Preliminary itinerary

You will spend 3 full days (January 29, 30 and 31) on the snowcoaches exploring and photographing Yellowstone National Park.  All of the drivers and your NANPA photo leaders have extensive experience with winter photography in this area.

Thursday, January 28, 2027

Arrival and check into hotel.  Registration, Meet & Greet and orientation at 6:00 pm in the hotel.  Other topics and questions will be answered at the Meet & Greet.

January 29 – 31, 2027

NANPA has contracted with Yellowstone Vacation Tours who will be providing the snowcoaches and drivers for our group.  The snowcoaches will pick you up at the hotel each morning at 7 am and return everyone to the hotel at the end of the day (typically by 5 pm). The snowcoaches provide transportation that takes us into the interior of Yellowstone and into the heart of winter to view the park’s magical light, geysers, waterfalls and winter wildlife.  In recent years the coaches have moved from tracked to wheeled vehicles which are more efficient, faster and most importantly quieter.  As conditions allow, we will visit the regional geyser basins with one day planned for the east side of the park around Hayden Valley. Schedules are fluid due to weather conditions, wind, and other variables.

The event wraps up late in the afternoon on January 31. Do not make post-event plans before 6 pm on January 31 as the snowcoach may not return to the hotel until 5 pm. Since winter weather can impact travel plans, we recommend staying in West Yellowstone on January 31 and booking flights out of Bozeman on February 1, 2027.

Event dates & participant webinars

• Thursday, January 28, 2027 (6:00 pm orientation) – Sunday, January 31, 2027 (end late afternoon ~ 5 pm).
  Do not make post-event plans before 6 pm on January 31 as the snowcoach may not return to the hotel until 5 pm. Since winter weather can impact travel plans, we recommend staying in West Yellowstone on January 31, booking flights out of Bozeman on February 1. Keep in mind there are only two shuttles a day between the hotel to Bozeman Airport. (See the Airport section below for more details.)
• TBD 7-8 pm (Eastern Time) (optional) Pre-event Preparatory webinar for participants
• TBD, 7-9 pm (Eastern Time) (optional) Post-event Image Sharing and Feedback Webinar for participants

Restroom Breaks

There will be restroom breaks in Yellowstone National Park during the day while you’re on the snowcoaches.

The registration fee includes 3 full days in the National Park on snowcoaches with box lunches each day, and snowcoach driver tips.  Tips for the two NANPA guides are at your own discretion.

Meals

Boxed lunches for January 29, 30 and 31 are included in your registration fee and will be provided on the snowcoach by an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service. The boxed lunches include sandwich (choice of Ham/Turkey/Veggie), fruit, cookie, chips, water, condiments and plasticware.

Breakfasts, dinners, and snacks are not provided and are attendees’ responsibility. The hotel has a restaurant. Additional restaurants, grocery, and convenience stores are located within a few blocks walking distance of the hotel.

Park Pass

Anyone entering the National Park will be required to have a park pass.  Attendees are responsible for their own park entrance fees (National Park Annual Passes, Senior Passes, etc. may be used).  You should purchase a pass in advance to expedite the entry process. More information about entrance fees and passes may be found here:   https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm If purchasing an annual national park pass, it is often much faster to purchase via REI.com.

Airport and transportation

Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) in Belgrade, Montana, is the arrival airport. Participants arrange transportation between the airport and West Yellowstone; a car is not needed after arrival in town.

Karst Stage offers daily airport shuttle service between Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport and West Yellowstone, with a typical journey of about two hours. Book directly and confirm the January 2027 timetable, fare, pickup point, and luggage allowance before arranging flights. Allow extra time for winter conditions.

Inside the park, Yellowstone Vacation Tours supplies authorized 13-passenger snowcoaches. The intended setup is one driver-guide, one NANPA leader, and 6–7 attendees per coach. Coaches are heated; compact bags ride with participants and tripods use rear storage.

Ride sharing outside the tour transportation is a private participant arrangement; NANPA does not insure or assume liability for it.

• Karst Stage

Lodging

A West Yellowstone room block covers January 28–31 at the hotel used for meetings and snowcoach pickup: two-queen rooms are $159 per night and king rooms with spa tub are $189 per night, plus taxes and fees.

Check-in is 3:00 pm; check-out is 11:00 am. Hotel details are sent to registered participants. The room-block deadline is December 23, 2026.

Health and Fitness at High Altitude

Yellowstone National Park is located on the Yellowstone Plateau and has an average elevation of 8,000 ft (2400 M).  We will be predominantly traveling at this elevation up to near 10,000 ft.  Altitude is a concern for some people traveling from lower to higher elevations in a short amount of time.  If you suffer from heart, lung or other disorders or you think you may be impacted in a way that may affect your health you should consult your doctor prior to departure.  One should be in decent physical health and prepared for higher altitude and extreme weather conditions.  Precautions are to walk slower than usual, watch your breathing and drink plenty of water.  Water is an important factor at this altitude and hydration is a key component in the west and at higher altitudes.  Drink water often.  If you think you are having issues after arrival, please inform one of the leaders.

Add sunscreen to your list as the UV can be very intense on bright sunny days and reflective snow can add to the intensity.

Weather

Average temperatures range from zero to 20° F (-20° C to 5° C) during the day and sub-zero temperatures at night.  However, temps can be anywhere from 30° F to -40° F, depending on weather conditions.

Clothing

Please come prepared for extreme weather conditions including snow and possible blizzard conditions.  We suggest you dress in layers for bitterly cold morning, but warmer temps as the day goes on.  Layering is a means of adjusting the body temperature by taking layers on and off to maintain a comfort level that keeps energy retention and prevents sweating.  Therefore, the best way of keeping warm in extreme temperatures is using this philosophy. Additional clothing recommendations will be given to registered participants.

Camera Gear

During the Yellowstone Photo Tour, there will be diverse opportunities for wildlife and scenic photography. More detailed recommendations will be given to registered participants, but here is a summary of recommended gear:

• 1 or 2 camera bodies
• Extra camera batteries
• More than enough memory cards for at least one-day at a time, based on your shooting habits/style
• Long telephoto lens in the 400-500mm range
• Medium telephoto lens (70-200mm range)
• Wide angle lens for scenic shots
• High-quality teleconverters (1.4 or 2x) would help increase your focal length
• Be sure to bring a good sturdy tripod (marked well with ribbons, bands, or unique tags)
• A lens cover and body cover help to protect your expensive gear from falling snow and/or sleet
• Backpack to put your camera/lens in on the snowcoach.

Since space in each coach is limited, and winter coats can be bulky, we ask that you try to contain your gear to one or two small-to-medium bag(s), rather than bringing a super large bag or case.  Also, mark or flag your bags well.  It seems like most photographers carry bags that look similar or identical.

Consider bringing soft-sided bags or backpack-style bags that can contain a variety of lenses, along with 1-2 bodies.  Unfortunately, there is no room for large Pelican type cases and super large items.

Additional items

• laptop, card reader, and chargers for all
• cords and cables that will be needed
• anti-fog cloth
• rechargeable warmers or chemical warmers for hands and feet
• binoculars
• sunglasses
• lip balm
• sunscreen (especially if you burn easily)
• motion sickness medication
• absorbent microfiber towel for rain, sleet, snow
• easy-to-carry and no-mess type of snacks
• refillable water bottle (Staying well hydrated at altitude is critical. There is a grocery store and convenience stores in West Yellowstone where you can purchase miscellaneous items, such as on this list.)

The tour plan allows up to 12 participants with two leaders and two snowcoaches. A smaller group of 6–7 may travel with one leader and one snowcoach.

This event is designed for nature photographers at all levels of experience. For the best experience, please know the basic settings and features of your camera before you arrive, and bring your manual in case we need to look up something for your make and model if/when assisting you.

Assistance will be available in the field for those who wish to improve their photographic skills. Leaders choose locations and timing based on conditions and offer help with your photography. If you prefer not having assistance, that’s fine too.  We realize that some photographers prefer working alone but enjoy these events for the fellowship and for convenient travel arrangements with easy access to the park.

Please keep in mind this NANPA Event is designed to be a photo tour, not a photo workshop. In other words, there are no formal instruction sessions planned, there are no assignments, and no editing sessions.  You will not be receiving any handouts or materials, printed or electronic. That being said, the Jividens have experience as photography workshop leaders and as photography instructors. They are there to answer questions and give you guidance upon request. If you need help, please advocate for yourself and speak up and ask for help – both Jerry and Barbara are capable and happy to help. It’s also worth mentioning that many of your fellow participants may also be accomplished photographers in their own right and may be able and happy to help you as well.  Part of the NANPA Photo Tour experience is the camaraderie that comes from sharing experiences and lessons learned among participants, so we encourage conversations and collaboration. If you notice someone with the same or similar camera, perhaps they can help you with a special camera/lens issue you’ve been wondering about, and maybe you can return the favor.

Attendance and participation at NANPA Photo Tours is limited to registered attendees only. This includes spouses.  Anyone wishing to participate in any portion of, or travel with a registered attendee during the group event must contact the NANPA office and pay the full registration fee.

Resources

Yellowstone National Park Link https://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm

NANPA Photo Tour registration fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. If participant cancels their event registration, NANPA will not offer any refunds for event registration fees for this event regardless of when the cancellation is made or the reason for the cancellation. A participant who is removed from a Photo Tour for violating NANPA policies or the tour leaders’ safety instructions is not entitled to a refund.

NANPA reserves the right to cancel any event or activity due to insufficient registration or any unforeseen circumstances. It also has the right to substitute event leaders, or adjust the number of event leaders if those originally scheduled cannot attend, or other unforeseen circumstances arise.

If NANPA cancels the event, NANPA will offer a variety of options to participants, including the transfer of their registration fees to a future NANPA event or a refund of the event registration fee unless the cancellation is due to a force majeure* occurrence. NANPA assumes no liability whatsoever for fees, penalties, or other costs incurred by you from airlines, hotels, or any other sources outside of the event registration fees.

*Force Majeure

“Force Majeure” means that NANPA will not be liable for any alleged damages because of any circumstances including, but without limitation, explosion, flood, storm, fire, war or threat of war, civil disturbance, sickness, pandemic, quarantine, weather conditions or other unexpected occurrences. If a Force Majeure event occurs, NANPA will notify you of the nature and extent of the incident. NANPA may unilaterally vary or cancel an itinerary in cases of Force Majeure. Refunds or partial refunds will be at the sole and absolute discretion of NANPA. NANPA will attempt to reimburse you where possible however we will deduct from any refund the reasonable actual and potential costs to NANPA of the Force Majeure event.

Please know that sometimes unanticipated and uncontrollable circumstances will force us to alter expected plans during a photo tour. NANPA cannot be held responsible for unanticipated events (such as park closures, natural disasters, civil unrest, weather, etc.) that either prevents you from attending or us altering our location shoots. NANPA will do their best to work around any unforeseen circumstances.

Tour participants without travel insurance will be considered “self insured” meaning you assume all risks and losses for any condition requiring your cancellation.