Best of Yellowstone & Grand Teton — Self-Launched
7 days · Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks, USA
G Adventures charges £3,200
No-markup version: ~£780 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 7-day self-launched version of the classic Jackson–Grand Teton–Yellowstone loop: same geysers, bison jams, alpine lakes and canyon hikes, without the guided-group markup. Base yourself in hostel dorms and budget motels, self-drive or use the park's own shuttle/transit options, and hike the Jenny Lake–Cascade Canyon, Norris and Grand Prismatic highlights at your own pace. Costs are rough backpacker estimates in GBP and assume you're splitting a rental car with another traveller where possible.
Day-by-day
Arrive Jackson — gateway to the Tetons
Jackson, Wyoming
Fly into Jackson Hole (JAC) and transfer to town — the airport is only 15 minutes away. The hotel shuttle costs about $95 per vehicle, so a shared taxi or a pre-arranged hostel pick-up is cheaper if you're travelling with others. Spend the afternoon wandering the wooden boardwalks, the elk-antler arches on the town square and the free National Museum of Wildlife Art grounds. Pick up a 7-day America the Beautiful/annual pass or the $35-per-vehicle weekly park pass at the Jackson ranger station, and stock up on trail food at Albertsons — park groceries are twice the price.
🚌Airport transfer ~$95/vehicle shared, or local taxi. Everything in town is walkable.
🛏Hostel dorm or budget motel in Jackson (e.g. The Hostel, Jackson) — from ~£35/night
- →Jackson town square and antler arches
- →National Museum of Wildlife Art (free grounds/exterior)
- →Buy park pass and trail supplies
Grand Teton — Colter Bay, lakes and moose country
Grand Teton National Park
Drive the 40 minutes north from Jackson on US-191 (spectacular Teton views from the Snake River Overlook). Head to Colter Bay Visitor Center, then do the flat 2-mile Lakeshore Trail or hire a canoe/kayak (~$20-44) on the bay. Afternoon: drive the Moose Historic District, the Chapel of the Transfiguration and Mormon Row for the classic barn shots. Sunset at Oxbow Bend is where you'll see moose, elk and osprey.
🚌Self-drive rental car (splitting with 1–2 others brings it to ~£15–20/day each). Fuel ~£8.
🛏Colter Bay cabins/dorm or Signal Mountain Lodge budget room — ~£45/night (book months ahead; park lodging is limited)
- →Colter Bay Lakeshore Trail (free)
- →Canoe/kayak on Colter Bay (~$20–44)
- →Mormon Row and Snake River Overlook
- →Optional horseback ride (~$45–78)
Jenny Lake, Hidden Falls and Cascade Canyon
Grand Teton National Park
The signature hike of the trip: take the Jenny Lake shuttle boat across the water (~$12 one-way, or walk the 2-mile lakeside trail for free). From the west shore, follow the trail to Hidden Falls (easy, 1 mile) and on up to Inspiration Point — about 450 ft of ascent and roughly 4 km round trip, taking 3–4 hours at a relaxed pace. Continue further into Cascade Canyon if you've got legs and daylight. Back at the lake, a swim or a picnic on the pebble beach is the perfect wind-down.
🚌Self-drive ~30 min from Colter Bay; Jenny Lake shuttle boat ~$12 each way.
🛏Jenny Lake/Colter Bay budget lodging or camp — ~£40/night
- →Jenny Lake shuttle boat
- →Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point hike
- →Cascade Canyon extension
- →Lake swim/picnic
Into Yellowstone — West Thumb, Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic
Yellowstone National Park
Drive south to north through the park via Flagg Ranch and enter at the South Entrance. Stop at West Thumb Geyser Basin (free boardwalk, colourful pools right on the lake shore), then hit the Upper Geyser Basin for Old Faithful — check eruption times at the visitor centre and plan to see Grand, Castle and Riverside geysers too. End the day at Grand Prismatic Spring and the Fairy Falls overlook (1.6 miles each way, best colours from above). Book Yellowstone lodging well in advance or camp at Madison/Grant Village.
🚌Self-drive ~130 miles with scenic stops; fuel ~£12.
🛏Madison or Grant Village campground (~£20/pitch) or Old Faithful budget cabin — ~£45
- →West Thumb Geyser Basin
- →Old Faithful and Upper Geyser Basin
- →Grand Prismatic Spring + Fairy Falls overlook
Norris, Mammoth Hot Springs and the northern loop
Yellowstone National Park
North to Norris Geyser Basin — the hottest, most acidic basin in the park (free, 2–3 km of boardwalk loops). Continue to Mammoth Hot Springs terraces, then east through the Lamar Valley if time allows: this is the best wildlife corridor in the lower 48 for bison, pronghorn and wolves at dawn/dusk. Cap the day at Artist Paintpots (a short 1-mile loop) and stay near Canyon or Tower Junction.
🚌Self-drive ~120 miles; fuel ~£12.
🛏Canyon Village campground/cabin or Tower Fall cabin — ~£45
- →Norris Geyser Basin loops
- →Mammoth Hot Springs terraces
- →Lamar Valley wildlife watching
- →Artist Paintpots loop
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Hayden Valley
Yellowstone National Park
Start with the South Rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone — Artist Point gives you the postcard view of Lower Falls. Do the Brink of the Lower Falls trail (1 mile, steep switchbacks) and Uncle Tom's Trail if open. Then drive through Hayden Valley for afternoon bison herds and spend a lazy hour at Yellowstone Lake. Evening back toward the south for an early start home tomorrow.
🚌Self-drive ~90 miles; fuel ~£10.
🛏Grant Village or Flagg Ranch budget room — ~£45
- →Artist Point and canyon rim trails
- →Uncle Tom's Trail / Brink of Lower Falls
- →Hayden Valley wildlife drive
- →Yellowstone Lake shoreline
Return to Jackson
Jackson, Wyoming
Drive back south through the Tetons, with a final stop at String Lake or Jackson Lake Dam for photos. Drop the rental car in Jackson, and aim to be at the airport for an evening flight — allow three hours' buffer because wildlife jams on US-191 are real. If you're staying on, the town's breweries are a good place to end the trip.
🚌Self-drive ~90 miles back to Jackson; fuel ~£10. Rental drop-off and airport taxi.
🛏None (or extra night in Jackson if flight is early)
- →String Lake stop
- →Jackson Lake Dam viewpoint
- →Return rental car
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£780 | £3,200 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,420 per person (76%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£780
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 Best of Yellowstone & Grand Teton — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £780 per person for 7 days in Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks, USA. 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £3,200 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £780 — a saving of roughly £2,420 (76%) per person.
How long is the Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks, USA trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks, USA.
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, hiking, wildlife trip through Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks, USA, 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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