Itinerary Expand allSeattle to Salt Lake City Day 1 Start SeattleWelcome to the city of Seattle in Washington State. You're in a city that oozes cool, from sophisticated coffee shops to endless markets, not forgetting the iconic Space Needle. From here you can gaze across the beautiful Puget Sound, and on a clear day view Mount Rainier. Spend your afternoon sampling local specialties and people watching at Pike Place Market before heading to the start hotel for a welcome meeting at 6.00pm.Optional Activities:• Space Needle US$22-$29Accommodation: SureStay by Best Western Seatac North (or similar) Day 2 Coeur D'AleneHave one last Seattle coffee moment before heading out of Washington State to the lakeside city of Coeur d'Alene. Swimming, walking and enjoying the sunset with a glass of fizz are all perfect ways to complete your first day in Idaho. Don't forget to pack your swimwear as the lake makes for a great place to cool off. Take a refreshing dip in secluded spots around the lake, but remember, it can be quite cold!Participatory CampingLake Coeur d'Alene Campground (or similar) Meals included: Lunch Dinner Day 3 Glacier National ParkContinue through the mountains of Montana to the famed Glacier National Park where you'll spend the next two nights exploring this immense landscape. Keep your eyes peeled for deer and bear which frequent this area, as well as stunning scenery and glacial lakes. Your leader will take you to West Glacier where you'll board the Going-to-the-Sun Road shuttle bus (seasonal).NB: The National Park Service regulates guided hikes in Glacier. Tomorrow you'll be led by a national park guide but on other days your tour leader is not permitted to walk with you on trails. They will however provide detailed briefings, directions, maps and transportation.Participatory CampingJohnson's at St Mary (or similar) Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 4 Glacier National Park Spend the day exploring the ins and outs of this superb park with a Glacier National Park wilderness guide. Your guide will help you try to spot some of the huge variety of animal species for which this park is renowned, including Grizzly Bear, wolverine and lynx. Big Horn Sheep, Mountain Goats, coyote and bears are also common, so make sure you keep your camera to hand! If conditions are right your guide will take you on the Iceberg Lake or Hidden Lake Trail for dramatic mountain scenes, wildflowers and a glaciated lake that will take your breath away. This will definitely be a day to remember.Participatory CampingJohnson's at St Mary (or similar) Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 5 Glacier National ParkFull day exploring Glacier National Park.Participatory Camping Johnson's at St Mary (or similar) Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 6 Yellowstone National ParkAn early start sees you on the road, heading to the fabled grounds of America's number one national park, Yellowstone. As soon as you arrive you'll be immersed in a mixture of striking scenery, where jagged peaks morph into flower-strewn meadows and rolling hillsides quickly become absorbed by solidified lava flows. This afternoon's walk will introduce you to the wildlife and the landscapes of Yellowstone, which will be your home for the next four nights.Participatory CampingCampsite varies depending on departure Meals included: Lunch Dinner Day 7 Yellowstone National Park Today you'll encounter Yellowstone's amazing array of geothermal features including mud pools, hot springs and steaming fumaroles. The park is famous for its volcanic history and there are estimated to be around 10,000 thermal features - nowhere else on earth can boast Yellowstone's concentration of geysers which are scattered amongst several distinct geyser basins. Benefit from the enthusiasm and knowledge of a local geologist who will no doubt enable you to learn more as you walk from one seismic hotspot to the next.Participatory CampingCampsite varies depending on departure Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 8 Yellowstone National Park Last night you may have heard the distant sounds of a howl far away in the mountains and today you'll get to learn all about the wolf packs that may have sung out such a nocturnal greeting. You'll spend a full day with a specialist wolf tracking guide, venturing into the park's wilderness by foot and by vehicle to learn about these extraordinary animals. Your guide will explain how wolves live and hunt together in Yellowstone and how the pack hierarchy works. It's important to note that you may not always be lucky enough to see wolves, but this is our aim and at the same time you're likely to see numerous other wildlife species.Participatory CampingCampsite varies depending on departure Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 9 Yellowstone National Park Even though this is your last day in Yellowstone there's still plenty of time to enjoy the wildlife, landscapes and geothermal activity away from the usual tourist sites. As you leave the crowds behind you'll be treated to a hike to the Upper and Lower Yellowstone Falls, the latter of which has the highest volume of water in the American Rockies and is almost twice as high as Niagara. You'll also visit the Mammoth Hot Springs which literally feels like being on another planet.Participartory campingCampsite varies depending on departure Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 10 Grand Teton National Park and JacksonToday you'll be leaving the borders of Yellowstone but there'll be no let-up with the incredible landscapes surrounding you. As you enter the realms of the mighty Tetons you'll no doubt be aware that you're in the presence of some quite formidable giants. The drama unfolds almost instantly after crossing the border into the Grand Teton National Park. An optional ferry journey across Jenny Lake takes you to the start of a climb to Inspiration Point where you'll be able to catch your breath and take in some absolutely scintillating views. You have the option of following the river and continuing further on your hike in the hopes of spotting moose which are commonly noted on this trail.Next stop is Jackson Hole which is regarded as one of Wyoming's premier ski resorts as well as being a haven for walkers and lovers of the great outdoors. Take a short walk to Rock Springs Overlook and opt for an incredibly scenic aerial tram ride. This completes your first day in the Grand Tetons and as you settle down for the night you'll be pleased to know that there are plenty more adventures left in store for tomorrow.Optional Activities:• Aerial Tram US$23• Western Saloons US$varies• Bar J Chuckwagon Dinner in Jackson US$24-$34Participartory campingSnake River KOA (or similar) Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 11 Grand Teton National Park and JacksonUsing all of the knowledge and hiking expertise that you've garnered throughout your time away you'll be able to undertake a self-guided hike to numerous scenic spots which your tour leader will explain to you. The park is perfect for seeing those all-important, breathtaking vistas and with excellent views of the Tetons as well as the chance to spot bison, moose, elk and deer, this is one of the best areas to make the most of the great outdoors. As the sun goes down you'll no doubt be able to look back over the previous 11 days as some of the most worthwhile and fulfilling times that you've ever had.NOTE: The National Park Service regulates guided hikes in Grand Teton National Park and it is not possible for your leader to accompany you today.Optional Activities:• Ferry across Jenny Lake US$15Participatory CampingSnake River KOA (or similar) Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 12 Jackson to Salt Lake City; EndEnjoy some free time exploring Jackson this morning before transferring to the base of the Wasatch Mountains and the urban delights of the Mormon capital of Utah, Salt Lake City.The tour will end this afternoon at our gateway hotel at approximately 5.00pm. We can book you post-tour accommodation at our gateway hotel if required. If you are planning to fly tonight, please do not book a flight that departs before 9.00pm. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch
United StatesBritish, New Zealand, Swiss and most EU passport holders do not need a visa (and enter the country under the Visa Waiver Program), provided they are in possession of an onward air ticket when entering the USA. Visas for the USA are required by some nationalities and it is always best to check with the relevant embassies. All passengers travelling to and from the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) are required to hold a machine-readable passport (MRP). A MRP has the holder's personal details, e.g. name, date of birth, nationality and their passport number contained in two lines of text at the base of the photo page. This text may be read by machine. The US now charges $14 for the visa waiver program and must be paid by credit card. The US authorities have introduced a mandatory requirement for all passengers travelling under the Visa Waiver Programme to register for an Electronic Travel Authority. As of 21 January 2016, any person who has travelled to Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Somalia, or Yemen since March 2011, or have dual nationalities of these countries, may no longer qualify for the VWP. For additional specifics about the VWP please consult the VWP information on the U.S. Embassy London website. More information and all necessary Internet links can be found on our USA visas page.
CampingWe use national and state park campsites and also a wide assortment of private campgrounds. Most will have flush toilets and hot showers however, some may charge an additional fee of $1-$3 for showers. You will sleep in heavy duty tents which single travellers share with one other passenger of the same sex. Our camping equipment also includes field kitchens, inflatable sleeping pads, food storage and camp lanterns and chairs. Most campsites have a quiet time from 22:00 hrs to 07:00 hrs. Please respect your fellow campers who are there to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of camping.An essential part of a camping tour is helping out with the day to day camp duties and everyone will assist with the setting up and packing up of the campsite. Your tour leader will provide guidance on what to do, and typically it will only take 15 minutes to set up or break down the tents and camp kitchen. Before you know it you’ll be enjoying ‘home sweet home’ in the great outdoors.Your tour leader will also co-ordinate and assist the group with food shopping, preparing meals and cleaning up. Sharing the camp duties is a great way to bond with your fellow travellers and the group camaraderie is all part of the experience.
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