Overview
Explore the highlights of Yellowstone National Park, the world’s first National Park and truly America’s best idea, a place rich in natural history, geothermal wonders and stunning geological landscapes. Our professional naturalist guides will show off the many wonders of Yellowstone on this full day tour, including geysers, (like Old Faithful), hot springs, waterfalls and other geothermal highlights. You’ll learn how the unique geology of the area shaped human history and how over a century of conservation has helped preserve a nearly intact ecosystem with diverse wildlife.
Guided Tour Highlights
- Lower Loop Tour – See Old Faithful
- Geysers, Waterfalls & Springs
- Geothermal Landscapes & Photo Opportunities
Your exact route and itinerary will be determined by your interests, current wildlife sightings, and current weather and road conditions. Our guides are all highly experienced, with thousands of hours in the field, and will expertly tailor your safari to you and your group.
*Early season tours (mid April to early May) will enter Yellowstone National Park through the west entrance and will travel through Teton Valley, ID in order to access the park. (The south entrance is closed to travel until early/mid May each year). All tours from early/mid May to the end of October will enter the park through the south entrance.
Yellowstone National Park is one of a kind on so many fronts – it is the first National Park to ever exist in the world, it is one of the largest National Parks in the lower 48 states, it contains the world’s largest concentration of geothermal features as well as the third largest volcanic caldera on Earth. Not only is its history and geography captivating, but it is an ongoing example of preservation and the host to many successful, ongoing conservation projects that has resulted in these park boundaries protecting an incredible variety of native wildlife and their habitats.
This park beckons visitors from all over the world with otherworldly beauty in the form of dynamically gushing geysers, deathly hot, yet vibrant, hot springs and vastly undeveloped, wild terrain. Yellowstone’s immensity is often not fully recognized until one finds themselves in the thick of it. There are over 300 miles of roadway to navigate within the park, with the main route taking the form of a northern and southern loop. A day trip from Jackson, WY will entail a 1.5 hour drive to the South Entrance of Yellowstone, from which destinations like Old Faithful still require another hour of travel.
To attain the best overview of the highlights accessible from Jackson Hole in a day, the southern loop is typically the focus. This portion of the park offers some of the best opportunities to view a variety of geothermal features, waterfalls, geological formations and the monumental Yellowstone Lake, which is the largest high alpine freshwater body of water in the contiguous United States. Be prepared to observe evidence of volcanic activity that occurred 640,000 years ago, smell the sulfur of geothermal features that both captivate us and remind us that there still lies a chamber of magma below that could erupt once more, admire seemingly endless rolling terrain covered in lodgepole pine instead of buildings, witness bison roaming down roads and through parking lots, because no matter how we change the land they will still go where they please.
The vast and often astonishing Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River can also be found along the southern loop. Here, the Yellowstone River erodes away at volcanic stone to establish a 1,200 ft deep chasm that is still gradually growing to this day. The canyon also is host to a duet of massive torrents. There is the Upper Falls at a height of 109 feet, then there is the largest waterfall in Yellowstone National Park at 308 feet- the Lower Falls. The views of either are awe-striking, especially when accented by the swirling, cerulean waters of the Yellowstone River flanked by golden, sulfur stained pinnacles and stone walls of the canyon.
Highlights of the day might include the Continental Divide, Old Faithful, Fountain Paint Pots, Grand Prismatic Spring, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Hayden Valley, Mud Volcano, Yellowstone Lake and much more.
Other terrain that can be found along the southern route consists of wide open valleys, distant snowy-capped mountain views and a variety of winding, freshwater rivers and cascades ripe with the native cutthroat trout. A full day Yellowstone tour with Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris will not only reveal the visually striking features of this region of the park, but also divulge the rich geological, anthropological and biological history of the Yellowstone.
What's Included
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Hotel pickup
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Professional naturalist guide
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Small group safari: 8 guests per vehicle, maximum
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Light breakfast
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Assorted snack basket
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Lunch
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Hot and cold beverages
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Use of UHD binoculars and spotting scopes
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Guide gratuities
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National Park entrance fees
Public Safari
Private Safari
Pick-up Times
All guests are picked up and returned to their place of lodging. We pick up at hotels and condos in Jackson and Teton Village. Your exact pick up time will be determined by your hotel location and the season. Please make note of your pickup time, and save it for your reference.
Please give your guide an additional 5-10 minutes before and after the scheduled time to allow for other pickups or traffic conditions. Changes to trip timing may be made to accommodate daylight and/or optimum wildlife viewing.
Approximate pickup times for Jackson Hole include:
April 20 – May 9 (West Entrance)
- 6:30 AM – Town of Jackson locations
- 6:45 AM – Wilson, Aspens, Amangani and Spring Creek locations
- 7:00 AM – Teton Village locations (Stilson Lot Meeting Point)
May 1 – May 14
- 6:30 AM – Teton Village locations
- 6:45 AM – Wilson, Aspens, Amangani and Spring Creek locations
- 7:00 AM – Town of Jackson locations
May 15 – September 14
- 6:30 AM – Town of Jackson locations
- 6:45 AM – Wilson, Aspens, Amangani and Spring Creek locations
- 7:00 AM – Teton Village locations
September 15 – October 31
- 7:00 AM – Town of Jackson locations
- 7:15 AM – Wilson, Aspens, Amangani and Spring Creek locations
- 7:30 AM – Teton Village locations
Private safari guests are picked up at 6:30 AM from May 1 – September 14, and at 7:00AM from September 15 – October 31.
On the Menu
Excellent customer service, high quality product, thoughtful and intentional production.
Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris is proud to partner with Teton Lunch Counter to serve a locally-sourced, sustainable lunch option for all our guests on this tour. The menu includes a sandwich with meats, veggies, and bread, served with chips and a cookie, all from locally-grown products and nearby vendors. Lunch is served in a zero-waste, reusable container.
Since the products come from small growers, bakers and butchers, some substitutions may be made for ingredients that are temporarily or seasonally unavailable. The folks at Teton Lunch Counter will make sure that each meal is sustainably sourced and spectacularly delicious, no matter the season.
Vegan, vegetarian and gluten free meals are available. Please indicate if you have a food allergy at the time of booking so we can discuss your meal options prior to your tour.
Having been on many tours in many countries, this ranks as one of the best. The tour itself was fantastic and in one day we hit all the major spots on the lower loop. We saw many off the beaten path sights and our guide was fantastic. He was super knowledgeable, accommodating, flexible, and always available and fun.
Safari Tour Gallery
All photography has been shot by our talented tour guides.
FAQs
Should I take a guided tour of Yellowstone?
A professional guide can provide education and connection for everything you see and experience in the National Parks. They are knowledgeable about the wildlife, the landscape, the history and the geology and they can provide context and understanding that you wouldn’t have by driving through the area yourself. We recommend booking a guided tour for the first few days of your vacation so that what you learn from your guide will enhance the rest of your time in the area.
How many days should I book a tour for in Yellowstone?
This all depends on your availability, your goals for your Yellowstone National Park adventure and the amount of time you’ve set aside to explore the park. Yellowstone is a huge place! It’s 2.2 million acres of wilderness to explore and most people don’t venture too far from the boardwalk. If your time is short, you can make the most of it on a full day Yellowstone Wildlife Safari. This tour will cover the highlights of the Lower Loop in the southern region of Yellowstone. If you’d like more time to explore the area, we recommend a 3-Day tour of Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park. This will provide more time to explore more of both parks.
What do others say about this tour?
5 Stars
To be honest, at first we were a bit hesitant to spend the money for a guided Yellowstone tour when we could just drive through the park ourselves. But from the moment our guide picked us up at hotel on October 4th, any lingering concern evaporated. Wildlife Safari is undoubtedly the BEST way to truly experience and totally immerse into the great Yellowstone Park. Our ~10-hour guided tour was truly unforgettable! I cannot say enough about the professionalism, humor, knowledge, and skill of our “Interpretive Naturalist”. Without his superb timing, informative commentary, and delightful engagement, we would have merely driven past, not seen, or completely missed 90% of everything Yellowstone has to offer. Not only did we see all the natural beauty of the Yellowstone lower loop’s famous and obscure sites, but we saw-up close-every animal (except moose and wolf) and foul that the park proudly hosts. From morning juices with muffins to our noon picnic lunch, and convenient, clean bathroom stops, every detail was seamlessly executed. Our guide delivered a spectacular day focused on our utmost comfort, safety, and enjoyment! Thank you, Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris and especially, thank you to our guide!
Kevin H.
5 Stars
Hands down, best decision we made to go with Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris for our 1 day allocated to Yellowstone. Our guide was no less than AMAZING. He was knowledgeable, provided a relaxed atmosphere, great with my 8 and 10 year old and kept the 12 hour day moving a long. If you have children, or if you want details about the park or area, or if you want a very relaxed, comfortable guided tour….request JHWS! I attribute most of the experience at Yellowstone to our experienced guide.
KP P.
5 Stars
For my birthday trip to Wyoming, my husband and I booked a full-day, private tour of Yellowstone with Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris. Our tour guide did a fantastic job of being informative and entertaining. He picked us up from our hotel at 6:30 am on the dot and we headed off into the Grand Tetons. He had muffins from the don’t-miss Persephone’s Bakery along with juice and water to keep us satisfied until lunch. I mentioned that I really wanted to see a moose, and he immediately took us to an area where moose were known to hang out. We saw a female moose and her calf. I can’t begin to describe the incredible beauty of Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, and our guide knew all the best spots for awe-inspiring views and animal sightings. We also made it to Old Faithful in time for its 9:36 am eruption, and, again, he knew exactly where we should stand to get the best photos. Spending almost 12 hours in a vehicle with a stranger can sometimes be a bit awkward, but our guide was so pleasant. We immediately liked him and felt comfortable enough to chat and ask any questions we had. He wore a mask at all times around us, and the company policy during covid mandates that all customers wear masks when not eating or drinking. I would highly recommend a private tour with Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris because not only are you in for an amazing day, but you’ll also learn about things that will inform the rest of your stay in the Jackson Hole/Yellowstone area.
Courtney B.
5 Stars
The very best way to see Yellowstone Park! An expeditious use of your time, especially if you only have one day, to view the main geological features and various animals. We were treated to a wolf pack/elk showdown, dozens of bison and a mother moose and cub. Our guide, our knowledgeable and attentive driver, was always on the lookout for animals. We had plenty of photo ops and good food for a family/nature experience of a lifetime. What a memory!
Kelly S.
Guides and Staff
Our Team
Local, experienced, and passionate guides and photographers.
Explore Yellowstone National Park
Travel through the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem on a guided Yellowstone National Park tour.
Multi-Day Tours
Yellowstone Wildlife Tours
The best wildlife tours in Yellowstone are found on our multi-days. Join us for a 2 Day or 3 Day tour through Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park for an in-depth experience searching for bears, wolves, and other iconic North American wildlife. With two or three days in the field, we can explore more, spend more time in the parks, and cover more ground, providing the ultimate wildlife viewing experiences, tailored just for you.
2 Day Bear and Wolf Safari
We will spend our time in prime grizzly and wolf habitat within both Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, including places like Willow Flats, Pacific Creek, Hayden Valley, and the famous Lamar Valley, often referred to as the Serengeti of North America. During your safari, you will also have the opportunity to visit famous Yellowstone landmarks like Old Faithful, the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, Mammoth Hot Springs, and several waterfalls.
3 Day Bear and Wolf Safari
Be prepared for 3 action-packed days of exploring the hidden gems of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. One-of-a-kind geothermal features, impeccable terrain, and an amazing diversity of wildlife are only the headliners of this experience. As the name of this tour implies, seeing token features like Old Faithful will not be the only goal. Seeking out some of the most elusive apex predators in their natural habitat is a top priority.
Grizzly 399 teaches her two yearling cubs how to forage on biscuitroot in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Further Reading
Best Places to View Wildlife in Yellowstone: Hayden Valley
Apr 12, 2022
The Lamar Valley gets a lot of credit for being the ideal area to find and observe wildlife in Yellowstone National Park. In reality, it is an expansive valley of about 29 miles, and it has been the site of many important wildlife conservation and restoration projects
The Best Yellowstone Tours
Apr 3, 2020
Our best recommendation is to schedule a wildlife tour in Yellowstone for the first day of your vacation. This way, the knowledge you gain from a Yellowstone day tour, a day in the field with a professional naturalist guide, is a great foundation for a Yellowstone excursion on your own.
