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Hiking the Best of Yellowstone and Grand Tetons

Hiking the Best of Yellowstone and Grand Tetons

From $ 6,345 AUD

Description

Hike the best highlights of Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park on this 5-day walking and trekking trip. With comfortable accommodation, private transfers between sights and all meals taken care of – you can focus on the stunning mountain scenery all around you! Take in panoramic views of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, witness the thunderous Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River, explore the park’s diverse flora and fauna (watch out for bison!) and experience the expanse of The Grand Prismatic Spring – the otherworldly hot spring in Yellowstone that you have to see to believe. Then, head to Grand Teton National Park, where you’ll take relaxing trails at the foot of the immense Teton mountains and hit the Snake River Canyon for a spot of whitewater rafting.

Trip Name
Hiking the Best of Yellowstone and Grand Tetons
Last Updated
2024-04-29
Days
5
Capacity
12
Highlights
  • Witness The Grand Prismatic Spring – the largest hot spring in the United States and the third largest in the world.
  • Trail through the beauty of Yellowstone National Park and watch out for wandering bison, grizzly bears, wolves, elk, bald eagles and fields of wildflowers.
  • Experience the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, formed 10,000 years ago, and its two thunderous waterfalls from multiple perspectives.
  • Whitewater raft through the rapids of Snake River Canyon in Grand Teton National Park, zipping around the foot of the mighty Teton mountains.
  • With all your meals and accommodation taken care of, you can focus on the stunning scenery that surrounds your hikes.

Itinerary

ITINERARY CHANGES Our itineraries are updated regularly throughout the year based on customer feedback and to reflect the current situation in each destination. The information included in this Essential Trip Information may therefore differ from when you first booked your trip. It's important that you review this information prior to travel so that you have the latest updates. Due to weather, local conditions, transport schedules, public holidays, political unrest or other factors, further changes may be necessary to your itinerary once in-country. Your group leader or local representative will keep you up to date with any such changes once your trip is underway. OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES A selection of optional activities that have been popular with past travellers are listed in the day-to-day itinerary. This isn't an exhaustive list and should be used as a guide only for some of what might be available. Prices are approximate, are for entrance fees only, and don’t include transport to and from the sites or local guides unless indicated. All activities are subject to availability, and maybe on a join-in basis. It may not be possible to do all the activities listed in the time available at each destination, so some pre-planning for what you are most interested in is advised. When it's recommended that travellers pre-book these activities, look for a note in the Special Information section of the day-to-day itinerary. For most, they can either be organised independently on the day, or let your group leader or local representative know you are interested at the Welcome Meeting and they can assist. Where activities are considered medium or high risk, we work with operators whose safety and credentials we have sighted and assessed. Although it is possible that you may find the same activity cheaper with another operator on the ground, we cannot vouch for the safety or quality of that operator. Medium and high-risk activities not listed above have not been assessed by us and as such our staff and group leader or local representative are unable to assist you with organising these activities. Activities that contravene our Responsible Travel policies are also not listed. Please remember that the decision to partake in any activity not listed is at your own discretion and risk. In order to travel on this trip, you: 1. Must be able to understand and recognize the risks and hazards inherent in the activities of the trip, must be able to decide to assume those risks and hazards and must actually and voluntarily assume those risks and hazards. 2. Must be able to withstand exposure to the outdoors including exposure to diverse climactic conditions during the trip, including temperatures ranging from below freezing to +100 degrees F, potentially rapidly changing precipitative conditions from dry conditions to precipitation including monsoons and flash floods, for the duration of the Program. 3. Must be able to monitor and evaluate changes in personal health condition including the onset of dehydration, hyponatremia, heat illness or stroke or hypothermia and must be able to communicate any changes in personal health condition or safety concerns to the guide(s). 4. Must be able to participate in all activities at the time scheduled for each activity; e.g. to beat the heat, guest pick-up and hike start times during summer months may range between 3-6 a.m. 5. Must be able to manage all personal care and mobility during extended periods of exertion of 10-plus hours per day, either independently or with the assistance of a companion or an approved assistive device. 6. Must be able to enter and exit a multi-passenger vehicle either independently or with the assistance of a companion or approved assistive device. 7. Must be able to withstand up to eight hours as a passenger in a multi-passenger vehicle, transporting up to 14 passengers at a time, either independently or with the assistance of a companion or an approved assistive device. 8. Must be able to immediately comprehend and follow verbal instructions either independently or with the assistance of a companion or approved assistive device. 9. Must be able to traverse wet and dry, sandy, rocky, uneven and/or unstable ground over a distance of 10-plus miles per day including elevation differential (gain and/or loss) of +3,000 feet per day, for a period of up to 10 hours per day, while carrying: a) BACKPACKING/BACKCOUNTRY TRIPS- a backpack weighing 25-50 pounds, b) FRONTCOUNTRY/LODGE, BASECAMP AND INN-BASED TRIPS - a fully loaded backpack weighing 10-15 pounds, either independently or with an assistance companion or an approved assistive device. 10. Must be able to self-manage and self-navigate unsupervised while in the designated camp area either independently or with the assistance of a companion or approved assistive device. 11. Must be able to perform basic camping activities including sleeping on the ground, consuming water from back country sources, consuming food prepared in a backcountry setting and maintaining personal health and hygiene in accordance with guide directives either independently or with the assistance of a companion or approved assistive device. The use of an assistive device to meet any element of the essential eligibility criteria must be approved in advance by Intrepid Travel.

Day 1 - Jackson to Yellowstone National Park
Welcome to Jackson, Wyoming! Start the day nice and early with breakfast at your hotel and a morning welcome meeting with your group. From Jackson, you’ll take a transfer north into Yellowstone National Park – one of the USA’s favourite spots for hiking. Your trekking adventure begins with one of the most beautiful hikes in the park. The trail travels through picturesque subalpine parklands full of wildflowers and bighorn sheep – which are sometimes seen grazing in nearby meadows. Soak up panoramic views of the meadows, river valleys and distant mountain ranges and spot sights like Yellowstone Lake, the Teton Range and Electric Peak along the way. After a steady climb to the summit, you’ll have an incredible view of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone – a giant rift in the surrounding forested hills. It was formed approximately 10,000 years ago, when a large glacial ice dam in Hayden Valley burst, flooding the canyon and creating two thunderous waterfalls and the multicoloured canyon walls. After your hike, take a private transfer to the canyon for a short stroll out to Artist Point, for one of the most phenomenal waterfall views in North America – the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River.
Day 2 - Yellowstone National Park
Fuel up on breakfast this morning and get ready for today’s hike on the Storm Point trail – along the glittering expanse of Yellowstone Lake. This trail is a relatively flat loop that leads to a stunning vista of the lakeshore – which is a corridor for grizzly bears in the spring. The hike begins at Indian Pond (look out for bison) and continues through a lodgepole pine forest to a bluff, overlooking the picturesque shore. Walk past enormous boulders, home to a colony of yellow-bellied marmots, and if you’re lucky, watch them basking in the sun. After, take a private transfer to Old Faithful where you’ll explore the Upper Geyser Basin. Yellowstone National Park is home to 60% of the world’s geysers and most of them can be found here, including Old Faithful – named due to the regularity with which it erupts (about 20 times per day). Experience the basin’s diverse geysers from the boardwalks – everything from the thin fountains to the massive eruptions are an impressive sight, to say the least. Tonight, head back to your accommodation for an included group dinner.
Day 3 - Jackson
This morning after breakfast will be your final chance to soak in the beauty of Yellowstone. Your hike this morning takes you through the area’s distinctive meadows and lodgepole pine forests, to a 60 m waterfall that plunges off a pine-studded cliff. After soaking up the sights and sounds of the falls, stop at the Grand Prismatic overlook. An otherworldly sight, this sun-like spring is the largest hot spring in the United States and one of the most iconic features of the park – a great way to close out your time in Yellowstone. After your hike, take a shuttle back to Jackson Hole, passing through some of North America’s most stunning landscapes. Check into Jackson Lodge and enjoy some free time to relax and recharge. Tonight, join your group for a dinner out on the town in Jackson.
Day 4 - Grand Teton National Park / Jackson
After breakfast this morning, set out for Grand Teton National Park. The Tetons are an imposing range with towering granite peaks, glaciers, thundering rivers and diverse flora and fauna. The hike itself features abundant views of the Tetons, which soar into the sky above you (be sure to bring your camera for some great pics). Explore blue and green lakes and creeks and look out for the famed moose herds as you make your way through this stunning trail. After returning to the trailhead, sit down for a picnic lunch with your group and then set out for a relaxing road-based tour to the key viewpoints and highlights of the park. Your leader will explain the natural and cultural history that makes the Tetons one of America’s most famous mountain ranges.
Day 5 - Grand Teton National Park / Jackson
After a relaxing breakfast, head back to Grand Teton National Park this morning for one of the most popular activities of the area – whitewater rafting below the grandeur of the Tetons on the Snake River. The 12 km whitewater stretch through the scenic Snake River Canyon includes a mix of calm sections, where you can take in the scenery and watch for wildlife, and some exciting class 3 and 3+ rapids. Plan on getting wet today! After your rafting adventure, settle the adrenaline with a leisurely picnic lunch beneath the Tetons and eventually make your way back to Jackson, where your trip will come to an end. If you would like to extend your time in Jackson, just speak to your booking agent.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
29-07-202402-08-2024AUD $ 6,345-
10-08-202414-08-2024AUD $ 6,345-
20-08-202424-08-2024AUD $ 6,345-
25-08-202429-08-2024AUD $ 6,345-
30-08-202403-09-2024AUD $ 6,345-
05-09-202409-09-2024AUD $ 6,345-

Accommodation

Hotel (4 nights)

Transport

Private vehicle

Map