Private tour, run by Obsidian Expeditions
Private Yellowstone National Park Tour (Upper Loop)
From $535.50 per person Dates and prices
Starts in West Yellowstone: Pickup at West Yellowstone lodgings on the operator's list.
Obsidian Expeditions supplies these 5 pictures. Swipe sideways for the others.
Price and dates
From $535.50 per person
Price per person varies by group size
Checked 21 October 2026 for Wednesday 28 October
Daily until 31 October. You may choose only the days it operates.
This figure covers the date and people listed above; change the date or travellers to see another.
Check Availability- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- The operator confirms your booking after you book
- Cancelled by the operator for poor weather? Then you are offered another date or refunded in full.
Expect to choose your date and travellers a second time with our booking partner, where you also pay. We earn a commission that does not affect the price.
At a glance
- Length
- 10 to 12 hours, starts 6:30 a.m. or later
- Runs
- Daily until 31 October
- Later dates
- Some dates on sale between 16 April 2027 and 31 October 2027
- Group
- Private: only your group
- Guide
- In English
- Park entry
- Park entry not included
Before you book
Are you a non-US resident aged 16 or over? Then the park adds a $100 fee for you, even on a tour, unless you show an annual or America the Beautiful pass. Every tour that drives in from West Yellowstone stops when the road closes to cars, which happens after 31 October 2026.
Where it starts
Pickup at West Yellowstone lodgings on the operator's list. Pickup is available; meeting the group at the start is fine too.
Expect your pickup as much as 15 minutes ahead of the start.
The 38 West Yellowstone lodgings on the pickup list
- 1872 Inn
- Al's Westward Ho Motel
- Alpine Motel
- Arrowhead Lodge by Arrowhead Properties
- Best Western Desert Inn
- Best Western Weston Inn
- Big Western Pines Motel
- Brandin' Iron Inn
- City Center Motel
- ClubHouse Inn West Yellowstone
- Crosswinds Inn
- Dude/Round Up Motel
- Elkhorn Cabins and Inn
- Evergreen Motel
- Explorer Cabins At Yellowstone
- Golden West Motel
- Gray Wolf Inn and Suites
- Holiday Inn West Yellowstone By IHG
- Kelly Inn West Yellowstone
- Lazy Duck Inn
- Moose Creek Inn
- One Horse Motel
- Pine Shadows Motel
- Pioneer Motel
- Pony Express Motel
- Sleepy Hollow Lodge
- Stage Coach Inn
- Starlite Yellowstone, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
- The Historic Madison Hotel, Motel and Hostel
- Three Bear Lodge
- Traveler's Lodge
- Westwood Motel
- White Buffalo Hotel
- Yellowstone Inn
- Yellowstone Lodge
- Yellowstone Park Hotel
- Yellowstone Townhouses
- Yellowstone West Gate Hotel
Also on the pickup list: lodgings in Belgrade, Big Sky, Bozeman, Gallatin Gateway, Gardiner, Island Park, Livingston and Mammoth.
About this tour
Obsidian Expeditions says its goal is to give you memories of the national parks that last a lifetime. On a private tour you have your own guide and a vehicle just for your group. Every part of the day can fit your interests, your pace and the way you like to travel.
This tour covers Yellowstone’s Upper Loop. To see the famous geyser basins, Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, the company suggests booking its Lower Loop Tour on a second day.
Pickup is offered from hotels and airports in Bozeman, Big Sky, West Yellowstone and Gardiner. Families with several generations are welcome. Child car seats, help for people who move with difficulty (whenever possible) and special diets are all available if you ask ahead.
If your group has more than 14 people, the company can add guides and vehicles. Contact it to plan your trip.
The route
The operator lists these stops in this order. Times are theirs, and the day bends around wildlife and traffic.
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Yellowstone National Park
The company runs all-day private tours of the Lower Loop, the Upper Loop or the whole Grand Loop. The Lower Loop includes Old Faithful, colorful Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone Lake and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. The Upper Loop goes to Lamar Valley, a top place to see bison, wolves and other animals, and to Mammoth Hot Springs. A tour over several days lets you see both loops with more time to rest and take it all in. Call the company to plan your tour and choose the best place to meet.
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Lamar Valley
In Lamar Valley, often called the Serengeti of North America, you can expect wide views and some of the best wildlife watching anywhere. The valley is known for its many animals, including bison, elk and hard-to-find wolves. Rugged mountains and rolling hills make it a great place for photos and one of the high points of a Yellowstone trip.
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Cooke City
Cooke City is a small mountain town with a long history as a busy mining center. You can visit its friendly cafes and shops and enjoy the views. It is also a gateway to Yellowstone, and moose and deer are sometimes seen here, below snow-capped peaks.
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Calcite Springs Overlook
This lookout gives a wide view of the Yellowstone River, its canyon and the pale Bleached Cliffs, and of the fast-moving water below. It is a great place for photos and helps explain how the land of Yellowstone was formed. Bighorn sheep and eagles are sometimes seen here.
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Mount Washburn
The road over Dunraven Pass, beside Mount Washburn, passes some of the finest views in the park. It is one of the highest points in Yellowstone, with views of mountains and valleys all around. Early explorers and settlers used this route. Watch for bighorn sheep, and for eagles flying overhead.
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Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
The Yellowstone River carved this canyon, and its walls are full of color. Viewpoints such as Artist Point show the waterfalls and the way the light plays on the rock. Bald eagles and deer are often seen here too.
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Norris Geyser Basin
Norris Geyser Basin shows how active the ground in the park is. Trails lead to geysers, hot springs and steam vents, including Steamboat Geyser, which shoots higher than any other active geyser on Earth. The colorful mineral crust and the steam give you a close look at the heat inside the Earth. Bison and coyotes live in the area.
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Roaring Mountain
Roaring Mountain is named for the steam vents on its slope, which make a roaring sound. Enjoy the views and learn how heat from below shapes the park. Elk and grizzly bears are sometimes seen nearby.
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Obsidian Cliff
Obsidian Cliff is made of shiny black volcanic glass. It shows the park’s volcanic past, and Native Americans used its obsidian to make tools. Foxes and deer sometimes live nearby, with mountains all around.
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Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces
Mammoth Hot Springs has stone terraces built up by hot springs full of minerals. You can walk the boardwalks among the colorful terraces and see their shapes. There is also a historic area with buildings from the early 1900s, and elk often graze here.
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Roosevelt Arch
The Roosevelt Arch is the famous stone gateway at the park’s North Entrance, a symbol of the world’s first national park. President Theodore Roosevelt dedicated it in 1903. It is a great place for a photo and to think about the park’s history and its care for nature. Bison and pronghorn are sometimes seen nearby.
What is included
Included
- Bottled water
- A guide trained in avalanche safety, CPR and wilderness first aid
- Snacks, and a light breakfast snack
- Travel in a roomy four-wheel-drive Chevy Suburban or Ford Transit van
- Vortex spotting scopes and binoculars to use
- Lunch: pick a sandwich, a wrap or a salad
Not included
- National park entry fees: $20 a person, or $80 for up to 4 people. Buy before your visit or at the gate.
- Tips for your guide (optional; the company suggests 15%)
Cancellation and good to know
There is a full refund for cancelling at least 24 hours before departure, and no refund at all after that.
Cancelled by the operator for poor weather? Then you are offered another date or refunded in full.
The operator can cancel when bookings fall short of its minimum. It would then offer a different day or a complete refund.
Good to know
- The company lists the tour as wheelchair accessible.
- Bring a stroller or pram for little ones; infant seats are available if you ask ahead.
- With heart or circulation problems, this 10- to 12-hour day is not advised, the company says.
- Guests should be at least moderately fit.
Reviews
4.8 out of 5 from 102 reviews.
Questions about this tour
Where does Obsidian Expeditions' private Upper Loop tour start?
Obsidian Expeditions' private Upper Loop tour is joined in West Yellowstone, as follows: pickup at West Yellowstone lodgings on the operator's list.
Does Obsidian Expeditions' private Upper Loop tour include the Yellowstone entrance fee?
No. The entrance fee for Yellowstone is separate from Obsidian Expeditions' private Upper Loop tour.
How long is Obsidian Expeditions' private Upper Loop tour?
Allow 10 to 12 hours for Obsidian Expeditions' private Upper Loop tour; the start is at 6:30 a.m. or later.
Can I cancel Obsidian Expeditions' private Upper Loop tour for a refund?
Yes. Call off Obsidian Expeditions' private Upper Loop tour at least 24 hours before it begins for a full refund; any later and the money is not returned.
Can children go on Obsidian Expeditions' private Upper Loop tour?
Yes: Obsidian Expeditions' private Upper Loop tour is open to all ages.