Yellowstone Wolf and Bear Adventure A Wildlife Tour for Wolves and Grizzlies

Join wildlife biologists Nathan Varley and Linda Thurston as they journey through Yellowstone National Park’s famous wildlife sanctuary observing gray wolves, grizzly bears, moose, and a host of other wildlife species. Enjoy comfortable accommodations in picturesque settings, great outdoor picnic meals, as well as, fine dining in historic locations. Learn from the experts who have spent their lives studying wildlife and teaching about the dramatic ecosystem that Yellowstone Park was created to protect.

“For the benefit and enjoyment of the people.”

~ Inscription on the Roosevelt Arch

North Entrance, Yellowstone National Park

The timing of this spring trip is ideal. Wolves are out searching for prey for their young pups and grizzlies are visible foraging in the meadows and valleys like no other time of the year. Newborn elk calves are hiding in the grass and sage while young bison calves are kicking and bucking as they follow the herds. This burst of new life is all around!

On a typical trip we see many wolves from several packs and dozens of grizzlies. We have witnessed amazing behavior, too, including both grizzlies and wolves chasing their prey. Being a resident of the Yellowstone area for nearly his entire life, Nathan specializes in the out-of-the-way places that few visitors get to enjoy. Short walks will put us into amazingly scenic spots that abound with wildlife. Don’t miss this opportunity to watch wolves on the move as the sun rises, grizzly bears bird-dogging through the sage hunting for elk calves, vast herds of bison stampeding across open grasslands, and bighorn sheep walking precariously along narrow cliff walls. While we may emphasize the “charismatic megafauna,” we don’t ignore the “enigmatic microfauna” either. We will also look for birds of all sizes and color, and small carnivores like otters, coyotes, foxes, badgers, and weasels.

Following each exhilarating day filled with wildlife viewing, we stay at comfortable and modern accommodations while alternating great outdoor picnics with dining at exquisite restaurants including Montana's historic Chico Hot Springs. Finally, you will see many of the locations that have made Yellowstone world famous, including the the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces, and Old Faithful Geyser.

The Adventures in Brief:

June 4-8 & June 12-16, 2009

Guides: Dr. Nathan Varley & Linda Thurston, wildlife biologists

Outfitters: A Naturalist's World

Group Size: 6-12

Cost: $1890/person/double occupancy w/ $250 single supplement

Deposit of $500 per person due at time of booking.

The Lamar Valley by Nathan Varley

E-mail Nathan Varley or call 406 223 2152 for information and reservations

Yellowstone Spring Wolf and Bear Adventure Schedule:

Day 1: Rendezvous with Nathan and Linda at the Bozeman airport (BZN) between 11 AM and 1 PM. After a lunch in the Bozeman area we will load our touring vehicle and leave the city behind en route for the wilds of Yellowstone. We will make stops in the picturesque Paradise Valley, just north of the park where park wildlife issues take on a new and controversial appearance. Linda has been involved with efforts to address wolf predation on livestock in the largely private, agricultural lands of the valley. At the north entrance to Yellowstone, we will check in at the Absaroka Lodge in Gardiner, Montana, where the views of the Yellowstone River and its rolling green hills and snow-clad mountains astound! An orientation to the area and the week ahead will precede dinner in Gardiner.

Day 2: We wake early, as we often will to better our chances of viewing active wildlife. We will tour through most of the park’s northern range where wildlife abounds in the spring, from bison to bears, from badgers to bald eagles. We will search the Blacktail Plateau, Slough Creek valley, and Lamar Valley for the resident wolf packs, often teaming up with rangers, scientists, and the eclectic wolf-watching faithful in our mutual effort to find and observe wildlife. Picnic breakfast and lunch will be served in the field to maximize our time searching and observing. A presentation at the Track Education Center with a special guest expert on wolves in Yellowstone will precede dinner.

Day 3: As the day before, we will leave early for another trip to Lamar Valley. This area is one of the best in the park for wolves, bears and many other species. The sheer abundance is what gives this area its well-earned nickname, “The Serengeti of North America.” We will return to the lodge after the morning safari. In the afternoon we will offer a tour to Yellowstone ’s famous sights including amazing geyser eruptions and burping mud pots of all colors. We will go to Old Faithful to catch an eruption of the world’s most famous, and faithful, geyser. The return trip includes a stop at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone for a view of the steep and rugged canyon with its enormous falls at its head. Dinner follows in Gardiner.

Day 4: Our third and final early morning will take us back to the Lamar Valley to maximize our opportunities for viewing wolves, bears, and many other wildlife species. We will return to check out of the Absaroka Lodge then take a short hike in the Black Canyon of the Yellowstone River to look for pronghorn, bighorn ospreys, and eagles. Upon return we will drive to Chico Hot Springs in the Paradise Valley, known for its rustic elegance, gourmet food, and therapeutic hot springs. Dinner will be served in Chico’s exclusive wine cellar.

Day 5: After several early mornings, you get to sleep in and rest up for a day of travel on our final day. After breakfast, we will have you back to the Bozeman airport (or a nearby destination) for departures no earlier than NOON. At that point you will have accumulated hundreds of images of incredible scenery and wildlife, as well as, the memories of a fun group of new friends made while exploring and enjoying the magic of Yellowstone!

Cost: $1890/person/double occupancy. $250 supplement for singles requesting own room.

Price includes all lodging, transportation to/from Bozeman, Montana, (BZN), park entrance fees, meals, snacks and non-alcohol drinks. We can accommodate special dietary needs, please let us know. A deposit of $500 per person reserves a space.

Local Outfitters: A Naturalist's World LTD, Gardiner, Montana

Small Groups!! Maximum trip participants will be 12!

For reservations, contact Nathan at nathan@wolftracker.com

Or phone: 406 223 2152

Policies:

Deposit: A deposit of $500 per person reserves a space. The balance is due sixty days prior to the trip.

Cancellation Penalties: A full refund of the deposit will be given for all cancellations more than six months before the trip. For cancellations three to six months prior to departure, we will refund $250 of the initial deposit. For cancellations less than three months before departure, the deposit is non-refundable.. For cancellations one to two months prior to departure, 50% of the total trip cost will be refunded. Refunds will not be made for cancellations made less than a month prior to departure. We cannot refund money for missed meals, missed portions of the trip or any other unused portions of the tour. Cancellations must be submitted in writing and are effective upon date of receipt.

Insurance: Trip cancellation and medical insurance is highly recommended. We suggest you use CSA Vacation Guarantee (800-348-9505) for trip insurance. Trip participants must fill out a participant waiver and a medical release.

Health and Safety: The trip requires average physical fitness and is suitable for people of all ages. 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. Please contact our office for assistance in what to bring on 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 should an inadequate sign-up make the trip economically unfeasible for us to operate or should conditions arise beyond our control that adversely affect 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.