Top 16 Yellowstone Tours

Yellowstone National Park is one of the major attractions in the USA, with immense diversity in landscape features and natural beauty. You will be simply amazed by nature’s bounty here — the spellbinding mountain rivers, green forests, huge lakes, mud pools, geothermal springs in varying colors, surreal landscapes with spouting geysers, fumaroles, etc.  

You also cannot miss its breathtaking rocky canyon. Wildlife that abounds in the place is also stunning. The beautiful place is diverse and extremely vast and hence exploring it is not as easy as you would think. This is why different kinds of Yellowstone tours are arranged to explore and discover its various aspects and areas.  

With a proper plan, exploring this huge stretch of land becomes real fun. There are Yellowstone National Park packages for everyone — from multiday visits to single-day trips, from small-group journeys to private ones. With such arrangements, you have no headache as a visitor — just relax and enjoy the natural splendor that the place offers! 

Full-Day Yellowstone Lower Loop Tour from Jackson, Wyoming 

The full-day Lower Loop tour from Jackson, Wyoming, is among the most prominent here. It covers many outstanding and incredible aspects of the park.  

In fact, most of its highlights are covered in this trip, including Old Faithful, Hayden Valley, Fountain Paint Pots, Yellowstone Grand Canyon, Continental Divide, Mud Volcano, and Yellowstone Lake.  

Explore the cone geyser and the amazing hot springs in the area. The mud pot area is nature’s wonder — an interesting place to see as there are differently colored muds in red, brown, and yellow, presenting a picturesque sight.  

You can hire a guide for understanding the place better. Car rentals are also available if you are looking for a comfortable journey.  

Welcome to Yellowstone

Yellowstone National Park Private Tours 

It is quite evident from the name that these are private expeditions for discovering and exploring Yellowstone. This mainly covers almost the same itinerary as the Lower Loop exploration. Almost all the major landmarks are covered in this one-day visit.  

The only thing is that this is a private visit with just your family or close friends. Private expeditions are expensive when compared to single, general, or couple tours. When moving in a group, it’s a good idea to opt for a private guide.  

Some highlights of this package include Yellowstone Grand Canyon, Old Faithful including Old Faithful Inn, Wyoming, Grand Prismatic Hot Spring, Yellowstone Lake, Hayden Valley, wildlife sighting, etc.  

Old Faithful Snow Coach Tour 

It is evident from the name itself that the Old Faithful snow coach adventure is conducted during the winters. If you intend to visit this place in winter, don’t miss this amazing opportunity. The coach will take you on a visit to Old Faithful.  

Other interesting features of this area include breathtaking views of waterfalls, Moose Falls, etc. These cascades have an especially amazing appeal during the winter months. The roads remain covered in ice during the cold season, and driving through them is an adventurous experience for sure.  

Specially designed wheels of the coach help in driving through the white wilderness smoothly. Breakfast and lunch are included in the trip, which is a matter of great convenience.  

Mattrack Snow Coach

Yellowstone National Park: Lewis Lake Fishing Trip 

Have you ever had the experience of catching a trout in a freshwater body? If you haven’t, don’t miss this golden opportunity while on a visit here. Lake Lewis is one of the best spots for enjoying fishing at the place.  

During this fishing trip, you can enjoy some excellent time on a motorized drift boat or even a paddleboat. All necessary guidance and equipment are made available so that your fishing trip becomes a memorable experience.  

If you don’t want to fish, you can still enjoy the natural beauty of the lake. Rafting is also arranged sometimes.  

Fishing the west side of Lewis Lake

Scenic Float on the Yellowstone River 

If you are visiting your family while visiting the Yellowstone National Park, you can definitely enjoy a scenic float on the Yellowstone River. The float is generally enjoyed on an inflatable raft.  

Generally, a professional guide helps explain the natural scenic splendor and beauty around the river. This scenic float is almost two to three hours long.  

You will be able to see a different side of the place from the river and its beautiful surroundings. The Gallatin Mountains are a great attraction here. Rafting is also practiced at these spots.  

Yellowstone National Park: 2-Day Guided Tour with Lunches 

This is one of the most popular Yellowstone tours. During this one, you will be able to spend a night at the popular Chico Hot Springs Resort, which was constructed way back in 1898. The hotel has historical significance. It has a pool that is heated by natural hot springs.  

This tour is two days long, and both Upper and Lower loops are covered in it. As a result, you can discover the beauty of the place well with abundant time in hand. Short hikes can be taken to the Grand Canyon and the geyser basins.  

Along with exploring other natural features of Yellowstone, you can also visit some amazing spots like the boiling river and Gibbon Falls. Touring the park will give you experiences that you can treasure for a lifetime! 

Multiday Yellowstone Snowmobile Tour 

Multiday Snowmobile tours are a favorite with visitors during the winters. The entire place turns into a beauty, a kind of winter wonderland, and these expeditions help one explore the area in freezing cold.  

Even as everything is covered in a thick blanket of white, you can spot wild animals in abundance. Skies are usually clear during the winters, and there are 10,000 hydrothermal features in sharp contrast to the icy background.  

Snowmobiling is a safe and comfortable way of exploring the place during the harsh winter months. You can view scenic vistas, magnificent geysers, hot pools, waterfalls, etc., for which this place is so popular.  

Guided snowmobile group on the West Entrance Road

Yellowstone & Grand Teton Summer Wildlife Tour 

Yellowstone and Grand Teton Summer wildlife safari focuses on wildlife sightings in both these national parks. This journey spans two days. The first spotting of animals is at the Grand Teton National Park, where you can catch glimpses of fauna like elk, grizzly bear, bison, moose, coyote, eagle, wolf, black bears, etc.  

The Upper and Lower Falls of Yellowstone are then covered before proceeding to the Upper Loop of Yellowstone for more wildlife viewing. The evening is spent in Lamar Valley, which is also known as ‘The American Serengeti’.  

Wolves, grizzlies, and bison are major attractions in the Valley. Other things to explore at the spot are the geyser basins, Old Faithful and Mammoth Hot Springs. So, discover these to your sheer delight! 

Grandtetonnational park59887215.jpg
By Chascar – https://www.flickr.com/photos/chascar/59887215/, CC BY 2.0, Link

Self-Guided Yellowstone Lower Loop Tour from Gardiner 

If you want to check out and discover the exquisite scenic beauty of this place in Wyoming, this is the perfect option for you. Along with scenic splendor, you can also see all the flora and fauna that are at home here.  

While covering the Lower Loop, it is recommended to take a guide with you so that he can explain the details about the place, various spots, its history, geology, ecology, etc.  

On the lower loop tour from Gardiner, you can explore attractions like castle geysers and the Grand Canyon. You will be amazed by the beauty that the place offers. Capture memories in your heart and in your camera to last for a lifetime.  

3-Day Bear and Wolf Safari 

The 3-day beer and wolf safari is among the prominent wildlife safaris that are available at the place. With the help of an experienced guide, you will be able to study, track and photograph wolves, bears, and the wide varieties of beauty – the flora and fauna here.  

You will be able to see how these predators survive in their natural habitat and also develop an understanding of the ecology, nature, geology, and history of the Greater Yellowstone area. The guide also helps in teaching the basics of spotting animals and tracking them.  

Landmarks of the National Park like Old Faithful, Yellowstone Lake, Mammoth Hot Springs, and many waterfalls are also covered in the trip.  

Wolf portrait taken from a vehicle in a pullout

Yellowstone to Mount Rushmore Tour 

Many visitors plan to travel from Yellowstone to Mount Rushmore. It is recommended to visit Mt. Rushmore National Monument in the morning and again in the evening as the place looks absolutely different at both times.  

The world-famous monument has the sculpted faces of four American Presidents, namely, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.  

A light show is arranged during the evening where the sculptures are lit up and look amazingly beautiful. Crazy Horse Memorial is another attraction in Mount Rushmore. This is a patriotic site, and the spot attracts millions of visitors annually.  

Mt. Rushmore Closeup

Yellowstone Winter Wolf Tour 

One of the most popular Yellowstone tours, the winter wolf tour, is conducted spanning different time intervals. On this one, you will be able to witness the beauty of the incredible wolves in their natural habitat.  

Wolves move in packs, and the tour guides have an idea of tracking these packs at the right spots for viewing them. During this tour, you can also travel to Old faithful using a snow coach.  

Unfortunately, the gray wolf population dwindled immensely during the mid-1920s, which impacted the park’s ecological balance. Gray wolves were reintroduced here as an endangered species. Today, their numbers have increased, and wolf watching has become a popular activity among tourists. 

Wolf in Firehole area. Wapiti pack.

7-Day Yellowstone National Park Rocky Mountain Explorer 

Yellowstone tours cover different parts of the National Park, and every sight in the area is awe-inspiring. It is recommended not to restrict yourself to any one particular area. Rather, explore the whole of the place in this amazing 7-day tour.  

You can visit some of the popular spots, including Bryce Canyon, Grand Tetons, and Yellowstone. There are various activities which you can enjoy on this tour and make great memories! 

Kayak Tour on Yellowstone Lake 

Among the adventure activities which you can enjoy here, kayaking on Yellowstone Lake needs a special mention. This tour can be exclusively enjoyed during the summer months.  

On this kayaking journey, you will be able to explore prominent landmarks, including Potts Geyser Basin and West Thumb Geyser Basin, from another angle. And, if luck is on your side, you might be able to spot some wild animals on the grassy shore from your paddle kayak.  

This is a family-friendly activity, and all kinds of kayaking equipment, including paddle boats, are provided by the park only. The tour is inclusive of lunch.   

Kayak lesson on Yellowstone Lake

Yellowstone Bus Tours 

Yellow buses are the main attraction of Yellowstone Bus Tours. Visitors can enjoy guided as well as general photo safaris, wildlife-watching tours, sunset tours, etc. with the bus tours.  

The specialty of these iconic yellow buses is that they have retractable canvas roofs along with panoramic windows. Therefore, sightseeing from the bus is a wonderful experience.  

Nature and animal watching can be done from really close quarters and convenient spots on such journeys. The buses have been upgraded with better facilities and riding in them is comfortable and an experience in itself.   

Classic Tour Bus Yellowstone National Park Wyoming USA.JPG
By WineCountryInn, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

Yellowstone & Grand Teton Winter Adventure 

The winter adventure tour of both these National Parks is one of its kind. We all know that winters are quite harsh in this area, with it fully covered in a beautiful white blanket.  

This assisted tour is generally for four days and three nights. The place is explored in enclosed or heated vehicles. If you want, you can also enjoy a horse-drawn elk-refuge sleigh ride onto National Elk Refuge.  

A snow coach excursion is also a fun activity for witnessing the explosion of Old Faithful geyser. Most importantly, you can spot winter wild animals in abundance at various spots like moose, pronghorn, wolves, bison, elk, bighorn sheep, mule deer, fox, eagles, etc. Explore the mud-pots and fountain paint-pots in the area, too, during the trip.

Grand Teton National Park (8478713991).jpg
By Jeff Gunn, CC BY 2.0, Link

Once you complete your Yellowstone National Park tour, we can vouch that you will be left craving for more. Visitors come to the place umpteen times to explore the scenic splendor that it offers both during summers and winters. So, plan your visit soon!