Itinerary
- Day 1
Rapid City to Custer
Your South Dakota adventure kicks off with a welcome meeting in Rapid City at 10 am. From there, you'll head to Wall Drug Store, a quirky roadside landmark where you can walk around and grab lunch. Later, drive out to Badlands National Park for some hiking on scenic trails where you might spot bighorn sheep and bison roaming the terrain. By evening, you'll settle into your cabin lodge in Custer for a group dinner.
- Meals
- Lunch, Dinner (Group dinner at the lodge)
Included Activities
- Badlands National Park - Scenic Drive
- Badlands National Park - Hiking
- Welcome meeting at Rapid City
Optional Activities
- Wall Drug Store visit and shopping
Landmarks/POIs Wall Drug Store Badlands National Park - Day 2
Custer
After breakfast at the lodge, an open-air jeep safari through Custer State Park gets you up close with buffalo, led by someone who knows the area well. Next comes the Crazy Horse Memorial, the largest mountain carving in the Black Hills. You'll finish the day at Mount Rushmore walking the Presidential Trail and taking photos. Dinner is on your own this evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Custer State Park - Buffalo Safari
- Custer - Crazy Horse Memorial
- Black Hills - Mount Rushmore
Optional Activities
- Dinner at accommodation or nearby local restaurant
Landmarks/POIs Custer State Park Crazy Horse Memorial Mount Rushmore - Day 3
Custer to Sheridan
Following breakfast in Custer, drive north to Deadwood, a preserved Gold Rush town where your leader guides you through the historic district before you wander around on your own. After lunch, continue driving to Sheridan for the night, passing through scenic prairie views along the way.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Deadwood visit
- Leader-led orientation walk in Deadwood
Optional Activities
- Shopping for cowboy hats in Deadwood
Landmarks/POIs Deadwood - Day 4
Sheridan to Cody
After breakfast, drive to Cody, Wyoming and spend the day at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. The museum has five different sections covering Plains Indian culture, Yellowstone ecosystems, firearms, Western art, and Buffalo Bill's story. Grab lunch in town, then your leader takes you on an orientation walk through this Western community to get a feel for the place.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Cody - Buffalo Bill Center of the West
- Cody - Leader-led orientation walk
Optional Activities
- Barbecue dinner in town
- Shopping for authentic cowboy boots
Landmarks/POIs Buffalo Bill Center of the West - Day 5
Cody to Gardiner
Head west from Cody toward Yellowstone National Park. Stop at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone for photos, then check out Norris Geyser Basin to see the hottest and oldest geyser in the park. You'll check into your hotel in Gardiner for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Yellowstone National Park - Northern Loop Featuring Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone & Norris Geyser Basin
Landmarks/POIs Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone Norris Geyser Basin - Day 6
Gardiner
Continue your Yellowstone exploration, keeping an eye out for grizzly bears, wolves, buffalo, and elk. See Old Faithful Geyser shoot over 4,000 gallons of boiling water into the air, then walk around the Grand Prismatic Spring to see its striking colors in person. Dinner is on your own tonight.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Yellowstone National Park - Southern Loop Featuring Old Faithful Geyser & Grand Prismatic Spring
Optional Activities
- Group dinner for pre-final day celebration
Landmarks/POIs Old Faithful Geyser Grand Prismatic Spring - Day 7
Gardiner to Bozeman
Start early for a wolf-tracking expedition in Yellowstone with a naturalist guide who'll bring high-powered binoculars and spotting scopes for viewing these animals in their natural setting. After that, drive to Bozeman where your adventure wraps up around 4 pm.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Yellowstone National Park - Wolf-tracking expedition
Optional Activities
- Extended stay in Bozeman area
Landmarks/POIs Yellowstone National Park - Day 8
Bozeman to Helena
A welcome meeting at 10 am covers information for any new travelers. Your leader then walks you through Bozeman, a Rocky Mountain town rich in Montana's history. After lunch, drive to Helena where a local guide leads you on a walking tour of downtown, showing how it changed from a rowdy mining camp into Montana's capital.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Bozeman - Leader-led walking tour
- Helena - Walking tour with a local guide
Optional Activities
- Group dinner in Helena
Landmarks/POIs Bozeman Helena - Day 9
Helena
After breakfast, follow the path of Lewis and Clark on a scenic Missouri River cruise to the Gates of the Mountains. Sail past limestone cliffs toward towering stone walls that look like they're opening into a gate. This stretch of river has remained largely unchanged since their historic expedition. Your evening is free to rest or find dinner with your leader's help.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Helena - Lewis and Clark River Cruise
Optional Activities
- Dinner in Helena
Landmarks/POIs Gates of the Mountains - Day 10
Helena to Great Falls
After an early breakfast, drive to First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park, home to America's largest buffalo jump used for hunting for over 1,000 years. A Blackfeet tribe member guides you through hikes and talks about the cultural history of their homelands. Lunch is included so you'll have time to ask questions and learn more about the land's significance.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Great Falls - Hikes with Blackfeet Nation guide
Landmarks/POIs First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park - Day 11
Great Falls to West Glacier
After breakfast, drive to Glacier National Park and board a raft for whitewater rafting down the Flathead River with a local guide leading the way. Head to West Glacier for the night where you can relax or find a restaurant for dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Glacier National Park – Scenic Whitewater Rafting
Optional Activities
- Dinner at local restaurants or craft breweries in West Glacier
Landmarks/POIs Glacier National Park Flathead River - Day 12
West Glacier
After breakfast, your guide leads a full-day nature hike in Glacier National Park. Drive the iconic Going to the Sun Road to reach the trailhead, then walk through forests to the base of two waterfalls while your guide shares the history of people who've lived in this wilderness. Stop for a homemade picnic lunch partway through before heading back.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Homemade picnic lunch with your group)
Included Activities
- Glacier National Park - Full Day Guided Hike with Lunch
Optional Activities
- Dinner at local craft breweries or restaurants
Landmarks/POIs Going to the Sun Road Glacier National Park - Day 13
West Glacier to Missoula
Enjoy a relaxed morning before driving to Missoula. Once you arrive, celebrate finishing your trip with a final meal at a local brewery alongside your group. Your packed adventure winds down around 3 pm.
- Meals
- Lunch (Meal at a local brewery)
Included Activities
- Missoula - Local Brewery Tasting & Lunch
Landmarks/POIs Missoula
