Yellowstone Wildlife Trails - Camping

Welcome to Seattle, Washington. You’re in a city that oozes cool, from sophisticated coffee shops to endless markets, not forgetting the iconic Space Needle. From here, gaze across the beautiful Puget Sound and, on a clear day, view Mount Rainier. Spend your afternoon sampling local specialties and people watching at Pike Place Market before heading to the start hotel for a welcome meeting at 6pm. Optional activities: Space Needle: US$22-US$29 Accommodation: SureStay by Best Western Seatac North (or similar)

Have one last Seattle coffee moment before heading out of Washington state to the lakeside city of Coeur d’Alene. Swimming, walking and enjoying the sunset with a glass of fizz are all perfect ways to complete your first day in Idaho. Don’t forget to pack your swimwear as the lake makes for a great place to cool off. Take a refreshing dip in secluded spots around the lake, but remember, it can be quite cold! Participatory camping: Lake Coeur d’Alene Campground (or similar)

Continue through the mountains of Montana to Glacier National Park, where we spend the next two nights exploring this immense landscape. Keep your eyes peeled for deer and bears, plus stunning scenery and glacial lakes. The leader takes us to West Glacier, where we board the Going-to-the-Sun Road shuttle bus (seasonal). Please note, the National Park Service regulates guided hikes in Glacier. Tomorrow, you are led by a national park guide but on other days your tour leader is not permitted to walk with you on trails. They will, however, provide detailed briefings, directions, maps and transportation. Participatory camping: Johnson’s at St Mary (or similar)

Spend the day exploring the ins and outs of this superb park with a Glacier National Park wilderness guide. Your guide helps spot some of the huge variety of animal species for which this park is renowned, including grizzly bears, wolverines and lynx. Bighorn sheep, mountain goats and coyotes are also common, so keep your camera to hand! If conditions are right, your guide takes you on the Iceberg Lake or Hidden Lake Trail for dramatic mountain scenes, wildflowers and a glaciated lake that will take your breath away. This is a day to remember. Participatory camping: Johnson’s at St Mary (or similar)

Spend another full day exploring Glacier National Park. Participatory camping: Johnson’s at St Mary (or similar)

An early start sees you on the road, heading to the fabled grounds of Yellowstone, the number one national park in the US. As soon as you arrive, you’re immersed in a mixture of striking scenery, where jagged peaks morph into flower-strewn meadows and rolling hillsides quickly become absorbed by solidified lava flows. This afternoon’s walk introduces you to the wildlife and landscapes of Yellowstone. Participatory camping: Gardiner Yellowstone RV Park (or similar)

Today you’ll encounter the amazing array of geothermal features in Yellowstone, including mud pools, hot springs and steaming fumaroles. The park is famous for its volcanic history and there are estimated to be around 10,000 thermal features – nowhere else on earth can boast Yellowstone’s concentration of geysers, which are scattered among several distinct geyser basins. Benefit from the enthusiasm and knowledge of a local geologist who will no doubt enable you to learn more as you walk from one seismic hotspot to the next. Participatory camping: Gardiner Yellowstone RV Park (or similar)

Last night, you may have heard a far-off howl emanating from the mountains and today you’ll get to learn all about the wolf packs that sing these nocturnal greetings. You’ll spend a full day with a specialist wolf-tracking guide, venturing into the wilderness by foot and by vehicle to learn about these extraordinary animals. Your guide explains how wolves live and hunt together in Yellowstone and how the pack hierarchy works. You may not always be lucky enough to see wolves, but this is our aim and at the same time you’re likely to see numerous other wildlife species. Participatory camping: Gardiner Yellowstone RV Park (or similar)

Even though this is your last day in Yellowstone, there’s still plenty of time to enjoy the wildlife, landscapes and geothermal activity away from the usual tourist sites. As you leave the crowds, you’re treated to a hike to the Upper Falls and Lower Falls, the latter of which has the highest volume of water in the American Rockies and is almost twice as high as Niagara. You also visit Mammoth Hot Springs, which have an otherworldly feel. Participatory camping: Gardiner Yellowstone RV Park (or similar)

Today, we leave Yellowstone but there is no let-up with the incredible landscapes. As you enter the realms of the mighty Tetons, you’ll be in the presence of formidable giants – the drama unfolding almost instantly after crossing the border into Grand Teton National Park. An optional ferry journey across Jenny Lake takes you to the start of a climb to Inspiration Point where you can catch your breath and take in scintillating views. You have the option of following the river and continuing further on your hike in the hopes of spotting moose, which are common on this trail. Next stop is Jackson Hole, one of the premier ski resorts in Wyoming and a haven for walkers and lovers of the great outdoors. Take a short walk to Rock Springs Overlook and opt for an incredibly scenic aerial tram ride. Optional activities: Bar T 5 Covered Wagon Cookout & Show: US$65 Aerial tram: US$23 Western saloons: Price varies Participatory camping: Snake River KOA (or similar)

Using all the knowledge and hiking expertise you’ve garnered throughout your time in the US, you can undertake a self-guided hike to numerous scenic spots, which your tour leader explains to you. The park is perfect for seeing those all-important, breathtaking vistas and with excellent views of the Tetons as well as the chance to spot bison, moose, elk and deer, this is one of the best areas to make the most of the great outdoors. As the sun goes down, you’ll no doubt look back over the previous 11 days as some of the most worthwhile and fulfilling times you’ve ever had. Please note, the National Park Service regulates guided hikes in Grand Teton National Park and it is not possible for your leader to accompany you today. Optional activities: Ferry across Jenny Lake: US$15 Participatory camping:  Snake River KOA (or similar)

Enjoy free time exploring Jackson this morning before transferring to the base of the Wasatch Mountains and the urban delights of Salt Lake City, Utah. The tour ends at our partner hotel at approximately 5pm. We can book you post-tour accommodation at our partner hotel if required. If you are planning to fly tonight, please do not book a flight that departs before 9pm.