Grand Teton & Yellowstone

This is a sample itinerary — an example of a trip we have built for groups, not a scheduled departure. We build every group trip around your travelers: the dates, length, pace, hotels and activities can all change.

From Salt Lake City to Jackson Hole, a scenic float on the Snake River beneath the Tetons, then three days across Yellowstone: the geyser basins, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Mammoth Hot Springs and the wildlife of the northern range.

• ·Runs from late May to early October.

Day by day

1. Day 1

   Arrive Salt Lake City

   Arrive at the Salt Lake Airport and make your way to the hotel. The rest of the day is free to explore on your own.

2. Day 2

   Salt Lake City to Grand Teton

   This morning, meet your guide, board the motorcoach and depart for Jackson, Wyoming. Learn about the geology and history of northern Utah, southeastern Idaho and western Wyoming on the way to the Jackson Hole valley. In the afternoon, arrive in Grand Teton National Park for scenic viewpoints of the majestic peaks, then check into your hotel in the western town of Jackson. Dinner tonight is on your own, and there are many fantastic local restaurants to choose from.

   Breakfast and lunch included

3. Day 3

   Snake River and Grand Teton

   Return to Grand Teton National Park and start the day with a float trip down the Snake River. Then enjoy wildlife and photography stops as you tour the park, including Jenny Lake, Jackson Lake, Colter Bay and more. It will be an afternoon of hiking and wildlife watching. Return to Jackson for the evening and a group dinner at a local restaurant.

   Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

4. Day 4

   Grand Teton to Yellowstone

   Drive north through Grand Teton with picture stops along the way, then enter Yellowstone and explore the West Thumb Geyser Basin, Yellowstone Lake, Hayden Valley and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Continue to the Norris Geyser Basin for hiking and exploring before traveling through the Madison River valley to West Yellowstone. Enjoy a free evening in this western town.

   Breakfast and lunch included

5. Day 5

   Yellowstone's northern loop

   Start the day up and over Dunraven Pass, the highest point you will reach in the park. The morning is filled with wildlife watching and hiking in the Tower-Roosevelt area. Enjoy a picnic lunch at a scenic spot before exploring Mammoth Hot Springs. The afternoon brings more scenic and wildlife stops around Yellowstone's northern loop. Back in West Yellowstone, enjoy another free evening.

   Breakfast and lunch included

6. Day 6

   Old Faithful and the geyser basins

   Today you explore Yellowstone's main geothermal area: Old Faithful and the Old Faithful Inn, then on toward Madison Junction with stops at Black Sand Basin, Grand Prismatic Spring, the Firehole geyser basins and more. There will be good hikes and plenty of chances to watch wildlife along the way.

   Breakfast and lunch included

7. Day 7

   West Yellowstone to Salt Lake City

   Spend the morning just outside the park in Island Park, with stops at Big Springs and Mesa Falls. Continue south through the potato fields of Idaho to Antelope Island State Park for a look at the Great Salt Lake. Return to Salt Lake City by 6:00 pm, with the evening free.

   Breakfast and lunch included

8. Day 8

   Journey home

   Make your way to the Salt Lake Airport for your flight home.

   Breakfast included

What this sample includes

• ·Services of a Southwest Adventure Tours tour director
• ·Comfortable transportation by motorcoach
• ·7 nights hotel accommodations
• ·7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 1 dinner
• ·Park entrance fees
• ·Scenic float trip on the Snake River
• ·Gratuities for included meals and activities