Winter Wolf Watch ~ FEB 19 - 24


Dates:
Feb. 19-24, 2023
Places left:
1
Cost*:
$1,950.00
Deposit required:
$500.00 per person

*Cost is per person based on double occupancy. $200.00 additional for single room supplement. Plus tax when applicable.

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Description

Winter is a wonderland in Yellowstone and is perhaps the best season of the year to find and observe wolves in the wild. Dramatic pack behavior revs up this time of year with competition among packs for territory and within packs for mating opportunities. Among the daily sightings are frosty bison lumbering by, bighorn rams gathering on the cliff ledges, tall moose nibbling leafless twigs, and prowling coyotes pounce on unsuspecting prey. But be cautioned--for at times, guests at this time must withstand frigid conditions!

The program includes naturalist guiding for a 6-day, 5-night program with lodging, in-park transportation and shuttle to/from Bozeman, park fees, meals (as noted), and high quality optics for each guest.

The difference between our 2 types of programs is that Premium programs include 4 gourmet dinners in a private setting followed by a presentation by one of our local experts. For our standard offering, dinners are on your own each evening.

COVID19 Vaccination REQUIRED--for the safety of our guests and staff we require proof of vaccination to participate.

Yellowstone Wolf Tracker (The Wild Side, LLC) is an authorized tour and transportation provider (CUA 13-133) in Yellowstone National Park.


Schedule

February 19, 2023

Travel to Bozeman, Montana, served by major airlines (BZN), is on your own. Check in at the Best Western Plus GranTree Inn in Bozeman anytime after 3 PM (stay included in package). The GranTree Inn offers free shuttle service to/from the airport, and for visiting downtown shops or the famous Museum of the Rockies. Dinner is on your own.

February 20, 2023

Have breakfast at the GranTree with a tour voucher and then after check out, meet our staff at 11 AM in the lobby for transport to Yellowstone National Park. The route is through the scenic Paradise Valley rimmed with rugged mountain peaks. A lunch stop is planned mid-day. At Yellowstone, the group will visit the famous Roosevelt Arch for a formal arrival to the park. Our first exploration in the park is in the wildlife-rich desert grasslands in the lowest elevation portions of Yellowstone.

Check in follows at the Absaroka Lodge in Gardiner, where the group stays until the last night. From your room, the views of the Yellowstone River and its rolling hills and snow-clad mountains astound! The Absaroka Lodge features wifi, cable tv, and balconies in each room overlooking the Yellowstone River. Dinner is on your own in the town of Gardiner.

February 21, 2023

An early morning departure creates our best chances of viewing active wildlife. Wolves will be our priority, but many wildlife species are seen along the way. We will search the park's northern range for wildlife from bison to bears, badgers to bald eagles. Search areas include the Blacktail Plateau, the Slough Creek valley, and the famous wildlife haven, Lamar Valley, for resident wolf packs. Our search will team with rangers, scientists, and the eclectic wolf-watching faithful in a mutual effort to find and observe wildlife. Breakfast each morning will be served ahead of departure to maximize our time searching and observing in the field. Lunch will be at Mammoth Hot Springs followed by a walk of the terraces boardwalk to experience the amazing travertine hot springs, some of Yellowstone's finest thermal features. Return late afternoon, dinner is on your own in Gardiner.

February 22, 2023

We will return to areas where sightings have been best, including Lamar Valley, Tower Junction, and Blacktail Plateau. After lunch, we will take a hike (optional) to get away from the roadside areas where the guide can interpret tracks and wildlife sign while exploring a bit of the vast wilderness portion of Yellowstone. Dinner is on your own in Gardiner.

February 23, 2023

To maximize our opportunities for viewing wolves, bears, and many other wildlife species we include a third day on the Northern Range of Yellowstone, which includes Lamar Valley. Lamar is one of the best areas in the park for wolves, bears, and vast herds of bison and elk. The sheer abundance gives this area its well-earned nickname, 'The Serengeti of North America.' Lunch is served in the field, and dinner is on your own in Gardiner.

February 24, 2023

After breakfast we will transport to the Bozeman airport (or a nearby destination) for mid-day airline departures no earlier than NOON.

NOTE: Best-laid plans are always subject to change pending weather, wildlife sighting opportunities, and/or any unforeseen circumstances. Please bear with us and remain flexible to better enjoy this experience. If you have any questions concerning the planned itinerary, do not hesitate to contact us!


Terms and conditions

Cancellations: To book a package, multi-day group program, a per person deposit is required up front to reserve a space. The balance will be due prior to the beginning of the program, usually 30-60 days out, depending on the specific program. A full refund minus $45 processing fee will be given for all cancellations more than 45 days before the trip. For cancellations less than 45 days prior to departure, the deposit is non-refundable. We accept personal and/or cashier's checks made to THE WILD SIDE, LLC, and mailed to PO BOX 769, Gardiner MT 59030, or you may also sign up here at the Yellowstone Wolf Guides web pages.

Health and Safety: The trip requires good physical fitness and mobility, or the ability to walk up to 1 mile over uneven terrain. The trip is suitable for people of all ages, though children below the age of 14 must receive prior approval. If you have health questions, consult your doctor for more information. The tour leaders must be advised in advance of any special health needs. Weather conditions can change without notice and it is the responsibility of the traveler to have proper clothing and equipment. We will provide a list for the clothing and gear recommended for the trip.

Responsibilities and Conditions: We act only in the capacity of agent in all matters of transportation and tour operation. We are not responsible for delays, inconveniences, accidents, expense or mishap of any kind whatsoever resulting entirely, or in part, from the negligence of others or from causes beyond our control. We can accept no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air or other services, sickness, weather, strike, war, quarantine, or other causes. All such losses or expenses will have to be borne by the participant, as tour rates provide for arrangements only for the time stated. The right is reserved to substitute accommodations or modes of transportation and to make any changes in the itinerary where deemed necessary or caused by changes in transportation schedules. We take no responsibility for special arrangements or problems incurred by persons physically unable to participate in the planned activities. No refund can be made for absence from the tour unless arrangements are made at the time of the booking. The right is reserved to decline, to accept or to retain any person as a tour member for any reason which affects the operation of the tour or the rights and welfare or enjoyment of the other tour members. We will not discriminate against any individual because of race, sex, creed or nationality.

Cancelled Trips: We reserve the right to cancel any trip if conditions arise that are beyond our control and adversely affects the well-being of the trip members. In such a case, a full refund of the trip cost is given, but we are not responsible for additional expenses incurred by members in preparing for the trip including flights and other travel expenses.

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