Reviews of Yellowstone Guidelines (Travel Agency)

Rachel Harrington

Fun

Anna Jacob

We went on a customized private two day tour with Yellowstone Guidelines, to see the hydrothermal features in Yellowstone National Park. We did the Upper Loop on the first day and the Lower Loop on the second day. The owner, Chris, was very professional and obliging in all our correspondence with him and the method of payment was also quick and easy. Ken Davis was our guide, he was an absolute gentleman, very knowledgeable and very obliging, and did his best to ensure we had a great trip and saw everything that we wanted and more. We were very happy to have him as our guide.

Mark Daniels

I highly recommend Yellowstone Guidelines tours. Me and my wife Lori went to Yellowstone at the end of August 2017. This being our first time to Yellowstone we were very unsure where to go. I decided to use a guide. Let me tell you it was worth every penny. Chris was our guide. He was great!!! Not only could spot wild life he was very informative on the history of Yellowstone. He was also very friendly and made you feel comfortable.

Kris Franey

Absolutely wonderful! Great way to see the park; we could go places the tour buses don't go and were on our own timeline vs. a bus full of people. Chris was very knowledgeable about the park and great at spotting animals. I'd highly recommend taking this route when touring Yellowstone and leave the big buses to other tour groups.

Susan Morgan

My women's travel club booked a tour with Chris for a winter animal watching tour in the Lamar Valley in February, 2019. We saw coyotes feeding, a pack of wolves who had just brought down a kill, big horn sheep, moose, fox, bald eagle, huge bull elk, antelope and many bison and elk. Our guide, Molly, was knowledgeable on all the animals and told fun history facts on the park. The van was comfortable and she set up several spotting scopes at each sighting. We had plenty of time to observe these beautiful creatures and also take in the beauty of the park in the winter. Everyone agreed it was a five star experience.

Chris Broell

I am an event planner and I have used the Yellowstone Guidelines service for out of state clients and executives. The owner and his team provide an over the top, professional, fun, engaging and interesting experience. I always receive quick responses on booking requests as well as requests for additional information. The owner is extremely knowledgeable with years of experience guiding in the Park and surrounding Montana areas. He knows exactly how to customize a trip based on the Clients interests and needs.

Peter Nicolatos

Great Service Made All the Difference! My Wife and I hired Chris Hondorf as a guide for day hikes in Yellowstone. The experience resulted in memories that will last a lifetime. Without the knowledge and experience of Chris we wouldn't have had the opportunity to see wolves and grizzly bears, including a mother and cubs. Chris picked us up at our hotel on time. He had spotting scopes, binoculars, and everything we needed for a comfortable trip. He provided meals and snacks. Local knowledge is the real advantage that Chris provides. Hiring a guide is no guarantee of success but I can guarantee that you won't be able to have success on your own. Yellowstone is so vast and the bear and wolf populations so small that weighing the odds on your favor just makes sense. Chris has a passion for his work and he cares about your adventure and works for the best outcome. He is also a nice guy who has a sense of humor. Hiring Chris was a great decision and I encourage you to do the same.

Ingrid Scantlebury

I cannot thank Hondo and Yellowstone Guidelines enough for the INCREDIBLE experience we had in Yellowstone. We had a fantastic time seeing the park, enjoying a beautiful picnic by the river and checking out all of the wildlife. Hondo was professional, approachable and extremely accommodating (we were traveling with a 5mo old baby). Not only did we see EVERYTHING we wanted to, but Hondo even showed us some spots that got us away from the tourists, allowing us to take amazing photos and take in the beauty that is Montana. My friends, who are from Dallas and have never been to Yellowstone, cannot stop talking about this tour being the highlight of their whole visit. I've been to Yellowstone once before, but have never had a more informative and relaxing experience. He even watched the baby for us so we could jump out and see the hot springs! Thank you, thank you, thank you! If anyone is looking for the best tour of Yellowstone, with the best guides around, book with Yellowstone Guidelines --- you will NOT be disappointed.

Jim Rayel

Very informative guide, every question we asked Chris had a very good and knowledgable answer. Took us through Lamar valley and came across 2 Grizzlies, 5 wolves, 3 coyotes, on of which was chasing an elk and countless elk and bison. Lunch was packed and served at a nice picnic area and was very good, took a nice leisure hike to some awesome scenery. Only thing I would say is the response time to emails was a bit long but I understand this is a very busy guide service. Thanks for the trip

Ricky Girson

We hired Chris from Yellowstone Guidelines for a wildlife touring day and it was amazing. Chris not only led us to see all the various big game animals residing in the park - we saw at least six bears and six wolves - but he also pointed out to us a battle over an elk carcass between a Grizzly and three wolves using his spotting scopes. Chris showed us everything from "secret" hidden volcanic features away from the crowds and everything from soaring bald eagles to hidden Great Horned Owl nests, basically peeling back a layer of the wildlife that we would have never seen. On top of this wonderful wildlife journey, he displayed in depth knowledge of all the various animals, plants, volcanic features, and birds throughout the park that made our visit to Yellowstone an unbelievable adventure. Cant wait to get back to see it all in the winter time. Thanks Chris and YG!

Brad Girson

Chris was fantastic -- very smart, very informative and a generally great person to spend the day with. Highly recommend.

Michelle Slaughter

Worth every penny and then some!!! My husband, our two daughters (ages 7 & 9) and I hired Yellowstone Guidelines for a two-day private tour. We only had two days in the park and wanted to get the most of our visit. Boy did we ever! One day was focused on geological aspects of the park and the second was focused on wildlife. WOW - just WOW! Our guide was so incredibly knowledgeable. He knew the ins and outs of every aspect of the park plus the history and a lot of the scientific aspects. He was able to answer our hundreds of questions. We wanted to avoid crowds as much as possible and see all the highlights. Our guide knew exactly how to approach it for us. We all agreed that it was the best tour we have ever had. We learned so much and saw so many incredible things. On our wildlife day, our guide was in communication with other guides and animal experts, so he knew just where to go for the best wildlife sightings. We saw a grizzly bear, 4 wolves, a coyote, pronghorns, elk, mule deer, white tail deer, mountain goats, ground squirrels, a chipmunk, osprey, baby osprey in a nest, ravens, hundreds of bison, lots of different birds, and other animals. He set up his scopes for us so that we could see it all in our different stops. Our guide was able to tell us about all of the different animals. He also took us to the most beautiful scenic places. I cannot say enough about what an excellent tour this was. I highly recommend Yellowstone Guidelines.

joaquim lopez

A great day to discover beautiful places that we have not seen without the presence and experience of Chris. Thanks for this attention, this kindness and availability,

Gu5tin0

We went during winter time at Yellowstone. It was amazing!!! and we have a tour guide named Chris, who did an excellent work. Recommended you to go with this one, they provide detailed safety and instructions, we felt very comfortable and enjoyable and definite worth the value we paid for!

GM Colby

This was our second visit to Yellowstone but our first in the winter (12/25/15 - 01/02/16) and we absolutely loved everything about our trip! My husband and I consider ourselves pretty knowledgeable about the Park, its nature and wildlife and such, but since we wanted to see wolves, we booked the Winter Wolf Watch expedition with Chris of Yellowstone Guidelines. And he did not disappoint! Chris definitely has an eye for spotting wolves as well as coyotes - we saw so many of both that I lost count. He stopped often for us to take pictures and just take in the beauty of the place. The spotting equipment we used was excellent, and Chris' overall knowledge of the Park and its wildlife is very impressive. I highly recommend him and the guided tours with Yellowstone Guidelines. Having a local guide added that personal touch to our experience, so much that I felt less like a tourist. We will be back!!

Fran Morrison

We had a great day of wildlife viewing with this company. We saw bison, big horn sheep, coyote elk and wolves. The guide was knowledgeable and affable and we loved it.

Bertrand Saugnac

We were luckily taken for a fishing afternoon with Ken and had a great time. He is extremely patient and knows his river ! I do recommend both his skill and his kindness.

Martin Dorgan

My wife and I hired Yellowstone Guidelines for a private tour last May. We met Molly, our guide, early in the morning at Norris Basin where she was waiting for us with coffee, hot chocolate and some snacks and fruits for breakfast. From there we headed to Tower Fall and Lammar Valley to sport wildlife stopping regularly to see wildlife. Molly brought all the necessary equipment (binoculars and scope) and she knew precisely where to see different animals. We were able to spot black bears, bison, elks, bald eagles (and their nest), hawks, ospreys (and their nests), owls, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, coyotes and pronghorns. We spent some time looking at a wolves' den but we weren't able to see them, probably because it was still early afternoon and animals are more difficult to see at that time. However, Molly was kind enough to give us instructions on how to get there. The following day we went on our own at dusk and we were able to see the wolves and hear them howl! Awesome! Lunch was great too, we stopped at a picnic area for an hour or so where she provided us with a more than enough food and beverages. What to expect: lot of wildlife watching, tons of information, all the necessary equipment, great food and very friendly, knowledgeable and charming guide What you won't get: trail hiking and close encounter with animals (except by chance) My main recommendation: start as early as possible. We met Molly at 7:30am but we needed another hour or so until we reached Tower Fall and Lammar Valley where most of the action is. If you really want to see as much wildlife as possible and watch animals "in action" it's better to be out there earlier. I think this could be arranged. We just didn't know it.

JAVIER RODRIGUEZ

Hemos pasado dos maravillosos días con Chris y Molli. Nos han enseñado muchos detalles, lugares, historias, anécdotas que pasan desapercibidas para el turista habitual. Siempre amables y siempre preocupados por el bienestar de nuestro grupo. Aunque no hablan español su inglés era claro y sencillo por lo que hemos podido seguir las explicaciones toda la familia. Altamente recomendable.

Gill Torren

Chris is a great guide. His knowledge of the park, animal viewing areas made our trip memorable.

Annie Hondorf

Best guide I know! Chris is a wealth of information and good company.

Kevin Muttart

Our guide Ken from West Yellowstone was fantastic. He helped us see all the animals we wanted and was extremely informative on all things Yellowstone. He was friendly and accommodating throughout the day. We saw 10 bears during the tour, Elk, Mountain Goats, Peregrine Falcon, Big Horn Sheep, Great Horned owls and chicks, Prong horns and babies, and of course a bunch of bison. Here are just a few of the days photos my son Mason took @masonmute.

Scott Bolster

No words to describe. Chris was amazing. Exceeded all expectations. Chris spotted things the normal tourist would never had seen. The education he taught us was AWESOME. Best tour guide I have ever seen. Lunch was so relaxed and perfect. It was Worth every penny spent. By the end of the day it felt like we had known him for years

Dr. Bob Shor

Wow, what a great day on safari with Chris of Yellowstone Guidelines! We went to the Lamar Valley in the northeastern section of Yellowstone on a chilly morning in September. Chris picked us up at our hotel in Gardiner in his comfortable van. Chris is a an extremely knowledgeable guide and great spotter. If there is wildlife out there, he will find it! We saw bison herds, coyote, moose, bighorn and pronghorn sheep, bald eagle and more! He brings along binoculars for everyone and packs a great lunch. Chris is a fantastic guide and we can't thank him enough! I highly recommend this company for anyone visiting Yellowstone!

Jeffrey Kass

Yellowstone guidelines did an excellent job guiding my family through the wonderful sights at Yellowstone National Park. Kerry was our guide and she was excellent. She made our trip truly memorable.

David Berthy

Linda & I , have been in the Park many times over the last 15 years and know it well. However , when we hosted friends from Australia in May we decided to treat them to a tour with Chris. It was a great decision and an epic experience. Chris has deep knowledge of the park , its geological & natural history , and where the animals tend to be throughout the day. We saw numerous black and grizzly bears as well was mountain goats and sheep and one wolf. We and are guest were delighted and would highly recommend Chris and his organization to anyone.

Garrett Dominick

beautiful

Pascal Schappes

We had an awesome day with Molly today! Saw a lot of big and small wildlife, also black and grizzly bears and many more. Thank you for this great experience!

Elisabeth von Wahlde

I should have been curious after paying $500, sending out Emails for detailed information (pick up, hiking,) and never got an answer. Finally i called a week before the trip and got someone on the phone who gave me some vague information. The tour itself is done by a guide in their private car. We had a van at least. our tour guide was nice, she had coffee and snacks for the morning commute. We started off full of hope. The hours went by and what we did was driving around Lamar Valley in hope to find wildlife. We stopped where everybody else stopped (rule of the Yellowstone: see a lot of cars - stop too, they most usually spotted something). out tour guide fumbled around with the scope she brought but always needed someone to set it up for us correctly. At 11.30 we called it a day, we had enough. We spotted what we have seen the day before by ourselves, the wolves we saw and heard we could have seen ourselves too, just by driving around and stop where everybody else stops. $500 for a day in the car on the main roads is quite a lot. all the information we got could be found in any book about the Yellowstone. we were disappointed for what we got. And also the really good sandwiches we got for lunch doesn't cover for the $500.

lynn koncz

We hired Yellowstone Guidelines for three days during our trip to Yellowstone. Our guide, Chris, put together a daily itinerary which included wildlife viewing in the morning (beginning with sunrise) in Lamar and the Hayden Valleys, a challenging day hike (we picked the hikes), more wildlife viewing at sunset and other sights if we were in the area. Our hikes were in the Tower Junction, Canyon and Yellowstone Lake areas of the park (at our request). Chris was excellent. He told us a lot about the park, the wildlife, and the people. He adjusted our trip as we requested and he made every day perfect! During our time with Chris we saw wolves try to take down a bison calf, a grizzly bear feeding on a dead bison carcass, a different pack of wolves hanging out on a ridge (with several pups visible), a fight in the river between two grizzly bears, elk, bison, big horned sheep, pronghorn and a coyote. Chris has a impressive ability to spot the wild life, when all we saw was grass and trees. With his spotting scopes, he would find the animals, focus the scope on them and then let us watch them to our hearts' content. Without Chris, we would have see very little wildlife on our own as we would not know where to go, nor would our binoculars been strong enough to spot the animals. I would highly recommend Yellowstone Guidelines. You will get a first rate trip with a knowledgeable and conscientious guide.

tony ashman

We spent two days with Chris of Yellowstone Guidelines and enjoyed the experience immensely. His knowledge of Yellowstone wildlife is impressive. Chris took us to places we wouldn't have found on our own. We felt safe with Chris leading, even when we came across a black bear unexpectedly on one hike -- a real close encounter! The lunches were great too, especially the Summer Sausage -- thanks for that Chris, we'll expect more of the same when we come back next year! Tony & Lis.

Travis Lundy

Our backpacking adventure with Molly was an amazing experience! She is an outstanding guide and I was blown away by her knowledge and her ability to connect with both young and old. They provided the gear (including bear spray!), the food, and filed the plans so we could have a safe and enjoyable trip. Our family included everything from a 6 yr old novice to an experienced Eagle Scout. We could not have made our 3-day backcountry trip had it not been for Yellowstone Guidelines. Cannot recommend them enough.

mark girson

We had a fantastic day With Chris. He is extremely knowledgeable and extremely passionate about Yellowstone and its wildlife. We were able to see several Bears and wolves as well as many of the more common animals and birds. He will tailor your trip and do whatever you would like to do or see. Highly recommended

Lindsey Marek

We enjoyed having Chris as our guide yesterday in Yellowstone! We saw an assortment of animals because of his quick eye including bighorn sheep, wolves, mountain goat, Fox, elk, buffalo (anyone can spot those!), mule deer and several species of birds including golden and bald eagles. We certainly enjoyed our time in Yellowstone!

Nicole Doerr

We booked Yellowstone Guidelines after recently starting backpacking back in South Dakota.The 3 day/ 2 night backpacking trip was phenomenal! We completed the Warm Creek to Slough Creek trail in this time and it was one for the books. Our guide, Frank was very knowledgeable about not only backpacking but the park as well. We were educated about all things Yellowstone, which made the trip that much sweeter. We were wanting to learn more about backpacking since we had just recently started (especially in grizzly territory), and Frank made sure our questions were answered. The trip in general was based on ours and the couple's (that was in our group) capabilities and not once during the trek did I nor my boyfriend feel overwhelmed. The views were that out of a book and did not seem real whatsoever. We were able to enjoy all sorts of wild flowers on our early July trip and even a little bit of snow! All in all I would highly recommend using Yellowstone Guidelines for a backpacking trip in or around the Yellowstone area, it was by far the favorite part of our trip to YNP.

Don Unruh

Our family had never been to Yellowstone so we wanted to do a private tour. We toured with Yellowstone Guidelines. Our tour guide was Chris the owner of the company. He was fabulous. From booking the trip to our pick-up at our hotel his communication was great. He was very knowledgeable about the park. We had a wonderful time and saw so much. Breakfast and lunch was very good. I would recommend Yellowstone Guidelines.