Our Yellowstone holidays & tours
Our Yellowstone holidays explore the hallowed ground of America’s first national park. Yellowstone’s geysers are iconic, the most famous being Old Faithful although there are 500 others to boot, making this the largest collection in the world. But our tours place just as much focus on another Yellowstone icon: the wildlife. Tours here in spring, summer or winter offer different perspectives on the park’s bears, wolves and bison, and are led by expert field guides. Although this extraordinary lunar-like landscape is revered by many, Yellowstone is not actually as packed with visitors as some parks, because it is harder to access. Despite that, our tours seek out lesser-known walking routes, and visit the hotspots like Mammoth Springs, Old Faithful and the Lamar Valley early or late in the day, to avoid most of the large coach groups.
Our top Yellowstone holidays
Yellowstone winter wildlife tour
From
£3595
10 days
ex flights
Watch wolves in winter & visit Old Faithful
Tailor made
Wolf watching holiday in Yellowstone, USA
From
£2615
7 days
ex flights
Expert guided trips to track & watch wolves in Yellowstone
Tailor made
Yellowstone wildlife tour in Fall
From
£2995
7 days
ex flights
Bears, wolves, bison & moose in Yellowstone's autumn
Tailor made
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Yellowstone holiday highlights
Established in 1872, Yellowstone National Park spans an enormous 9,000km2, and almost all of it is wilderness. As well as wildlife including wolves, bears, elk and bison, the park is known for its hot springs and geysers, such as Old Faithful, Mammoth Springs and the Grand Prismatic Spring. The reason for all this geothermal activity is that Yellowstone National Park is actually inside an active supervolcano. Almost the entire park falls within the Wyoming state lines, but there are corners in both Montana and Idaho. There are five separate entrances to Yellowstone, and given its scale, often a lot of driving involved. For instance, two of the most popular destinations, Old Faithful and the Lamar Valley, are over two hours apart by road. Small group tours offer the clear advantage that all the logistical headaches are handled by the organisers while you soak up the scenery.
1.
Bears
2. Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
3. Grand Prismatic Spring
4. Lamar Valley
5. Mammoth Hot Springs
6. Old Faithful, Upper Geyser Basin
7. Wild Bison
8. Wolves
2. Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
3. Grand Prismatic Spring
4. Lamar Valley
5. Mammoth Hot Springs
6. Old Faithful, Upper Geyser Basin
7. Wild Bison
8. Wolves
Bears
1. Bears
There are up to 600 grizzlies and another 600 or so black bears wandering around Yellowstone. It’s one of the few places in the USA where you can see bears interacting with other large animals such as elk, bison and wolves. Your best chance of seeing bears is in spring, around the Lamar and Hayden Valleys. Whether hiking or not, keep a safe distance between you and Yogi, and make sure not to leave any tempting foodstuffs around.
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
2. Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Carved by the Yellowstone River, the Grand Canyon is almost 40km long, and up to 365m deep. There are hiking trails on both sides of the canyon; the steep ‘Uncle Tom’s Trail’ is among the most popular. There are numerous lookouts including Inspiration Point, Artist Point and Point Sublime that offer stunning views of the Upper and Lower Falls.
Grand Prismatic Spring
3. Grand Prismatic Spring
The largest hot spring in the USA, the Grand Prismatic Spring is a real jaw-dropper. Its waters take on all the colours of the rainbow, and fluctuate gradually by season. The colours are created by minerals and bacteria in the water. The spring has the same problem as many Yellowstone landmarks: it gets very busy. See it early in the morning if you can before the crowds arrive, and take the Fairy Falls Trail above it for the best view.
Lamar Valley
4. Lamar Valley
Where there is prey there will be predators, and the Lamar Valley is not short on either. Together with the Hayden Valley, Lamar is often referred to as the ‘Serengeti of the United States’. Here you might see wolf packs, vast herds of elk and bison, bears and prowling coyotes. It’s best explored at dawn or dusk with binoculars, when wildlife is most active. This is also one of few areas in Yellowstone still accessible in winter, and great for snowshoeing.
Mammoth Hot Springs
5. Mammoth Hot Springs
A unique and beautiful landscape of travertine limestone terraces, Mammoth Hot Springs resembles a huge steaming waterfall, or a cave turned inside-out. It takes around an hour to explore by the upper and lower boardwalks. During the summer it’s a good base for hiking, while in the winter, like Lamar Valley, it’s a popular spot to strap on a pair of snow shoes. Elks are often seen around here during the autumn rutting season.
Old Faithful, Upper Geyser Basin
6. Old Faithful, Upper Geyser Basin
Probably the tallest geyser in the world, and certainly the most famous; as the name suggests, Old Faithful keeps a fairly reliable schedule, erupting around 20 times every day for up to five minutes. The jet can reach 43m. In the wider basin there are another 250 or so geysers, several of them similarly impressive. The schedule is posted nearby, so get there early for an unobstructed view; mornings are best to avoid the coach tours.
Wild Bison
7. Wild Bison
Beware: Bison – if you see it on a sign, take heed. These huge, powerful animals regularly cause traffic jams by meandering across the road, often with their calves alongside. Most of the time they take little interest in human presence. If you ever forget that Yellowstone is a wilderness and we but visitors in nature’s domain, the park’s vast bison herds will remind you. Watch, in fascination, from afar.
Wolves
8. Wolves
Grey wolves were controversially but successfully reintroduced to Yellowstone in 1995, having been killed off some 50 years earlier. There are now around 75 wolf packs here, each consisting of between four and seven animals. They can be observed in several areas, but especially around the Lamar Valley. Wolf tracking in winter is a thrilling activity, usually guided by expert wolf ecologists that can recognise individual animals by sight.
