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Yellowstone Winter Wildlife

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Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming & Montana - 6 night photo safari

There is a reason Yellowstone was the formed as the world's first national park back in 1872. From sweeping meadows to high alpine peaks, spouting geysers and colorful thermal springs, Yellowstone is packed with sights that can keep one coming back for decades wanting more. Beyond its rich geological and human history, the park is loaded with some of North America's most iconic wildlife. Bison, wolves, elk, moose, fox, coyote, otters, eagles, owls, and so much more call this area home and our goal is to see and photograph as much of it as we can during our time in the interior.

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Yellowstone receives only around 2% of its annual visitation during the winter season, which means the wildlife sightings abound as the crowds vanish. Most would agree there is no better time to photograph wildlife in the park than the winter season. Animals that spend the majority of their time high up in the mountains or deep in the forest away from the roads are now in more open spaces that we get access to. 

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Aboard our luxury 13-passenger snow coach, we will head into the park's rugged and quiet interior every morning before sunrise to catch whatever wildlife chooses to show itself that day. We will spend nearly 10-hours each day driving wherever we wish as we have no set itinerary. If wolves show up in a particular valley, that's where we will spend the majority of our time as we watch their pack in their element. If we find a frosty bison posing perfectly with a steamy geyser basin backdrop or a fox hunting for rodents in a snow blanketed meadow, that's where we'll focus our time. We never know what wildlife we'll encounter, but that's half of the fun! On top of wildlife, there will be good opportunities for landscape photos as well.

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There is nothing quite like visiting Yellowstone National Park's interior during the winter season. With only a certain amount of coaches and snowmobiles allowed in a day, we will find long stretches of absolute solitude and peacefulness in one of the continent's last remaining untouched wildernesses. So don't wait for another snowy season to pass you by before heading on this amazing winter wildlife safari!

IMAGES TAKEN WHILE ON 
YELLOWSTONE WINTER TOUR

Price Includes + 

Price Does Not Include - 

  • 6-nights accomodation

  • 5-days of snow coach safari

  • Park permits

  • Breakfast and lunch

  • Photography and post-processing instruction

  • Transportation to and from Bozeman (BZN) airport

  • Flights to/from BZN airport

  • Gratuities for snow coach guides

  • Dinners

  • Trip Insurance (highly recommended)

SUGGESTED CAMERA GEAR:

  • DSLR or Mirrorless camera body (highly recommended to bring at least 2 camera bodies)

  • Wide angle lens (e.g. 16-35,mm 24-70mm, etc. Mostly used for up-close shots of wildlife and landscape/environmental)

  • Mid range lens (70-200mm)

  • Telephoto lens (300mm-500mm+)

  • 512GB - 2 TB worth of memory cards

  • Tablet or Laptop for backing up images and Photoshop lessons

  • GoPro

  • Tripod (if you plan on shooting stars at night)

  • Polarizing filter

  • UV filter (if you worry about sea spray on your lens)

  • Camera bag capable of carrying gear and daily necessities

POSSIBLE WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS:

  • Gray wolf

  • Bison

  • Elk

  • Moose

  • Mule deer

  • Coyote

  • Red fox

  • River otter

  • Pine Marten

  • Ermine

  • Bighorn sheep

  • Badger

  • Bobcat

  • Great gray owl

  • Pygmy owl

  • Bald eagle

  • Golden eagle

  • Rough-legged hawk

  • Common raven

  • Trumpeter swan

  • Canada goose

  • Common goldeneye

  • Barrow goldeneye

  • Gray jay

  • ​American dipper

  • Clark's nutcracker

HIGHLIGHTS: 

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  • 5 full days aboard a luxury 13- passenger snow coach filled to less than half capacity to give everyone plenty of space

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  • Ample opportunities to encounter wolves out in the snow​

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  • Encountering wildlife such as bison, elk, coyote, fox, otters, weasels, bobcats, owls, eagles, ravens and more

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  • Visiting iconic thermal basins to watch Old Faithful and other hot springs

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  • Driving through the untouched Hayden Valley covered in snow

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  • Visiting the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone to witness a frozen 300-foot tall waterfall

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TOUR DETAILS:

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Dates: February 15th-21st, 2026

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Group Size: Up to 6 participants in a 13-passenger snow coach

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Cost: $6,995 per person. Single supplement of $450 

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Payment: $1,800 deposit to hold and confirm spot. Remaining balance due 120 days prior to departure, but can be split up into multiple payments over 12 months after trip is run. Please inquire when booking.

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ITINERARY:

Day 1: Arrive in Bozeman Int'l Airport and board scheduled shuttle for West Yellowstone, Montana. Check-in to Kelly Inn for the next 6 nights.

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Day 2-6: Wake up to breakfast and board our snow coach before 7:00 AM for a full day of exploration in Yellowstone National Park. We will alter our course and location based on wildlife sightings and weather. Dinner back in town.

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Day 7: Board your shuttle for transportation back to Bozeman for your flight home.

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Physical Requirement: Gorilla Virtually none. Most days will be spent aboard the snow coach and much of the wildlife encountered will be from the road. At times, a small amount of walking will occur when visiting geyser basins or if an animal encounter requires us to trek through some deep snow.

  • How do I use Zoom or Skype? Where do I get it?
    Both Zoom and Skype are free to download and run on a variety of OS versions (both Windows and Mac). It is very easy to install the client. Do this before our meeting. A short time before our session, I will email a meeting link to you. Click on the link and you’ll join right in.
  • Should I do an in-person or online photography lesson?
    I always like to talk with whomever wants a lesson in advance to make sure I understand everything possible about what it is you are looking to learn. During our emails or phone calls before the lesson, we will decide what is best for you!
  • Can I get in person coaching?
    Yes, certainly, provided you (and I!) are in the Monterey Bay, California area. This is a good option if you want advice on using your camera, reading a location and choosing a composition. I recommend at least a 2-hour block of time for an in person lesson. Lessons can be given in other locations, but additional fees apply for travel. Please inquire for more details!
  • What can we photograph in-person around Monterey Bay?
    Monterey Bay has a plethora of wildlife and shooting locations as its one of North America's top wildlife and nature photography destinations (one reason I live here!). We can photograph wildlife from otters, sea lions, birds, whales, bobcats, and more or focus on landscape photography around Big Sur or the rocky shoreline of the peninsula. If you choose you would like a lesson in nearby Yosemite, Point Reyes, or somewhere further, we can set that up too! Longer trips are usually done over 1-3 nights.
  • Do I need to use my entire lesson time in a single sitting?
    It depends on what you are looking to learn! Some subjects can be taught rather easily within 1-2 hours, but many students prefer to have ongoing lessons. Maybe you want to schedule 1 lesson every week or every month or maybe you want to start with an in-person lesson and then follow-up with an online lesson where to post process some of the photos we have taken. We can decide all of this as we go along as flexibility is key!
  • My schedule changed last minute. What do I do?
    Hey, life happens. Contact me and we'll work out a new schedule. If the worst happens and we can't reschedule, you'll get a full refund.

REGISTRATION

When I receive your registration information, I will respond within 24 hours with a registration packet and more information. The remaining amount for the safari must be paid in full 120 days prior to your departure. Tour fees can be paid through Zelle (easiest and preferred), check, PayPal (2.95% processing fee), and credit/debit card (2.95% processing fee). Please inquire about paying off tour over 12 months with zero interest. 

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If you wish to speak to me directly, feel free to call: (425) 301-1757, or email: chasedekker@ymail.com

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