Wild Yellowstone Escape

A very important feature of this wildlife safari is the small group size and exceptional guide-to-guest ratio. A low-impact presence is essential for a quieter, more intimate experience of nature and wildlife. Traveling in Nat Hab's specialty North America Safari Cruisers, the group travels with a highly qualified Expedition Leader, ensuring a light impact and personalized interpretive experience.

Accommodations, meals from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on final day, drinking water throughout the trip, services of Nat Hab Expedition Leader, airport transfer on Day 1 and final day, some gratuities, all permits, entrance fees and taxes.

Travel to and from start and end points of trip, alcoholic beverages, some gratuities, passport and visa fees, optional activities, items of a personal nature (phone calls, souvenirs, etc.), airline baggage fees, airport and departure taxes, optional travel insurance.

Easy to Moderate
This adventure does not require a high degree of physical fitness; however, in order to get the most out of your experience, you must be able to walk at least one mile unassisted on dirt trails with potentially uneven terrain and inclines, and possibly muddy or slippery surfaces, at altitudes of up to 8,400 feet above sea level. In order to view Old Faithful, you must be able to walk 300 yards over gently sloping pavement and boardwalk. To explore Yellowstone’s geothermal basins, you must be able to walk at least one mile over boardwalk, dirt trails and undulating paved paths. Depending on the location of wildlife, each day may bring several opportunities for short walks ranging from 300 yards to one mile, sometimes on well-maintained trails or pavement, sometimes on rough, uneven terrain with some inclines. Depending on our schedule and wildlife viewing, there may be an opportunity for active guests to hike up to five miles. Due to the altitude and terrain, hikes are considered moderate in terms of physical exertion. However, a fair amount of our wildlife viewing takes place from our vehicles that are selected to enhance observation opportunities. Our days generally start quite early, often before sunrise, when wildlife viewing is at its best and other visitors are at a minimum. We stress that all activities are optional.

While the Lamar Valley and Yellowstone National Park offer some of the best opportunities to see wolves in the wild, the animals are still  elusive and generally do not come within close range of humans. Since our trip offers a totally natural, uncontrived experience, most wolf viewing is done at a distance through spotting scopes. We are thus able to watch the packs go about their normal behavior uninfluenced by the presence of humans. It is important to understand that it is extremely difficult to see wolves without the use of a spotting scope (which Nat Hab provides). Often, the best way to get wolf photos is with a cell phone camera through a spotting scope. Your Expedition Leader will help you with this technique, called “digiscoping.” While a long lens is a must for photographers, even then, we can't guarantee excellent shots of wolves. However, we are likely to see plenty of the region’s other iconic species at closer range, and the sheer beauty and grandeur of the landscape provides magnificent nature imagery.

Our Expedition Leaders, who know the Greater Yellowstone region intimately, are adept at getting our groups to less-visited areas away from crowds. But of course, Yellowstone is a very popular destination, so be prepared for a fair amount of company no matter when you travel. We operate this Rocky Mountain safari in a manner similar to our African safaris: visiting prime wildlife locations in the early morning when viewing opportunities are best and most visitors are still asleep.

Arrival: Arrive in Bozeman, Montana by 4 pm in order to attend a welcome dinner beginning at 6 pm on Day 1.
Please note that those arriving on Day 1 before 1 pm may join an optional visit to Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman with one of our Expedition Leaders prior to the welcome dinner.
Departure: You may depart Bozeman, Montana any time after 12 pm on the final day.