Amangiri, Canyon Point, Utah

• More about your oliver guide: Brooke Smith
• Trip type: Desert, Mountains
• Activity level: moderate
• Ideal length of trip: A few days to forever (if you can swing it!)

to & from

It’s not a direct journey to get there, but that only adds to the allure. Options are to fly private into Page, AZ, or to use Contour Airlines out of Phoenix. There is also the option to drive 4.5 hours from Las Vegas. Lake Powell hovered in the distance and since our visit happened in February, the 7 million people who now come through that area was at its low. Another bonus to be had.

Where to Stay

Camp Sarika is the newest addition to the resort. It’s a collection of 10 African type safari tents. Each comes with a small, outdoor pool, telescope and gas fire pit. Camp Sarika was slated to debut in April 2020, but with the pandemic, its official opening was July of 2020. Of the 10 tents, 2 open to the western side/sunset. The others face west, along the immense mesas. We stayed in the sunset pavilion where I felt like I was on safari, minus the large game.

What to Do

At the time of booking, I chose the mindfulness, movement and meditation package. A collection of my favorite things to help me ring in 50. Coupled with the amazing hiking out our door, activities at Lake Powell which is 10 minutes away, and the million other activities to choose from, you could stay for months and not be bored. It’s good to get out of ones comfort zone and the Via Ferrata Climb on the Hoodo Mesa, was something that all got us there. My husband, who tackled his fear of heights on the experience, tried to do it again the next day. Unfortunately, the guides were booked.
I love firsts. And on the wonderful 4 mile East Coyote Trail hike from our tent to the main resort, we came upon cryptobiotic soil. We made sure not to step foot on the darkened array of fungi and other important elements to the soil, as we were told our footprints on this ecosystem would take nearly ten years for it to recover.
An activity we enjoyed all day long was watching the sun as it hit the mesas in the distance. There were giant mesas to the West and the North that beautifully caught the morning sun. The towering mesas behind the tents to the east could be watched from the main resort during sunset. I took huge delight in watching morning, noon and night the play of color that enveloped this entire area. I never wanted the day to end. But then when it did, there were the stars. A perfect time and place to use the telescope they provided or more easily the Star Gazer app on my phone.
And, salt flotation is a must do at the spa!

inside scoop

And upon entry I realized my $30 marg barely had tequila and I remembered oh yes it’s Utah
And called my friend and said bring booze 🥃

What to Pack

more...

I was pleased to see the incorporation of Navajo elements into many aspects of Amangiri, as it’s surrounded by the largest Navajo reservation in the United States. Bundled sage for smudging, a practice used by Native Americans to help cleanse and clear spiritual energies, was used frequently. The first night we listened to a Navajo native who has lived in the area his whole life, give a reading around the camp fire. His mixture of English and Navajo words brought to life the power of this amazing place that Amangiri chose to place their resort.