AAA Arizona - AAA Sojourns Vacations

Detailed Descrption
Intinerary

Wrapped in winter white, Yellowstone National Park in January and February offers a dramatic vacation experience that summer visitors miss. Waterfalls frozen in midair, geysers erupting in an eerie mist, otherworldly landscapes… winter in Yellowstone National Park gives visitors a new appreciation for the majesty of nature. Even “the wildlife acts differently,” says Montana professional photographer Tom Murphy.

America’s first national park and a UNESCO World Heritage site, Yellowstone's two million acres are home to bears, bald eagles, and herds of bison and elk. Explore it from the snug warmth of a Yellowstone snowcoach, a vehicle outfitted with skis that can deftly maneuver wintry roads. An experienced guide will point out wildlife and their tracks, and narrate as your group stops at various geothermic features, including such famous landmarks as Firehole Falls and Old Faithful geyser. Keep an eye out for bison and elk as they move across the landscape in search of food, their exhalations steaming into the chill air.

Then spend two days in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where you'll thrill to the sights of Grand Teton National Park, perhaps the most abrupt and breathtaking mountain range in the nation. Here, choose between two memorable experiences: A sleigh ride through the National Elk Refuge, winter home for thousands of these majestic animals, or a full-day snowmobile tour of Jackson's eastern mountains, culminating in a relaxing soak at Granite Hot Springs.

Price includes:
• 5 nights hotel accommodations: 2 nights each in Salt Lake City, Utah and Jackson Hole, Wyoming and 1 night in West Yellowstone, Montana
• Daily breakfast and 4 dinners
• A performance of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (choir schedule permitting)
• A guided tour of the winter highlights of Yellowstone National Park via snowcoach
• Jackson Hole: A sleigh ride in the National Elk Refuge followed by a visit to the National Museum of Wildlife Art OR a full-day snowmobile tour of the mountains east of Jackson Hole**
• Tour of Utah Olympic Park, site of the 2002 Winter Games
• National park entry fees

**There is an additional charge for the snowmobile option.

Note: Pre-tour or post-tour nights in Salt Lake City may be available. Please inquire at the time of booking.

Day 1 - Arrive in Salt Lake City
Begin your winter vacation in Salt Lake City. The tour escort will meet you at the airport at 1:00 pm to start the tour. Proceed to Utah Olympic Park where most of the ceremonies for the 2002 Winter Olympics were held then continue to the hotel for check-in. This evening you're invited to a get-acquainted dinner to meet your fellow passengers.
Accommodation: Shilo Inn - 1 night

Day 2 - Mormon Tabernacle Choir / West Yellowstone
Special seating has been arranged for us at Temple Square, where we will have a chance to hear the world-renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir's weekly broadcast performance (choir schedule permitting). Then depart the Wasatch Mountains and drive north past the Great Salt Lake, Hill Air Force Base, and Utah's first settlement, Ogden. Continue into Idaho and after crossing Targhee Pass, enter Montana and the town of West Yellowstone, the western gate of our nation's first national park.
Accommodation: Gray Wolf Inn - 1 night

Day 3 - Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks
This is our day to discover Yellowstone National Park via heated snow coach. From the snowcoach, you will have a clear view of the park and its wildlife while listening to the insights of an experienced Yellowstone Park guide. As you tour, see some of the landmarks for which Yellowstone is famous, including Firehole Falls and the world's most famous geyser, Old Faithful. Continue south through Yellowstone and into Grand Teton National Park, where we will see America's youngest and most rugged mountains, the Teton Range. Enjoy the spectacular scenery as the journey continues to Jackson Hole.
Accommodation: The Lexington - 2 nights

Day 4 - Jackson Hole: Sleigh Ride or Snowmobile Tour
Enjoy a beautiful winter day in this city at the base of the rugged Teton Mountains. Today you have a choice of winter experiences. Option 1) Just a couple miles north of Jackson is the National Elk Refuge, winter home for thousands of these majestic animals. This morning, get a close-up view on a sleigh ride through the Elk Refuge followed by a visit to the National Museum of Wildlife Art. With collections of nearly 2,300 works of art, the museum strives to enrich and inspire appreciation of art and humanity's relationship with nature. The afternoon is at leisure. Option 2)** A treat is in store for you today as you head out for a full-day snowmobile tour in the mountains east of Jackson. The destination is Granite Hot Springs. Relax in the natural hot spring waters surrounded by snow-covered mountains followed by a delicious BBQ lunch.
**Note: There is an additional charge for Option 2.

Day 5 - Tour of Jackson / Salt Lake City
Travel through western Wyoming surrounded by silver streams, soaring peaks, and lush meadows on your way back to Salt Lake City. Drive through rugged Snake River Canyon, stopping in pastoral Starr Valley. This afternoon, arrive at Utah Olympic Park near Park City for a tour of the amazing facility that hosted events for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. See the Nordic Jumps along with the Bobsled and Luge Track, which is the fastest ice on earth. This evening, join the group for a Farewell Dinner.
Accommodation: Shilo Inn - 1 night

Day 6 - Depart Salt Lake City
Following breakfast, transfer on your own to the Salt Lake Airport for your return flight home.