Yellowstone & Wolves in Winter

We fly from London to Seattle and connect with our flight to Salt Lake City, in Utah, today. On arrival, we transfer to our hotel for the next two nights, the Little America Hotel Salt Lake City.

We begin our day with a guided tour of the state capital of Utah, viewing the main sights of the town. We visit Temple Square, where stands the enormous and incredible Salt Lake Temple, the world-famous house of worship for those who follow the Church of the Latter Day Saints (also known as 'Mormons'). Although only those who are of the Mormon faith can enter the temple, the views of it from the outside are spectacular. The enormous white building took around forty years to finish, after being initially marked for its site by Brigham Young, the second leader of the Mormon Church.

After time for lunch, we venture to Park City, a gorgeous ski resort that initially started its life in America as a mining town. Its beautiful surrounds of the Wasatch Mountain range give the town an almost Alpine feel, but the architecture is firmly American midwestern. So famed is the town now as a ski resort, it was actually used as one of the bases for the 2002 Winter Olympics.

You have plenty of time to explore the city at leisure. The main road is absolutely filled with shops and restaurants, as well as a fascinating museum. There are also numerous art galleries that dot Main Street, and buildings that harken back to the quaint old-west feel of the original mining village.

This morning, we depart by coach through to Wyoming, where our destination is Jackson Hole. A fairly small town, this ranching town is the epitome of old-west charm, with spectacular views of the Teton Mountain Range, craggy and rocky mountains that rise dramatically up from the valley floor. We stay here for two nights at the Snow King Lodge, and this evening you are at leisure to explore Jackson Hole and perhaps get dinner at one of the numerous western themed restaurants around the town.

We enjoy a highlight of our tour today as we visit the National Elk Refuge. After taking a coach to the visitors centre, we take an atmospheric horse-drawn sleigh ride through the beautiful panorama of the Teton Mountain Range, and witness the thousands of elk that come to the refuge for the winter season.

This display is undoubtedly spectacular, as these huge beasts can come from as far off as Yellowstone National Park to make their homes for the colder months. As well as Elk, there are also numerous other wildlife that enjoy the hospitality of the National Elk Refuge. Keep an eye out for some truly American animals, including eagles, coyotes and bison, as well as foxes, badgers, deer, and even wolves. This afternoon, you are at leisure to continue exploring the National Elk Refuge.

Today, we continue our American adventure and head to Gardiner, where we stay at the Best Western by Mammoth Hot Springs. On Day 6, we venture to the Lamar Valley. Here, discover the incredible amount of diverse wildlife that makes their homes in Yellowstone's Northern Range. Here, there is a chance to see wolves, which were introduced to Yellowstone in 1995. Since re-introduction, the wolves have actually helped the fragile ecosystem of Yellowstone, as their introduction have allowed foliage and smaller animal life to flourish. After the tour, we return to Gardinier and transfer by coach to West Yellowstone. We stay here for 3 nights at the Gray Wolf Inn.

We begin our two day exploration of amazing Yellowstone National Park today. We begin by boarding a snow coach to prepare for a trip around Yellowstone's upper loop. Here, we see some of Yellowstone's most incredible views, including Beryl Springs, Gibbon Falls, and the Lower Falls in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, a breathtaking cascade that is nearly double the height of Niagara Falls. Along the way, there are many stops to view the local wildlife and photograph our panoramic surrounds.

Our explorations today take us around Yellowstone's Lower Loop. Some of the sights around here are arguably more famous, and include Madison Junction and Fountain Flat Road. We also see one of the main attractions to Yellowstone, the Old Faithful Geyser, named such due to its ability to fire up to 185 ft. (56 m) of boiling water up into the air at 44 to 125 minute intervals.

We make our return to Salt Lake City today by coach. You then have some free time to continue exploring and perhaps grab a bite to eat before we meet up again at the Tabernacle on Temple Square this evening. Here, we enjoy a visit to watch the worldrenowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir rehearse. Later, we transfer to Salt Lake City train station to board the California Zephyr for an overnight journey to San Francisco. The Zephyr has a Sightseer Lounge where you can relax and enjoy the views. We arrive in San Francisco on Day 10, and transfer to the Handlery Union Square Hotel for a two night stay.

Today, we take in the incredible and vibrant city of San Francisco on a guided tour. We view some of the city's most famed sights, including the man made marvel that is the Golden Gate Bridge, as well as Union Square, a buzzing area surrounded by the skyscrapers and high-rises of central San Francisco, Fisherman's Warf, and the irrepressibly colourful Chinatown. This afternoon, we take to the sea to visit the infamous prison island of Alcatraz. Although the prison is now a tourist hotspot, it was once home to some of the United States' most dangerous prisoners, including the world's most wellknown gangster, Al Capone.

Today, transfer to San Francisco International Airport for your return flight back to London.