Compare Yellowstone & the Tetons: American Safari 2021 by Tauck vs Yellowstone Discovery by Insight Vacations

Day 1 Arrive Jackson, Wyoming

Tour begins: 6:00 PM, The Wort Hotel. We’ll meet you at Jackson Hole Airport for an included transfer to The Wort Hotel, starting point for your Tetons and Yellowstone vacation. We invite you to join us for a welcome reception and dinner at your historic hotel in downtown Jackson, rich in Wild West lore.

MEALS : D

LODGING : The Wort Hotel

PORTOFCALL : Jackson, Wyoming

Day 2 Snake River rafting & a taste of ranch life

Embark on a thrilling whitewater rafting trip* on the Snake River this morning, learning more about the sights you’ll see with your naturalist guide. Then, after lunch at your hotel, channel your inner cowboy for an afternoon at Snake River Ranch, a working cattle ranch run by the same family since the 1920s. Take a walking tour through the working parts of this 3,000+ acre ranch, learning what the life of a real American cowboy is all about. Afterwards, enjoy leisure time and dinner in one of the many restaurants Jackson has to offer, all within a short walk from the Wort Hotel.   

 

MEALS : B, L

LODGING : The Wort Hotel

PORTOFCALL : Jackson, Wyoming

Day 3 Welcome to Yellowstone

After breakfast, drive from Jackson to Yellowstone National Park for a naturally inspiring stay in the heart of a thermal wonderland, entering through the South Entrance and continuing to Grant Village and along the western shore of Yellowstone Lake. Walking and hiking are must-do activities on Yellowstone vacations, so get set for zoomed-in outdoor adventures inside America’s first national park. Following lunch at the historic Lake Hotel, you can stretch your legs alongside the tranquil lake before heading out to behold the otherworldly sights and smells of the park’s geothermal wonders. Continue exploring through the beautiful Hayden Valley, and arrive late afternoon at the historic (and recently renovated) Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel for a two-night inside-the-park stay; have dinner at your leisure at the hotel this evening.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Cabins

PORTOFCALL : Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA

Day 4 Bears, wolves & man in the Lamar Valley

Meet nature on her terms today as you discover more of Yellowstone's wonders firsthand. Depart your hotel this morning and head east through the Blacktail Deer Plateau and the Tower Junction area. Next, you'll embark on a wildlife safari in Yellowstone's Lamar Valley and the Northern Range; keep a keen lookout for a peek into the world of local residents – namely bears and wolves. A naturalist guide serves as your safari tracker as you hunt for signs of elk and charismatic carnivores – we’re talking grizzlies and gray wolves here – who may have only recently crossed the path. After a midday stop in the isolated village of Cooke City, visit with Dan Hartman, a local wildlife photographer at his log cabin in the woods – learning about his craft and the complexities of getting ‘the shot’. Then continue your drive back through the Yellowstone wilderness, learning about the habits and habitats of the park’s residents, before heading back to your hotel; have dinner at your leisure at the hotel tonight.

MEALS : B, D

LODGING : Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Cabins

PORTOFCALL : Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA

Day 5 The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

So much of experiencing Yellowstone National Park requires a close-up look at the wild world, and you'll do a lot of that today. Lesser known than its world-famous rival of a similar name, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is one for the record books – and photo album! The best way to appreciate its grandeur and diversity is on foot. Your hike along its trails this morning will reveal the immensity of the canyon and the river below as you stop at various viewpoints, taking you to the brink of the Upper Falls; discussions about conservation, ecology and wildlife enrich your explorations. Journey next to Uncle Tom’s Viewpoint, where you'll walk to Artist Point. After a picnic lunch, continue your travels along the Firehole River to the Fountain Paint Pot, then on to famous Old Faithful Geyser and the Upper Geyser Basin, arriving at Old Faithful Snow Lodge for a two-night stay. Dine tonight at your leisure in the Snow Lodge... to cap a perfect day in Yellowstone.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Old Faithful Snow Lodge

PORTOFCALL : Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA

Day 6 Yellowstone's geysers & time at leisure

Wild and wonderful, Yellowstone is all about nature at her most passionate. She smolders with hot springs, steaming geysers, fumaroles and gurgling mud pots. She’s dressed in majestic mountains, lodgepole forests, trout-spawning streams, rushing waterfalls, green rivers, yawning canyons and rocks exquisitely sculpted with an imaginative hand. She challenges with trails and thrills with animals, like bison, bears and wolves. Today begins with a morning walk with a naturalist guide among the marvels of the Lower Geyser Basin to take in the sights, smells and sounds of this amazing area. From then on, the rest of your day is free to explore the nation's first national park – and the embodiment of "America's Best Idea" – as you wish. You may want to make it a point to watch Old Faithful erupt (like clockwork), or listen to a presentation by a park ranger. After a talk by a historian early this evening, have dinner tonight next door to your lodge at the Old Faithful Inn, a true historic landmark built of lodgepole pine in 1904.

MEALS : B, D

LODGING : Old Faithful Snow Lodge

PORTOFCALL : Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA

Day 7 On to Grand Teton National Park & Biking

Memories of Yellowstone loom large as you leave it behind for a journey south to Grand Teton National Park, a showcase of picture-perfect snow-covered mountains the way you might have imagined they would look. The youngest mountain range in the Rockies, the Tetons tower above Jackson Hole with craggy peaks, rugged canyons and glacial lakes... undulating valleys, carpeted by sagebrush, cottonwood and aspens... rivers and ponds that provide homes for beaver, coyotes, moose, swans, eagles and more... and flat floors that invite bison and pronghorn to hoof it. Explore Jenny Lake, the “Three Sisters” and Mount Moran. After lunch, a leisurely, guided bicycle ride along the new Teton Mountain Trail increases your appreciation of the history and scenic splendor of Grand Teton National Park; watch for bison, pronghorn and other wildlife as you marvel at the grandeur around you. Arriving late afternoon at Jackson Lake Lodge allows you to take in vistas of the Tetons at dusk, from the 60-foot picture windows in the upper lobby... and the views you'll enjoy during dinner at the Lodge are pretty spectacular, too!

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Jackson Lake Lodge

PORTOFCALL : Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA

Day 8 A Day In the Tetons

The entire morning is yours to enjoy as you wish in Grand Teton National Park; there are lots of optional activites (including hiking, fly fishing, horseback riding and more) to engage in at additional cost, or you may want to simply relax by the pool. This afternoon, join your Tauck Director for a visit to a site that figures in the history of the conservation movement in the US. Join us this evening for a farewell cocktail reception and dinner at the Jackson Lake Lodge as one of Tauck's most popular trips draws to a close.

MEALS : B, D

LODGING : Jackson Lake Lodge

PORTOFCALL : Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA

Day 9 Journey home

Tour ends: Jackson. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from the Jackson Lake Lodge to Jackson Hole Airport for your flight home. You should allow a minimum of two hours for flight check-in.

MEALS : B

PORTOFCALL : Jackson, Wyoming

Day 1: Welcome to Bozeman

Arrive in Bozeman, enjoy views of the magnificent Rocky Mountains, and transfer to your hotel. Your time is yours to get to know this charming town. May we suggest, taking a stroll along the friendly Main Street or visiting the Museum of the Rockies? In the evening, join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for a delicious Welcome Dinner.

Day 2: Big Sky, Big Nature Relaxed Start

Wake up at your own pace with a relaxed start in Bozeman before you transfer to Big Sky. Take in the scenery as you drive through high alpine meadows, drop into the rocky Gallatin Canyon and travel alongside the river, under the gaze of the iconic lone peak of Big Sky Mountain. With its wide skies and breath-taking views, Big Sky is a nature lover's paradise and the gateway community to Yellowstone National Park. This afternoon, enjoy an Insight Choice. Choose to take a guided or self-guided hike among the wildflowers, roaring streams and distant snowclad peaks. Alternatively choose to test your archery skills with the Lone Peak as your backdrop.

Day 3: Hello Yellowstone!

Depart Big Sky in the morning and enter the vast wonderland of Yellowstone National Park. The world’s first National Park, Yellowstone spans over 2.2 million acres and is full of natural wonders, geothermal phenomena and diverse, free-roaming wildlife. Spend the morning sightseeing and wildlife spotting in West Yellowstone with your Travel Director, look out for wolves, bear, elk and moose. In the late afternoon join a Local Expert for an after-hours, wildlife sightseeing visit, a unique Insight Experience. Step off the beaten track to learn about bird and animal migration patterns and behavior. Stop for a delicious picnic dinner of local delicacies and wine, and listen to stories of life in and out of the park.

Day 4: Hot Springs and Hiking in Yellowstone Relaxed Start

This morning enjoy a relaxed start before spending the day sightseeing in Yellowstone National Park. Join your Travel Director to explore the Mammoth Hot Springs terraces, one of the major geyser basins in Yellowstone's Lamar Valley. Partake in one of two gentle hikes: the Mammoth Terraces Trail passes many of the most beautiful and historic hot spring terraces of the park and snakes up to a wonderful outlook; the Beaver Ponds Trail rambles through sagebrush meadows, trees and beaver ponds. Keep a look out for wildlife, including a large variety of water birds. The afternoon is yours at leisure. In the evening, enjoy a relaxing dip in the Boiling River Hot Spring, where cold water from the Gardner River mixes with the hot spring to make one of the few official soaking areas in Yellowstone. Don’t forget your bathing suit! (Weather dependent).

Day 5: Yellowstone's Grand Canyon Relaxed Start

This morning relocate to a new area of the park and take a gentle hike along the Ribbon Lake Trail for sweeping views of the Grand Canyon, the Park and its waterfalls, lakes and thermal features. Stop for lunch in Canyon Village and take time to explore the fascinating Canyon Visitor Education Center. Here you can see, hear and learn about the geological history of Yellowstone. In the afternoon, continue sightseeing around the stunning Yellowstone Lake. Head to the Fishing Bridge Visitor Center and Trailside Museum to learn all bout the many bird species that inhabit the park.

Day 6: Yellowstone's Famous Old Faithful

Set off this morning for your final day of sightseeing around the park, spending most of the day around Old Faithful. The spectacular Upper Geyser Basin and Midway Geyser Basin are also home to Castle Geyser, Crested Pool, Sapphire Pool, Grand Prismatic Spring and the Excelsior Geyser Crater. In the afternoon, choose from a variety of hikes - maybe take a walk to Fairy Falls, which, at 200 feet (61 m) high, is one of Yellowstone's most remarkable waterfalls. Join your fellow travelers in the evening for a delicious Celebration Dinner.

Day 7: Mountain Peaks and the Wild West - Departures

Today head to Grand Teton National Park and marvel at the stunning mountain peaks as you immerse yourself in this wildlife haven with your Travel Director. Savor a taste of the old Wild West as you visit Jackson Hole, with free time to explore and have a delicious lunch in the authentic town of Jackson. After lunch, meet a local expert at the Jackson Hole & Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center and partake in a Make Travel Matter® Experience as you learn about the National Elk Refuge which manages a habitat for the nationally significant Jackson Elk Herd as well as for endangered species, birds, fish and other big game animals. In the late afternoon, bid farewell to the beautiful national parks and your fellow travelers, then transfer to Jackson Hole Airport arriving at 16:00. Please note this time when booking flights, or perhaps maybe extend your stay in Jackson with optional extra nights.