Upper Loop Tour: Exploring Yellowstone's Unique Wildlife

Embark on an active van tour through Yellowstone National Park to discover its unique wildlife. Explore Shadow Canyon, Mount Washburn, Lamar Valley, and Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Madison River - Observe wildlife along the Madison River in the early morning light. Bears and elk are common visitors to this valley.
  • Mount Washburn - Look for wildlife while driving up Mount Washburn. This area is inhabited by grizzly bears and elk herds.
  • Lamar Valley - Home to over 60 species of mammals, Lamar Valley is often called…
What's Included
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • Snacks
  • Carbonated beverages
  • Bottled water
  • Tea and coffee
  • Spotting Scope for viewing wildlife at a safe distance
  • Lunch
  • Binoculars for personal use to view wildlife
What's Not Included
  • Entrance fees
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

This Wildlife Viewing Van Tour offers an excellent opportunity to observe the distinctive animals of Yellowstone National Park. The adventure begins in the lively gateway town of West Yellowstone.
In the early morning, the tour explores wildlife habitats in the renowned Shadow Canyon of the Madison River, an area inhabited by bears and elk.
Later, the…

Location
West Yellowstone Visitor Information Center
Yellowstone Avenue
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(119 Ratings)
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1 star
64dennisu
Jul 30, 2025
On time and full of adventure. - We appreciated that pickup was on time, the van was comfortable and clean. The tour guide provided multiple bathroom stops. Snacks, meals and water were nice. We appreciated that binoculars were provided.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Susan_s
Jul 30, 2025
Our tour guide had all... - Our tour guide had all knowledge, drove wonderfully, and got us views of all the animals for pics. Michele was marvelous!
Review provided by Viator
Nick_f
Jul 28, 2025
Julia was awesome !! - Great way to see park without having to deal with traffic Julia was very knowledgeable and accommodating
Review provided by Viator
Oscara_m
Jul 26, 2025
Upper loop tour van - We had a wonderful time doing the Upper Loop tour Van . We are very grateful to our amazing tour guide Julia. She's incredible knowledgeable about Yellowstone and the wildlife. She is a great communicator and overall a delight to be around to. She told us about the history of the park, she is very sharp on spotting wildlife and brought us to the top spots to see birds and animals . We saw a nest of eagles which was very cool . She went above and beyond to make everyone happy and to have a great time . I am so glad we chose this company and will recommend it to everyone . Will definitely do it again when we are back in Yellowstone Thanks Julia !
Review provided by Viator
N8538sumartys
Jul 24, 2025
Lamar Valley Wildlife Tour is a memorable experience - The wildlife tour exceeded our expectations! Our tireless guide, Michelle, knew just where to go to see many birds and animals, and made sure everyone got a chance to see what she spotted. Yellowstone Park, particularly Lamar Valley, is beautiful beyond words. Yellowstone Hiking Guides helped make our day in Lamar Valley a memorable experience. We give our highest recommendation!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nolafan72
Jul 22, 2025
Yellowstone Upper Loop and Lamar Valley tour - The guide, Dallas, was terrific! He was very knowledgeable about the history of Yellowstone as well as the animals and various features of the park. He took the time to answer everyone’s questions and stopped at the best features of the park. This was the best tour and Dallas was the best guide we have had in quite a while.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nikhilgujar
Jul 21, 2025
Amazing trip with Spencer - My trip was on 5th July with Spencer. He was very knowledgeable and answered all my questions. We stopped at every famous and picturesque spot. Saw wild animals including mountain goats. He was quick in identifying animals and took me to all the incredible spots. We had such a great conversation that we didn't realize how time passed. Overall 10/10 i would rate. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Viator
D7026atmarkb
Jul 19, 2025
- We took the guided upper loop tour and it was amazing. Our guide Oliver was outstanding, very knowledgeable, with and outstanding personality. I highly recommend this guided tour, and the guide himself. He really loves his job and it shows. Thank you for the outstanding time and the memories you helped us make together.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Annsv156pw
Jul 19, 2025
What a great day! - Oliver was awesome. He was very informative and beyond patient with the lot of us. It was an incredible way to really immerse yourself in the park without having to navigate all the driving by yourself. The snacks and lunch were a big hit with our group. Thank you Oliver!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Trail14010390447
Jul 15, 2025
Great tour, saw a lot of wildlife. - It was a great day. Dallas, our guide was a great guy and knew the park well. He knew where to go to see wildlife, which was our main objective. We saw Elk on 3 occasions, a black bear and tons of Bison up close, it was great. We also saw Ospreys and ground squirrels. He also took us to some great geological sites like hot springs. It was a great tour, I highly recommended it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $292
up to 12 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).