The Premier Wildlife Tours in Rocky Mountain National Park

Recommended by 97% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Estes Park, USA

7 to 8 hours (approx.)
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Overview

If you're going to Rocky Mountain National Park for the animals, maximize your sightings with a full-day tour completely focused on wildlife. Travel with a guide who knows the best places to spot amazing Colorado creatures like bighorn sheep, moose, elk, and mule deer. Avoid the crowds at off-the-track locations, and learn about the park’s amazing biodiversity along the way.

Go with the only RMNP tour company totally dedicated to wildlife
Focus on the views and animals while a guide handles the driving
Great value, with tours that can last up to 8 hours.
Perfect for wildlife enthusiasts and nature photographers

What's Included

Private transportation
Air-conditioned vehicle
binoculars/spotting scopes
Bottled water
Snacks
All Fees and Taxes

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

691 N St Vrain Ave, Estes Park, CO 80517, USA
We meet at the public parking garage at the address listed. Look for the large white van on the 1st floor. I'll be standing nearby.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Rocky Mountain National Park (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed

Near public transportation
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Kathy_L

This was one of the best tours we’ve ever been on. The guide, Chadd, was amazing. He has so much knowledge of the park and the animals. He took his time and didn’t make us feel rushed when he made the stops for us to see the wildlife or just to walk around Bear Lake. We spent so much time just enjoying the beauty of Rocky Mountain Park. He was very personable and made our personal tour feel like we were going with a knowledgeable friend. I highly recommend this tour and guide. You won’t be sorry if you book this tour.

Reviews

4.9

based on 104 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Disappointed waste of $400

Marge_D, Sep 2025

Weather affected our tour instead of 4 hours. We got 3 hours for $400. Saw very few animals, and no alternative…Felt guide could have added information on park, fauna, birds something. He told us he has worked every day this season. He seemed burned out. We were two older ladies.. perhaps that was an issue in the lackluster information.

Best tour if you want to see the whole park and wildlife

Kathy_L, Sep 2025

Response from Host, Sep 2025

One of the best tours you have ever been on? WOW thank you for the kind words. I am very humbled by your review. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to write me a review, I greatly appreciate it! Thank you for the high recommendation, I would love to have you out for another tour in the future! Please comeback to RMNP or come check out Saguaro National Park down in Arizona! Best wishes to you and your family!

Wildlife.

Connie_B, Jul 2025

Chad was a great guide. We saw lot's of animals. He was knowledgeable about the park and where to find the best sightings. Would recommend.

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you very much for taking the time to leave me a review! I am happy to hear you enjoyed your tour. Best of luck on your upcoming travels!

Wildlife expert

Ronald_G, Jun 2025

Chad is an absolute expert on the amazing wildlife in RMNP and where to find them. His passion made our day very special. Would highly recommend this tour.

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Thank you Ronald for the kind words and recommendation! I am happy I was able to make your trip to RMNP special! I hope to guide for you again in the near future! Till then take care of yourself!

Wildlife with Very Nice Chad!

Ravi_Y, Jun 2025

It is a very beautiful and wild experience! Chad was very knowledgeable and patient in explaining and showing various wildlife including Elk, Moose, Pika rabbit and others. Highly recommend the tour! The highlight was watching a flock of Big Horn sheep with lamb and their interaction with a Moose! Unforgettable!!

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Hello Ravi! Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to write me a review! I am so thankful we had the day we had and were able to see so much wildlife! The moose chasing the sheep all over the meadow was definitely an unforgettable experience! Take care Ravi, and thank you again!

Outstanding tour

Kevin_M, Sep 2024

Chad is an awesome wildlife expert. We saw lots of wildlife. He explained their behaviors which was amazing. A must do trip when visiting in the Estes Park area.

Response from Host, Nov 2024

Hey thank you for the kind words, Kevin! I am so glad you enjoyed the tour. I am happy we got to see as much as we did, and also happy that our paths crossed. Good luck to you and your future endeavors!

Great tour

Sue, Sep 2024

We enjoyed the tour with amazing up close views of many species. Just before reaching the park, Chad pointed out the bald eagles. We saw lots of wildlife from moose, elk, deer, different birds, a black bear which we spent time watching! From the beautiful scenery in Rocky Mountain National Park and seeing the up close wildlife, it was an amazing trip. Highly recommended.

Response from Host, Nov 2024

I am thankful you enjoyed your tour! Thank you so much for taking the time to write me a review! All the wildlife was awesome for sure, but getting to spend that much time watching a bear forage in an open alpine field was absolutely amazing! Definitely one of the highlights of the season. Thank you again for the review and take care, Sue!

Really fun

Orest_Z, Aug 2024

Seeing the big horn sheep. Lunch by the river. Great driving Pleasant conversation on time and very professional.

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Hello Orest! Thank you for the review I am so happy we were able to see the rams on the hillside, I had actually never seen them in that spot before. I always knew they could be there but I was starting to lose hope I would ever see them there! Thank you again for a wonderful tour and for the review. Take care!

The trifecta of park animals

Aaron_L, Aug 2024

We were met by Chadd on time and settled in for our all day tour. As Chadd put it we had the trifecta of park animals and saw Deer, Elk and Moose - mostly up close. We also got a rare look at a Goss Hawk. Chadd kept us entertained throughout and gave us time to explore at certain stops.

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Hey Aaron, thank you for the review I really appreciate it! I still cannot believe we saw that Goshawk so close and for as long as we did. Definitely the rarest animal we were going to see that day! Thank you again for the review and I hope your hawk pictures turned out well! Take care.

Absolute Joy!

Chad_T, Aug 2024

This was the highlight of our trip. Chadd knows so much about the area and shares his love and passion from the least chipmunk to the mighty moose. He went with our pace and attempted (and succeeded) to help us witness everything on our wildlife checklist. We would highly recommend and hope to do another tour with him in the future.

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Hey Chad! Thank you so much for the review. I am very happy to hear you are satisfied with the tour we provided for you! I am always happy to help finish off a checklist when it comes to animals. I hope to see you two again on a future tour! Take care and thank you again!

Great tour!

christina_W, Aug 2024

Great day! Lots of animal spotting. Chadd was extremely informative and friendly. Highly recommend this tour!

Response from Host, Aug 2024

Hey, thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to write us a review. I really appreciate the kind words Christina. I hope you had a great rest of your trip and glad to see you made it home safe. Best wishes!

Great tour. Excellent guide.

Mary_H, Jul 2024

Chadd was excellent in all aspects. He went out of his way to get us as many views (and the best views) possible. I would highly recommend him !!

Response from Host, Aug 2024

Thank you very much, Mary! I am so happy you enjoyed the tour. I really appreciate you taking the time to write us a review. Please take care of yourself and look forward to a future tour!

"This Tour Has It All"

Betty_C, Jul 2024

Chad, our tour guide was fantastic. He knows the ins and outs of the area 100%. We saw the most beautiful landscape along with every animal inhabitant of the area. We were able to get all 9 stamps of the park (thanks to Chad; he made it his quest when I mentioned it). We were on every road in the park, saw beautiful streams, waterfalls and gorgeous terrain. A little more about Chad; he is friendly, likeable and absolutely willing to please. He knows where all the wild life live, hang out, how they store food for the winter and so, so much more (including where the best cinnamon rolls are). He has the best equipment (binoculars, telescope and radiates his love of RMNP). The entire day was the best decision we have ever made (no stress in driving, no looking for things; saw it all in 1 day because Chad knew where to look, this tour would have taken us 3 days on our own to see what we saw in 1 with Chad. Nothing could have been better from pick-up to drop-off. I absolutely loved that Chad was as excited as we were to see the Moose and her baby. He really loves his job so don't hesitate to book him for a day and have an enjoyable and entertaining experience with no worries.

Response from Host, Aug 2024

Wow thank you for such a kind review, Betty! I honestly appreciate you taking so much time out of your day to write such an in-depth review! I am very grateful we had such an amazing day in the park! We did see just about everything RMNP has to offer up for wildlife. We were blessed with perfect weather as well (well at least perfect for wildlife viewing). This definitely helped us out with how much we saw in the park. I am very happy you were pleased with the scenery as well, I try really hard to find the most iconic and beautiful spots for photographs. So it is always pleasing when someone lets you know they are happy with what they received. Again, Betty I really appreciate such a kind and in-depth review. I know it will help others searching for a future tour to hopefully choose us! Best wishes, Chadd

The old college try! Go Chad!

Virginia_S, Jun 2024

Chad was such an amazing tour guide. He wanted to know what we wanted to see the most; moose and babies were on our wish list. We were blessed with moose babies and so much more. I would highly recommend this tour company for your tour of RMNP. He was so good, we booked an evening tour for later this week.

Response from Host, Jul 2024

Thank you so much for writing us a review. I am happy I was able to fulfill your families wishes on what you wanted to see. It made it easy to only need to find one animal for you, but it was a challenge to find the calves and their mothers. I am happy we were blessed with so many opportunities to see multiple moose families learning life together. I am so happy to have had you out twice in one trip! You all enjoy your trip home!

Wonderful experience

Linda_P, Jun 2024

We had a wonderful day with Chadd and Kaylee. They’re both very knowledgeable about the animals, flora and fauna, geology and history of the area. We had multiple viewing opportunities of moose and elk, including babies, as well as mule deer, multiple smaller mammals and a variety of birds. We were able to sit back and enjoy the beautiful scenery while someone else did the driving, navigating and finding the wildlife. We don’t really have any negative comments. I would highly recommend booking this tour, the full day if you have the time, to make the most out of your National Park visit. It’s well worth the cost.

Response from Host, Jul 2024

Thank you for the great review! Kaylee and I are both very happy you enjoyed your experience and that you were satisfied with the tour we were able to provide for you and your family. I am happy we were able to see so much wildlife and that the views were special to you. Thank you again for taking the time to write us a review!

Best wildlife tour!

Yvonne_B, Jun 2024

Chadd and Kaylee were awesome! Very knowledgeable and know exactly where the animals hang out and places with the most scenic views. Was a very relaxing and exciting day all at once! Highly recommend.

Response from Host, Jun 2024

We really appreciate the review and kind words. We are very happy knowing you enjoyed your time with us and look forward to a future visit from you. Hope the rest of your vacation was pleasant and the trip home was smooth! Best wishes.

Seeing a bighorn sheep...

Lisa_P, Jun 2024

Seeing a bighorn sheep through his telescope. Learning about wildlife and where/how to look for them

Response from Host, Jun 2024

Thank you for the review, Lisa! I am so glad you were able to see the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep! I hope the rest of your vacation went well!

Great Morning.

Christopher_V, Sep 2023

Chad was awesome, really knowledgeable and able to postion us to see some really neat wildlife from grouse, turkey, and squirrel to huge herd of elk and a couple of bulls. A couple of the roads closed due to weather, but not his fault. This tour is totally worth it, have an open mind. Enjoy RMNP with someone who knows it well. 10/10 Recommend

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Thank you for the awesome review! I am glad to hear you would recommend 10/10! I am also you mentioned the road closures due to weather. Unfortunately that can happen from time to time, I am happy to know you understood the situation and were accepting of my backup plan for the rest of the tour!

Perfect tour to see and learn a lot about wildlife in one day.

bettyobyrne, Aug 2023

Spending the day in the park with Chadd was a wonderful experience. He was knowledgeable, polite, and entertaining. He could answer any question and was enthusiastic about teaching some of the wonders of nature, animals, plants, etc. He knew where to take us for the best viewing of some of the wildlife and some areas, we would have definitely missed if we were visiting the park alone. We had a great time and were so thankful we took this tour.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thank you very much for the kind review! I am very happy to hear you enjoyed your experience with me and that you valued my teachings of the various species in the park. (Both flora and fauna) I am also thankful that you took a tour with me and I hope to host you and your family again in the future! Best wishes, Chadd

Exciting afternoon adventures

ASHLEY_D, Aug 2023

Chadd made the most of a rainy afternoon with poor visibility by bringing us up the one way road to the Alpine Visitor Center where we found a group of elk bucks grazing in the mist. It was beautiful! Then we found moose and a nursery herd of cow and calf elk that were mewing. He was great with my 9 year old and entertained her by doing animal calls and patiently answer all of her questions.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

First of all thank you for taking the time to write me a review! I am so happy we were able to find some wildlife on such a rainy day! Seeing those bull elk through the fog is one memory I will never forget from my tours, such a rare sight! It warms my heart knowing your little girl had such a great time on the tour! I love how enthusiastic she was about the wildlife and how much she wanted to learn about them! Hopefully I will see you three out in Tennessee next time!

Great tour! Chadd is an excellent guide! We highly recommend

Matt_B, Nov 2021

The scenery was exquisite and Chadd made the trip extra special because of his expertise in so many areas as well as his humor. It was by far one of the best tours we have ever taken. Great value as well.

Response from Host, Apr 2022

Thank you for taking the time to write me a review. I am glad to know you enjoyed my humor, I definitely try and make every trip out as fun as I can. One of the best tours you have ever taken? Wow thank you so much! I hope to see you again in the future.

a great private tour of RMNP!

Pam_M, Sep 2021

Chadd was extremely knowledgeable and friendly as he showed us the sights and wildlife of Rocky Mountain National Park. A great day with a great guide! I highly recommend booking a day with him.

Response from Host, Nov 2021

Thank you so much for the kind words! I am very happy you enjoyed your tour! It is a beautiful park to visit and experience more than once in your life. Next time you come through we will hopefully we will see you for another tour! Take care and be safe!

5 star day

Tay_K, Sep 2021

Interesting and informative day. We saw lots of wildlife (although can’t be promised) and Chad taught me to use binoculars. His considered everyone’s interests and adapted the tote to the group.

Response from Host, Nov 2021

Thank you for taking the time to leave me a review, I greatly appreciate it! I am glad you had a great time on our tour. We did do great on the wildlife viewing for sure. And I am happy you were able to get a hang of the binoculars! I hope to see you on a future tour with us!

Rocky Wildlife Tour

Alonza_W, Jul 2021

Our experience was wonderful. It was a great day and we had a great opportunity to see some wildlife. We saw elks and mountain goats and a raven’s with ravens. We also saw deer and other little creatures. Chadd was excellent. He was very patient and knowledgeable and made sure to accommodate our desires. He took us all over to the Rocky Mountains and more. Highly recommend his tour.

Response from Host, Aug 2021

Thank you for the great review! I am glad you enjoyed your day and tour with us inside RMNP! We did see a lot of different species of wildlife, and the mountain goat is actually one of the rarest species in the park, so that was a very rare treat!

Moose

JMK, Jul 2021

Chadd is very knowledgeable and easy going. We felt like we really got our money’s worth. We saw numerous animals, more than expected in the wild., including Moose both bulls and moms with their calves. We went all over the park and Chadd knew “off the beaten path” places to go that we never would have seen on our own.

Response from Host, Jul 2021

Thank you for the review! I am thankful you were happy with the information I was able to provide for you during the tour! We did see lots of animals during your visit, which is just as exciting for me as it is for you! I never get tired of looking at the Colorado wildlife! I hope to see you again soon, and I will try and find some more "off the beaten path" I can take you to next time!