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Upper Loop Tour and Lamar Valley from West Yellowstone with Lunch

Upper Loop Tour and Lamar Valley from West Yellowstone with Lunch

Overview

This Active Van Tour is a great way to see the unique wildlife of Yellowstone National Park. We begin 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 scope for wildlife on one of Yellowstone's tallest peaks, Mount Washburn. Next we explore the Lamar Valley, known as the Serengeti of North America. We will use spotting scopes to look for wolves, bears and other wildlife. Enjoy a hot drink while watching wolves. Next we visit the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces for a short walk. If you don't feel like walking we find a safe, scenic spot for you to wait for the group near the van. Finally, we head back toward West Yellowstone stopping for additional wildlife sightings along the way. The day concludes back at West Yellowstone.

City: West Yellowstone

Sun 23 Feb

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $292.00

Make a reservation

Sun 23 Feb

Starting at $292.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Binoculars

Soda/Pop

Spotting Scope

Snacks

Lunch

Air-conditioned vehicle

Coffee and/or Tea

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
COVID-19 vaccination required for guides

What To Expect

Madison River

Scope for wildlife along the Madison River in the early morning.

Mount Washburn

Scope for wildlife on Mount Washburn.

Lamar Valley

Lamar Valley is home to more than 60 species of mammal. We will use spotting scopes to look for bears, wolves, bison and more! This is the richest wildlife valley in Yellowstone.

Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces

We will take a short walk on the boardwalks around Mammoth Hot Springs.

Gibbon Meadows

Scope for wildlife.

Show 2 more stops

Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

Reviews (17)

Michael M

Oct 2022

My son and I were scheduled for an Upper Loop Tour including the Lamar Valley on Sept 24 with pick up from our hotel (Three Bears Lodge) at 6 AM. No one showed up and there was no text message. I found out later (through Viator) that the trip had been cancelled. The cancellation notice came via an email the day AFTER my son and I left for the trip. Another party staying at another hotel also received late notice of cancellation. Hotel staff (Jodi) saved the day for us because she found that Yellowstone Alpen Guides (see Yellowstone.com) could provide the tour. Doug was excellent and the tour price was significantly lower than Yellowstone Hiking Guides.

Response from Host

Oct 2022

It is rare we have to issue a cancellation once a booking is in place. In this case our Upper Loop guide had to end the season early unexpectedly. We sent the cancellation notice three days in advance. We are very sorry we could not show you around the Park. I am glad you were able to find another good option for your vacation. Thank you.

kristinmS7748SZ

Oct 2022

Josh was an excellent guide. Very kind, caring, attentive, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable. However, there was nothing on this tour we couldn't have done ourselves. I booked this tour because it was supposed to be an "active" van tour. Stated on the website for the tour is "Let a local naturalist take you where the bus' simply can't go. Our tours are active and offer up to 3 miles of optional guided walking on dirt tracks and boardwalks. Includes hearty lunch with drinks, binoculars, and trekking pole." There were no optional hikes. There was no trekking pole. The lunch was a homemade sandwich and store bought snacks. The website also states that the Norris Geyser Basin is included on the tour. My husband and I specifically did not go to this geyser on our own the day before because we didn't want to spoil the tour. We did not go. There was no explanation for not doing any of these things. I would not book this tour again. It was not worth the price.

Response from Host

Oct 2022

Thank you for your review. We are sorry you were disappointed with your tour. The Upper Loop Van Tour is more of a wildlife watching van tour than an off-the-beaten-path hiking tour. The best tour for that is our Lamar Valley Safari Hike or Grand Canyon Rim Hike. The Upper Loop Van Tour is the least active of our offerings. The Lower Loop Active Van Tour includes 3 miles of hiking. We are one of the most affordable tours in the Park. We have stopped including Norris Geyser Basin in the tour because there is not enough time to include it in the tour.

880burth

Oct 2022

Almost perfect. No bears, wolves or moose sightings, but we saw plenty of elk, bison, coyotes, pronghorn antelope, etc. Plus, Josh was a wonderful guide, knew all the places to look, told a few jokes and kept us entertained.