TIPS AND TRICKS FOR VISITING NAVAJO LAND

BY NAVAJO SPIRIT TOURS

PHONE: (435) 444.7772

EMAIL: NAVAJOSPIRITTOURS@YAHOO.COM
WEBSITE: WWW.NAVAJOSPIRITTOURS.COM

Roads:

In Monument Valley we do get unusual weather that may cause pot holes in the
roads. The guides may not feel the bumps the same way you would in an open air
vehicle. If it does feel too bumpy for you just let your guide know so that they can
slow down a little bit for your comfort. River House Ruins has a bit of the same
terrain as Monument Valley, although there is a little bit of a rocky start as we
make our incline into River House, the rest of the way is a comfortable drive
through.

Picture Policy:

On most tours we do pass and sometimes stop next to a residents home. We

kindly ask that no pictures be taken or used for personal or commercial purposes
without written or voiced consent. We want to be as respectful as possible to the
individuals that allow us to visit their sacred lands. Some individuals may ask for
gratuity for a photo. Some of these places include John Fords Point and the
Hogans at the Yazzie residence at which the average gratuity is $2.00 for a picture.
If you would like to take a picture of the guide just ask them and they are
generally happy to pose for a photo with no cost to you.You are more than
welcome to take photos of any of the scenery or the animals with no cost. There
are burial sites that we ask that you don’t take pictures of in some locations
although those places will be pointed out to you so you have nothing at all to
worry about. If there are any questions at all don’t hesitate to ask your guide. They
are all very kind and eager to help.

Questions on your Tour:

You are welcome to ask the guides unlimited questions about the history, culture
and lifestyle of the people. Do not be shy. The guides love when you are interactive
and it makes them feel like you are enjoying your time with them. All of our
guides are wonderful and are there to make your experience one of a kind. Don’t
be afraid to tell them if you are uncomfortable or if something may be wrong.
They are always there to ensure you have a the best time you possibly can.

Weather:

We know that as you travel the weather can be unpredictable. We do run our
tours during rain, snow, wind and shine although we do give you the option to
reschedule your tour if you would rather but keep in mind that some of the best
photos come from a great storm. We have included photos on our website from
each type of weather to give you an idea of what this may look like. We also do
include rain ponchos on each of our vehicles for your comfort during the best
adventures. We do rarely post pone our tours if we see flash flooding. Sometimes
the wait can be up to 45 minutes. We would only do this if we felt like it were a
danger to you. We want to ensure the safety of every one of our guests and
guides. In the event that a tour would be canceled for closure of the park due to
weather, we would be able to go to another area so that you would not lose out
on a your experience. This would be a very rare occurrence.

Vehicle Safety:

Please stay seated in the vehicle until your guide comes to let you off. Exit in the
proper places and please keep your seatbelt on while the vehicle is in motion. We
want to avoid any accidents if possible.

Heat:

We do get high summer time heat here in Monument Valley. We advise everybody
to bring extra water with them. If you do have hats and you feel as if the heat is
too much you can also wet down your hats to stay cool. It is a wonderful way to
be comfortable while you are on your tour. The vehicles we have when in motion
will keep you at a nice temperature although we do know that with such high heat
to take precautions. If you feel as if you are too hot do not hesitate to let your
guide know. Again, safety is our first priority.

Navajo Customs:

There are a few things that you may find a little strange while you are on Navajo
Land. It is customary in our culture not to look others in the eye. Our guides are
mostly accustomed to looking others in the eye although sometimes they do
forget so don’t be offended if you find they are looking past you or away. This is
solely because they want to be respectful to you. A firm handshake in the Navajo
Culture is considered exerting force on another person.You will find that our
guides will shake your hand as they meet you or as you are leaving with a soft
handshake. Don’t be afraid if you forget, they are used to meeting people from all
over the world that may not have the same customs as them.You may also have
the opportunity to visit a traditional Navajo Hogan (a mud covered hut), these are
considered sacred places. It is always customary to enter in in a clockwise fashion.
The guides will remind you as you go in. Navajo people also love to be referred to
by their traditional name which is Diné (Pronounced: Din-eh) which means “The
People”. It is considered a sacred name. They don’t mind at all being called Navajo,
or Diné. Those are the best terms to use when talking about the people and your
guides will love that you know the terminology and will love to teach you more
about it when you get here.

Trash:

Please give any pieces of trash to your guide if you don’t see a trash can in the
area you are visiting. We want to keep the areas we visit as pristine as possible.

Bathrooms:

Due to Covid the Navajo Nation Tribal Parks and Recreation have removed the
porter potties that were in Monument Valley. We advise to go before and after
your tour for comfortability. We do apologize for the inconvenience.

(There are few bathrooms in Monument Valley. Most of them are very rough so
we would not recommend using them unless it is an emergency. Please go to the
bathroom before your tour. Of course we do understand that things happen, we
will find a place to stop for you if you do need to go to the bathroom. We do
carry toilet paper and hand sanitizer in our vehicles for your convenience. )

Time Change:

Also a reminder to watch out for the time zone change if coming in from Arizona
between March 12th, 2017 and November 5th, 2017. EX: Monument valleys 9 A.M.
is Arizona's 8 A.M.
Sticking with your guide:

It is very important to stick with your guide while you are on your tour. The
guides share tons of information at each location. They also know the places that
are off limits or the places that are sacred and cannot be disturbed. If you have
questions about a place you may want to go just ask and they will let you know if
it is possible. We also ask that there is no climbing done while you are in
Monument Valley. We want to keep these areas as pristine as possible for the
generations to come.You may see petroglyphs, pictographs and artifacts that are
out in the open. We want you to be aware that the oil on your hands can cause
damage so please be as careful as you can not to touch these precious sites or
items. Please also remember that although the artifacts can be picked up there can
be dire consequences if they are taken from the sites.

Cancellation Policy:

We do also have a three day cancellation policy so as long as you were to call
three days prior to your tour for any reason you would receive a full refund minus
a 25.00 cancellation fee per each tour your have reserved. If you were traveling
and something were to come up past the three day cancellation we are always
willing to reschedule your tour if possible.

Meeting Location:

Your guide will meet you at the Monument Valley Welcome Center, which is
located right off of HWY 163 as you reach Monument Valley.You will see a big
round building with a green roof, and many tour vehicles in front of this building.
Your guide will be there with a Navajo Spirit Tours logo on the side of their
vehicle. Look for the white tent and you will be able to find your guide. DO NOT
go to the Visitor Center. The Visitor Center is about 4 miles up the road
from the Welcome Center. If you have passed a toll fee booth you have gone
too far.

Welcome Center
Oljato-Monument Valley, UT 84536
37.001446, -110.172158

Remember that if you approach the Guided Tour booth there are many competing
companies there that don’t have information about your tour. We are not
affiliated with any other company in Monument Valley or the surrounding areas
this is including the hotels and various tour companies. If you are having trouble
finding the location or finding your guide do not hesitate to call us. Sometimes we
may be on the other line, many times with the guide who is looking for you, so it
can take a couple of times to get through although there is always somebody in
the office. We want to ensure you have the easiest time getting onto your tour
and the very best time while you are visiting such a beautiful and sacred area.

Tardiness:

We have instructed our guides to wait 15 minutes for everybody to arrive before
we depart. Please understand that we want to give everybody a chance to make it
to their tour. We do understand that things happen and they may cause you to be
late although we cannot keep the tour waiting for any longer than 15 minutes
after your scheduled start time. If we have availability on the next tour we will
always fit you in and if we don’t we will reschedule you for the next available tour.
Also, give yourself an extra 30 minutes of travel time. Often times there can be
roadwork, or a line to get into the Monument Valley Tribal Park.

GPS Systems:

Do not put Navajo Spirit Tours in your GPS. It will take you about 200 miles from
our location to a remote area of the Navajo Reservation called Navajo Mountain.
Put Monument Valley Welcome Center into your GPS and it will take you straight
to us. The Monument Valley Welcome Center is located just as you enter the Utah
border exiting Arizona. If you have any trouble finding us don’t hesitate to call our
office and they can guide you to the right location.

Extra Fees:

Our Tours are separate from the Monument Valley Tribal Park, so there will be an
extra entry fee as you come into the Tribal Park. We do apologize for any
inconvenience this may cause anyone.

Health Care:

We know that when you are traveling sometimes you may need to refill
medication if you run out unexpectedly. We do have a Health Clinic in Monument
Valley called the Monument Valley Health Clinic.You can find their information
online if you happen to need it.
Complaints:

If there is anytime that you feel discontented please contact us. We want you to
feel as if your experience here was the best it could be. Our goal is that you go
away feeling as if Monument Valley is a part of you. We understand that sometimes
things may not go as planned although if we can make it right we will. Please be
flexible and positive. Always feel free to call us. Customer service is very
important to us and we are always happy to help.

We are excited that you are coming to Monument Valley and we can’t wait to
meet you. Have a wonderful day and we will see you soon!

Covid-19 Measures:

Our guides are very careful to clean the vehicles between each tour group. Right
now we are only operating at 50% capacity to insure safety while you are here.
The Navajo Nation has issued a mask mandate so please do not forget your mask,
even outdoors as long as you are close to your group.

Map of our Meeting location:

Welcome Center
Oljato-Monument Valley, UT 84536
37.001446, -110.172158