Visit South Dakota’s historic Black Hills and beautiful Badlands on one trip.
See national monuments, historic towns, and feel the ground rumble as cowboys bring in the state’s buffalo herd at the Great Buffalo Roundup.
Day
1 Arrive in South Dakota
Your northwesterly journey begins
in Rapid City. Meet your Tour Manager at 6:00 p.m. for dining
suggestions.
Day
2 Crazy Horse Memorial and Historic Deadwood
Travel this morning to the Crazy Horse Memorial where a bus takes you to the
base of the carving. Return to the visitor center to see the exhibits
and film. In historic Deadwood, visit Mount Moriah Cemetery,
known as “Boot Hill,” home to the graves of Old West legends like
Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok.
There will be time to explore
the town, see the local street shows and enjoy an included dinner
in Deadwood.
Meals: B, D
Day
3 1880 Train, Mount Rushmore and Bear Country USA
This morning board the 1880 Train of the Black Hills Central
Railroad for the spectacular mountain scenery found along the
tracks laid in the 1880s to service the area mines. Enjoy free time
for shopping in the rugged town of Keystone.
Then pay a visit
to the famed Shrine of Democracy, Mount Rushmore National
Memorial. See the memorial and explore the museum. Later, take
a drive through Bear Country USA Wildlife Park to see the many
bears, wolves and elk found here. Return to Rapid City for an
included dinner.
Meals: B, D
Day
4 The Great Buffalo Roundup and Mammoth Site
Our day starts early in Custer State Park with a pancake breakfast to get
ready for the Great Buffalo Roundup. Each fall the ground rumbles
and the dust flies as cowboys and park crews saddle up to bring
in the thundering herd of nearly 1,300 strong.
After an included
lunch at the State Game Lodge, travel to Hot Springs, home to
the Mammoth Site. This excavation site features the fossils of 58
woolly mammoths at the world’s largest site of its kind.
Meals: B, L
Day
5 Wall Drug Store and Badlands National Park
Begin the
day at the Chapel in the Hills, a quiet retreat nestled at the foot
of the Black Hills. Then stop at famed Wall Drug Store, a unique
shopping emporium featuring western clothing, Indian pottery and
favorite watering hole since the 1930s. Enjoy time for shopping and an on own lunch.
Then, a local guide takes you through Badlands
National Park, a uniquely beautiful geologic area formed over
millions of years by wind, rain and erosion. Return to Rapid City for
a farewell dinner featuring the entertainment of an Indian dancer,
storyteller and flute player.
Meals: B, D
Day
6 Travel Home
After breakfast, a group transfer to the
Rapid City airport is available for flights out after 10:00 a.m.
Meal: B