Winter Wildlife in Yellowstone

Experience Yellowstone in all of its magnificent glory during a 6-day expedition with National Geographic. Winter is the perfect time to see some of the National Park’s most majestic wildlife including bison, elks, black bears, Canada lynx, coyotes and grizzly bears. Enjoy Yellowstone’s magnificent scenery as you head out with a famed National Geographic photographer and stay in some of the region’s most charming lodges.

Trip highlights

Learn about a National Geographic-supported study on the reintroduction of wolves to the park, and seek out these elusive creatures on a safari in the sweeping Lamar Valley.

Meet a renowned wildlife photographer, and hear about his career shooting for National Geographic.

Explore the remote reaches of Yellowstone in heated snow coaches, and see famous sites like Old Faithful without the crowds.

Itinerary - 6 Days

1 Bozeman, Montana/Gardiner

Travel from Bozeman to our hotel just outside Yellowstone National Park. Gather this evening for a welcome reception and dinner.
Best Western Plus by Mammoth Hot Springs (D)

2 Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming/Lamar Valley

Head to the open, rolling meadows and wide vistas of the Lamar Valley, where grey wolves were first reintroduced to Yellowstone in 1995. Using a spotting scope, search among herds of elk and bison for coyotes, eagles, and the elusive wolf. After lunch, we meet a renowned wildlife photographer in his home studio where he shares his experiences shooting for National Geographic.
Continue to Mammoth Hot Springs, and stroll the steaming, travertine terraces outlined in pure white snow.
Best Western Plus by Mammoth Hot Springs (B/L/D)

3-4 Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone/Old Faithful

Travel by private snow coach to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Walk to the rim of the spectacular gorge to see its thundering waterfall and the ice arch that forms from the spray. Then continue to Old Faithful to explore a dramatic landscape of erupting geysers, frozen waterfalls, and gem-coloured mineral pools. Keep an eye out for wildlife—bison, encrusted in ice, often stand in the pools for warmth. After dark, step outside to admire the incredible canopy of stars in one of the world’s best constellation-viewing spots.
Old Faithful Snow Lodge (B/L/D)

5 Yellowstone/Big Sky, Montana

This morning wander amid the bubbling mud pots and fumaroles of the Upper Geyser Basin. After visiting the whimsical Fountain Paint Pot, leave the park via the West Yellowstone gate. Travel to Big Sky, Montana and settle into a log cabin lodge. Celebrate your winter adventure in Yellowstone at a farewell dinner.
Rainbow Ranch or Lone Mountain Ranch (B/L/D)