Skip to primary navigation Skip to content Skip to footer

Winter Wildlife Photography Tour

Quick Details

Highlights:

  • Private & customizable (just your group!)
  • One-on-one instruction on using your camera, composition, utilizing natural light for optimizing photos, and more
  • Vast wide-open landscapes and abundant wildlife
  • All skill levels welcome
  • Breakfast and lunch – picnic style
  • Interpretation of wildlife activity and behavior through observation and dynamic, engaging discussions

Rates based on total group size

(not per person)

1 Guest

$ 1000

2 Guests

$ 1000

3 Guests

$ 1075

4 Guests

$ 1150

5 Guests

$ 1225

6 Guests

$ 1300

Spend the day photographing Yellowstone’s wildlife-rich Lamar Valley area, revered as the gem of North American wildlife photography. Yellowstone boasts the largest intact ecosystem in the northern temperate zone, and scientists believe the park is as rich, diverse, and healthy as ever.

Winter is a special time to experience wildlife in Yellowstone, as the deep snows have pushed the wildlife out of the higher country, concentrating animals on Yellowstone’s Northern Range. Thousands of elk and bison fill the lower-elevation valleys and grasslands. Abundant bighorn sheep, mule deer, whitetail deer, pronghorn, and moose also filter out of the mountains and concentrate where there is less snow, milder temperatures, and easier foraging. This migration places them where we can best observe and photograph them and the predators that come here to hunt them. It’s a unique opportunity to witness these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat, a truly unforgettable experience for any wildlife photography enthusiast.

Exploring Yellowstone’s Northern Range, including the Lamar Valley, our focus will likely be on the predators and their prey, which are most active during the twilight hours of dawn and dusk. We will spend our time in the best places to find these icons of American wilderness while discussing the ecology and natural history driving their behavior. Understanding the ecology and behavior of your subjects will help you tell their story through your photographs. It will help you read and predict their movements to best position yourself to capture outstanding images.

On these excursions, we have good chances of observing bison, elk, coyotes, bighorn sheep, moose, foxes, birds of prey, and numerous other large and small species. While never guaranteed, winter elevates the possibility of photographing wild wolves up close as they occasionally travel near road corridors in search of prey, packmates, and breeding partners in late January through early March.  Your guide, with their local familiarity and expertise of animal travel routes, winter habitat preferences, and understanding of the timing of best light, will ensure your day is filled with instruction and tips to help you find success as you venture out on your own Yellowstone photographic adventure.

Every moment in Yellowstone is different and unpredictable, so we like to leave room for adapting to situations as they arise. This flexibility allows us to fully maximize each opportunity, ensuring that you get the most out of your Yellowstone photographic adventure!

Still have questions?  Check out our FAQ’s page!

See what our clients are saying!

Fantastic Experience with a Great Tour Company

Highly recommend taking a tour with them. We had an amazing two-day photo tour with Yellowstone Wild Tours. Our guide Emil was knowledgeable, patient, and gracious with our endless questions. He shared information on the Yellowstone ecosystem and animal behavior that made seeing the park and the wildlife even more special. We saw coyotes, moose, bison, deer, bald and golden eagles, elk, pronghorn, sheep, mountain goats… and wolves! Fantastic experience with a great tour company.

– Diane Loos, Google Reviews
They were amazing!

I took two tours with Yellowstone Wild while I was in Montana. I did a wildlife photography tour with Rob and a snowshoeing tour with Laura. They were amazing! Rob taught me a ton about my camera, composition, and the subject of the photo. He was patient and kind as we stood in the freezing cold explaining things so I could better understand and get a great shot! In these tours (March 2024), I saw bison, elk, a pygmy owl, wolves, a mountain lion, big horn sheep, a fox, a coyote, and pronghorn. I learned about the geology, animal migration patterns, vegetation, and history of Yellowstone National Park from both my spectacular guides. We also shared some laughs! Long story long, if you want to see cool stuff, meet cool people, and learn cool things, book a trip with Yellowstone Wild. You won't regret it.

– Jasmine S., Google Reviews