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The expertise of the two guides enabled us to get such close views of animals and birds; both Adam Brubaker and Alex Lamoreaux both went above and beyond to ensure all the group had a wonderful holiday experience. A dream come true to see so many animals and birds and to observe their behaviour.
P.S. Hampshire, Sep 19
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Yellowstone in the Fall
Tour Code: USA11A 14-day wildlife holiday to Yellowstone National Park in the US state of Wyoming, focusing on the park's mammals, birds and spectacular autumnal landscapes.
14 days
from
£7,995
£7,995
Land only price
from
£6,995
£6,995
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
On this tour we will enjoy Yellowstone National Park as the reserve makes its transition from summer to winter. We begin with a flight to Jackson Hole, from where we will explore the Grand Teton National Park. Here we will see our first North American Bison and Moose. Moving on, we will base ourselves in the town of West Yellowstone for four nights whilst we explore the western and central regions of the park. Next we journey to the north-east and spend three nights based in Cooke City. In the Lamar Valley we will spend time looking for one of Yellowstone’s packs of Grey Wolves as well as Grizzly Bear and birds such as flocks of Black Rosyfinch atop the Beartooth Pass. We will spend our last night of the holiday in Bozeman before heading home.
- Spectacular autumnal landscapes of Yellowstone National Park & the Grand Tetons
- Look for Grey Wolves & Grizzly Bears in the Lamar Valley
- Old Faithful & other geothermal highlights
- North American Bison, Moose, Pronghorn Antelope, Black Bear, Beaver & Coyote
- Birds including Mountain Bluebird, Williamson’s Sapsucker & Black Rosyfinch
- Led by expert naturalist guides
Grading
Grade A/B. Easy to moderate walks only.
Yellowstone, the world’s first national park, covers nearly 9,000 square kilometres of mountains, forests, lakes and grasslands and is one of the United States’ foremost wildlife reserves. It is home to both Grizzly Bear and Grey Wolf, plus North American Bison, Moose, Black Bear and an interesting variety of birds. In the ‘fall’, as the days shorten and the colours of the landscape change from the greens of summer to a rich autumnal palette of russet, orange and gold, the mammals are busy preparing for the long winter ahead and the resident birds are augmented by migrants from further north. On this exciting 14-day tour we will enjoy Yellowstone as the park transitions from summer to winter. The wildlife will be active, the holiday crowds departed, and the colours — weather permitting — spectacular! The geology is fascinating too. The ring of mountains that encircle the park marks the rim of an ancient sunken volcanic caldera in which much of Yellowstone now sits. Although there is no sign of this so-called ‘super volcano’ awakening at any time in the near future, the subterranean heating it generates keeps the reserve’s most famous resident, ‘Old Faithful’, erupting on cue, as well as fuelling a host of smaller geysers and other geothermal oddities!
The holiday starts with a flight into Jackson Hole in eastern Wyoming, our base for the next four nights while we explore Yellowstone’s equally impressive neighbour, the Grand Teton National Park. The jagged snow-capped mountains of the Grand Tetons are part of the magnificent Rocky Mountain chain and overlook a picturesque mosaic of forests, lakes and meadows bordering the meandering Snake River. During our time here we will be looking out for a wide variety of mammals ranging from Moose and Rocky Mountain Elk, down to Least Chipmunk and Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel. Birds should include Sage Grouse, Mountain Bluebird, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Yellow-rumped Warbler and a variety of migrating waterfowl. For the fortunate there’s even a chance of seeing a Great Grey Owl perched on a dead snag in the late afternoon sun or hunting along the edges of a pine-fringed meadow!
Moving on, we will base ourselves in the town of West Yellowstone for the next four nights and head out each day to explore the western and central regions of the national park. This is one of the most geologically active areas of Yellowstone and — along with the Norris Geyser Basin to the north — is dotted with bubbling mud pools, fumaroles, boiling hot springs and geysers, the most famous of which are Old Faithful and nearby Grand Prismatic Spring. Time spent here is like stepping back to the dawn of our planet’s history and a reminder that much of this holiday takes place within the caldera of a giant volcano! Although the geology is fascinating, we will focus on the wildlife and will explore the forests, meadows, lakes and wetlands in search of an exciting mix of mammals and birds. Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, North American Bison and Pronghorn Antelope are all common, and we need to keep an eye open for Black and Grizzly Bears. There is even a chance of the elusive Bobcat. Birds may include Cooper’s Hawk, Ruffed Grouse, American Dipper, Williamson’s Sapsucker, Pine Grosbeak and Clark’s Nutcracker. Heading north once more, we spend the following three nights in the old mining town of Cooke City located just outside the national park’s north-eastern boundary. This is the perfect base from which to explore Yellowstone’s northern sector, in particular the famous Lamar Valley, the most reliable area in which to look for Grey Wolves. Early starts will increase our chances of finding a pack of this much maligned mammal, along with the park’s other top predator, the Grizzly Bear. As the sun rises higher we will head further afield in search of northern Yellowstone’s other mammals and birds, including North American Bison, Moose, Coyote, Bighorn Sheep, Black Bear, Bald Eagle, Grey Jay, Western Meadowlark and a baffling mix of North American sparrows! We will also visit the spectacular Yellowstone Falls which plunges 94 metres into Yellowstone Canyon and the colourful travertine terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs, as well as drive the dramatic Beartooth Highway in search of a few high-altitude species such as Black Rosyfinch, Golden Eagle and the nimble-footed Mountain Goat.
After a final night in the town of Bozeman we must, sadly, leave the spectacular landscapes, geology and wildlife of Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Tetons and begin our journey home.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Fly Jackson Hole
Day 2/4
Grand Teton National Park from Jackson Hole
Day 5/8
Yellowstone National Park from West Yellowstone
Day 9/11
Yellowstone National Park from Cooke City
Day 13
Depart Bozeman
Day 14
Arrive London
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
We stay in comfortable hotels and motels, all rooms with private facilities.
- Food:
All meals are included in the price, except for dinner on Day 1 and lunch and dinner on Day 13. Allow £100. N.B. Please note that for all bookings in 2025, evening meals will no longer be included in the cost of the tour. Please allow £50 per day for these.
Reviews
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We first spent 4 nights in Jackson Hole and explored Grand Teton National Park followed by 4 nights in West Yellowstone and 3 in Cooke City so we were able to see many of Yellowstone's attractions and a wide variety of wildlife. We had every kind of weather from warm sunshine to heavy snow and, at one point, our route was closed because of snow. Our guides dealt calmly and capably with every situation that came our way.
K.W. North Yorkshire, Sept 19 -
Spectacular scenery and the composition of the tour was excellent with a nice mixture of natural history and geology. We had comfortable accommodation and abundant food. Our local guides were very knowledgeable on the mammals, birds, plants and trees and the geothermal areas we visited. Nothing was too much trouble for them and they were a lot of fun too.
M.W. Worcestershire, Sept 18 -
A brilliant trip for nature and wildlife lovers that also included fab local guides with knowledge and enthusiasm for all around us. Nothing too much trouble for both Naturetrek and the local guides on the trip. Still glow with the memories of the trip.
J.D.F. Hampshire
Dates & Prices
2025
Departures
Availability
Cost
Tue 9th Sep – Mon 22nd Sep
SPACES
£7,995
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£6,995
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£2,295
Wed 24th Sep – Tue 7th Oct
1
£7,995
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£6,995
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£2,295
2026
Departures
Availability
Cost
Fri 11th Sep – Thu 24th Sep
SPACES
£8,295
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£7,295
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£2,495
Sun 27th Sep – Sat 10th Oct
SPACES
£8,295
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£7,295
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£2,495
Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
Enquire
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
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