Winter Wildlife Safari Tour: Lamar Valley at Big Sky

Watch wolves hunt and bison graze across Yellowstone's premier wildlife valley

A ten-hour winter wildlife safari from Big Sky takes you through Lamar Valley and Mammoth Hot Springs with a certified naturalist guide, heated AWD vehicle, binoculars and scopes, and a catered lunch. The tour is woman-owned and customized to your pace, with hotel and Airbnb pickup included. The guide educates through direct wildlife observation and stories, designed to build your confidence in nature. Yellowstone entrance fees are paid separately.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Lamar Valley2h · entry included
2. Mammoth Hot Springs1h · entry included

Winter Wildlife Safari in Lamar Valley

• Visit Lamar Valley for wildlife viewing
• Observe wolves and wildlife at Slough Creek
• Explore Mammoth Hot Springs formations
• See Roosevelt Arch and take photos
• Stop at Undine Falls viewpoint
• Bathroom breaks en route to Yellowstone

The experience

Lamar Valley, nicknamed America's Serengeti, is where Yellowstone's most iconic animals congregate: vast herds of bison, wolf packs, grizzly bears, elk, and pronghorn move through sweeping grasslands carved by glaciers and the meandering Lamar River. Dawn and dusk are when the valley comes alive, and the tour times your visit to catch those windows. You watch from the comfort of a heated, enclosed vehicle or from roadside pullouts, with Vortex Optics binoculars and scopes provided so you can see detail the naked eye misses.

The route also reaches Slough Creek, where wolf packs hunt and play in sage-dotted meadows, and Mammoth Hot Springs, where travertine formations and thermophilic bacteria create striking mineral pools at the park's northern entrance. You'll stop at the Roosevelt Arch, dedicated by Theodore Roosevelt in 1903, and Undine Falls, a 60-foot cascade over volcanic cliffs. The guide (certified in wilderness first aid and CPR) educates through stories and direct observation rather than a script, and the tour is built to work for guests from babies to 90 years old. A breakfast burrito, catered brown bag lunch with vegetarian and gluten-free options, hot cocoa, coffee, tea, and bottled water are included. Photos and videos are airdropped to you immediately after the tour ends.

What’s included

• Hotel and Airbnb pickup and drop-off in Big Sky.
• transport by enclosed, heated AWD vehicle.
• Vortex Optics binoculars and scopes.
• breakfast burrito and catered brown bag lunch with vegetarian and gluten-free options.
• hot cocoa, coffee, tea, and bottled water.
• certified naturalist guide with wilderness first aid and CPR training.
• photos and videos airdropped immediately after the tour.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to18h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 19 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 22 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcome

Operated by Nature Seen

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English and delivers the commentary live, so you hear stories and wildlife insights in real time rather than through an app or recording. The tour customizes to your pace and works for all ages and fitness levels, from young children to older adults.

Top questions

What animals will I actually see in Lamar Valley in winter?

Lamar Valley hosts vast herds of bison, wolf packs, grizzly bears, elk, and pronghorn year-round. Winter concentrates them in the valley, and dawn and dusk visits offer the best chance to watch wolves hunt and see bears foraging. The guide times the tour to catch those active windows.

How does the guide teach during the tour?

The naturalist guide educates through direct wildlife observation and stories rather than a lecture format. The tour is designed to build your confidence and competence in nature by showing you what animals do and explaining why they behave that way.

What's included in the tour price?

Hotel and Airbnb pickup and drop-off in Big Sky, transport in a heated AWD vehicle, Vortex Optics binoculars and scopes, breakfast burrito, catered brown bag lunch with vegetarian and gluten-free options, hot cocoa, coffee, tea, and bottled water are all included. Photos and videos are airdropped to you immediately after.

Do I need to pay for Yellowstone entrance separately?

Yes, Yellowstone National Park entrance fees are not included in the tour price and are paid at the gate. International guests pay an additional $250 on site for up to four people.

Is this tour suitable if I'm not very fit or have mobility concerns?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You spend most of the time in a heated vehicle watching from pullouts, so you control how much walking you do. The guide customizes the pace to your needs.