Yellowstone & Grand Teton American Safari

8 night tour - Starting in Jackson, Wyoming - Ending in Jackson, Wyoming.

A Tauck Culturious Tour, small group, active journeys.

Celebrating 90 years in the travel touring business, Tauck offer the ultimate in luxury touring. Throughout the years, ingenuity and innovation, plus a focus on customer servce and authentic experiences, have grown Tauck into one of the world's leading travel touring companies. On your tour you can expect an itinerary carefully designed to create an unforgetable experience, ensuring the finest hotels, luxury motorcoaches and highly experienced tour directors.

The heart of Yellowstone beats with nature’s gems... furred, feathered, smoldering and sculpted... in moving tableaus wild and wondrous. Venture into the wilderness with naturalists passionate about the landscapes you’ll explore – and the grizzlies, wolves and elk you’ll encounter. The excitement heats up during two-night stays at Mammoth Hot Springs and next to Old Faithful... on geology walks to bubbling geothermal wonders... on a whitewater rafting trip and interpretive hikes in Grand Teton National Park... and during visits to museums and ranches where the West really comes alive on Culturious Yellowstone vacations.

Group Size: no more than 24 guests

Some days include 2-4 miles of hiking, 6-8 miles of biking on moderately flat roads, whitewater rafting and horseback riding. The pace is up to you. You may be required to sign Tauck’s liability waiver for participation in certain activities.

 
2015 departure dates:
August 24th
 
2016 departure dates:
June 12th & 20th
July 6th & 22nd
August 15th
September 8th & 16th
 
View Itinerary Details

Day 1: Arrive Jackson, Wyoming

Your Tetons and Yellowstone vacation begins: 6:30 PM at The Wort Hotel. We’ll meet you at Jackson Hole Airport for an included transfer to The Wort Hotel, starting point for your Tetons and Yellowstone vacation. We invite you to join us for a welcome reception and dinner at your historic hotel in downtown Jackson, rich in Wild West lore.

Lodging:The Wort Hotel

Dinner

Day 2: Whitewater rafting, then riding with the cowboys at Snake River Ranch

Embark on a thrilling whitewater rafting trip* on the Snake River this morning, learning more about the sights you’ll see with your naturalist guide. Then, after lunch on your own in Jackson, channel your inner cowboy for an afternoon at Snake River Ranch, a working cattle ranch run by the same family since the 1920s. Billy Crystal immortalized his dreams of becoming a real cowboy in City Slickers, when he and his greenhorn friends challenged their comfort zones during a cattle drive. Now it’s your turn... as you saddle up for a ride with seasoned ranch hands through the pastures of this 3,000+ acre ranch, learning about – and experiencing – a day in the life of a real American cowboy. If horseback riding is not for you, travel like a pioneer on a horse-drawn wagon; either way you’ll get an unforgettable feel for what it takes to work, live... and play... out here! We’ve planned for some rollicking cowboy entertainment for you at the ranch before retuning to The Wort Hotel for time at leisure and dinner on your own tonight.

Lodging:The Wort Hotel

Breakfast

Day 3: Welcome to Yellowstone National Park

After breakfast, drive from Jackson to Yellowstone National Park for a naturally inspiring stay in the heart of a thermal wonderland, entering through the South Entrance and continuing through the beautiful Hayden Valley. Walking and hiking are must-do activities on Yellowstone vacations, so get set for zoomed-in outdoor adventures inside America’s first national park. Following lunch at the Lake Hotel along the shores of Yellowstone Lake, you'll continue along the western side of the park, then stretch your legs with a short hike to take in the otherworldly sights and smells of the geothermal wonders of the Norris Geyser Basin. Arrive at the historic Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel in the park for a two-night stay; have dinner at your leisure at the hotel this evening.

Lodging:Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Cabins

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: A day in the Lamar Valley – rocks, bears, wolves and man

Meet nature on her terms today, embarking on a wildlife safari in Yellowstone's Lamar Valley, promising a peek into the world of local residents – namely bears and wolves. A naturalist guide serves as your safari tracker as you hunt for signs of elk and charismatic carnivores – we’re talking grizzlies and gray wolves here – who may have plodded on through the trails moments before you do! Learn about the habits and habitats of Yellowstone’s bears and wolves on our drive into the Yellowstone wilderness. After lunch on your own in the isolated village of Cooke City, continue through the Lamar Valley, with a stop at historic Buffalo Ranch and a hike with our naturalist guide; be on the lookout for otters, spawning trout, grizzlies, eagles and more. Return to your hotel at Mammoth Hot Springs for a talk by a noted Yellowstone naturalist, prior to dinner at your leisure at the hotel.

Lodging:Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Cabins

Breakfast, Dinner

Day 5: Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon

The break of day on a Yellowstone vacation is eye-opening... especially on an early morning exploration of the fascinating geological features at Mammoth Terraces. So much of experiencing Yellowstone requires a close-up look at the wild world, and you'll do a lot of that today. Depart Mammoth Hot Springs and head out into more of Yellowstone National Park, through scenery that surprises with dramatic intensity. Stop for a picnic lunch in the Wapiti picnic area en route to Uncle Tom’s Viewpoint, where you'll walk to Artist Point, then on to the brink of the Lower Falls or to the Red Line Trail. Lesser known than its world-famous rival of a similar name, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is one for the record books – and photo album! The best way to appreciate its grandeur and diversity is on foot; your hike will reveal the immensity of the canyon and the river below as you stop at various viewpoints, and discussions about conservation, ecology and wildlife enrich your explorations. Next, head over to Canyon Village; walk along the Fountain Paint Pots before continuing on to famous Old Faithful Geyser and the Upper Geyser Basin, and arriving at Old Faithful Snow Lodge for a two-night stay; dine tonight at your leisure in the Snow Lodge... a perfect Yellowstone vacation day.

Lodging: Old Faithful Snow Lodge

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: The Lower Geyser Basin and Yellowstone at leisure

Wild and wonderful, Yellowstone is all about nature at her most passionate. She smolders with hot springs, steaming geysers, fumaroles and gurgling mud pots. She’s dressed in majestic mountains, lodgepole forests, trout-spawning streams, rushing waterfalls, green rivers, yawning canyons and rocks exquisitely sculpted with an imaginative hand. She challenges with trails and thrills with animals, like bison, bears and wolves. Today begins with a morning walk with a naturalist guide among the marvels of the Lower Geyser Basin to take in the sights, smells and sounds of this amazing area. From then on, the rest of your day is free to explore the nation's first national park – and the embodiment of "America's Best Idea" – as you wish. You may want to make it a point to watch Old Faithful erupt (like clockwork), or listen to a presentation by a park ranger. Have dinner tonight next door to your lodge at the Old Faithful Inn, a true historic landmark built of lodgepole pine in 1904.

Lodging: Old Faithful Snow Lodge

Breakfast, Dinner

Day 7: Goodbye Yellowstone, hello Grand Teton National Park

Memories of Yellowstone vacations loom large as we leave it behind for a journey south to Grand Teton National Park, a showcase of picture-perfect snow-covered mountains the way you might have imagined they would look. The youngest mountain range in the Rockies, the Tetons tower above Jackson Hole with craggy peaks, rugged canyons and glacial lakes... undulating valleys, carpeted by sagebrush, cottonwood and aspens... rivers and ponds that provide homes for beaver, coyotes, moose, swans, eagles and more... and flat floors that invite bison and pronghorn to hoof it in view of the Culturious. Explore Jenny Lake, the “Three Sisters” and Mount Moran. Your late afternoon arrival at Jackson Lake Lodge allows you to take in vistas of the Tetons at dusk, from the 60-foot picture windows in the upper lobby... and the views you'll enjoy during dinner at the Lodge are pretty spectacular, too!

Lodging: Jackson Lake Lodge

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8: Time as you please and biking in the Tetons

The entire morning is yours to enjoy as you wish in Grand Teton National Park; there are lots of optional activites (including hiking, fly fishing, horseback riding and more) to engage in at additional cost, or you may want to simply relax by the pool. After lunch at the rustic Hatchet Lodge, a leisurely, guided bicycle ride across along the new Teton Mountain Trail increases your appreciation of the history and scenic splendor of Grand Teton National Park; watch for bison, pronghorn and other wildlife as you marvel at the grandeur around you. Join us this evening for a farewell cocktail reception and dinner at the Jackson Lake Lodge as one of Tauck's most popular Grand Teton / Yellowstone vacations ends.

Lodging: Jackson Lake Lodge

Breakfast, Dinner

Day 9: Journey home or extend your stay

Tour ends: Jackson. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from the Jackson Lake Lodge to Jackson Hole Airport for your flight home. You should allow a minimum of two hours for flight check-in.

Breakfast

Your Tauck Tour Highlights

Filmed vignettes by Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan that tell inside stories of the national parks
Trip named to National Geographic Traveler magazine’s 50 Tours of a Lifetime
Immersing in a geological wonderland during three nights in Yellowstone National Park
Zooming in on the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone during a hike with an expert guide
Learning about the grizzlies and wolves of Yellowstone
Lecture by wildlife cinematographer Bob Landis
Gaining insights on wildlife conservation at the Murie Center
Whitewater rafting down the Snake River
Biking & hiking in the Tetons; saddling up for a trail ride on a working cattle ranch
Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted
19 meals, service charges, gratuities to local guides, admission fees, taxes and porterage

Your Hotels....

Nights 1 - 2 : The Wort Hotel - Jackson, Wyoming

Tauck Guests enjoy complimentary Internet access in guest rooms!

Once you arrive, you’ll discover why “Meet me at the Wort” is heard so often in Jackson Hole! Only half a block from the lively town square and surrounded by museums, galleries, restaurants and nightlife, The Wort Hotel is a beloved historic landmark and has long been the place to be in this mountain town. A favorite gathering place at the hotel, the Silver Dollar Bar, was designed and built by a German cabinetmaker using 2,032 uncirculated silver dollars from the Federal Reserve in Denver. A member of Historic Hotels of America and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Wort Hotel was chosen as one of the Top 50 Inns of America by National Geographic Traveler magazine.

Nights 3 - 4 : Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Cabins - Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

A cherished Yellowstone destination since 1937, Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Cabins takes its name from the steaming limestone terraces that lie just above the hotel – it’s the only hotel in Yellowstone National Park that is accessible by automobile in winter. Elk wander the parade grounds of what was once Fort Yellowstone; historic photos of Yellowstone are reminders of the past; and the rustic hotel is in a perfect location for exploring the wildlife-rich Lamar Valley. The main building of the hotel features a decorative lobby, a unique Map Room ideal for reading and relaxing and an activities desk.

Nights 5 - 6 : Old Faithful Snow Lodge - Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Tauck Guests enjoy complimentary Internet access in guest rooms!

Built in 1999, this new park lodge has attracted a lot of notice and praise. It won the "Cody Award" for authentic western design and was named "Inn of the Month" in an issue of Travel + Leisure magazine. Its "parkitecture" includes its heavy timber construction, exterior log columns and a cedar shingle roof, making it right at home with the natural surroundings of the park. Guest rooms are spacious and comfortable, with furnishings and fixtures that reflect creative wildlife and park themes – you won't find TVs, radios or Internet hook-ups here because you'll find great natural entertainment right outside your door. A full service dining room and a quick grill satisfy appetites of all ages.

Nights 7 - 8 : Jackson Lake Lodge - Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

It's hard to sit still here. Everywhere you look, wilderness beckons. See the spectacular Tetons rising out of the sky above the Snake River from the huge picture windows 60 feet tall in the main lodge. Gaze across the shimmering lake and spy glimpses of wildlife ambling near the shore as you sit down to eat in the Mural Room. Or peer through your handy binoculars – a must for "up-close" viewing of mountain slopes dotted with wildflowers – while you are enjoying the only swimming pool in Grand Teton National Park. Set in the heart of the park, the Lodge offers all kinds of outdoor activities, including horseback riding, float trips and boat excursions. So when you're not off exploring postcard-perfect sights near the Lodge like Jenny Lake and the wildlife-rich Snake River with Tauck, you're free to enjoy your stay as you like.

Tour Only Cost: All prices quoted below are per adult person, per tour in British Pounds (GBP)

Departure Dates

Single Twin/Double Triple Quad
2015: All departures in 2015 £3349 £2632 £2420 Please call us
2016: All departures in 2016 £3683 £2894 £2705 Please call us

 

Not included in your tour cost:
Flights – we can package your tour with flights at very competitive airfares using our airline partners. Please call us to discuss the best airline for your itinerary.
Pre or post accommodation - If you want to extend your stay at the start or the end of your escorted tour or add another destination to your booking please call us and we will be happy to provide a quote.
Meals, other than those listed in the itinerary.
The customary gratuities for the Tour Director and local drivers are not included.
 
FAQs:
There are many questions and considerations you might have when planning an escorted tour with Tauck. For more information please click here.
 
To book your travel arrangements:
Please call us on Freephone 0800 0336 335, We are open 7 days a week.
We will be happy to check the availability of your tour, offer a quote for flights and any pre or post nights you would like to add.
When you are ready to go ahead with the booking, we would require a non-refundable deposit of 20% or the full balance if you are due to travel within 8 weeks.