Yellowstone Wildlife Trails - Camping
Yellowstone Wildlife Trails - Camping
Yellowstone Wildlife Trails - Camping
12 Days Starting in Seattle and ending in Salt Lake City
Visiting: Seattle, Coeur d'Alene, Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Jackson
Tour operator:
Tour code:
TYS
Group size:
6 - 13
Physical rating:
Leisurely / Moderate
Age range:
16-99
Trip Styles:
Interests:
From:
$5548
$4995 (USD)
Operator discount: -$553
Tour Overview
In the middle of the Rocky Mountains, there are three celebrated national parks offering the most varied scenery and wildlife: the spires and azure lakes of Grand Teton, the unique geology and wildlife of Yellowstone, and the towering sentinel peaks and broad valleys of Glacier. Specialist local guides accompany us on our Yellowstone wildlife tour to spot and track bison, bears, wolves, coyotes and eagles. From colourful meadows with wildflowers to mighty canyons, and geothermal volcanic pools to glaciated rocky spires, this is a full-on adventure with seriously dramatic views.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Start Seattle
Location: Seattle
Accommodation Name: SureStay by Best Western Seatac North (or similar)
Welcome to Seattle, Washington. You’re in a city that oozes cool, from sophisticated coffee shops to endless markets, not forgetting the iconic Space Needle. From here, gaze across the beautiful Puget Sound and, on a clear day, view Mount Rainier. Spend your afternoon sampling local specialties and people watching at Pike Place Market before heading to the start hotel for a welcome meeting at 6pm.
Optional activities:
Space Needle: US$22-US$29
Accommodation: SureStay by Best Western Seatac North (or similar)
Day 2 : Coeur D'alene
Location: Coeur d'Alene
Meals Included: lunchdinner
Have one last Seattle coffee moment before heading out of Washington state to the lakeside city of Coeur d’Alene. Swimming, walking and enjoying the sunset with a glass of fizz are all perfect ways to complete your first day in Idaho. Don’t forget to pack your swimwear as the lake makes for a great place to cool off. Take a refreshing dip in secluded spots around the lake, but remember, it can be quite cold!
Participatory camping: Lake Coeur d’Alene Campground (or similar)
Day 3 : Glacier National Park
Location: Glacier National Park
Meals Included: breakfastlunchdinner
Continue through the mountains of Montana to Glacier National Park, where we spend the next two nights exploring this immense landscape. Keep your eyes peeled for deer and bears, plus stunning scenery and glacial lakes. The leader takes us to West Glacier, where we board the Going-to-the-Sun Road shuttle bus (seasonal).
Please note, the National Park Service regulates guided hikes in Glacier. Tomorrow, you are led by a national park guide but on other days your tour leader is not permitted to walk with you on trails. They will, however, provide detailed briefings, directions, maps and transportation.
Participatory camping: Johnson’s at St Mary (or similar)
Day 4 : Glacier National Park
Location: Glacier National Park
Meals Included: breakfastlunchdinner
Spend the day exploring the ins and outs of this superb park with a Glacier National Park wilderness guide. Your guide helps spot some of the huge variety of animal species for which this park is renowned, including grizzly bears, wolverines and lynx. Bighorn sheep, mountain goats and coyotes are also common, so keep your camera to hand! If conditions are right, your guide takes you on the Iceberg Lake or Hidden Lake Trail for dramatic mountain scenes, wildflowers and a glaciated lake that will take your breath away. This is a day to remember.
Participatory camping: Johnson’s at St Mary (or similar)
Day 5 : Glacier National Park
Location: Glacier National Park
Meals Included: breakfastlunchdinner
Spend another full day exploring Glacier National Park.
Participatory camping: Johnson’s at St Mary (or similar)
Day 6 : Yellowstone National Park
Location: Yellowstone National Park
Meals Included: lunchdinner
An early start sees you on the road, heading to the fabled grounds of Yellowstone, the number one national park in the US. As soon as you arrive, you’re immersed in a mixture of striking scenery, where jagged peaks morph into flower-strewn meadows and rolling hillsides quickly become absorbed by solidified lava flows. This afternoon’s walk introduces you to the wildlife and landscapes of Yellowstone.
Participatory camping: Gardiner Yellowstone RV Park (or similar)
Day 7 : Yellowstone National Park
Location: Yellowstone National Park
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Today you’ll encounter the amazing array of geothermal features in Yellowstone, including mud pools, hot springs and steaming fumaroles. The park is famous for its volcanic history and there are estimated to be around 10,000 thermal features – nowhere else on earth can boast Yellowstone’s concentration of geysers, which are scattered among several distinct geyser basins. Benefit from the enthusiasm and knowledge of a local geologist who will no doubt enable you to learn more as you walk from one seismic hotspot to the next.
Participatory camping: Gardiner Yellowstone RV Park (or similar)
Day 8 : Yellowstone National Park
Location: Yellowstone National Park
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Last night, you may have heard a far-off howl emanating from the mountains and today you’ll get to learn all about the wolf packs that sing these nocturnal greetings. You’ll spend a full day with a specialist wolf-tracking guide, venturing into the wilderness by foot and by vehicle to learn about these extraordinary animals. Your guide explains how wolves live and hunt together in Yellowstone and how the pack hierarchy works. You may not always be lucky enough to see wolves, but this is our aim and at the same time you’re likely to see numerous other wildlife species.
Participatory camping: Gardiner Yellowstone RV Park (or similar)
Day 9 : Yellowstone National Park
Location: Yellowstone National Park
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Even though this is your last day in Yellowstone, there’s still plenty of time to enjoy the wildlife, landscapes and geothermal activity away from the usual tourist sites. As you leave the crowds, you’re treated to a hike to the Upper Falls and Lower Falls, the latter of which has the highest volume of water in the American Rockies and is almost twice as high as Niagara. You also visit Mammoth Hot Springs, which have an otherworldly feel.
Participatory camping: Gardiner Yellowstone RV Park (or similar)
Day 10 : Grand Teton National Park And Jackson
Location: Jackson
Meals Included: breakfastlunch
Today, we leave Yellowstone but there is no let-up with the incredible landscapes. As you enter the realms of the mighty Tetons, you’ll be in the presence of formidable giants – the drama unfolding almost instantly after crossing the border into Grand Teton National Park. An optional ferry journey across Jenny Lake takes you to the start of a climb to Inspiration Point where you can catch your breath and take in scintillating views. You have the option of following the river and continuing further on your hike in the hopes of spotting moose, which are common on this trail.
Next stop is Jackson Hole, one of the premier ski resorts in Wyoming and a haven for walkers and lovers of the great outdoors. Take a short walk to Rock Springs Overlook and opt for an incredibly scenic aerial tram ride.
Optional activities:
Bar T 5 Covered Wagon Cookout & Show: US$65
Aerial tram: US$23
Western saloons: Price varies
Participatory camping: Snake River KOA (or similar)
Day 11 : Grand Teton National Park And Jackson
Location: Jackson
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Using all the knowledge and hiking expertise you’ve garnered throughout your time in the US, you can undertake a self-guided hike to numerous scenic spots, which your tour leader explains to you. The park is perfect for seeing those all-important, breathtaking vistas and with excellent views of the Tetons as well as the chance to spot bison, moose, elk and deer, this is one of the best areas to make the most of the great outdoors. As the sun goes down, you’ll no doubt look back over the previous 11 days as some of the most worthwhile and fulfilling times you’ve ever had.
Please note, the National Park Service regulates guided hikes in Grand Teton National Park and it is not possible for your leader to accompany you today.
Optional activities:
Ferry across Jenny Lake: US$15
Participatory camping: Snake River KOA (or similar)
Day 12 : Jackson To Salt Lake City; End
Location: Jackson
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch
Enjoy free time exploring Jackson this morning before transferring to the base of the Wasatch Mountains and the urban delights of Salt Lake City, Utah.
The tour ends at our partner hotel at approximately 5pm. We can book you post-tour accommodation at our partner hotel if required. If you are planning to fly tonight, please do not book a flight that departs before 9pm.
What's Included
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All accommodation
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10 breakfasts, 11 lunches and nine dinners
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10 nights of participatory camping and one hotel night
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All transport and listed activities
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Tour leader throughout
What's Not Included
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Flights
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Travel insurance
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Single accommodation (available on request)
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Visas or vaccinations
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Arrival and departure transfers
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Optional activities
Food
There are 11 breakfasts, 11 lunches and nine dinners included while camping.
Your tour leader will co-ordinate local shopping and assist the group in preparing healthy, hearty breakfasts, picnic lunches and delicious dinners. Occasionally, we eat out in local restaurants. To help you budget for these meals, average costs are:
Hotel breakfasts: US$12-US$17
Lunches: US$15-US$20
Dinners: US$20-US$35, not including alcoholic beverages
Drinks cost on average:
Wine: US$7-US$10 per glass
Beer: US$5-US$8 per bottle
A tip of approximately 17%-20% is added to group meals in North American restaurants. Applicable taxes are also added to all listed menu prices.
Please make sure we are aware of any special meal requirements before travelling. We do all we can to accommodate various dietary requirements but certain food types can be limited in some parts of North America.
Accommodation
We use national and state park campsites and a wide assortment of private campgrounds. Most have flush toilets and hot showers; however, some may charge an additional fee of US$1-US$3 for showers. You sleep in high quality, heavy-duty tents and solo travellers share with one other passenger of the same sex (unless opting to purchase the single supplement). Our camping equipment also includes field kitchens, inflatable sleeping pads, food storage and camp lanterns and chairs. Most campsites have a quiet time from 10pm to 7am. Please respect your fellow campers who are there to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of camping.
An essential part of a camping tour is helping out with the day-to-day camp duties and everyone assists with the setting up and packing up of the campsite. Your tour leader provides guidance on what to do, and typically it only takes 15 minutes to set up or break down the tents and camp kitchen. Before you know it, you’ll be enjoying home sweet home in the great outdoors.
Your tour leader also co-ordinates and assists the group with food shopping, preparing meals and cleaning up. Sharing the camp duties is a great way to bond with your fellow travellers and the group camaraderie is all part of the experience.
Check out our Q&As
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Exodus has been trading since 1974
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.
Reviews of this Operator
Dates & Availability
Sunday - Thursday
May 26, 2024 - Jun 06, 2024Book with Confidence
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Exodus allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus, 43 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Exodus requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus charges.
Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.