Antelope Island Wildlife Expedition Great Salt Lake Adventure
Description
The tour to Antelope Island stands out for its unique combination of wildlife, history, and breathtaking landscapes. You will see free-roaming bison, antelopes, deer, and more than 250 bird species in their natural habitat. We visit the historic Fielding Garr Ranch – Utah’s oldest preserved building, where the stories of pioneers come alive. For active travelers, an easy hike to Buffalo Point offers unforgettable panoramic views of the Great Salt Lake and the Wasatch Mountains. The tour also unveils the island’s ecological wonders – from tiny brine shrimp to pristine night skies, considered among the best in the USA for stargazing. With small-group transportation (maximum 13 travelers) in a comfortable Mercedes Sprinter, a professional guide, and convenient pickup in Salt Lake City, you will enjoy a seamless and personalized experience. Carefully designed to balance adventure, relaxation, and discovery, this journey reveals Utah's hidden gem near Salt Lake City.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your journey begins in Salt Lake City with stories of Utah’s past and its remarkable landscapes. During the drive from Salt Lake City, you’ll watch the scenery transform — towering mountains frame the horizon, expansive valleys stretch into the distance, and the shimmering Great Salt Lake adds its unique beauty. As you approach Antelope Island, the changing views build anticipation until the island’s breathtaking panorama unfolds before your eyes.
The largest island in the Great Salt Lake is home to a distinctive geological landscape and diverse ecosystem. Upon arrival, you'll discover why this remote location has captivated visitors for generations.
Scenic Marina Your first stop reveals where the unique brine shrimp industry was born. In these waters — saltier than the ocean — these tiny yet remarkable creatures thrive, forming the foundation of life in the Great Salt Lake. Their resilience and uniqueness have also made them an important economic resource for the region.
Lady Finger Trail Overlook A short walk leads to the Lady Finger Trail Overlook, where travelers are rewarded with sweeping panoramic views of the lake, its shimmering surface seemingly merging with the horizon.
Unique Sand Beach A walk along Bridger Bay Beach to the water’s edge provides a feeling of tranquility and a closer connection with nature.
Wildlife Viewing The island’s wilderness, stretching along its hiking trails and shoreline, provides a habitat for a wide range of wild animals. Visitors are offered a rare opportunity to observe them up close. One of the most remarkable sights is one of America’s oldest surviving bison herds.
The highlight of our tour is a visit to Fielding Garr Ranch — the island’s first permanent settlement, which played a vital role in its development and preservation. Here, you'll discover fascinating stories of courageous Mormon pioneers — the island’s first settlers — and their struggle to survive in the face of harsh conditions and an unpredictable natural environment.
Island's Main Viewpoint - Buffalo Point Overlook Your exploration culminates at Buffalo Point Overlook, the island's crown jewel viewpoint. From this commanding position, witness the full grandeur of the Great Salt Lake stretching endlessly toward the horizon. Here, the geological story unfolds as you learn how this vast salt sea is actually a remnant of prehistoric Lake Bonneville, an ancient body of water that once covered much of western Utah thousands of years ago. For those seeking a rewarding finale, an optional 15-minute summit hike awaits along our well-maintained 5,300-foot trail (1.6 km). A spectacular 360-degree panorama unfolds: the Great Salt Lake's waters shimmer below like a mirror, while snow-capped Wasatch Mountains rise majestically to the east and distant ranges fade into purple silhouettes. This untouched wilderness vista offers a rare glimpse into landscapes that have remained virtually unchanged for centuries — a perfect conclusion to your island discovery.
Return to Salt Lake City with drop-off at convenient locations.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Our guide will pick you up directly from your selected hotel or designated pickup point in our distinctive silver Mercedes Sprinter. Please be ready at least 10 minutes before your confirmed pickup time. Important: Afternoon pickup times vary throughout the year according to the sunset time in Utah, allowing you to enjoy the best lighting and scenery during the tour. Seasonal Afternoon Pickup Schedule • March–October: 3:00–3:30 PM • October–February: 1:00–1:30 PM The time displayed on your booking confirmation may differ from your final hotel pickup time. After your booking is confirmed, we will contact you with your exact pickup time and location based on the seasonal schedule. If your hotel or accommodation is not listed, please contact us after booking. We can often arrange pickup from other locations within Salt Lake City or Utah County. Please review the pickup information carefully before your tour. The seasonal pickup schedule is part of the official tour description and is designed to provide the best possible experience based on the time of sunset.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(167)
Antelope Island is a beautiful state park. Hosting a herd of bison, qnd pronghorn. We saw children and adults of both. The landscape is varied with rocky outcroppings, the salt lake and grassland. If you want to visit, make the most of your time by going on this tour. Dima is full of energy. Able to talk for hours on wildlife, human history and geography. He even performed some tracking, and gave us lots of time to watch and observe the wildlife. He made sure we got to see every corner of the island. We were provided with water which was very helpful on a very hot Salt Lake evening. We went early July when sunset was late, tour started at 16:00ish so that timings ensured we finished with a beautiful sunset over the lake. We ate a large lunch before setting off, which saw us through the day, but others may want to bring a sandwich. Dima is an award winning photographer, and used many of his own photos as a visual aid for the animals on the island. He also volunteered to take people’s photos for and provided us with lots of professionally composed photos. Look out for the sheep shoot.
10/10 would do again! Very knowledgeable and answered every question. His sense of humor was amazing.
This was an Amazing experience. Highly recommend Matei Travel Team! He was very knowledgeable, not only about Salt Lake City, but history in general. We got close enough to the bison, pet horses, saw some prong horns, bunnies, owls, and different kinds of birds. The sunset was spectacular and definitely worth the climb! Very memorable experience, highly recommend Antelope Island! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I had a wonderful experience on this tour. It was the right balance of beautiful scenery, rare wildlife, and new knowledge. Dima knows a lot about a lot and shares it in engaging ways. He gives 100% to insure everyone is included and enjoying their tour.
This tour was amazing! Our guide, Dima, made it relaxed, interesting, and fun. The van was very comfortable and we liked that it was a small group.... just 8 of us not counting our guide. We chose a pick-up spot right across from our hotel and he was right on time. He had plenty of snacks and ice cold water on-board. We were lucky enough to get an up close viewing of a large herd of bison crossing the road... incredible! We also saw pronghorns and a great horned owl. There was no worry about needing to use a bathroom as convenient stops were made available to us. The couple of short hikes were a good chance to move and provided great views. If you are visiting Salt Lake City, you should NOT miss Antelope Island and I highly recommend this tour! Thank you, Dima!
Our tour guide was amazing and knew so much about Utah and Salt Lake City's history. He provided us with water and even little snacks like granola bars and gummy bears. A lot of the tour was from inside a van which was comfy and had air conditioning. We did get out quite a few times for some small hikes and lots of photos! We got to see so many animals like Bison, Pronghorn, a Barn Owl, a Great Horned Owl, Burrowing Owls, and even a Jack Rabbit. Very cool experience, would recommend for anyone wanting to explore Antelope Island and learn lots!
Guide knew best viewing spots put in quite an effort!! Tried hard when not immediately visible to find rarer creatures!
We had a fabulous day with Dima our tour guide. He was knowledgable, had a good sense of humour and went to great lengths to ensure we got as close as possible to bison, deer, owls and even a porcupine up a tree! Dima had unlimited bottles of water, snacks , wet weather capes and binoculars.
More narrative during trip about Utah and area.
Lots of wildlife. Guide was extremely knowledgeable and went out of his way to get us close to the wildlife.
