Montana is a beautiful, wild place with a wide range of natural wonders. As one of the least-populated states in the country, Montana has plenty of open space to harbor wildlife. Join us on this exciting tour of ‘Big Sky Country,’ to explore its charming birds and amazing mammalian fauna. The variety of habitats on this tour-- from open plains and wetlands to temperate forest and barren mountain slopes-- will provide us many opportunities to see a diverse group of birds, other animals, plants, and geological marvels.

As with all Wild Latitudes tours, we will take a light-hearted approach to our birding and nature exploration. We want everyone to have lots of fun, to learn new things, and to see wonderful animals, plants, and landscapes. We’ll keep a moderate pace while also maximizing our time in Montana.

Itinerary at a Glance

Day 1

Arrive in Great Falls, Montana. Birding locally at Giant Springs State Park.

Day 2

Birding the Glaciated Plains outside of Great Falls, at Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Buffalo Jump State Park.

Day 3

Today we'll venture into Glacier National Park, to find special birds like Gray-crowned Rosy Finch as well as wildlife. We'll learn about the geology of the amazing Rocky Mountains.

Day 4

We travel over the Rockies today, westward to the charming town of Whitefish. Along the way, we'll stop for birding at several sites.

Day 5

This morning, we'll ride the gondola to the top of Big Mountain and then hit several birding hotspots around the upper Flathead Valley.

Day 6

On our last morning, we head south through the Flathead Valley and enjoy an 'American Safari' as we drive through the National Bison Range, looking for exciting birds in addition to Pronghorn, Elk, Bighorn Sheep, and Bison. We'll say out goodbyes at the airport in Missoula.

CUSTOM TOUR

Although we don't have a scheduled tour to this destination at the moment, we may be able to offer you a custom tour.

Contact us if you're interested!

START DATE: NA

DURATION: 6 days

GROUP SIZE: Up to 10

TRIP FOCUS: Birding and Wildlife

WHAT'S INCLUDED

• Double-occupancy lodging
• Ground transportation
• Breakfasts and lunches
• Excursions and park fees
• Guiding services

YOUR GUIDE

Ivan Phillipsen, Co-owner of Wild Latitudes, is a passionate naturalist with a background in scientific research. He holds an M.S. in biology and a Ph.D. in zoology. Natural history is Ivan’s true passion and what he is most excited to teach to others. Although he is fascinated by just about every aspect of nature, Ivan is particularly fond of birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, plants, and geology. Everything is interconnected in nature and Ivan takes a holistic approach when teaching about the natural world.