Revealed America’s Big Three National Park Flying Safari
Yellowstone, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon in a week
When traveling with Revealed America, or even reading about their extensive tours, it makes sense that the tour company was established just after founder Marty Behr traveled America’s National Parks for more than two years. Behr, today Revealed America’s Chief Development Officer, had already retired from a life in the adventure tourism industry, but hearing of challenges to National Park visitation and feeling a renewed love of their power and diversity, he sought to create a new company that granted unprecedented access.
Revealed America does all that and more. Today they plan excursions around the United States and Canada—and they help travelers navigate lands both overcrowded and extremely desolate. They work on all budgets, for all types of travelers. But they have one program that truly tantalizes those of us who dream of America’s National Parks but find ourselves with only a handful of days vacation per year. It’s called the Big Three National Park Flying Safari and on it, guests get to experience Yosemite, the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone in all their glory.
“Yosemite and the Grand Canyon are a day apart,” Berh explains to us, “and the Yellowstone is about two days, if someone is traveling by normals means. If they want to do all three, it will take two weeks at a minimum. They’ll make stops between Yellowstone and Yosemite.” This is a beautiful option, he makes clear—and one that allows people to see how extraordinary the lands are. But for people with larger budgets and a limited schedule, the flying safari employs small planes, usually jets, and allows travelers to do all three in a week.
There are about a dozen people per year that do the flying safari so far. It’s more than just chartering a plane—it’s granting access to less trafficked corners of the parks by way of private guides and separate gates. While inside, activities are arranged from rafting to horseback riding, all of which is organized for a custom itinerary. This includes accommodation at some of the best lodges in the parks. His vision is meticulous and enables such a large feat.
Behr has no one favorite time to visit each park, but offers substantial knowledge about ideal travel times for others, as families often come in the thick of summer. “All three are beautiful in early June, before the tourist crush,” he says, “Yosemite and the Grand Canyon are particularly stunning in the spring.” Yosemite has the most limitations, as it is only completely open from early June through the first week of October. He guides people toward September visits, when it’s crisp but not cold and the elk gather to mate.
“We started back in 2010, and until 2015 it was called National Parks Revealed. We changed our name when we added cities,” he says. Behr’s fervor helps make the company so alluring. “Three travel businesses I had and sold,” he says. And with his understanding of traveler needs, Park benefits and his desire to continue exploring, another was born. Today, he explains, “I still have fun.”
For summer bookings, Behr says the best time to begin planning is February—and larger parties should book no later than the end of the month. With this time frame, everyone has a greater chance of getting exactly what they want and where. Of course they handle spontaneous bookings as well. It’s something he considers a challenge but he’s always happy to help someone get to the scenic landscapes he loves so much.
Images courtesy of Revealed America
