Winter Wolves and Wildlife of Yellowstone Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival Bozeman
Arrive in Bozeman to start your Winter Yellowstone Adventure! Your Naturalist Guide will meet you for a welcome dinner, where you will get to know other guests and prepare to explore winter in the American Serengeti. It’s one of the quietest times of year to visit Yellowstone, meaning we will be among a dedicated few experiencing the park during this incredible time of year. Meals: Dinner Lodging: Element Hotel or Similar
Day 2 Bozeman, Paradise Valley, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone’s Northern Range, Gardiner
Departing Bozeman this morning we’ll experience the winter vistas of the Paradise Valley. As we follow the Yellowstone River up towards Yellowstone National Park, numerous opportunities to view wintering wildlife abound, including pronghorn, deer, rough legged hawks, bald eagles, bighorn sheep, elk, and bison. After an early lunch just outside the park in Gardiner our next stop is the Travertine terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs. As the evening’s safari travels eastward through the Northern Range of Yellowstone National Park we will pass through the territories of four known wolf packs. We’ll end the safari with an evening in the Lamar Valley, before returning to Gardiner for dinner and to prepare for the next day. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Lodging: Mammoth Hotel or Similar
Day 3 Yellowstone - Lamar Valley, - Cooke City - Gardiner
We rise early for a full day of wolf and wildlife watching in Yellowstone’s Northern Range! Winter is a busy time for wolf watching, and we will be in contact with other wolf watchers including Yellowstone Wolf Project Crews who are out in the field observing wolf behavior. We'll also enjoy views of Yellowstone's diverse wildlife, including the largest remaining wild herd of American Bison, our National Mammal. After lunch in Cooke City, we return to the Park, stopping to glass for moose along Soda Butte Creek and bighorn sheep and mountain goats high atop peaks in the Absaroka Mountains. Wolf Activity peaks at dawn and dusk so we will head back out to the park for an evening safari before heading back to Gardiner. Our tour today also includes a private presentation by a Yellowstone Wolf Biologist. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Lodging: Mammoth Hotel or Similar
Day 4 Private Snowcoach in Yellowstone's Interior
Today we board a private SnowCoach to explore the wildlife and snowy landscapes of Yellowstone's interior. Depending on recent wildlife activity we'll head towards the Hayden Valley and Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, or make our way towards the wildlife hotspot of the Madison River and the Old Faithful Geyser Basin. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Lodging: Mammoth Hotel or Similar
Day 5 Yellowstone's Northern Range and Transfer to Bozeman
Our final day in Yellowstone starts early as we continue our search for Yellowstone’s winter wildlife. As an Apex predator, wolves provide a bounty for scavengers like golden and bald eagles, ravens, magpies coyotes, foxes, and even small mustelids such as ermine and martin. The cascades of Undine and Wraith Falls await us after our morning safari. In the afternoon we’ll return to Bozeman via the Paradise Valley, stopping to observe eagles, herds of pronghorn, bighorn sheep, elk and other wildlife. Enjoy a farewell dinner with your guide, including a presentation by our conservation partners the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Lodging: Element Hotel or Similar
Day 6 Departure from Bozeman
Depart from Bozeman, MT. Your hotel can arrange shuttle service to the airport. For those wishing to extend their trip we recommend a visit to the Museum of the Rockies, or skiing at nearby Bridger Bowl!
