LODGING & LEARNING PACKAGES IN YELLOWSTONE PROVIDE IN-DEPTH EXPERIENCES COMBINED WITH CREATURE COMFORTS
Since Yellowstone National Park concessioner Xanterra Parks & Resorts partnered with the non-profit Yellowstone Association Institute (YAI) to offer multi-day educational vacations called Lodging & Learning packages in 1999, some 15,000 participants have enjoyed traveling throughout the park while learning from local experts.
This spring, summer and fall, Xanterra and YAI will offer eight packages ranging from three to five days. All include daily field trips with a YAI naturalist guide, lodging in Xanterra-operated hotels, many meals, in-park transportation, welcome gift and optional evening programs. The minimum age for all but the “Yellowstone for Families” package is 12 years old, and there is a maximum of 12 participants for all but the “Roosevelt Rendezvous” package.
Rates quoted below are per person based on double occupancy and do not include taxes or utility fees. Single, triple and quadruple occupancy rates are also available. Members of the Yellowstone Association Institute receive a discount of $10 off the price of all packages.
The packages are:
Yellowstone for Families.
This package features a new opportunity this year as families will have the option of spending nights in the popular Old Faithful Village. Yellowstone for Families is designed for families with children ages eight through 12. Families explore the park together, and children work on their Junior Ranger badges. It is offered with two nights of lodging at the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel near the north gate of the park followed by two nights at either the Old Faithful Snow Lodge and Cabins or two nights at Grant Village.
Yellowstone for Families includes four nights of lodging, breakfast and box lunches each day, in-park transportation, instruction and optional evening programs. Programs are offered Monday to Friday and Friday to Tuesday from June 3 to Aug. 16, 2013. Rates for Yellowstone for Families are $2,756 for a family of two adults and two children.
Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery.
This three-day package offered 10 times during the month of May focuses on two of the park’s famous mammals and includes wildlife viewing excursions and hikes. It includes four nights at the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, three breakfasts and lunches and one dinner. The rate is $699 double occupancy.
Essential Yellowstone.
This four-day package is offered five times between May and September and includes five nights at the Lake Yellowstone Hotel, four breakfasts, four lunches and one dinner, wildlife watching, walk around the rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, field trips focusing on park geology and more. The rate is $1,189 per person double occupancy.
Old Times on the Grand Tour.
This six-night/five-day package is offered 14 times throughout the summer season and includes two nights each at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, Old Faithful Snow Lodge and Lake Yellowstone Hotel as well as five breakfasts and lunches, one dinner and a welcome gift. Following the route once taken by stagecoach passengers, it includes transportation in a Historic Yellow Bus, known for its roll-back top. The rate is $1,659 per person double occupancy.
Trails Through Yellowstone.
This four-day/four-night package begins every Monday from late May through late September and includes two nights each at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Grant Village, four breakfasts and lunches and one dinner. This is a good choice for active travelers who want to learn about and explore the park’s backcountry. Participants take daily hikes in various park regions. Rate is $869 per person double occupancy.
Summer Wildlife Expedition.
Participants in this active vacation explore the park by bus, foot and boat, and participants learn about the many wildlife species who make the park their home. The four-night/four-day package includes two nights at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and three nights at Lake Yellowstone Hotel, four breakfasts and lunches and an interpretive boat tour on Yellowstone Lake. Rate is $1,439 per person double occupancy.
Fall Wolf and Elk Discovery.
This package follows the history and in some cases the trails of the park’s wolves and elk. Fall is the rutting season for elk, and watching their behavior during this period is fascinating and sometimes amusing. The package is offered nine times between late August and early October and includes four nights at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel (located in the heart of the wildlife-rich Northern Range), three breakfasts and lunches and one dinner. Rate is $699 per person double occupancy.
Roosevelt Rendezvous.
Characterized as a summer camp for grown-ups, participants of this package have the run of Roosevelt Lodge after it closes to the general public for the summer season. Each day, participants choose a half- or full-day excursion such as animal tracking or photography. Included are breakfasts, lunches and buffet dinners and programs every evening. Rate is $759, and the package is offered three times in early September.
To reserve any of these packages visit www.YellowstoneNationalParkLodges.com or call toll-free (1) 866-GEYSERLAND (1-866-439-7375) or (1) 307-344-7311.