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A comfortable wilderness experience! The grandest scenery, 'Old Faithful' and the best assemblage of mammals this side of Africa – all looking at their best
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| * | A four-centre tour of two iconic National Parks |
| * | Excitement and fun amidst famous American comforts |
| * | Bison, Moose, Elk, Pronghorn, Coyote and more |
| * | Grizzly and Black Bears on show feeding up for winter |
| * | A great selection of birds and best time for Wolf packs |
| * | Take plenty of photos of amazing geysers and more |
| * | The best time for unforgettable autumn colours |
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The world’s first National Park and famous “Old Faithful”. Four centre hotel-based holiday with minibus transport. Black and Grizzly Bears, Wolves and Coyotes, Bison, Beaver, eagles, owls and more in spectacular scenery and stunning “fall” colours. Walking generally easy, except in mountains.
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Dates
| 11-25 September 2010 - FULL
10-24 September 2011 |
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Prices
| £3595pp (£650 single supp) |
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Leaders
| 2011 - Darren Rees & Steve Willis |
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Flights
| United Airlines, Scheduled
Outbound: Morning, Heathrow-Jackson Hole (via Denver)
Inbound: Overnight, Jackson Hole-Heathrow (via Denver) |
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Day 1
| Fly to Jackson Hole, via Denver, arriving in the evening with short transfer to hotel – 4 nights |
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Days 2-4
| Wildlife & birdwatching exploration of Grand Teton National Park |
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Day 5
| Relaxed day transfer to Lake Yellowstone Hotel – 3 nights |
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Days 6-7
| Exploration of Yellowstone Lake area |
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Day 8
| Relaxed day transfer to Mammoth Hot Springs – 4 nights |
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Days 9-11
| Exploration of western area of Park |
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Day 12
| Relaxed day transfer to Old Faithful Inn – 1 night |
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Day 13
| Return to Jackson Hole - 1 night |
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Days 14-15
| A morning flight to Denver, then an evening flight to Heathrow, arriving on the morning of Day 15 |
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Weather
| It can be cool (even cold) but daytime temperatures rise to warm & sunny (0°-15°C), with a chance of showers & some snow quite possible at high altitudes |
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Walking
| There'll be some short easy walks on wide paths with optional short easy walks off tracks in the forest. Note that Yellowstone National Park is at high altitude. Most of the park is above 7,500 feet / 2,275 metres. |
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Meals
| All included from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 14 & are of good quality
(Note many tour companies do not include meals in North America) |
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Insects
| Biting insects are rarely a problem |
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Accom
| Twin & single rooms, all ensuite |
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Group
| 12 |
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1
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Arriving in the early evening we have a short transfer to our hotel in the 'upmarket' western-style town of Jackson Hole
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2-4
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Basing ourselves here we have ample time to explore the stunning Grand Teton National Park with its lakes, canyons, cascading streams and waterfalls with the stunning backdrop of the Teton Mountains. We shall immerse ourselves in the deciduous woodlands, conifer forests and sagebrush which hold Ruffed Grouse, Mountain Chickadee, a host of woodpecker species and Mountain Bluebird. There is a wealth of mammals too from the smaller species of chipmunks and ground-squirrels through to Pronghorn Antelope and the herds of Bison that roam here. Mighty antler-adorned Moose should be beginning to rut at this time of year, especially around the willow scrub of the Snake River plain which meanders through the Park. As well as the large Jackson Lake there are the smaller Jenny and String Lakes and these are some of the best places to encounter Beavers, as well as Trumpeter Swan, Bald Eagle and Osprey. Wildfowl include American Wigeon and Pied-billed Grebe, with a few small birds such as Yellow-headed Blackbird still around. The bird feeders in Jackson can be great for small birds such as Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, as well as various finches and sparrows, whilst Black-billed Magpies are everywhere.
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5-7
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Tucked in the north west corner of the state, Yellowstone has to be one of the most famous National Parks in the world, it is certainly the oldest, established in 1872 and now covering nearly a million hectares. Leaving Grand Teton we head north into the heart of the Park to stay at the Lake Yellowstone Hotel, on the shores of the immense Yellowstone Lake situated at 7,700 feet. From here we explore the Hayden Valley through which the Yellowstone river flows, with its forests, lakes, streams, mountains and meadows, and our first mud pools and hot springs. As well as soaking up the scenery we shall be looking for some of the elusive Great Gray Owls that will have finished breeding in the forest meadows, and we’ll look at some of the larger mammals of the Park, namely Bison and Moose. Both Grizzly and Black Bears inhabit this area, and they are most active at this time of the year, as they are feeding up in preparation for the winter ahead. At the photographically stunning Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, the river cuts a deep, colourful gorge after it leaves the Lower Falls. The river should still hold wildfowl with Canada Geese, Bufflehead, Barrow's Goldeneye and perhaps lingering female Harlequins. We shall visit Mount Washburn, an immense mountain at over 10,000 feet and home to Blue Grouse, Mountain Bluebird and Bighorn Sheep. Raptors here may include Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Harrier and Golden Eagle, whilst Ravens may betray a Coyote (or even our first Gray Wolf) which regularly scavenge at any Elk carcasses (killed by bears!).
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8-11
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We move to Mammoth Hot Springs in the north of Yellowstone, right by weird and wonderful geothermal travertine terraces, where rogue bull Elk wander on the village green, incessantly ‘bugling' as they try to round up a harem of females! There are Mountain Cottontails too, and even Bison may be grazing outside our hotel – it’s a wild place! Between taking numerous photos we'll search out delightful Townsend's Solitaire and American Robins, with the likelihood of Steller's Jay and Great Horned Owl too. From here we'll search for magnificent Gray Wolves. A very successful recovery programme was begun over 10 years ago and now there are numerous packs with a particular concentration in this Elk-rich area of the Park. Using our local knowledge, we've watched Wolves on every visit and had some amazing encounters, especially at early morning (70% of Park wolf sightings occur before 9.00am!) - wildlife-watching is never more thrilling than this. The Lamar Valley gives us the best chances, and here too there are Coyote, Bison and Pronghorn, plus Osprey, Golden and Bald Eagle. There will be Bighorn Sheep on Blacktail Deer Plateau and here, and at Tower, we'll look for Three-toed Woodpecker, Williamson's Sapsucker, Prairie Falcon and Gray Jay. Rocks and boulders shelter cute(!) critters such as Pika, Yellow-bellied Marmot and Yellow Pine Chipmunk, plus Rock Wren, whilst American Dipper and Belted Kingfisher can be seen on nearby rivers. A spectacular road leads out of the Lamar Valley and passes grassland to alpine spruce forest and streams, on the edge of the Park, rimmed by numerous peaks over 12,000ft - some with year round glaciers. The realm of Golden Eagle, Mountain Goats inhabit this vast wilderness, plus bears - both Black and Grizzly - and even Mountain Lion. Scarce, high altitude birds that we may find include Pine Grosbeak and Clark’s Nutcracker.
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12-13
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Our journey south to the centre of Yellowstone at Old Faithful will be filled with visits to some geothermal wonders - 70% of the World’s geysers are here! As its name suggests, the historic, timber Old Faithful Inn is by the planet's most well-known geyser and it’s perfect for marvelling at the expulsion of steam and water in the cold air. It lives up to the hype, and neighbouring geysers are even more spectacular, but nothing can prepare you for the sheer scale of the area dubbed "where hell bubbles up"! We'll explore Norris Geyser Basin, the multi-coloured bubbling mud-pools of Fountain Paintpots, Biscuit Basin and many others. Ruby-crowned Kinglets, American Pipits, White-crowned Sparrows and noisy crickets can be seen enjoying the warmth, where boiling water breaks the Earth's crust, to say nothing of the Elk and Bison that gather there too. Finally, next day, we cross the Continental Divide and leave the Park for Jackson Hole, watching for birds and mammals as we go, calling in at Oxbow Lake, Willow Flats and Moose Ponds to search for any wildlife we may have missed and to revel in that stunning mountain back-drop.
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14-15
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Leaving, we catch our flights home arriving in the UK early morning on Day 15.
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Just some of what we hope to see...
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Gray Wolf
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Bighorn Sheep
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Ruffed Grouse
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Mountain Chickadee
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Coyote
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Beaver
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Sandhill Crane
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Mountain Bluebird
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Grizzly Bear
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Common Loon
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Great Gray Owl
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Sage Thrasher
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Black Bear
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Trumpeter Swan
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Belted Kingfisher
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Aududon’s Warbler
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Elk
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Barrow's Goldeneye
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Three-toed Woodpecker
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Townsend’s Warbler
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Moose
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Bufflehead
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Gray Jay
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Green-tailed Towhee
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Pronghorn
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Bald Eagle
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Clark's Nutcracker
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Pink-sided Junco
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Bison
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Northern Harrier
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"Listening to the sound of wolves on a misty morning."
David King
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"Watching the beavers making a dam. Hearing the wolves howling. Spotting our first bear. There were many more highlights as the holiday was fantastic."
Andrea King
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"We drove into Grand Teton National Park with the vegetation loaded with berries and the colours of autumn fall just beginning to show . Rounding a bend in the road we saw a vehicle stopped ahead with people excitedly looking into the hedgerow. We joined them, pulling up behind and suddenly this Grizzly Bear appeared in the head as it moved from one bush to the next looking for the next mouthful of berries. Sheltered by the vehicle and ready to jump back in, I stood on the road with camera poised. All I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. It was several minutes later I realised that the tears were freely flowing down my face. The emotion of the moment was so great, of seeing this huge animal so close by, knowing its power and watching it eat the fruits of autumn in the hedge. I realised that we were in fact just spectators in the bear's world, as it went about fulfilling its daily hunger requirements. Having satisfied itself it then strolled down the bank to the riverbed where it found an isolated pool in which to have a "bath", enabling us to continue sharing a very small part of its life. Fantastic!"
Mary Braddock
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"This was a thoroughly enjoyable holiday. There were wonderful encounters with wild animals, also the scenery was quite spectacular. Once again, thanks to Darren and Roy for all their help and guidance, also the fellow group members, such a friendly group. The highlight for me was the appearance of the Grizzly Bear coming down the hill by the van, feeding on the berries and then crossing the road in front of everyone, not bothered at all by the crowd of people! Yellowstone Park itself is a wondrous place..."
Margaret Forrest
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"Thank you for a wonderful holiday, a real privilege to see the wildlife and the scenery with a lovely group of people. All made possible by our knowledgeable and endlessly patient guides, Darren and Roy. Thank you again."
Linda Kirk
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"I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would be standing safely, not more than 20-30 feet away from a Grizzly Bear. It was a very special moment."
Jill Johnson
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"We weren't expected snow … but it turned Yellowstone into a wonderland. Herds of Buffalo rooting in the snow for grass and in the distance clouds of steam rising from hot springs."
Maggie Tester
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"One of the best trips I have been on. Wyoming had everything, snow, Summer sunshine, so many good views of mammals, excellent hotels, great guides, excellent scenery. Really good fun."
John Tester
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"I think the highlight of a holiday with so many "wow" moments was probably the pre-breakfast trip at Lake with Bison and bears on snow covered roads."
John Duerden
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"One of the best holidays I have ever been on (in fact the best). 28 Grizzly Bears helped and the guides were both good fun and thoughtful (in view of my hip problem!) I felt the holiday was well paced and some of the sights simple awesome."
Joy Chalk
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This is a very well-appointed, two-storey, large motel in the centre of stylish Jackson. It’s an easy walk into town, or at a push to the visitor centre of the National Elk Refuge. This town allows the only holiday shopping and is a 20 minute drive from airport. Room facilities: Iron / Hairdryer / Coffee-maker (teabags and milk available at reception) / Heating / Alarm / TV / Phone / Fridge / Dry-cleaning service / Washing machine in hall / Same day laundry service / Shower & bath / Shower gel & shampoo & soap / Elevator (a flights of stairs to access first floor) / Fitness room / 35-person hot tub.
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Set by Lake Yellowstone, this ground level collection of ‘frontier’ cabins looks a bit like a poor relation next to the very large, well-appointed hotel but appearances are deceptive. Built in the 1920's but completely remodelled in 2003/04, these simple, comfortable duplex units are clustered near the hotel. The cabins are very comfortable and it’s a delight to be out near woods and grassland (with local bird watching and maybe hear Coyotes howling each night!). It’s a short walk across open ground on a paved track to the restaurant. Room facilities: Coffee-maker / (teabags and milk available at reception) / Heating / Shower / Shower gel & shampoo & soap / Hotel has shop selling film & batteries etc. NO: Iron / Hairdryer / Phone / Fridge / Laundry / TV
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In the early days, Yellowstone's visitors began their park exploration at Mammoth Hot Springs, named after the steaming limestone terraces just above the hotel area. Today, Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel offers a warm welcome to summer and winter visitors. Elk and Bison routinely graze outside the hotel around the parade grounds of what was once Fort Yellowstone. This is a good standard, large three-storey hotel in the middle of the village of Mammoth. There are easy local walks with good birds and mammals to be seen, and the Hot Springs terraces are nearby too. Room facilities: Phone / Shower / Heating / Complimentary tea and coffee available at dining room reception / Hotel has shopping selling film & batteries etc. NO: Iron / Hairdryer / Fridge / Laundry / Coffee-maker / Alarm / TV
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Completed in 1999, the Snow Lodge is the newest of the park's full service hotels, and has been recognized with the Cody Award for Western Design and Travel and Leisure's Inn of the Month. The heavy timber construction, exterior log columns and cedar shingle roof were part of the design that is destined to make the Snow Lodge a significant example of classic "parkitecture." The motel-style Western Cabins were built in 1989 and are situated in modules of four. Each is spacious and modernly furnished, typically with two double beds and full bathroom. Room facilities: Coffee-maker / Shower & bath / Heating / Alarm / Fridge. NO: Phone / Iron / Hairdryer / Laundry / TV
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