Austin Adventures announces Winter Tours in Yellowstone National Park with set departures for adults and families

Yellowstone in the winter takes on a magic of its own. Austin Adventures, the award-winning active travel company setting adventure vacation standards around the world, is hosting three adult and two family departures into Yellowstone that maximize opportunities to paint memories on a white canvas and to relax in distinctive accommodations.

Yellowstone in Winter Adventures for adults this year are Dec. 22-26, Dec. 29-Jan.2 and in 2014 Feb. 23-27; for families departures in 2014 are Feb. 16-20 and Dec. 21-25. The five-day rate per adult, double, is $2,498 ($580 single supplement), and $2,248 per child in a room share. See: http://www.austinlehman.com/tours/yellowstone-winter-tour-trips-117.php

“Yellowstone is where we got our start many years ago. It’s our backyard, a place we revere and up until now we’ve kept its winter magic a secret all to ourselves. No more! It’s time we shared our favorite spots and things to do in this incredible winter wonderland!” says Dan Austin, president.

Austin points out that it is usually near impossible for travelers to find holiday season lodging availability in and around the park but with Austin Adventures’ position and influence, they are able to offer trips during the popular Christmas week. In 2013 guests will spend Christmas Eve at Old Faithful Snow Lodge and in 2014 participants will be treated to traditional holiday cheer at Chico Hot Springs Resort.
Among the activities included in the five day packages are cross-country skiing from Craig's Pass down to Old Faithful Geyser, dog-sledding in Paradise Valley, a soak in historic Chico Hot Springs and snowshoeing the park’s Upper Geyser Basin Trail.

Accommodations include Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel with elk grazing the perimeter; Old Faithful Snow Lodge, a hub from which snow-filled activities take place and where the namesake geyser entertains every 35 to 120 minutes; and Chico Hot Springs and its gourmet dining and on-premise spa in the foothills of the Absaroka Mountain Range.

The program begins and ends in Bozeman, MT, embracing snow-covered Paradise Valley enroute to Mammoth Hot Springs. A Bombardier snowcoach provides transport to Old Faithful as guests keep a watchful eye out for bison, elk, deer and coyotes. Here on snowshoes guests learn about Yellowstone’s four geothermal features: geysers, hot springs, mud pots and fumaroles. The following day the coach positions guests for cross-country skiing, following Spring Creek, crossing this frozen stream several times over a series of bridges, and eventually joining the Lone Star Geyser trail to return to Old Faithful. An ice skating option may also be woven into the schedule here. On day four guests may cross-country ski the three-mile Fern Cascades Loop Trail or snowshoe two miles up to Observation Point, a lookout over the steaming Upper Geyser Basin. Positioned later at Chico Hot Springs, guests have a mushing 101 lesson before embarking on a dog sledding excursion through Paradise Valley under the towering peaks of the Absaroka Mountains.

About Austin AdventuresFor over 40 years Austin Adventures (formerly Austin-Lehman Adventures) has provided adventure vacations, now on six continents, building an international reputation for small group active travel to destinations in The Americas, Europe, Africa and Antarctica. Its specialty is adult and family multi-sport, hiking, and biking vacations focused on history, culture and nature’s gifts. Small group trips feature exceptional regional dining, distinctive accommodations and all-inclusive rates and services. In addition to scheduled group departures, Austin Adventures offers customized trip planning and a money-back satisfaction guarantee.

In September 2013 Austin Adventures joined the Xanterra Parks & Resorts® portfolio of experiential leisure offerings.

In the September 2012 issue of Travel + Leisure, Austin-Lehman Adventures (ALA) was ranked the #1 Family Tour Operator in the World; in March 2012 the magazine awarded ALA the 2012 World’s Best Values Award for Tour Operators. ALA has also received Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Tour Operator Award (a Top 3 finisher) for four consecutive years from 2009 to 2012. In 2011 the company was honored with the Global Vision Award for its Wheels of Change bicycle empowerment initiative. For a comprehensive 2014 catalog, call toll-free 1.800.575.1540, or e-mail info@austinadventures.com. To review current trips, schedules and itineraries log onto: http://www.austinadventures.com/.