Yellowstone Insight - Day Tours
Yellowstone Insight - Day Tours
5
Historical & Heritage ToursPrivate ToursNature & Wildlife ToursPhotography Tours
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Full view
About
Yellowstone Insight offers educational tours for individuals, couples, families & friends throughout Yellowstone National Park. Based in Gardiner, Montana - a gateway community at Yellowstone's North Entrance Gate, we are open year round. Wildlife Tours, Photography Tours, Geology Tours & History Tours are our specialty. We have over 20 years experience guiding in Yellowstone National Park.
Gardiner, Montana
Features animals
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2023
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Yellowstone Insight - Day Tours
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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5.0
338 reviews
Excellent
337
Very good
1
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Elizabeth B
7 contributions
Jun. 2023 • Family
We had an unfortunate weather day, but still a fabulous tour with MacNeil. We watched a young wolf teasing a bull bison, trying to get him to play, a mother moose with twin calves, a beautiful sandhill crane right on the side of the road. MacNeil told marvelous stories, and kept the kids engaged and animal watching for six hours, despite a steady drizzle. I hope we can plan another tour at some point in the future. Maybe in the winter next time?
Written November 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
James H
1 contribution
Jun. 2023 • Couples
We did an all day guided tour of Yellowstone with Yellowstone Insight. They were amazing and the absolute best part of our two week trip to Yellowstone. Not only did we see virtually every animal in the park (bears, wolves, foxes, bison, big horn sheep, pronghorn sheep, moose, elk, and a falcon) but our tour guide provided a great overview of the park history. I would highly recommend Yellowstone Insight.
Written November 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Davet188
FLorida, United States6 contributions
May 2023 • Solo
I have been to Yellowstone a number of times for photography trips and never used a guide. McNeil was recommended to me by other in a photography forum so I setup for a two days guided tour with McNeil.
The trip was much better than I could have hoped for. McNeil is a true knowledgeable nature lover who has worked in the park for years with the Park Services. He know all the places to go to see all species of animals. He also tailors the trip to meet your desires.
He picks just before day break and has breakfast waiting as well as coffe and hot chocolate during the day.
Overall a fantastic trip and I will definitely use him again.
The trip was much better than I could have hoped for. McNeil is a true knowledgeable nature lover who has worked in the park for years with the Park Services. He know all the places to go to see all species of animals. He also tailors the trip to meet your desires.
He picks just before day break and has breakfast waiting as well as coffe and hot chocolate during the day.
Overall a fantastic trip and I will definitely use him again.
Written November 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SN
50 contributions
May 2023 • Family
We did a two-day tour with Shauna Baron of the northern sections of Yellowstone Park in May 2023. We enjoyed every minute and learned so much thanks to Shauna’s wealth of knowledge about the park and the wildlife. I don’t think we would have covered even have the spots on our own and we certainly would not have spotted most of the wildlife. Shauna knew exactly where to take us and when, because the timing makes a significant difference to the sights and the odds of spotting wildlife. It made for a stress-free and extremely valuable couple of days in the park, and we cannot wait to go back. Shauna also spoilt us on both days with an amazing breakfast spread - thank you!
When we finished up with her, she gave us a map of the southern sections of the park, highlighting exactly what we needed to do, as also with the Grand Tetons park, which we visited later.
When we finished up with her, she gave us a map of the southern sections of the park, highlighting exactly what we needed to do, as also with the Grand Tetons park, which we visited later.
Written November 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
krowland48
Mattoon, IL1 contribution
Oct. 2023 • Friends
I have been traveling to Yellowstone annually for the past 30-some years. In 2017 my late husband and I booked a day with Yellowstone Insight for the first time. MacNeil Lyons has been a part of my Yellowstone experience ever since, and time spent with him is always the highlight of the trip. He is the consummate naturalist with extensive knowledge of Yellowstone, including its history, geology, plants and wildlife. He has his finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the park on any given day and can deliver an amazing experience. I try to book him on one of the first days of my trip so I can get a sense of what’s going on and plan my other days accordingly. MacNeil is personable and professional. He has always shown us a great time, while being sensitive to park rules, our safety and the well-being of the wildlife. I’m a hobby photographer, so I especially appreciate his photography skills. He shares tips and always tries to put me in a position to maximize my shots. Finally, anyone who has spent any time in Yellowstone knows there is a LOT of driving involved. My day with MacNeil lets me sit back, relax and enjoy the beauty and wonder of the park.
Written October 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stuart G
1 contribution
Sep. 2023 • Friends
We met our guide Doug at 5:30 a.m. and were greeted with coffee and snacks. We headed into the park through the North gate in Gardiner MT.
We traveled to the Lamar Valley in search of bears. Doug had the scoop on promising places to look. At first light we found a pullout along a wide long meadow and started scanning for movement.
The hand-held radio crackled that there were wolf howling a couple miles north and a couple minutes later a report of three grizzly bears and a grey wolf to the south.
Doug asked, “do you want bears or wolves?” We chose bears. A few minutes later we were hiking up to where the other folks were set up. Doug set up a couple great scopes found the bears and we spent 30 minutes watching bears, a wolf and ravens taking turns feeding on a bison kill.
That was the beginning if an amazing day! Doug worked on staff at Yellowstone for 32 years and chased wildlife on his days off. He was a fountain of information, knew where to look for any animals we wanted to see, plus had answers to all our questions. Ask him about the time he got sprayed with bear spray.
We totally recommend Yellowstone Insight for your Yellowstone adventure! We never would have seen even half of the things we saw without them.
We traveled to the Lamar Valley in search of bears. Doug had the scoop on promising places to look. At first light we found a pullout along a wide long meadow and started scanning for movement.
The hand-held radio crackled that there were wolf howling a couple miles north and a couple minutes later a report of three grizzly bears and a grey wolf to the south.
Doug asked, “do you want bears or wolves?” We chose bears. A few minutes later we were hiking up to where the other folks were set up. Doug set up a couple great scopes found the bears and we spent 30 minutes watching bears, a wolf and ravens taking turns feeding on a bison kill.
That was the beginning if an amazing day! Doug worked on staff at Yellowstone for 32 years and chased wildlife on his days off. He was a fountain of information, knew where to look for any animals we wanted to see, plus had answers to all our questions. Ask him about the time he got sprayed with bear spray.
We totally recommend Yellowstone Insight for your Yellowstone adventure! We never would have seen even half of the things we saw without them.
Written September 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
EGN
Kensington, MD25 contributions
Aug. 2023 • Family
Our tour was fantastic. We met our guide, Shauna, near the Norris Geyer and then set out to Lamar Valley at sunset. We saw Elk, a grizzly, a wolf, and tons of bison. The breakfast was awesome too.
Written August 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ARedLdyBug
Constantia, NY25 contributions
Jun. 2023
Our family of three (including a 5-year-old) toured with Yellowstone Insight and MacNeil Lyons at the end of June 2023. We had a wonderful experience from booking through the end of the tour. MacNeil picked us up in the early morning near Roosevelt with a smile, some snacks, and coffee. He asked us what we were most interested in seeing - and then tossed out ideas so we could make a plan that worked for our family. Throughout the tour, he was friendly, told stories, and patiently answered our questions. He kept our son engaged and made sure that he was included in everything. We saw lots of wonderful wildlife, much that we wouldn't have seen on our own, and appreciated MacNeil's professionalism, experience, patience, and knowledge.
Written July 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Harriet B
Scarsdale, NY1 contribution
Jun. 2023 • Family
My husband and I recently took our two grandsons, 8.5 and 5.5 years old, on a trip to Yellowstone. Hiring MacNeil as our guide for three days proved to be the ingredient that gave all of us a trip filled with fun, wonderment, and very special memories. MacNeil opened up the world of Yellowstone to us in a way we could never have done on our own. We are so grateful to MacNeil for helping us give our grandsons a great experience that will last in their memories long after we are gone. His knowledge, his attentiveness to our family’s needs, and his warmth weren’t apparent even before our trip. He quickly responded to my emails and questions about planning for the other days of our trip during which we were going to be on our own. We highly recommend MacNeil, no matter what age range is in your group. If more than five stars were available, that would be our rating.
Written July 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
danieljfine
Brownstown Township, MI14 contributions
Jun. 2023 • Friends
What an incredible day! Doug, our guide, was knowledgeable of the park and the animals. Yellowstone Insight came as a recommendation and they did not disappoint. Fox, black bear, wolves, moose, mountain goats - all easily seen from the road. Thank you MacNeil and your team! Memories were made!
Written June 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
boozle33
Hong Kong, China60 contributions
Hello, what time of year do you cease operating? Are you able to offer tours after November 3rd from the North entrance (i.e. where the road remains open)? Many thanks.
Yellowstone_Insight
Gardiner, MT14 contributions
Based in Gardiner, Montana at the north gate to Yellowstone National Park we have YEAR ROUND access to Yellowstone's Northern Range. This area is the road from Gardiner to Mammoth Hot Springs, east to Roosevelt Lodge and continuing on through the Lamar Valley towards the two small towns of Silver Gate and Cooke City, just beyond the NorthEast Gate of Yellowstone.
During the months of November - mid-April we (as a guiding business) do not offer winter season tours to the central and southern parts of Yellowstone.
I hope that answers your question! Please contact us via email with links on our website for more detailed tour information.
Until then.
Cheers.
Tracyp4207
West Palm Beach, FL21 contributions
How long is the tour and will you pick us up at the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel?
Yellowstone_Insight
Gardiner, MT14 contributions
Tour length is 6 to 8 hours. And yes, we can meet you in Mammoth Hot Springs. Please refer to our website for more trip details and send me an email with more specifics! I would be happy to respond to you with greater details about our tours.
Thank you for the inquiry. Cheers.
MacNeil Lyons, owner
Traveler701246
Tarpon Springs, FL
How much is the tour for two. Is it an all day trip around the park.
Yellowstone_Insight
Gardiner, MT14 contributions
Thank you for your inquiry. Yellowstone Insight's day rate for 2 people is currently $575.00. If you are based out of Gardiner, Montana during the months of June - September, there will be an additional 3% Gardiner Resort Tax. Yellowstone Insight tours are special and unique, catered to your individual interests and are considered private tours, you will not be paired up with another couple or family.
Tour time is typically 6-8 hours and I would recommend that you base the night before the tour here in Gardiner to make the most out of our tour time together.