Tour Description

Your package includes deluxe transportation and accommodations, all listed tour fees, and 11 meals.

Get ready to feel the earth shake as you experience the thunder of thousands of hoofs tearing up the earth. What an incredible adventure we have in store for you out under the open sky of South Dakota. You’ll encounter some of the magic of the plains as cowboys and cowgirls saddle up to corral more than a thousand head of wild buffalo. This experience in itself is worth the trip! But there is so much more to do as we take in all this wonderful open land has to offer. From the Badlands to Crazy Horse, from Mt. Rushmore to Deadwood a world of memories awaits and we would love to share this earthshaking experience with you.

Day 1:

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Our journey begins today as we make our way northward toward the land of the wide-open country. Our travels today give you the perfect opportunity to meet your fellow adventurers and prepare for all the excitement to come. Travelling today takes us into Council Bluffs, Iowa, for our overnight.

Day 2:

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Meals: Breakfast
We continue north to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where we will visit Falls Park and discover for ourselves the Big Sioux River, known to the Lakota Sioux as “Laughing Waters,” as it flows over the three falls. Our next stop is in Mitchell at the famous Corn Palace. Topped with a whimsical mix of onion domes and minarets, the Corn Palace appears as if drawn straight from a storybook. After our time in this historic landmark, our journey continues taking us into Chamberlain, South Dakota, where we will be for the night.

Day 3:

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Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast this morning we depart for the Badlands National Park. The rugged beauty of this untouched wilderness boasts a maze of buttes, canyons, pinnacles and spires. At first glance it may seem deserted, but look a little closer and you will glimpse many a treasure unfolding. The Badlands were a favorite of Teddy Roosevelt and around one million visitors follow in his footsteps every year. We leave here for lunch and some free time at the iconic Wall Drug Store. In 1936, the owners realized that travelers going through the hot, dusty prairie would be thirsty, so they put up signs along the highway offering free ice water. Tourists have been stopping there ever since. The fun continues with a tour of the Black Hills Gold Factory, for a guided tour of learning about the gold factory and its history. Our destination for the next four nights will be in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Day 4:

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Meals: Breakfast
Memories wait to be made on this spectacular day. This morning we depart and shortly arrive at one of America’s most iconic landmarks: Mt. Rushmore. Marvel at the 60-foot faces of four great American presidents who represent the birth, growth, development and preservation of this country. Now get ready to see the Black Hills of South Dakota by vintage steam train. Following this unique experience we will make our way to see another wonderful sight. Prepare to take in the grandeur of Crazy Horse Memorial, the world’s largest sculptural undertaking, literally a mountain. This is a massive memorial honoring all Native North Americans. We depart this amazing mountain and drive through Custer State Park arriving back at our hotel.

Day 5:

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Meals: Breakfast
Our adventure continues today and our journey takes us through Sturgis and stunning Spearfish Canyon. The canyon’s narrow, 1000-foot walls are among the most spectacular scenery in the Black Hills. We will do a photo stop at Roughlock Falls, widely considered one of the most beautiful locations in the Black Hills. The scenery is so beautiful that cinematographers for the motion picture Dances with Wolves decided to shoot its final scenes here. Then we head onward to infamous Deadwood, the Dakota gold rush town, well known for the outlaws, gamblers, gunslingers and gold seekers who came looking for fortune. You’ve got some free time today to explore the town, see some of the historic sights and walk in the footsteps of legends like Wild Bill and Calamity Jane. But one of the most exciting of today’s events will be the reenactment of some of the famous shootouts that took place in this Wild West town. Our overnight tonight takes us back to our hotel in Rapid City.

Day 6:

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Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Today brings us to the climax of our journey: the breathtaking annual Buffalo Roundup. A hot breakfast (including buffalo sausage) awaits us at Custer State Park this morning. Now we wait in anticipation for the thundering herd to arrive. The bison are rounded up every year to be vaccinated, branded, and sorted. Every year thousands of travelers flock to see the amazing sight of so many of the great beasts. Seeing them now really makes you wonder how these great herds must have looked when hundreds of thousands of these creatures roamed free on the plains. After the buffalo are all corralled, we will go down for a closer look and to enjoy our lunch by the corrals. After this close encounter we return to our hotel and rest up for a bit because more excitement takes place this evening as we enjoy a Chuckwagon Dinner and Show.

Day 7:

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Meals: Breakfast / Dinner
After our incredible day yesterday, you’re probably ready to take it easy today. However, the fun doesn’t stop quite yet. This afternoon we arrive in North Platte, Nebraska, to visit an interesting piece of history: Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park. The park recaptures the life and career of the famed Pony Express rider, Army scout and buffalo hunter-turned-showman. We depart this great little stop but won’t get far as we will be overnighting here in North Platte.

Day 8:

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Meals: Breakfast
This morning our journey brings us to Grand Platte River Archway. The Archway is a museum of and monument to Nebraska and the Platte River Valley’s role in westward expansion. This award-winning exhibit detailing America’s westward movement along the trails, rails and highways is bound to teach you something and remind you of our nation’s history. The highway is calling to us, so we hit the road making our way into St. Joseph, Missouri, for our overnight.

Day 9:

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Meals: Breakfast
Our last day together and what an incredible time we’ve had: we’ve basked in amazement at what human hands can create and we’ve trembled at feeling, seeing and hearing the thundering power of the creatures only God can create. This has been an unforgettable journey with friends and lifelong memories being made in beautiful South Dakota!