In the footsteps of the Navajo Indians

An Amerindian people who settled in the reserves of Arizona in the United States, the Navajo crossed the present-day Bering Strait via Alaska. They arrived in their current region between the 15th and 16th centuries. Also known as the Diné, America's largest tribe was hunted down and torn apart.

The main hostilities began in 1846, when Spanish settlers introduced horses, sheep and goats. In 1863, Kit Carson, a general and pioneer of the Conquest of the American West, launched a pacification campaign against the Navajo. More than 8,000 Diné were imprisoned. It was not until 1868 that a treaty was signed between the Navajos and the American government.

Today, more than 170,000 Diné have reclaimed their ancestral lands, with their own judicial and legal system, and their own president elected for four years. The reserve also has its own police force, but any crime committed on its territory is investigated by the FBI. The prisoners have sweat lodges (a sauna to purify the body and mind - a ritual known in Navajo culture).

The tribe still maintains its cultural codes in everyday life. At graduation ceremonies, Navajo students wear turquoise jewellery and traditional dress. Finally, the Navajo people own the Monument Valley natural park,to which they pay the entrance fees.

The imposing red rock pinnacles and flatlands of Monument Valley are one of America's most iconic landscapes, and have been used as backdrops in numerous Westerns. For the Navajo, these enormous sandstone outcrops are sacred, considered to be the carcasses of vanquished monsters killed by the Holy People, petrified and buried in the sand. Every part of this land tells a story.

The most emblematic formation is the Mitaines, two 300-metre-high sandstone buttes that rise out of the desert like huge gloved hands. Come dawn or dusk, they're as orange as embers and the landscape takes on an air of Mars... The real Monument Valley is in the hinterland, where a few Navajo families live the old-fashioned, off-grid way, tending sheep as their ancestors did for centuries.

Visitors can tour the park with a Navajo guide, on horseback, on foot or by 4X4. You'll discover wind-sculpted peaks whose silhouettes are reminiscent of birds or dragon tails. The guide reveals craft secrets such as the harvesting of the yucca plant, which is used to weave baskets, and juniper trees for bracelets.

⭐ The View Hotel

The Navajo-owned View Hotel lives up to its name with rooms overlooking the mitts. Not to be missed: many Navajo operators offer guided tours. For a private tour of the backcountry, opt for Goulding's Lodge with a Navajo guide, where you can sleep under the stars.

This spectacular 42km-long Y-shaped gorge is considered to be the heart of the Navajo nation. But it's also where its heart was broken. In 1864, General Kit Carson invaded this sacred canyon, killing and capturing men, women and children. Those who survived joined 8,000 other members of their tribe on the infamous "Long Walk" - a forced march of 480 km across New Mexico to the prison camp at Fort Sumner.

Beyond its old scars, Canyon de Chelly (pronounced "de shay") remains magnificent for its picturesque paths (hiking and horse-riding) that lead to panoramic views.

Always accompanied by a Navajo guide, we explore the interior of the canyon by 4x4. More than 4,000 years of history can be seen in the cliffs and ancient houses of the Anasazi, ancestors of the Navajo. Petroglyphs of dancers, antelopes and men's handprints mark the walls.

Where to sleep:

⭐ Thunderbird Lodge

Thunderbird Lodge is owned by Navajos and is the only hotel in Canyon de Chelly.

Don't miss: Canyon de Chelly tours offers guided jeep and hiking tours of the canyon by a certified Navajo guide.

The narrow-slit Antelope Canyon is perhaps the most beautiful in the world, with its colourful and creative features. Between April and September, mid-morning light shines into the narrow cleft at the top of the gorge, illuminating the rock in a kaleidoscope of hues. The sun's rays shine down from above like spotlights. Being in this place is a surreal experience.

For the Navajo, it's much more than a landscape. Historically, this canyon was a kind of cathedral, a natural monument. People came here to calm their spirits, to feel uplifted and connected to something greater than themselves. It was seen as a place of great energy and spirituality.

Accessible only with Navajo guides, the upper and lower parts of the canyon are relatively short and easy to explore. But for a wilder experience, away from the crowds, consider hiking the 23km one-way backcountry trail to Rainbow Bridge. This 85-metre-long, 88-metre-high natural stone arch, one of the largest in the world, is sacred to the Navajo people.

The artistic skills of the Navajo people are recognised the world over. Their textiles, made by women, are particularly prized. Indeed, a single piece can take over a year to weave, mixing coloured threads by hand and using techniques handed down from generation to generation. Jewellery, pottery, sand painting and basketry also represent Navajo values of balance and harmony with nature.

Hogans are the traditional houses of the Navajo people, still used by many families today as homes and places of ceremony. Made from interlocking cedar logs and compacted mud and earth, the interior reflects the Navajo worldview: four pillars to represent the cardinal directions, a fire burning in the centre, sheepskins on the floor and a door facing east to welcome the rising sun.