geyser

Our Tours

Yellowstone is home to the largest active geyser field in the world. It’s also home to the most famous geyser—Old Faithful. And there is so much more to see and explore, including hundreds of colorful hot springs and pools, such as the Grand Prismatic Hot Spring. It’s larger than a football field and the third largest hot spring in the world.  

Yellowstone National Park is also home to more wildlife than nearly any other locale in the U.S. That said, it is not a zoo, as visitors are likely to see fauna freely roaming their natural habitat. And the list of creatures is extraordinary: grizzly bears, gray wolves, bald eagles, golden eagles, elk , pronghorns, trumpeter swans, moose, the world’s largest wild bison herd, and more.

Experience the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone where visitors can view the pink and yellow canyon walls that form the sides of Yellowstone’s two tallest waterfalls. Just how inspiring are they? An overlook of the Lower Falls has long been called Artist Point.

View Itineraries

Tour Services Offered

Our tours are customized around the interests of your group. Whether you are a family with small children, a group of friends ready for an adventure, or simply would like to enjoy the scenic drive, our experienced guides customize an itinerary that shows you the wonders of Yellowstone, the world's first National Park. We offer customized private tours, in luxury transit high-top vans. Our professional and licensed tour guides provide door-to-door service and picnic lunches.  

Sample Tour Itinearies

North Loop Tour

This is our off-the-beaten-path tour of the park. With fewer thermal features than the South Loop and more wildlife than your cameras memory card can handle, this less popular tour is the quiet masterpiece of your Yellowstone playlist.

 

South Loop Tour

This is our classic Yellowstone National Park tour. Thermal features, boardwalks, bison, Old Faithful, and much more. Let us show you the highlights throughout Yellowstone's South Loop, as well as the many hidden gems.

Start From Big Sky

Our day starts at the front door of your place of lodging. We will make our way down the Gallatin Canyon enroute to West Yellowstone, a one-hour drive south where the official entrance to the park is located. Introductions will take place and even the possible sightings of bear, moose, elk, and various other wildlife and geographical features.

Start from West Yellowstone

Our day will begin at the front door of your place of lodging. Simple introductions will take place as we make our way to the West Entrance of the park.

The Park Entrance

In West Yellowstone, a bathroom and coffee break is prompted for those that wish. Shortly after we will go through the West Entrance of the park where our entrance fees will be paid and the collection of maps, newspapers, and excitement for our day in the park begins.

Madison Junction

The first 14-mile one way, out and back drive is a scenic entrance to the park where the first sightings of wildlife take place. It is not uncommon to see elk and bison along this section as the Madison River slithers its way adjacent to the road, guiding us to the start of the Northern Loop.

Mammoth Terrace Hot Springs

To start the North Loop, our excursion begins with a thirty-minute drive straight north from the

Madison Junction. On the way, the drive takes us to Swan Lake Flat where views of the Gallatin Range to the west paints the landscape with bison, elk, and potentially a bear sighting in the sage and alpine environment. The binoculars and spotting scopes are the name of the game up north and here is a great start to getting familiar with that equipment.

Shortly after begins our descent down the boardwalk of the only thermal feature of the day, the Travertine Terrace Hot Springs. It is best to do this hot spring in the early hours of the day as the daytime highs in summer months can reach the high 80's and even 90's. But at the bottom, a gift shop, snack stop, and bathroom break ensue before our wildlife tour begins.

Tower-Roosevelt Junction

With the touristed and populated stop of Mammoth in our rearview mirror, our front windshield shines light on the signature of the north, wide open vistas. The trees slowly fade, and huge landscapes host the vast majority of wildlife in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Allow us to do the driving while you look out the window and gaze at the natural beauty of the park. The beauty of the northern section of the park cannot be understated.

Lamar Valley

Following the Lamar River into the valley's namesake, the overwhelming sense of bison roaming the landscape engulfs your vision. It isn't far-fetched to dream up dinosaurs roaming the landscape. A stop is a must along the valley as all species of Yellowstone's wildlife call it home. Wolves frequent this area, grizzly bears forage in the upper meadows, and elk bugle in the distance. Without question, the Lamar Valley is the North Loop's crown jewel.

Lunch is set somewhere incredibly beautiful to your liking where bears and mountain goats often halt lunch proceedings. Lunch is served with local deli made sandwiches, freshly baked cookies, and a cold beverage. All with the heightened and incredible scenery of wind blowing through the trees and the snow-capped peaks of the Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Dunraven Pass

In route, we will retrace our steps back through the Lamar Valley, doubling our chances of seeing Yellowstone's precious wildlife. Once back at Tower Roosevelt Junction, we will begin our highaltitude scenic drive-up Dunraven Pass near Mt. Washburn, one of Yellowstone's many 10,000-foot peaks. With sweeping views of where we just came, this is a great place to take a family photo or simply sit in the grass and gaze in wonder.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River

Though it may be a younger and smaller sibling to the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, Yellowstone's Lower Falls demand an equal amount of respect. Coming in at 308 feet tall, nearly twice the height of New York's Niagara Falls, the Lower Falls of Yellowstone and its Grand Canyon is a fantastic finale to our day with sweeping views for a family photo. Shortly after is a gift shop and bathroom break to acquire any last-minute snacks and memories to remember your trip by as we slowly drive back to West Yellowstone.

Start from Big Sky

Our day starts at the front door of your place of lodging. We will make our way down the Gallatin Canyon enroute to West Yellowstone, a one-hour drive south where the official entrance to the park is located. Introductions will take place and even the possible sightings of bear, moose, elk, and various other wildlife and geographical features.

Start from West Yellowstone

Our day will begin at the front door of your place of lodging. Simple introductions will take place as we make our way to the West Entrance of the park.

The Park Entrance

In West Yellowstone, a bathroom and coffee break is prompted for those that wish. Shortly after we will go through the West Entrance of the park where the entrance fees will be paid and the collection of maps, newspapers, and excitement for our day in the park begins.

Madison Junction

The first 14-mile one way, out and back drive is a scenic entrance to the park where the first sightings of wildlife take place. It is not uncommon to see elk and bison along this section as the Madison River slithers its way adjacent to the road, guiding us to the start of the Southern Loop.

Old Faithful & Grand Prismatic

At our first stop sign, we make our way counterclockwise along the southern loop. Here begins our journey through geologic time and the sightings of our first thermal features of the day. The first being the famous and ever colorful Grand Prismatic Hot Spring. Your guide will walk the adjacent boardwalk to the hot spring, educating you on the feature and answering any questions you may have.

The 15-20 minute boardwalk will loop us back to the car where we will then make our way to the infamous Old faithful Geyser, Yellowstone National Park's signature move. This is a great place to witness the incredible geyser that erupts on a 90 minute interval where between eruptions we can use the bathroom, grab a snack, and enjoy the gift shops and Visitor center.

West Thumb

With the infamous geyser now in our rearview, we embark on a drive up and over the Continental Divide enroute to West Thumb and Yellowstone Lake. Passing elevations of 8,000 feet, the views are extraordinary as we see the extent of Yellowstone's super volcanic past.

Yellowstone Lake

We drop to the shores of Yellowstone Lake. North America's largest high elevation lake with 141 miles of shoreline. With waters cool with snowmelt from winter and mountainous views in every direction, the shores beg for a dip of the toes in its icy waters and a picnic. Lunch is served with local deli made sandwiches, freshly baked cookies, and a cold beverage of your liking. All with the heightened and incredible scenery of wind blowing through the trees, water lapping up along the shore, and the silence of the Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Hayden Valley

The post lunch energy drop is quickly halted with a stop at the mud volcano. The wafts of sulfur in the air from the stinky thermal feature will wake even the groggiest of guests and gives us all a much-needed energy boost for a highlight up ahead. The Hayden Valley is infamous for its bison and even wolf activity. Though we of course cannot promise any wildlife encounters, it isn't uncommon to have bison walking the road directly in front of our tour vehicle. A fantastic place to take photographs of wildlife with our guides ensuring you and the animals safety.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River

Though it may be a younger and smaller sibling to the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, Yellowstone's Lower Falls demand an equal amount of respect. Coming in at 308 feet tall, nearly twice the height of New York's Niagara Falls, the Lower Falls of Yellowstone and its Grand Canyon is a fantastic finale to our day with sweeping views for a family photo. Shortly after is a gift shop and bathroom break to acquire any last-minute snacks and memories to remember your trip by as we slowly drive back to West Yellowstone.

If you ever dreamed of seeing Yellowstone without sharing it with thousands of other people, this is the tour for you. Often is the case that a winter tour traffic jam in the park is only caused by a herd of bison, not a line of cars. What the park lacks in humans it more than makes up for in complete solitude and silence. The quiet and magical landscapes of winter in the park can’t be emphasized enough.

 

Start From Big Sky

We will greet you at your place of lodging and drive north through the Gallatin Canyon and wind our way along the Gallatin River. Introductions will take place and the tour begins. We often see bald eagles and bighorn sheep enroute to Bozeman and will happily stop when safe to do so to admire these winter dwellers of the area.

If desired, we will stop and use the restroom as well as get a cup of coffee upon our arrival to Bozeman. It is also often the case that if you are dwelling in Big Sky, that we can meet you here instead. This gives both the tour guide and most importantly our guests a chance to cut down on driving and allow you to grocery shop or go out to dinner after the tour as Big Sky often has limitations to both. There is a place to safely park your car for the day.

 

Start From Bozeman

We will pick you up from your place of lodging and begin our tour heading through the town of Bozeman and over to the Paradise Valley. Introductions take place and the tour begins. It is here where we are greeted by the mighty Yellowstone River and will follow it to its source in Yellowstone National Park. Often is the case that we see elk herds in the fields and many birds of prey flying overheard enroute to the park.

 

Start from Gardiner

For a winter tour in Yellowstone, this is the prime destination for lodging as we can maximize the amount of time in the park without the backbreaking agony of long drives to and from. We will pick you up at your place of lodging and introductions will take place. Our tour will begin by driving under the infamous Roosevelt Arch and enter through the north gate of Yellowstone National Park. From the moment you get in our vehicle, the wildlife viewing begins.

 

Mammoth Terrace Hot Springs

About ten minutes of driving into the park, we come to our first stop, the Mammoth Terrace Hot Springs. It will be the only thermal feature of the day, and the boardwalks offer stunning views and close interactions with this unique geothermal feature. It welcomes a wonderful stretch of the legs after the drive to the park and a bathroom nearby is the greatest welcome to start our day.

 

Tower-Roosevelt Junction

After the wonderful stop at Mammoth now in our rearview mirror, our front windshield shines light on the signature of the north - wide open vistas and abundant wildlife. The trees slowly fade and the huge landscapes host the vast majority of wildlife in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Allow us to do the driving while you look out the window and gaze in wonderment at the natural beauty of the park. Traffic is almost nonexistent on this section in winter aside from the bison that often frolic right in the middle of the road, in front of the car.

 

Lamar Valley

We cross the Yellowstone River and begin following another river, the Lamar, to the valley of its namesake and the overwhelming sense of bison roaming the landscape engulfs your vision. It isn’t far-fetched to dream up dinosaurs roaming the landscape for how vast and prehistoric it appears. A stop is a must along the valley as all species of Yellowstone’s wildlife call it home. Wolves frequent this area and elk can be heard bugling in the distance. Without question, the Lamar Valley is the crown jewel of the park, despite the season.

Lunch is set somewhere in this incredible valley often with wildlife to watch while we fill our stomachs. Lunch is served with local deli made sandwiches that you chose online along with fresh baked cookies, a bag of chips, and a cold beverage. All with the heightened and incredible scenery of wind blowing through the trees and mountainous landscapes dominating the views.

 

Return

After lunch, we begin our slow drive back out of the park, retracing our steps. After a mandatory stop at the Albright Visitor Center for bathroom break and even a snack or souvenir purchase to acquire any last memories from the day, we head out of the park and back to your place of lodging.

At Yellowstone Luxury Tours, we understand that your day with us in the park is only a small part of a larger trip. There are a litany of other activities that the area inspires and we want you to capitalize on that with your time in Southwest Montana. Therefore, we are now offering half-day tours within Yellowstone National Park which allows us to still show you the main sites and attractions while also getting you back to your place of lodging early enough to capitalize on other activities outside of Yellowstone.

 

West Entrance

We will greet you at your place of lodging and introductions will take place. Right as you enter the vehicle, wildlife can be instantly spotted. We often see bald eagles, pronghorn, deer, and bison. Arriving in West Yellowstone, we can stop for coffee, a bathroom break or a quick souvenir shop before entering the park.

From here, given our time frame, we have two options we can offer: We can go and explore the famous geyser of Old Faithful, or we can have our jaws dropped by the magical Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Given the opposite sides of the park they sit from each other, it is not possible to explore both on a half day tour. So, a decision needs to be made. Once there, we admire the spectacle and return slowly back the same way we came to your place of lodging, enjoying any wildlife that present themselves.

 

North Entrance

We will greet you at your place of lodging and introductions will take place. Right as you enter the vehicle, wildlife can be instantly spotted. It is not uncommon to see elk, pronghorn, osprey and even bald eagles before entering the park. We will drive under the infamous Roosevelt Arch and head into the park for our first stop at Mammoth Terrace Hot Springs.

We will get out and do a quick boardwalk hike before loading back in the car and heading towards the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Once there, we admire the huge canyon and waterfall then slowly head back to your place of lodging. Both to and from these locations we will admire wildlife and use the restroom.

 

Summation

These are just samples of what a half-day tour can comprise. As with our full day tours, each one is customizable to your liking. We can explore one spot in great detail or simply drive and enjoy wildlife for the half day instead of going to the features. These are just examples. We offer a lunch with half day tours and complimentary beverages such as bottled water, soda, and sparkling water.

Please note that the North and South Loop Itineraries presented are samples. No matter your location of lodging outside of West Yellowstone and Big Sky, we will pick you up and still enjoy these locations and features that you desire—just in a different order. For our sample itineraries, we have noted start locations in West Yellowstone and Big Sky.

Each tour is customizable, as many features of the park are not listed here. Your tour is yours to cherish and we want to make that as special as possible for you, your family, friends and loved ones to remember forever.