Alexander Garden

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Rusmania • Deep into Russia

Lenin Monuments

LENIN LIVED, LENIN LIVES AND LENIN WILL LIVE!

►    Russia in lists   ► Lenin lived, Lenin lives and Lenin will live!  

  Despite the fact that Russia may have abandoned the dreams of Vladimir Lenin and fully embraced capitalism, statues of the founder of the Soviet Union can still be found in most Russian cities. While a minority of Russian cities have demolished or relocated statues of the Leader of the World Proletariat, you will still find many examples still standing, usually on the city’s central street or square, which still often bears the name Lenin Street or Lenin Square. Lenin in fact has the honour of having the most statues and the tallest statue of any other historical figures not connected with religion (the Buddha would otherwise take these titles).

  Lenin’s traditional poses include defiantly stretching out his hand and pointing to a communist utopia, or just standing and reflecting, often holding a cap or a rolled up document. There are several popular designs which have been repeated all over the country, normally in smaller cities or for factories or administrative buildings in larger cities; main statues in major cities tend to have a unique design. In this article we talk about some of the traditional Lenin monuments and have also selected some of our favourite Lenins from the thousands still standing in cities all over Russia. We haven't included the country's main Lenin monument - Lenin himself; his body still lays embalmed in a mausoleum on Red Square.

STANDARD LENINS

Lenin in a suit jacket.

  These statues depicting Lenin in a suit are the most common and there are a whole range of variants in the pose. The most popular is by sculptor Sergey Merkurov who created a design with Lenin leaning forward.

  Aleksey Kotikhin has him pointing forward and holding the lapel of his jacket.

  While Nikolai Shilnikov depicts him holding a rolled up document - another popular feature in Lenin statues. 

  Sculptor Georgy Alekseev has Lenin pointing ahead with his hand, showing the route to a Communist Utopia. 

  Vasily Kozlov’s design is very similar to Alekseev’s but, instead of pointing, Kozlov’s Lenin is beckoning people towards him.  (Michurinsk inside station, Nevyansk, Sarapul)

  Another design by Vasily Kozlov shows Lenin giving a passionate speech, pointing ahead and holding a cap.

  A design by Georgy Neroda also features Lenin holding a cap, but in this statue Lenin is standing as if he is a doorman welcoming somebody in. 

LENIN IN A LONG COAT

  Lenin is also often immortalised wearing a long coat and variations of this design also exist. One such depiction is the series of statues often credited to sculptor Georgy Postnikov which show Lenin enthusiastically gesticulating with one hand in the air and the other holding the lapel of his coat. (Nizhny Tagil, Novsib)

  One of the later series of Lenin statues was created by Lev Kerbel who depicted Lenin in a long coat with one hand in his trouser pocket and the coat blowing in the wind. The model was first installed in Birobidzhan and then repeated, including for Moscow’s main Lenin Monument.

  Another design by Sergey Merkurov shows Lenin with one hand in his trouser pocket and one hand behind his back as if he is a landowner looking over his estate.

  An elegant design by Pyotr Yasyno, depicting Lenin holding his coat lapel in one hand and a rolled up document in the other, was first used for the Lenin statue at Moscow’s VDNKh exhibition, and was subsequently copied for Lenin statues created to adorn the main square of several Soviet cities. (VDNKh).

  Finally another series, first designed by Isaak Mendelevich, has Lenin with one hand in his pocket and leaning against a pillar. 

LENIN SAT DOWN

  Another series of statues created by Sergey Merkurov captures a serious Lenin sat down and contemplating something he may have just read in the book he is holding in his hand. This statue was popular for installing in parks or at sanatoria. (Tverskays)

UNUSUAL LENINS

ROMANOV PEDESTAL - KOSTROMA, KOSTROMA REGION

  Kostroma’s main Lenin statue is actually nothing out of the ordinary, what makes this statue unusual is the grand pedestal on which it stands. The pedestal was completed before the revolution and was set to become a monument celebrating three centuries of the House of Romanov.

  Following the revolution, the plan was scrapped and instead of many statues of tsars, emperors and empresses, Lenin was simply plonked on the top.

BOOKS AND GLOBE - NIZHNY TAGIL, SVERDLOVSK REGION

  The actual statue of Lenin on Nizhny Tagil’s monument is rather standard and small; again it is the pedestal that makes it special. It was unveiled in 1925 and features a rather small Lenin standing on a globe which is turn rests on four open books, each depicting key quotes of the leader.

THE GIANT HEAD - ULAN-UDE, REPUBLIC OF BURYATIA

  Ulan-Ude’s Lenin was unveiled in 1971 and you might think that by this time, there was nowhere left to go in terms of design.  But father and son team Georgy and Yuri Neroda succeeded in their monument which consists of just a giant Lenin head. With its pedestal it stands at 7.7m and you can’t help but be impressed, or at least amused!  Locals often arrange to meet friends at “The Head”. Note that many people believe that Lenin’s Asian features appear to have been emphasised especially due to its location in Buryatia, although there is no evidence that this was intentional.

POSSIBLE STALENIN - YASNAYA POLYANA, TULA REGION

  At first glance you will probably just think this statue is another run-of-the-mill Lenin, but have another look and you might too notice that Lenin’s body here is looking slightly more stocky here than usual. In fact it is said that this statue began its life as a Stalin statue and during the period of De-Stalinisation it was decided to reuse it by replacing Stalin’s head with Lenin’s - thereby creating this unique “Stalenin” hydrid! Sadly though this story has been put down as an urban myth; in reality, it is claimed, the sculpture just looks odd as Lenin is depicted wearing a coat which is more associated with Stalin that with Lenin.

LITTLE HEAD - YELABUGA, REPUBLIC OF TATARSTAN​ 

  Yelabuga has a traditional Lenin Monument on its main square, but it also has a smaller monument dating from 1925. Perhaps in an attempt to make this modest bust of Lenin look more impressive, it was decided to place it on top of an obelisk. However the result is this rather absurd and disproportionate statue.

LENIN STRIKING A POSE

STAUNCH LENIN - MOSCOW

  To our knowledge the pose Lenin is striking in this statue outside Moscow’s Ploschad Ilicha metro station is not repeated in any other statue of him. The statue by Lithuanian sculptor Gediminas Iokubonis stands at ground level and sets in stone Lenin standing defiantly, with his legs apart and his arms behind his back. A copy once stood in the Lithuania city of Klaipeda, but it is now found in the Grūtas Park of Soviet sculptures.

WINTER LENIN - RYBINSK, YAROSLAVL REGION

  Rybinsk’s main Lenin statue is unusual for two reasons: firstly it stands on a pedestal which once supported a statue of Emperor Alexander II, and secondly it depicts Lenin wearing a thick winter coat and a Russian hat. It is the work of Dagestani sculptor Khasbulat Askar-Sarydzha and was unveiled in 1959.

RELAXING LENIN - SIMFEROPOL, REPUBLIC OF CRIMEA

  The statue of Lenin outside the railway station in Simferopol, rather appropriately considering the fact thousands of tourists arrive here each summer for a Crimean holiday, shows a leisurely Lenin in a less formal suit relaxing on a bench. An urban legend exists that Stalin used to be sat next to him, but was later removed. This is not the case, although the city did previously have another statue from the series featuring Lenin and Stalin sat together on a bench.

THEATRICAL LENIN - TAMBOV, TAMBOV REGION

  The monument installed outside Tambov’s Puppet Theatre appears to show Lenin as if he is attempting to find work at the theatre, thrusting his hand in the air and with a passionate expression on his face. It was installed in 1967 and is the work of Pavel Bondarenko, whose other work can also be found adorning the main squares in several other cities.

ROCKSTAR LENIN - ZADONSK, LIPETSK REGION

  Lenin statues are usually either just the colour of the stone from which they are sculpted or the white of the plaster used. Sometimes you might see one that has been painted silver, but there are also statues which go one better, with Lenin being painted golden. One such example is in Zadonsk. The statue looks all the more effective, taking into account Lenin’s rockstar pose as he looks out on the city’s famous monastery. You could almost imagine this to be a statue of Elvis!

RECORD-SETTING LENINS

THE OLDEST LENIN - NOGINSK, MOSCOW REGION

  Although there is some amount of argument about where the first statue of Lenin was erected, it is generally considered that the oldest surviving full statue of Lenin is found in the city of Noginsk. The statue was erected on 22 January 1924, the day after Lenin died, although it was intended to be a gift to Lenin from the workers of the Glukhovsky Factory where it stands. The statue also looks different from later version, as the artform of Lenin statues was then just in its development stage.

THE NEWEST LENIN - MOSCOW​

  Moscow’s main and biggest Lenin statue, which stands on Kaluzhskaya Ploschad (Kaluga Square), was only unveiled in 1985 making it the last large-scale Lenin monument to be installed in Russia. The ensemble consists of an 8.5m statue by Lev Kerbel, copies of which can be found in other cities, standing on a 13.5m pedestal decorated by statues of revolutionaries. It is also the third largest statue of Lenin in Russia.

THE BIGGEST LENIN - VOLGOGRAD, VOLGOGRAD REGION

  The honour of the biggest Lenin statue in the world goes to the massive monument which stands in Volgograd at the first lock of the Volgo-Don Canal. It stands at 57m: a 27m statue on a 30m pedestal and is the largest statue of the world depicting an historical figure not connected with a religion.  It was designed by Yevgeny Vuchetich who was also behind Volgograd’s even-more impressive Mother Russia Calls Monument. Lenin has stood here since 1973, previous to this the pedestal was occupied by a statue of Stalin which was demolished in 1961.

THE SECOND BIGGEST LENIN - DUBNA, MOSCOW REGION

  Although it is often claimed that Dubna’s Lenin is the largest in Russia, it is in fact only the second largest (Volgograd’s is bigger). Despite its runner-up status, the 25m statue standing on a 12m pedestal is still impressive. It was unveiled in 1937 near the the canal on the Volga and was at one point joined by an equally impressive statue of Stalin, which was later demolished. Sergey Merkurov’s popular design was scaled up for the statue.

THE REMOTEST LENIN - POLE OF INACCESSIBILITY, ANTARCTICA

  This is the only Lenin included in our list which is not located in Russia and which the Rusmania team has not yet visited personally - it is just too hard to get to Antarctica’s Pole of Inaccessibility! The bust of Lenin was installed in 1958 by Soviet scientists.

LENIN THROUGH HIS LIFETIME

LENIN AS A BOY WITH HIS MOTHER - ULYANOVSK, ULYANOVSK REGION

  Lenin’s original surname is Ulyanovsk and the city where he was born was renamed from Vyatka to Ulyanovsk in his honour. Unsurprisingly Ulyanovsk has many monuments connected with Lenin, including this monument which is unusual as it depicts the Bolshevik leader as a young boy standing next to his mother Maria. It was erected in 1970.

LENIN AS A BOY - CHAPLYGIN, LIPETSK REGION

  There are several statues around Russia where the future founder of the USSR is portrayed as a cheerful, curly haired boy. These statues were traditionally located outside schools or pioneer clubs and there were two main designs: one with Vova reading a book and one with him leaning against a pillar. The one we have selected was spotted in a park in Chaplygin. 

LENIN AS A STUDENT - KAZAN, REPUBLIC OF TATARSTAN

  Lenin studied at Kazan University (although he never graduated as he was expelled for his political activities) and to mark this fact a statue depicting Vladimir Ulyanov in his student year was installed opposite the university building in 1954. Architect Vladimir Tsigal depicts a rather defiant Lenin, disdainfully looking at the university which expelled him.

LENIN WITH HIS WIFE - MOSCOW

  Lenin was married to Nadezhda Krupskaya in 1898, although many believe the relationship was more based on shared ideological beliefs than a romantic connection. Despite being most famous as Lenin’s wife, Krupskaya was in fact a political activist in her own right and served as a deputy minister of education, an area she had devoted much of her life to. This monument on Moscow’s Ulitsa Krupskoy is the only full-sized statue to exist of Lenin and his wife (there is also a bust of the two in Yaropolets near Volokolamsk.

LENIN AS A CORPSE - GORKY LENINSKIE, MOSCOW REGION

  Yep, you have read that right, there is even a statue depicting a dead Lenin. It was put up in outside the estate of Gorky Leninskie where Lenin died in 1924. The moment depicts eight mourners carried Lenin’s lifeless body from the estate to a train to be taken to Moscow. Note the difference in materials, with Lenin and the shroud covering him being polished, and Lenin’s serene and saintly appearance.

LENIN WITH COMRADES

LENIN WITH IOSEF STALIN - ALL DEMOLISHED

  Previously statues of Lenin and Stalin could be found in various places around Russia, including on the Moscow Metro. There were two standard designs: one where both the leaders were sat together on a bench and one where Lenin was sitting and Stalin was standing. All these statues were removed during Khruschev’s policy of De-Stalinisation in the early 1960s.

LENIN WITH FELIKS DZERZHINSKY - UST-BARGUZIN, BURYATIA

  A unique statue of Lenin can be found in the Buryatian town of Ust-Barguzin as it is a double statue featuring Lenin walking and talking with Feliks Dzerzhinsky - the head of the Chekha, which was a forerunner of the KGB. Incidentally, many statues of “Iron Feliks” have been demolished, which makes this statue all the more rare.

LENIN WITH COMRADES - NOVOSIBIRSK, NOVOSIBIRSK REGION

  This impressive ensemble of statue was unveiled outside Novosibirsk’s Opera and Ballet Theatre in 1970 and is the work of sculptor Iosif Brodsky. The central statue is of Lenin and he is joined by a worker, a soldier and a peasant on one side and a youth holding a torch and a young girl holding an ear of corn on the other side.

LENIN WITH WORKERS - MOSCOW

  Lenin of course is often depicted in art as a man of the people and this extends to sculptures. One such example is this 1972 statue found outside an industrial zone on 1-ya Karacherovskaya Ulitsa in Moscow. A jubilant Lenin is being carried by a group of workers recently enthused by one of his speeches.

LENIN WITH CHILDREN - YOSKHAR-OLA, REPUBLIC OF MARI EL

  Statues depicting a friendly and caring Uncle Lenin either consulting children or educating them were popular for schools and pioneer clubs and varied in design. This particular example of Lenin and two children stands outside School No. 4 in Yoshkar-Ola.

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