Self-Launched: Iconic Wildlife of Yellowstone & Grand Teton (7 Days from Jackson)
7 days · Wyoming, USA (Jackson, Grand Teton & Yellowstone)
National Geographic Expeditions with G Adventures charges £3,400
No-markup version: ~£1,180 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched DIY version of the National Geographic Journeys / G Adventures small-group wildlife trip through Grand Teton and Yellowstone, starting and ending in Jackson, Wyoming. You'll hike Jenny Lake and Cascade Canyon, float the Snake River, chase geysers on Yellowstone's South Loop, and spend early mornings wildlife-spotting in Lamar Valley before working the Northern Loop and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Instead of a guided group coach and hotels, you'll self-drive a rented car (the single biggest money-saver here, since US national park lodging and transport are brutally expensive and public transport is essentially non-existent), sleep in hostel dorms and budget motels, and book activities directly or via GetYourGuide/Viator. Costs are rough backpacker estimates in GBP per person and assume two people splitting a rental car and fuel.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Jackson & get the lay of the land
Jackson, Wyoming
Fly into Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) — the only US commercial airport inside a national park boundary. Airport taxis into downtown Jackson run about $25-35; there's no free shuttle, so this is the one place you'll pay for a transfer. Check into a hostel or budget motel in town, then walk the wooden-boardwalk downtown: elk-antler arches on the square, the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, and a stretch of the legs along Flat Creek. Grab groceries at Albertsons or the Jackson Whole Grocer — you'll self-cater breakfasts and trail lunches for the next week to keep costs down. Pick up your rental car this evening if you can (book well ahead; summer cars in Jackson are scarce and pricey), otherwise collect it first thing tomorrow. Welcome brief for the trip: buy your America the Beautiful annual pass ($80, ~£63) at the first park entrance — it covers both Grand Teton and Yellowstone, so it pays for itself on day two.
🚌Airport taxi ~£20-28. Rental car collected this evening or tomorrow morning (~£55-75/day, split between travellers).
🛏Hostel dorm or budget motel in Jackson (e.g. The Hostel / hostel-style lodging or a Jackson motel) — approx £35-50
- →Antler arches photo stop
- →Flat Creek / downtown walk
- →Grocery run for self-catering supplies
- →America the Beautiful annual pass purchase ($80)
Grand Teton: Jenny Lake, Cascade Canyon & Hidden Falls
Grand Teton National Park
Drive north on US-191 to Moose (~30 min). Start at the Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center to pick up trail maps and check wildlife sighting boards — free entry with your annual pass. Take the Jenny Lake Shuttle Boat across the lake (~$20 return, saves you 3km of flat walking) then hike to Hidden Falls and up to Inspiration Point, continuing into Cascade Canyon for as far as you fancy — around 4km and 138m of gain, roughly 3 hours at an easy pace, exactly the route the guided trip does. Head back and drive to Mormon Row for the classic T.A. Moulton barn photos, then detour to the Murre Ranch. If there's daylight left, continue on to Signal Mountain or Oxbow Bend for sunset moose and elk. Self-cater dinner in Jackson or cook at your lodging.
🚌Self-drive US-191 to Moose (~30 min, no fuel needed if you filled up). Park entry covered by annual pass.
🛏Hostel dorm or budget motel in Jackson — approx £35-50
- →Journey to Jenny Lake via shuttle boat (~£16 return)
- →Cascade Canyon hike to Hidden Falls & Inspiration Point (4km)
- →Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center
- →Mormon Row & Murre Ranch
- →Oxbow Bend / Signal Mountain sunset wildlife drive
Snake River float & wildlife connections in Jackson
Grand Teton National Park & Jackson
The scenic Snake River float is the day's anchor — book a self-launched float through a Jackson operator via GetYourGuide/Viator or direct with a local rafting company (10-mile calm-water stretch, ~£60-75). Ten-mile floats leave from Jackson in the afternoon, so sleep in and do an easy morning. If you'd rather not pay the operator's marked-up 'Teton Raptor Center' add-on, drive out and visit the Raptor Center yourself — adult tickets are about $15 and the hour-long fly-and-learn sessions are genuinely good. Spend the late afternoon pottering around Jackson: the National Museum of Wildlife Art ($15-20) or the Elk Refuge (free to drive, seasonal). Evening meal back in town; this is a good chance to swap beta with other travellers on the road.
🚌Float operators shuttle you from Jackson; otherwise self-drive for the Raptor Center and refuge (~20 min each way).
🛏Hostel dorm or budget motel in Jackson — approx £35-50
- →Scenic Snake River float trip (~10 miles, ~£65)
- →Teton Raptor Center (~£12)
- →National Museum of Wildlife Art (~£15) or elk refuge drive
Jackson to Yellowstone: South Loop, Old Faithful & Grand Prismatic
Yellowstone National Park (Old Faithful area)
Big driving day: leave Jackson early via US-191 through Grand Teton and enter Yellowstone at the South Entrance (~2.5-3 hours to Old Faithful). Hit the South Loop in this order — West Thumb Geyser Basin (quick, lakeside, gorgeous), then Old Faithful village where you can watch an eruption from the boardwalk (check predicted eruption times on the NPS app). Walk the Upper Geyser Basin as far as Morning Glory Pool. Continue to the Grand Prismatic Spring — the Fairy Falls overlook trail is the better view — then the painted Midway Geyser Basin. Finish at the Tribal Heritage Center near Old Faithful if it's open for the season. Picnic lunch from your groceries outside or at a designated picnic area. Overnight either at Old Faithful-area lodging, Grant Village, or — the realistic budget option — self-cater in a Yellowstone-area hostel/motel in West Yellowstone (about a 40-min drive out the West Entrance).
🚌Self-drive Jackson → Yellowstone South Entrance (~3 hours), then South Loop drive. Fuel up in Jackson or West Yellowstone.
🛏Old Faithful / Grant Village budget unit or (better value) West Yellowstone hostel or motel — approx £70-90
- →West Thumb Geyser Basin
- →Old Faithful eruption viewing
- →Upper Geyser Basin & Morning Glory Pool walk
- →Grand Prismatic Spring & Fairy Falls overlook trail
- →Tribal Heritage Center (seasonal)
Wildlife spotting in Lamar Valley
Yellowstone National Park (Lamar Valley)
This is the day the guided trip is built around, and you can do it exactly the same way for free. Drive first light to the Northeast Entrance and park a pullout in Lamar Valley, known as 'America's Serengeti' — dawn and dusk are when wolves, bison herds, pronghorn, elk, and even grizzly turn up. Pack binoculars (borrow or buy one cheap set before you leave the UK; spotting scopes can be rented in Bozeman or Gardiner). Talk to other wildlife watchers — wolf packs get reported in real time and the roadside community is very welcoming. The drive from Old Faithful to Lamar is long (~2.5 hours), so if you want an early start, consider overnighting at Roosevelt Lodge or in Gardiner the night before. Late morning, do a couple of side trails around Tower-Roosevelt — Mount Washburn or the easy Trout Lake loop. Backcountry viewing done entirely on your own; no guide needed if you know where to look (Lamar, Slough Creek, and the Soda Butte gravel pullouts).
🚌Early self-drive to Lamar Valley (Northeast Entrance). Allow 1-2 hours from your lodging depending on where you stayed.
🛏Roosevelt Lodge / Tower Fall area or West Yellowstone motel/hostel — approx £70-90
- →Dawn wildlife spotting in Lamar Valley (wolves, bison, pronghorn, elk)
- →Slough Creek pullout viewing
- →Trout Lake stroll or Mount Washburn side hike
- →Optional wildlife-spotting scope rental
Northern Loop: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone & Mud Pots
Yellowstone National Park (Canyon & Lake)
Self-guided Northern Loop today. Start at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone for the two headline overlooks — Artist Point (look straight down the canyon to the lower falls) and Point Sublime (quieter, big views). Walk the South Rim trail if you want the full canyon, otherwise drive the rim overlooks. Continue to the Mud Volcano and Sulphur Caldron area for the bubbling mud pots the guided trip hits. Then the Storm Point Trail on the northwest shore of Yellowstone Lake — an easy ~3km loop with lake views and good chances of bison. Finish the day at the hot springs and geyser basins you have time for, then head back to Jackson or your last night's lodging. Last-night dinner in Jackson or a lakeside picnic depending on where you end up.
🚌Self-drive Canyon Village / Lake Village loop; return to Jackson in the evening (~2.5-3 hours via the South Entrance) or overnight at the park exit.
🛏Hostel or budget motel in Jackson (or final night at Canyon/Yellowstone area lodging) — approx £35-50
- →Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone: Artist Point & Point Sublime overlooks
- →South Rim trail walk (optional)
- →Mud Volcano & Sulphur Caldron
- →Storm Point Trail loop (~3km, Yellowstone Lake)
Departure from Jackson
Jackson, Wyoming
Return your rental car (drop-off fees apply if you collected it elsewhere) and get back to Jackson Hole Airport in time for your flight. If you've got an afternoon departure, squeeze in a final Jackson coffee on the square or a last wander along the Snake River. If you booked anything on GetYourGuide or with a local operator that needs cancelling, do it now — many rafting and hiking operators want 24-48 hours' notice. If you're staying longer in the US, this is a great spot to catch a cheap internal flight out of Jackson to Denver, Salt Lake City, or Bozeman.
🚌Return rental car. Taxi or rideshare to JAC airport ~£20-28.
🛏None (departure day)
- →Car return
- →Optional downtown Jackson coffee stop
Self-launched vs. National Geographic Expeditions with G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | National Geographic Expeditions with G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,180 | £3,400 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,220 per person (65%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more National Geographic Expeditions with G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,180
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched: Iconic Wildlife of Yellowstone & Grand Teton (7 Days from Jackson) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,180 per person for 7 days in Wyoming, USA (Jackson, Grand Teton & Yellowstone). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with National Geographic Expeditions with G Adventures?+
Yes — National Geographic Expeditions with G Adventures charges around £3,400 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,180 — a saving of roughly £2,220 (65%) per person.
How long is the Wyoming, USA (Jackson, Grand Teton & Yellowstone) trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Wyoming, USA (Jackson, Grand Teton & Yellowstone).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, wildlife, hiking trip through Wyoming, USA (Jackson, Grand Teton & Yellowstone), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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