Which one to choose in the United States
Two ancient sites in the United States. Canyon de Chelly has 3 tickets and tours to book; Mesa Verde has 7 tickets and tours to book. The table and the two notes below put them side by side; the full pages have what to see, the ticket and the timing for each.
Chinle, United States
Canyon de Chelly is a national monument in north-eastern Arizona where red sandstone canyons hide cliff dwellings built by Ancestral Puebloans and fields still farmed by Navajo families. It covers about 339 square kilometres of Navajo Nation land, and entry is free, but the canyon floor can only be entered with an authorised Navajo guide.
Cortez, United States
Mesa Verde National Park in south-western Colorado protects more than 5,000 Ancestral Puebloan sites, including about 600 cliff dwellings built into canyon alcoves. Cliff Palace, built around AD 1200, is the largest of them. The park covers 212 square kilometres of high mesa and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978.
| Canyon de Chelly | Mesa Verde | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Ancient City | Ancient City |
| Civilisation | Other | Other |
| Founded | — | AD 550 |
| Visitors | 76 752 a year (2020) | 480 065 a year (2024) |
| Entry | Free; canyon-floor tours with Navajo guides are paid | USD 30 per car in summer, USD 20 in winter; tours extra |
| Hours | Rim drives and overlooks open daily in daylight; visitor centre roughly 8 am to 5 pm | Park open year-round; Mesa Top Loop from 8 am to sunset; cliff dwelling tours mainly spring to autumn |
| Time needed | Half a day; a full day with a tour | A full day |
| Booking | Book canyon-floor tours ahead in summer; rim drives need no booking | Book ranger tours online up to 14 days ahead; they sell out in summer |
| UNESCO | — | yes |
| Tickets and tours on GetYourGuide | 3 | 7 |
| Official website | yes | yes |