Compare Celebrate Christmas in Yellowstone's Winter Wonderland by Road Scholar vs Roaming Western Trails by Tours of Distinction
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| Trip |
4.5 | Great
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 7 days | 8 days |
| Price From | $ 2,699 | $ 3,789 |
| Price Per Day | $ 386 | $ 474 |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Premium |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Airfare included |
| Activities | N/A |
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| Description | Celebrate Christmas in the enchanting winter landscapes of Yellowstone National Park, where you’ll enjoy local traditions, explore geological wonders and spot bison, elk and eagles. |
Blaze an unforgettable trail experiencing the legends and lore of America’s Wild West. This trip includes a medley of manmade and natural attractions – of gargantuan proportions - from Yellowstone, and the Grand Tetons, to Mount Rushmore, and the Crazy Horse Memorial. Channel your inner pioneer spirit as you meet a colorful cast of characters in Cody, and the rough and tumble town of Deadwood. Unwind in the splendor of Jackson Hole’s profoundly beautiful landscape brimming with wildlife. Watch herds of buffalo graze against majestic mountain ranges as you float on Snake River, marvel at the timely precision of Old Faithful in Yellowstone, and have a close encounter with the nation’s first National Monument, Devil’s Tower in this small group guided tour. |
Day
1
Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Gardiner, Mont. D Best Western by Mammoth Hot Springs
Afternoon: Check-in from 4-5 pm in hotel lobby
Dinner: Dinner served at restaurant adjoining the hotel.
Evening: Welcome, Introductions and Orientation in Hotel Conference Room.
Day
2
Yellowstone Overview; travel by snow coach to Old Faithful.
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park, WY B,L,D Old Faithful Snow Lodge
Activity note: In and out of snow coach and some walking on snow and ice to view iconic sights.
Breakfast: Hotel complimentary hot breakfast
Morning: Meet in the hotel conference room for an overview of Yellowstone National Park. This natural history presentation introduces wildlife, geology, biology, human history and more. There will be time allowed to check out of hotel and prepare midmorning shuttle Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park. Hotel vans will transport everyone 5 miles park's northwest gateway to the Mammoth area. There will be time allowed for a walk among the Mammoth Terraces to observe her ever changing, graceful travertine beauty; boardwalk, asphalt path and several hundred stair steps (downhill). About two tons of travertine are deposited daily as hot, mineral-laden water wells up from beneath the earth's crust to add to terraces that began building thousands of years ago. Mammoth area includes the Albright Visitor Center and Museum, and historic Fort Yellowstone.
Lunch: Enjoy lunch at a grill in Mammoth Hot Springs.
Afternoon: After lunch we will board snow coaches to begin the journey through Yellowstone's winter-white world. Coach through the Golden Gate to beautiful Swan Lake Flats. Continue via Obsidian Cliffs, Roaring Mountain and Norris Geyser Basin area, Yellowstone's most thermally active region. The voyage continues into the heart of Yellowstone to Old Faithful. Check into Old Faithful Snow Lodge.
Dinner: Plated meal in the Snow Lodge Dining Room featuring an entrée with a starch, vegetable, dessert and coffee or tea and water; other beverages available for purchase.
Evening: Free Evening to enjoy all the ambiance of the season and various seasonal activities on your own. Instructor and Group Leader will be available for questions and conversation.
Day
3
Travel by Snow coach to Canyon via West Thumb Geyser Basin
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park, WY B,L,D Old Faithful Snow Lodge
Activity note: Travel via heated, over-the-snow coach; some short walks on snow-packed trails or boardwalks, stops for viewing, picture-taking. Several stops will include getting on and off snow coach.
Breakfast: Breakfast buffet in hotel dining room
Morning: Board your snow coach for an all day adventure in Yellowstone's frozen wonderland. Travel among forest and open park; through steaming, sulfur-scented & beautifully colored landscapes. Naturalist's interpretation continues as you discover ice-covered Yellowstone Lake, America's largest freshwater lake above 7,000'. Here, steam pinpoints West Thumb Geyser Basin where thermal features extend under the surface of the lake as well as along the shore. Find out about the geological forces still at work here.
Lunch: Sack lunches in the park
Afternoon: Adventurers continue on along Yellowstone River, through Hayden Valley to stunning Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, which seems even more awesome during winter. Appreciate the mighty Upper and Lower Falls and beautifully tinted canyon walls. One is wonderstruck and speechless with earth's winter beauty.
Dinner: Christmas Eve Dinner at Old Faithful Snowlodge
Evening: Enjoy the seasonal festivities at Old Faithful. The lobby area offers comfortable seating near an inviting fire or you could bundle up for a short stroll outside to appreciate Yellowstone's star-filled sky and mountain-scented, winter air.
Day
4
Merry Christmas at Yellowstone, Snowcoach Lower Loop
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park, WY B,L,D Old Faithful Snow Lodge
Activity note: Full day snowcoach journey includes getting on and off the coach, short walks on snow-packed trails for scenic vistas, steaming thermal areas, wildlife watching and picture taking.
Breakfast: Breakfast buffet in Snow Lodge dining room
Morning: Board snow coaches for exploration at Norris Geyser Basin. A walking exploration here reveals Yellowstone's oldest, hottest and most active thermal area. Located at the intersection of three major fault lines, evidence shows that thermal features have existed here for the last 115,000 years. A scientific drill hole here registered the highest temperature ever recorded in Yellowstone at 459 degrees F.
Lunch: Sack lunches along the "Loop"
Afternoon: Naturalist-led exploration at beautiful Fountain Paint Pot is the opportunity to appreciate a steamy, winter discovery of grand vistas and geysers including Clepsedra and Fountain, hot springs like Silex Spring and Celestine Pool and fumaroles or steam vents such as Sizzler. Nearby, Midway Geyser Basin reveals two of the largest hot springs in the world - Grand Prismatic Spring and Excelsior Geyser. Two hundred foot deep Grand Prismatic is known for its vivid colors, a result of algae and bacteria that live in its high temperature. Excelsior Geyser is a dormant geyser which turned into a hot spring following volcanic activity in the 1890’s.
Dinner: Christmas dinner at the Snow Lodge dining room.
Evening: An evening to enjoy the seasonal festivities at Old Faithful
Day
5
Upper Geyser Basin Walk, Snowcoach to Mammoth Hot Springs
Gardiner, Mont. B,L,D Best Western by Mammoth Hot Springs
Activity note: Walking on board walks and some stairs among thermal features.
Breakfast: Breakfast buffet in the Snow Lodge dining room
Morning: Old Faithful Snow Lodge check out. Naturalist-led exploration of the Upper Geyser Basin; appreciate all four thermal features - hot springs, mudpots, geysers and fumaroles (steam vents). Another golden day to put cameras and binoculars to good use.
Lunch: Lunch at Old Faithful Snow Lodge
Afternoon: Board snow coaches for an unforgettable voyage back to the Mammoth area via steaming, pungent Midway and Lower Geyser Basins. Ahead, your snowcoach trail flanks pristine Gibbon River to Gibbon Falls and northward to Mammoth area. Because only over the snow vehicles are allowed in Yellowstone during the winter, all will transfer to vans at the Mammoth Hot Springs area to ride down the hill into Gardiner, Yellowstone's Northern gateway town. Best Western check in.
Dinner: Dinner served in restaurant adjoining hotel.
Evening: Free evening after a long day of adventure.
Day
6
Field day into Yellowstone's Northern Range
Gardiner, Mont. B,L,D Best Western by Mammoth Hot Springs
Activity note: Field trip via motorcoach; some short walks on snow-packed trails and viewing from snow-packed parking areas.
Breakfast: Hotel complimentary hot breakfast.
Morning: Field trip by motorcoach into Yellowstone's northern range to view and learn about this vital habitat. Naturalist discusses natural history of area wildlife including predation, winter range, populations, reintroduction, current issues. Bring binoculars to observe wildlife that may include bison, elk, wintering waterfowl, bald and golden eagles, bighorn sheep. The possibility of seeing wolves exists; however, sightings cannot be guaranteed.
Lunch: Lunch choices at deli in Cooke City, MT
Afternoon: Enjoy travel through the northern range to the Cooke City area. Expect a day on the bus with stops along the way. The road from Gardiner (Yellowstone's NW entrance) to Cooke City (Yellowstone's NE entrance) is 52 miles and is the only road open to wheeled vehicles during the winter. In winter time, the road ends at Cooke City as 10,947' Bearthooth Pass - between Cooke City and Red Lodge, MT is closed. Until 1882, the town and the land around it were within the Crow Reservation. Following numerous skirmishes between the Crow and gold miners the reservation boundary was moved east. Prospectors often accompanied soldiers through Indian lands looking for gold. Gold was found nearby in the early 1870's and the area became known as the New World Mining district. The town was called Shoo-fly until 1880 when it became known as Cooke City, named after a mining investor named Jay Cooke Jr. Cooke promised to use his considerable influence to bring the railroad through the top of Yellowstone Park from Gardiner. This single move would have made the mining much more profitable in the Cooke area. Congress soon put an end to the possibility; Cooke ran into financial difficulty and lost his bonded mining claims.
Dinner: Final dinner in restaurant adjoining hotel.
Evening: Our week in Wonderland reviews the grand adventure and puts things in perspective.
Day
7
Program Concludes
Gardiner, Mont. B
Breakfast: Complimentary hot breakfast
Morning: Independent departures. Group shuttle departs lodgings at 8:30 a.m.
Day 1 - Arrive Salt Lake City, Utah
If you’ve ever wanted to know what it was like to be an early Frontiersman, now is your chance! Transfer to the airport for your flight to Salt Lake City. Upon arrival, we will be greeted by our local guide and our awaiting motor-coach. Enjoy a city tour of Salt Lake City, where we will see downtown, the Capitol, Temple Square and more. We will check into our hotel before our ‘welcome’ dinner.
Day 2 - Salt Lake City - Jackson, WY
This morning, we will head over to Temple Square after breakfast. Here we will have a chance to see the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s weekly broadcast performance. After, we say goodbye to Salt Lake City as we travel north along the shores of the Great Salt Lake. We will travel through Logan Canyon to beautiful Bear Lake for an included lunch. We will arrive into the fun town of Jackson, WY. Once we check into our hotel, the evening is free to explore the many shops, art galleries and restaurants on your own.
Day 3 - Jackson - Yellowstone National Park
This morning after breakfast, we are in for a wonderful experience as we are introduced to Grand Teton National Park on a half day scenic float trip on the Snake River! Enjoy amazing views of the Teton Mountains and wildlife viewing opportunities as your guide explains the geology and history of the area. After the float trip, we continue sightseeing of Grand Teton which will include: Jenny Lake, Colter Bay and Jackson Lake. Next, we enter into Yellowstone National Park, the world’s first National Park, for sightseeing including the heart of the park, Old Faithful. There will be time to witness an eruption and explore Old Faithful Village and the many thermal features in the area. Later this afternoon, we travel to West Yellowstone and check into our hotel. This evening is free to explore and have dinner on your own.
Day 4 - Yellowstone National Park - Cody, WY
After breakfast, we head back into Yellowstone National Park for another day of sightseeing. We will visit the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and pass through Hayden Valley and along the shores of Yellowstone Lake. As we exit the park, we enter into the historic town of Cody, where we will tour the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, which is five museums under one roof. Tonight, we enjoy food and entertainment at the Cody Cattle Company with a chuckwagon style dinner, traditional cowboy music and some laughs. Then, there is exciting cowboy action at the Cody Nite Rodeo!
Day 5 - Cody - Rapid City, SD
We will depart Cody after breakfast and continue East crossing the Bighorn Mountain. Our first stop is at Devil’s Tower National Monument for sightseeing of the country’s first National Monument. Later this afternoon, we will arrive at the historic town of Deadwood for sightseeing. This is a rough and tumble western town famous for outlaws, gunslingers and lawmen alike. There will be time to explore the town and have dinner, on your own, before continuing on to Rapid City, SD for a two night stay.
Day 6 - Rapid City
After breakfast, we take a short drive to Badlands National Park for sightseeing. This famous park consists of nearly 243,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires blended with the largest, protected mixed grass prairie in the United States. After lunch, we travel to Custer State Park and the historic State Game Lodge to get up close and personal with the residents of this park as you head out on a Wildlife Jeep Safari to view the buffalo herds and much more. Next, we make our way to the Crazy Horse Monument for sightseeing of the unfinished mountain carving and insight into the Lakota culture. Then, join the group for an included dinner followed by a wonderfully patriotic and inspiring event as we attend the Mt. Rushmore Evening Lighting Ceremony!
Day 7 - Rapid City - Cheyenne, WY
We start our day after breakfast with a beautiful drive to Mt. Rushmore National Memorial, where we will have morning views of this magnificent monument. Depart the Black Hills and take your journey south returning to the plains of Wyoming. We make a stop at Fort Laramie National Historic Site for sightseeing and a picnic lunch. This afternoon, we continue to the capitol city of Cheyenne and check into our hotel. After, we have time to freshen up, we will enjoy a ‘farewell’ dinner, at the hotel.
Day 8 - Depart Cheyenne
After breakfast, we take a Trolley Tour of Cheyenne. After, a nice introduction to the city, we arrive at the Cheyenne Frontier Days grounds to experience a ‘Behind the Chutes Tour.’ The Cheyenne Frontier Days Arena is the home of the world’s largest outdoor rodeo each July. Get a first-hand look at what goes on during the rodeo from behind the scenes. This exiting tour follows the path of the bulls and broncs as the animals are rounded up and threaded through the maze of gates on their way to the chutes and out into the arena with cowboy in tow. A special experience awaits as we step into the chutes and finish the tour by walking across the arena. This afternoon, we will enjoy a western lunch before departing Cheyenne for the Denver International Airport for your departing flight.
