Upper Loop Tour and Lamar Valley from West Yellowstone with Lunch
4.8

Upper Loop Tour and Lamar Valley from West Yellowstone with Lunch

By Yellowstone Hiking Guides
Recommended by 93% of travellers
93% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Free cancellation • Full refund if cancelled up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time).
Reserve now & pay later • Secure your spot while staying flexible.
Lowest price guarantee • Find a lower price online? Get the difference refunded!

Ages 6-80, max of 12 per group
Duration: 8h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Live guide: English
More

Highlights

  • Coffee and/or Tea
  • Lunch
  • Snacks
  • Soda/Pop
  • Spotting Scope
  • Binoculars
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
What's not included
  • Landing and facility fees


Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.
  • Option 1
    West Yellowstone Visitor Information Center, 30 Yellowstone Ave, West Yellowstone, MT 59758, USA
    For guests staying outside of West Yellowstone, we meet at the West Yellowstone Visitor Information Center during a window of 6AM to 6:15AM. Please do not pick a hotel that you are not staying at as your meeting location.
  • Option 2
    Madison Amphitheater, Yellowstone National Park, WY 83013, USA
    We meet in the parking lot in between the Madison Amphitheater and the Restrooms at 6:45AM. There is no cell service at this location.
Pickup details
  • We will meet at the lobby of any hotel in West Yellowstone of any or any vacation rental within the boundaries of West Yellowstone. Pick ups begin at 6AM.
Additional pickup options
During checkout you will be able to select from the list of included pickup points.
  • West Yellowstone Visitor Information Center, 30 Yellowstone Ave, West Yellowstone, MT 59758, USA
  • Madison Amphitheater, Yellowstone National Park, WY 83013, USA
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Not wheelchair accessible
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 23667P10

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
    • Most travellers can participate
    • This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travellers

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 23667P10

    From
    £230.23
    per adult
    Select date and travellers
    Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.

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    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • Yellowstone Hiking Guides
      4.8 of 5 bubbles717
      United States
      Joined in April 2015
    • crisspbiscuit
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Amazing Tour; Exceptional Guide
      We LOVED this tour! On the tour we got to see many different geysers - some quiet, some erupting. Thanks to Nak, our knowledgeable and entertaining tour guide, we learned a lot about what makes geysers in general - and several different ones in particular - unique and special. He managed to time our hike perfectly to see some spectacular eruptions and even include the Old Faithful overlook. Overall, we are happy to recommend this tour and this company. I hope you get a chance to do this tour, and are lucky enough to be with a guide as intelligent and kind as Nak!
      Written 7 October 2024
    • Footprints627356
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Lower Loop Van Tour
      Loved our Lower loop day tour with Josh. Knowledgeable, engaging and always with a smile, he made the day fun and interesting. Was also very flexible when Old Faithful erupted 45 minutes earlier than scheduled (unheard of!!!😆) and rolled with it. Stopped for photos of wildlife!! Thoroughly enjoyed our tour.
      Written 30 September 2024
    • PammiepBR
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Awesome time in the Upper Geyser Basin
      Fantastic time in the Upper Geyser Basin viewing so many of the highlights of the area including Old Faithful and the more awesome Beehive Geyser both during eruptions! Our tour guide, Michael was super knowledgeable and made the tour fun as we worked a route around all the roaming bisons! Such an amazing day. Highly recommend.
      Written 29 September 2024
    • donaldpA157OA
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Must do best hike in Yellowstone
      Karlie took us on a excellent hike. We saw the canyon, steaming mudpots and wonderful scenery. All i can say is SPECTACULAR !
      Written 27 September 2024
    • donaldpA157OA
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      One of the must do hike in Yellowstone NP
      Excellent hike with Karlie with a "K" Karlie made sure that everyone didn't over do themselves, plenty of breaks and hydration. The scenery was spectacular, and we saw plenty of Bison. Karlie was very informative about the Bisons and other animals we came across. We enjoyed the excursion and Karlie so much, we booked the Yellowstone South Rim of the Grand Canyon also.
      Written 27 September 2024
    • Lutsicon
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      An awesome hike in Yellowstone national park with a well informed guide
      We had the pleasure of having Ann Marie as our hiking guide. We had a great time hiking along the Grand Canyon of the yellowstone and further on. A lot of fun facts were shared by Ann Marie, so we learned a lot. She was knowledgeable about many things and not a thing was too much for her to answer, all that with a big smile and a good sense of humor. At the end of our hike it began to get clouded and we also had thunder and lightning. Ann Marie made sure we felt safe through all that, and got us back to the parking lot wet but with a big smile. Definitely worthwile and do not hesitate to book a tour with hiking guides.
      Written 27 September 2024
    • PammiepBR
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great Time!
      We had an amazing morning on Lake Yellowstone from sunrise to wildlife, to geysers. Emily Jo and Josh were great guides, knowledgeable on the sights, super accommodating and fun! Highly recommend.
      Written 26 September 2024
    • rosemarybA6463CX
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Outstanding lower loop van tour
      Excellent tour Nakul was a Fantastic, personable, knowledgeable guide loved the available binoculars as well as the scope Nakul set up Saw everything as advertised Nice snack bag and turkey sandwich lunch
      Written 26 September 2024
    • B493UCmicheler
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Lower Loop Tour
      We enjoyed the tour and the guide was great and very helpful. I would have to recommend having a headset with a speaker for the guide, however. We both are hard of hearing and had to sit in the furthest seat back so we missed a bit of detail, even with hearing aids.
      Written 23 September 2024
    • 198tesss
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Highly recommend this company and this guide team!!
      We had a really fun four hour trip despite bad weather. Our guides were Josh, Emily Jo and Michael. They definitely know how to take care of their customers and did a great job of entertaining and educating us. We saw some really cool birds, including a bald eagle. Highly recommend them and this company! I’d give them six stars if I could!
      Written 23 September 2024
    • OnAir562081
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Hiking Made Fun!
      Hike was a lot of fun, Nukul, our tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. I would recommend this to anyone that can walk 6-7 miles and wants to see more than just the road at Yellowstone. Would definitely recommend to anyone that likes to see nature and learn more about the park.
      Written 23 September 2024
    • Sara W
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A Yellowstone experience - well worth it
      Emily Jo and Josh were awesome guides! They were super knowledgeable and really took care of our group from start to finish. We were immediately offered hot cocoa, tea, coffee and Aussie bites and shown the basics of kayaking. Throughout the tour, Josh had so many cool facts and knew a lot about the wildlife and thermal features of Yellowstone. Emily Jo was super kind and I enjoyed chatting with her. At the end, we were offered lunch with many goodies and a soda/gatorade. The tour was eventful and definitely a workout. I’d recommend this to anyone - families, couples, solo, etc.
      Written 19 September 2024
    • Sightseer799842
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great Hiking Trip
      We had a great time! We saw some wildlife and a lot of beautiful scenery. We had a great lunch that included a delicious sandwich on locally sourced bread and lots of other treats. Our guide found the perfect lunch sight by the river. Karly was a great guide! She was very knowledgeable about Yellowstone and took good care of everyone in the group. Her energy and enthusiasm was contagious! This will always be a great memory for us!
      Written 17 September 2024
    • Francis G
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Fantastic! Saw all the greatness of the lower loop. Mike, our guide was exceptional with great insights.
      Everything was great. Mike was extremely knowledgeable, funny, and engaging. Strongly recommend this tour. Lots of driving between many sights.
      Written 17 September 2024
    • Lalasong1975
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Definitely worth adding this hike tour to your Yellowstone stay
      We did this safari hike with Austin our tour guide. He was super friendly, knowledgable and helped us to see incredible herds of bison much closer than we would have otherwise been able to. The views were amazing and even though the weather was wet it just made the landscape more magical. Thank you Austin and Kim
      Written 15 September 2024
    See all 717 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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    4.8
    4.8 of 5 bubbles58 reviews
    Excellent
    52
    Very good
    2
    Average
    2
    Poor
    0
    Terrible
    2

    Shell K
    23 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2024 • Family
    Today my family and some newly made friends enjoyed the tour of Yellowstones upper loop. Although it rained a bit and was a little cold. The transportation given was comfortable, warm and loved the big windows. A gift bag of snacks for trip and lunch was provided, as well as warm drinks. I enjoyed my coffee of course, my Mom tea and the kids cocoa. Restroom stops offered frequently. Our guide, Chris Buckman, was most excellent. Not only was the tour exciting with all of the many animals spotted (and there was a lot) we were impressed with his vast knowledge of the area, animals, plants and geysers. Many stories shared as well as some (dad like) jokes kept the day filled with laughter and excitement. They offered binoculars for everyone to enjoy on the search. We saw some Pronghorn, Ground Squirrel , Elk. Deer, Black Bear and Grizzly with 2 cubs. yellow crane 😉😁, Bison (herds and individuals), Osprey birds and nest, family of Mountain Goats, a Moose, bird- Dusky Grouse, Chipmunk, Rabbit , Badger. Bald Eagle. Wolf, Trumpeter Swan. My goodness we got to see a lot. Chris knew just where to look and even would holler helper notes to surrounding tourists. Even when on the walks, others would gather around just to hear what he had to say. Sometimes it looked like our group had tripled. We just could not be more excited about being able to relax and enjoy this wonderful experience. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    Written 26 June 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Barb B
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2024 • Family
    Had an absolutely fabulous trip today with my family to the upper loop. Where we saw every animal on my wish list (and there was a lot). The beautiful scenery, plants, mountains, geysers, lakes.
    Our guide Chris was a wealth of knowledge of the area. Explaining why the area looked the way it did, how the geysers came about, how the animals and habitat are so important to one another. The effect of the geothermal to the area.
    It was very educational, but the many jokes made the day so enjoyable.😆
    We were meant with a hand up into the van, a treat bags in our seats and had binoculars for each of us. At one of our stops offered tea, hot chocolate and coffee ( which was especially nice given the rainy day). But that didn’t dampen our experience. It was a fun day filled with surprises.
    My biggest thrill was the grizzly and cubs 🐻, black bears, moose 🫎 badger🦡, elks🦌, mountain goats 🐐 to mention a few.
    Written 29 June 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Suzanne35691
    Bloomington, IL195 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    It was an early start to the morning, but well worth getting up early to get to the park and get started seeing the wildlife ! We were happy we booked this tour because it enabled both of us to see what we came to see and to have an experienced guide take us to all the hotspots for wildlife. We saw just about everything we wanted to except for a bear! Our tour guide, Austin, was a great guide. We would highly recommend this tour.
    Written 22 September 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Zena
    7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jul 2024 • Friends
    Today my friend and I were lucky enough to experience a complete small private tour with our wonderful guide Karlie in the Upper Loop area of Yellowstone National Park.
    On pick up Karlie was warm and friendly and very knowledgeable about our tour and much of the wildlife in the area.. We visited the majestic Lamar Valley where we got to see waterfalls, wild flowers and wonderful views of all that the area has to offer. Wow...
    The Bison were a delight as were the Elk, Pronghorn, Mountain Goats and other furry friends.
    Unfortunately we didn't get to see a bear or wolf at this time, but that's nature right..unpredictable and amazing. Time walking through Mammoth Hotsprings was so colourful and again the incredible rocky mountains, rivers and lakes were also stunning.
    The lunch, snacks and drinks Karlie provided were healthy and delicious.
    All round I would highly recommend a small tour with Karlie. She was a breath of fresh air like the environment she took us too.
    Thanks so much Karlie.
    Written 23 July 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    sunjeff
    Dover, DE11 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2024 • Family
    Our two days in Yellowstone on our own were amazing but the day spent on the guided van tour was even better. From pick up to drop off this tour was excellent. Dallas, our guide was extremely friendly, knowledgeable and interesting, making conversation throughout the trip and making sure everyone on the trip was having a good experience. He adjusted the schedule when there was something interesting to see more closely, like a momma bear and her cub. He pointed out a moose and her calf. Unfortunately, there was no place to pull off to observe them better. The beverages and food provided were better than expected. We had a pleasant day without having to do any of the driving. Having an experienced tour guide is a great way to experience Yellowstone and well worth the cost.
    Written 17 June 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Deanna
    Jonesborough, TN15 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Alex was great !! We brought our elderly parents who can’t do any hiking and she made it so informative that they didn’t miss anything that Yellowstones beauty had to offer. The lunch was wonderful, and we also found out this company is a small business who truly cares about their guest and staff. There was special love in our packed lunches !! We are business owners as well and your staff reflects your passion for the park and outdoors. Truly amazing!
    Written 5 October 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Julie H
    Brentwood, CA1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2023 • Family
    We had a fabulous day with Alex! He was able to focus on the things we really wanted to see, he was informative and friendly. As we had traveled through most of the park already we really wanted to see wolves. Alex did not disappoint! He got us to the right spot at the right time, we saw 4 wolves and had the incredible opportunity to see and hear them howl! We also saw 9 black bears, snowshoe hare, 3 mountain goats, pronghorns, sandhill crane, a grizzly with cubs, elk and plenty of bison and red dogs! Thanks a million, Alex, you helped end our trip on a most spectacular note!
    Written 20 June 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Jessica B
    15 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jul 2023
    We were so excited to see some animals and more of the mountains and valleys of Yellowstone. Mark did not disappoint. He was knowledgeable, funny, and kept up the puns while we looked for bears, goats, and eagles. Great time seeing more of Yellowstone besides the geysers.
    Written 21 July 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Kristin M
    2 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Oct 2022
    Josh was an excellent guide. Very kind, caring, attentive, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable. However, there was nothing on this tour we couldn't have done ourselves. I booked this tour because it was supposed to be an "active" van tour. Stated on the website for the tour is "Let a local naturalist take you where the bus' simply can't go. Our tours are active and offer up to 3 miles of optional guided walking on dirt tracks and boardwalks. Includes hearty lunch with drinks, binoculars, and trekking pole." There were no optional hikes. There was no trekking pole. The lunch was a homemade sandwich and store bought snacks. The website also states that the Norris Geyser Basin is included on the tour. My husband and I specifically did not go to this geyser on our own the day before because we didn't want to spoil the tour. We did not go. There was no explanation for not doing any of these things. I would not book this tour again. It was not worth the price.
    Written 10 October 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you for your review. We are sorry you were disappointed with your tour. The Upper Loop Van Tour is more of a wildlife watching van tour than an off-the-beaten-path hiking tour. The best tour for that is our Lamar Valley Safari Hike or Grand Canyon Rim Hike. The Upper Loop Van Tour is the least active of our offerings. The Lower Loop Active Van Tour includes 3 miles of hiking. We are one of the most affordable tours in the Park. We have stopped including Norris Geyser Basin in the tour because there is not enough time to include it in the tour.
    Written 26 October 2022
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Errnessitine S
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2024 • Solo
    It was an amazing trip with our guide Michael. He is knowledgeable, and always enthusiastic. We started at 6am (so it was a peaceful morning drive). We saw many wildlife along Lamar valley, which required a lot of spontaneity and flow with what comes our way. We used a telescope too, which was a bonus on top of the binoculars provided. I love the vegan sandwich they made too. Thank you for making Yellowstone memorable! It's worth every cent ;)
    Written 21 June 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Showing results 1-10 of 58
    *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

    Upper Loop Tour and Lamar Valley from West Yellowstone with Lunch provided by Yellowstone Hiking Guides

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