Travelers Can Stay In Traditional Navajo Hogans Using Airbnb

By Emma VandenEinde
Published: Monday, January 27, 2020 - 1:55pm
Updated: Monday, January 27, 2020 - 2:14pm

Audio icon Download mp3 (1.09 MB)

a home for rent on airbnb
Verna Yazzie
Unlike most Airbnb homes, Verna Yazzie says these structures aren’t known for their amenities, but their simplicity.

Winter and spring are the busiest seasons of the year for visitors escaping the cold for sunny Arizona.

And for those wanting a more rustic experience, several traditional Diné homes on the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona have increased in popularity. 

More than 50 different homes, sheep camps and hogans on the Navajo reservation are becoming popular places to stay for tourists who use Airbnb. However, unlike most Airbnb homes, Verna Yazzie says these structures aren’t known for their amenities, but their simplicity. She opened up three hogans in 2016.

a home for rent on airbnb
Verna Yazzie
A Navajo hogan for rent on Airbnb.

Some owners see hosting as an opportunity to guests to experience their culture firsthand.

"You know, we don’t have running water or electricity down in Monument Valley," said Yazzie. "So, it’s pretty much primitive, rugged ... sleeping inside the hogan, a lot of my guests come away that, it is so quiet that sometimes it is hard for them to sleep."

After their stay, she hopes her guests have a greater appreciation for the Diné culture. 

More Stories From KJZZ

A Navajo hogan for rent on Airbnb.
Verna Yazzie
A Navajo hogan for rent on Airbnb.
Business