By Jocelyn Allen
COSTS
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FOR A QUALITY VIEWING EXPERIENCE, WE LIMIT TOURS TO 12 PEOPLE OR LESS.
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FOR ONE DAY:
1-2 Passengers: $645
3 Passengers $825
4 Passengers $1,075
5 Passengers $1,145
6 Passengers $1,195
7+ Passengers $1,245-$1,695
Payment of 50% for all Yellowstone tours is due upon booking, with the full deposit refundable minus a $100 processing charge. Your final payment is non-refundable and is due 60 days prior to the first date of your tour. Prices are negotiable for multi-day trips. Lunch is included, but not breakfast or dinner.
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Call (406) 461-5714 to book your trip today!
Yellowstone National Park
Steve Hoffman's intense passion for wildlife began in Yellowstone (in 1970) while serving as a short-order cook at Mammoth Hot Springs. He spent every free minute exploring the park’s wild backcountry, and loves sharing his breadth of knowledge about the park with visitors.
Steve “Esh” Eshbaugh fell in love with Yellowstone in the early 80’s. As a college student, the park provided real-life examples of his plant studies as a botany student. Esh served as a naturalist-ranger in the Canyon Area in 1985. A dozen years later, he started a nature tour company that focused on tours in Yellowstone.
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One-day Itinerary
Our itinerary is flexible, depending upon your interests and expectations for the day (as well as where we meet you). We can pick you up most anywhere you wish inside the park, or in Gardiner or West Yellowstone, or preferably in Bozeman (our base of operations). For the best wildlife viewing we'll start very early in the morning – this will give us the best chance for seeing rare wildlife such as wolves and grizzly bears. Lamar Valley is the ideal place for early morning wildlife watching, but we'll customize your trip with current wildlife movements and sightings.
By Robert Martinka
Two-day Itinerary
In addition to our one-day itinerary, on day two we’ll explore the lower loop of Yellowstone. Depending on the weather and how wildlife is responding to current conditions, we may adjust our travels. On day two we’ll visit the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and take in the dramatic Upper and Lower Falls. We’ll also venture to seldom-seen sights, like Cascade Falls and other less-traveled viewing points throughout the canyon area. We might also visit Hayden Valley, known for its abundance of large mammals as well as a variety of waterbirds (including American White Pelican, Trumpeter Swan, Great Blue Heron and a great variety of waterfowl species). River otters are possible here, as are grizzlies and even wolves. A bit farther upstream LeHardy Rapids may offer a chance to enjoy the spectacularly-colored Harlequin Ducks up close!
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Harlequin Ducks at Le Hardy Rapids, Yellowstone
Three-Day Itinerary
For visitors who stay three days or longer in the Yellowstone area, the possibilities are even more exciting! Norris Geyser Basin is the most active geyser basin in the world and provides a memorable, other-worldly landscape. Mammoth Hot Springs changes on a yearly basis, and the brightly-colored calcium carbonate deposits will surely delight any photographer.
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A three-day itinerary also allows for a few short-to-medium length hikes into Yellowstone’s backcountry. Perhaps your group will want to hike to the active Fire Lookout atop Mount Washburn? You could also choose to hike the Fairy Falls Trail for a memorable, “birds-eye” view of Grand Prismatic Spring. We are happy to tailor our hikes to your specific interests.
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One of the most magical aspects of Yellowstone is that, at any moment, you can unexpectedly spot wildlife, often at close range. We always practice safe viewing techniques to ensure than any critter encountered is viewed from a safe distance (for both the wildlife and for you!).
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Merlin Birding and Nature Tours LLC is a fully licensed permittee for Yellowstone National Park.
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