Expedition Overview
Expedition Overview
- Set out on safari with a private guide to seek out bison, grizzlies, and elusive wolves in the Lamar Valley, known as the “Serengeti of North America.”
- Raft the Snake River on a thrilling white-water adventure or on a leisurely float through Grand Teton National Park.
- Join your private guide to explore Yellowstone’s otherworldly moonscape of geyser basins brimming with bubbling mud pots, kaleidoscopic mineral pools, and steaming hot springs.
- Go glamping just outside the border of Yellowstone, and settle into a charming eco-minded inn in the forests below the towering Tetons.
Itinerary
Itinerary
Venture into the wilds of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, where sapphire lakes reflect snow-capped peaks, lone grizzlies and moose forage in the tall grasses, and the Earth steams and spurts with geothermal activity. Hike amid travertine terraces and coral-colored canyons with a private guide, watch geysers gurgle and mud pots boil, and spot the region’s legendary creatures in a variety of ways: on safari in wildlife-rich valleys, during a river-rafting excursion, and more.
Arrive at Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) and independently transfer to your hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure in this lively mountain town filled with breweries, galleries, and bohemian boutiques.
Meet your private guide and set out for Yellowstone National Park—the world’s first national park, established in 1872. Drive through breathtaking Paradise Valley en route to Mammoth Hot Springs, where thermal waters have sculpted travertine terraces over thousands of years. Stroll amid this otherworldly limestone landscape bathed by the bubbling hot springs. Continue to your glamping accommodations and settle into your furnished tipi, outfitted with a fireplace. Gather around the campfire this evening for s’mores and stargazing.
Rise early for a private wildlife-viewing excursion in the Lamar Valley, known as the “Serengeti of North America.” Peer through a spotting scope to find some of the bison, elk, moose, grizzly bears, and gray wolves that inhabit this sweeping landscape, and hear from your guide on the intricacies of its dynamic ecosystem. After lunch in quaint Cooke City, return to the valley for a guided hike. Dine on your own in Gardiner this evening before returning to your glampsite.
Get immersed in Yellowstone’s geothermal wonders during visits to the Norris and Upper Geyser Basins. The basins found throughout the park harbor roughly half of the world’s geysers. In the company of your private guide, learn about these mystical landscapes and follow quiet trails to lesser known sights—gem-colored mineral pools, mud pots that bubble and pop, and steaming fumaroles. Take in the clockwork eruption of Old Faithful, Yellowstone's most iconic geyser, and then continue to our historic hotel within in the park.
Travel to Hayden Valley, tracing the shores of Yellowstone Lake—the largest alpine lake in North America. Upon arrival in the valley, keep your eyes peeled for elk, bison, big-horn sheep, and perhaps a foraging grizzly; and hear from your guide about the 1995 reintroduction of wolves to this landscape. Continue to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, a dramatic chasm that stretches roughly 20 miles. Admire the canyon's dazzling palette of reds and yellows as you hike to the rim to view thundering waterfalls.
Depart for Grand Teton National Park, stopping at the West Thumb Geyser Basin to see its steaming fumaroles, geysers, and hot springs. Then take in your first views of the towering Tetons while picnicking in Colter Bay Village. Continue along the scenic Moose-Wilson Road through the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve. At Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, ride the aerial tram to the summit of Rendezvous Mountain for some high-altitude hiking. Later, settle into your hotel tucked into old-growth forest between the national park and the town of Jackson. This evening, gather with guests for cocktail hour, followed by a gourmet dinner.
Choose to join one of two rafting trips along the scenic and wildlife-rich Snake River: a leisurely float through Grand Teton National Park, or a thrilling white-water ride across rapids. This afternoon, enjoy the afternoon at your leisure. Head into town this evening to dine at one of Jackson’s finest restaurants.
After breakfast, transfer to the Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) and catch your flight home.