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Lower Loop Van Tour from West Yellowstone: Grand Prismatic and Old Faithful

Lower Loop Van Tour from West Yellowstone: Grand Prismatic and Old Faithful

Overview

This Active Van Tour is a great way to see Yellowstone National Park beginning in the fun gateway town of West Yellowstone. The early morning part of the tour explores wildlife haunts in the famous Shadow Canyon of the Madison River. This area is home to bear and elk. Later we hike to an overlook of the famous Grand Prismatic Hot Springs. If you don't feel like walking we find a safe, scenic spot for you to wait for the group near the van. Next we explore the Old Faithful area, including some time at the famous Old Faithful Inn. We continue over the continental divide at Isa Lake and down to the West Thumb Geyser Basin on Yellowstone Lake for a view of some spectacular lakeside thermal pools. Continuing our drive along Yellowstone Lake we arrive in the Hayden Valley where big herds of bison roam. Finally, we arrive at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone to view the canyon and the amazing falls (one is almost 200 feet tall!). The day concludes back at West Yellowstone.

City: West Yellowstone

Sat 09 Nov

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $292.00

Make a reservation

Sat 09 Nov

Starting at $292.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Binoculars

Spotting Scope

Snacks

Lunch

Air-conditioned vehicle

Additional Info

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Face masks required for travellers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Face masks provided for travellers
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
Gear/equipment sanitised between use
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitised
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Regular temperature checks for staff
Temperature checks for travellers upon arrival

What To Expect

Madison River

Watch wildlife in the early morning along the Madison River.

Grand Prismatic Spring

We hike to a viewpoint of the Grand Prismatic Hot Springs.

Old Faithful

We watch Old Faithful erupt and explore the Upper Geyser Basin as desired. The historic Old Faithful Inn is also of interest to travelers.

West Thumb Geyser Basin

A beautiful geyser basin along the shores of Yellowstone Lake.

Hayden Valley

Wildlife viewing in one of Yellowstone's most iconic valleys.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Stunning views of the wonderous colors and thundering falls of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River.

Show 3 more stops

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (129)

951vernonc

Jul 2021

Was a great experience and saw all main attractions in one day…would definitely recommend especially if you’ve never been to Yellowstone

wrateman

Jul 2021

I echo Patrica B's review, our guide Andrew was outstanding, professional, knowledgeable, and a great host. We joked that he had the 'senior citizens' van, because with the exception of one woman, we were all grey hairs. But he was great, lots of friendly banter, and very informative. I also give him a lot of credit dealing with the traffic, crowds, and delays; I was very happy he was driving and not me. As said, the van was extremely challenging to get in/out of. Now, it is as pictured, one of the standard white vans you see in the tour description but I was hoping for better. However, a member of our group was >6' and trying to navigate the narrow passage on one side while getting through the seatbelts was not fun. Many others of lesser height in the back of the van also struggled. I hope someday the owners can invest in at least a larger van with a center aisle. We looked covetously at a van next to us with a glass retractable roof, ceiling speakers, and center aisle. As Patricia B said it was tough, if not impossible, to hear Andrew when going at speed and without the AC/fan going. When it was, then forget even hearing people a couple of rows ahead of us. Rear speakers, please. The stops were interesting, the first one being one that I'm sure most people overlook (Madison Info Station). Grand Prismatic Spring was just before the traffic insanity so the timing was still good (note, you can't get to the overlook on this tour). Old Faithful, and West Thumb were next. We also had an impromptu stop for elk; Andrew dutifully pulled off the road for us to hop out and take pix. The Grand Canyon was amazing, and we spent just enough time there. JFYI on the provided food: there was a snack bag with fruit, chips, and Costco Kind bar knockoffs, and some sweets. The sandwich was turkey and cheese (mayo packet in the bag). No complaints here, just letting folks know in case they want to bring something more substantial. Suggestion, however: have mustard packets available for those that don't care for mayo. My one big complaint which kept the rating from Excellent is that pickup was >30 mins late. We had confirmed our pickup hotel and were there well in advance. However, after about 15-20 mins I tried to contact the tour operator and the voice mailbox was full. I reached out via messaging here, and no response. We were getting ready to leave and I was literally writing a message to that effect when the bus pulled up. Some type of communication would have been appreciated since the operator had our contact info; even if Andrew couldn't do it as he was busy driving, the home office should be able to do this. Note that this also caused a nearly 30 min delay getting through the West Entrance.

Brady_W

Jul 2021

Andrew was our tour guide and by the end of the day, he was calling us all by our first name. Very impressive and personable.