The Pow Wow is one of the premier American Indian cultural events in the United States, attracting hundreds of dancers, singers, artisans and several thousand spectators from across several U.S. states and Canadian provinces.
Locations Visited
Jackson, Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Cody, Billings, Deadwood, Rapid City, Crazy Horse Memorial, Mount Rushmore, Badlands National Park
Countries Visited
United States
Travel Style
Regional Explorer
Accommodations
8 nights included
Age Requirements
Minimum Age 5
Day 1
Welcome to Jackson! Home to an array of wildlife and the center of outdoor adventures, explore Jackson on your own before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travelers for a dinner. Excitement builds as your Travel Director outlines the sites to come in your exploration of US national parks.
Accommodation
The Lodge at Jackson Hole
Meals
Dinner
Day 2
Spend the morning connecting with the dazzling natural scenery of Grand Teton National Park. Marvel at the summit peaks of the Teton mountain range and take in the awe-inspiring Jenny Lake. This afternoon, choose to sail into the sky on an aerial tram ride to the peak of Rendezvous Mountain offering 360-degree views of the Tetons, Jackson Hole, the Snake River Valley, and Grand Teton National Park. This evening, opt for a western hoedown featuring a Dutch-oven style dinner with Bar-T 5.
Accommodation
The Lodge at Jackson Hole
Meals
Breakfast
Head to Grand Teton National Park for sightseeing of its alpine landscapes featuring eight peaks towering 12,000 feet above. At the Craig Thomas Visitor Center, gaze out at the Teton Range rising above. Inside the Center, explore the themes of place, people, preservation, mountaineering and Native Americans as you contemplate the past and future of this park. With your Travel Director enhancing your visit through narrative, drive by Jenny Lake, a glacier-carved lake at the base of the Teton Mountains.
Day 3
This morning, you may take an optional float trip down Snake River. Sit back and relax as your expert guide points out the sites and wildlife which may include beaver, cutthroat trout, cliff swallows, pelicans, osprey, and bald eagles. No matter what critters come into view, you’ll surely enjoy the mountain views. We continue our exploration of the great American West as we head to the world's first National Park, Yellowstone. Your encounter with its geothermal wonders will leave you in awe. We stay amidst the colorful pools of hot springs, mud pots and geysers tonight at one of the park’s signature lodges.
Accommodation
National Park Lodges Yellowstone
Meals
Breakfast
Dinner
Nothing beats staying close to all the action. Your accommodation for the next two nights is inside the National Park granting you all day access to the park and hotel amenities. Enjoy an evening stroll when the day-trippers are gone and appreciate the natural beauty surrounding you.
Day 4
Rise and shine to unlock Yellowstone National Park. Begin by teaming up with local naturalist guides to explore Norris Geyser Basin, the hottest, most acidic and most dynamic geyser basin in Yellowstone on the rim of the Yellowstone volcano. Continue your discovery of the Park with your Travel Director, keeping a keen eye out for bison, grizzlies and elk as you journey through Hayden Valley en route to the rusting walls of Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon. You'll witness Old Faithful's waters arc high into the air as it has done approximately every 90 minutes since the Washburn Expedition discovered it.
Accommodation
National Park Lodges Yellowstone
Meals
Breakfast
Yellowstone National Park. A bucket list destination and a must-see icon. Established as America's first National Park by President Grant in 1872, Yellowstone is famous for its hot springs, bubbling mud pots, vast canyons and lush forests and a variety of terrain including alpine mountains, prairies, valleys and waterfalls as well as a diversity of nature including the hydrothermal features. Explore the Southern Loop of Yellowstone with your Travel Director who shows you the must-sees and highlights, paired with background information of this huge, ever-changing national park. See the splendor of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, keep an eye out for bison in Hayden Valley, and witness Old Faithful blow off some steam.
In Yellowstone National Park’s Norris Geyser Basin, join local guides who bring the landscape to life over accounts of early travelers, anecdotes from the scientists who study the geology and wildlife of Norris Geyser, and their personal stories from living year-round in Greater Yellowstone. Explore history, geology and living traditions here at the home of Steamboat Geyser, the world's tallest active geyser. As you stroll among the boiling springs, hissing steam and spouting geysers of Norris, you'll walk in the footsteps of the Native people who first called this powerful place home. You can opt for one of two one-mile walks. Take a loop walk in the Upper Basin (Porcelain Basin) with a steep decline and mostly flat boardwalk. Or, join a Lower Basin (Steamboat Geyser) out-and-back walk along the boardwalk with mostly a decline toward Steamboat Geyser and a slight incline back to the main trailhead.
Day 5
Head to the infamous town of Cody, named after the iconic William "Buffalo Bill" Cody. Gain insights into the history of the American West at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West and delve into the history of the cowboy, the role of the firearm in the early days, and the culture of the Plains Indians. This evening, enjoy a Be My Guest experience as you dine at the historic Billings Depot, featuring a hyper-local pairing of food and mixed cocktails. Meet Allen Hodges, owner and founder of Undammed Distilling Co. for a one-of-a-kind culinary experience.
Accommodation
DoubleTree by Hilton Billings
Meals
Breakfast
Dinner
Jump into the playground of the wild west. Glimpse into the "Spirit of the West" at the Buffalo Bill Center for the West Museum complex. Boasting five museums on its campus, this “Smithsonian of the West” will immerse you in the sounds and sights of the Wild West. You'll feel like you've been transported back to a time of cowboys and cowgirls, outlaws and Native American warriors.
Guests will dine at the historic Billings Depot and experience a hyper-local pairing of food and mixed cocktails. Your host for the evening is Allen Hodges, the owner of Undammed Distilling Company. Undammed is located in Billings and their products are a tribute to the majestic, wild, undammed Yellowstone River. Guests will get to hear from Allen how his products are made and get a taste of three different Undammed cocktails, each paired with a dinner course prepared by award-winning Chef, Stephen Hindman of Stacked a Montana Grill. Drinks for the evening will be prepared by the historic Rainbow Bar. The ‘Bow, as it’s often called, opened as a beer parlor and hotel in 1935 and continues to be a staple in Downtown Billings.
Day 6
Head through the windswept prairies of the American Frontier and into the Black Hills of South Dakota, admiring the looming fortress of Devils Tower, a geological monolith that seems to rise up out of the prairie. You’ll learn why Devils Tower is considered sacred to local Native American tribes while appreciating its distinct beauty. Afterwards journey to Rapid City, where you'll have your overnight stay.
Accommodation
The Rushmore Hotel & Suites
Meals
Breakfast
Admire Devils Tower, a geological monolith that seems to rise up out of the prairie. You’ll be able to see why Devils Tower is considered sacred to local Native American tribes, as it is totally unique and contrasts with the plains around it. The first National Monument in the USA (1906) the tower stands some 867-feet from summit to base. Native American's often refer to the monument as Bear Lodge Butte.
Day 7
Today is your first full day in Rapid City to do as you please. Relax at your hotel or opt for one of our exciting optional experiences. Choose to visit Badlands National Park with your Tour Director exploring some of the 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires amongst the largest protected mixed grass prairie in America. You’ll even make a stop at the famous Wall Drug Store, one of the top roadside attractions in the country. In the evening, you'll attend the Black Hills PowWow, also known as He Sapa Wacipi, with Stephen Yellowhawk of the Lakota tribe. The Black Hills Pow Wow is a sacred social gathering held by many North American indigenous communities that includes singing, dancing, drum groups, art, athletic competitions, and a variety of other events, all to celebrate and honor their beautiful culture that you get to witness.
Accommodation
The Rushmore Hotel & Suites
Meals
Breakfast
Enjoy an evening at the Black Hills Pow Wow, one of the premier American Indian cultural events in the United States, attracting hundreds of dancers, singers, artisans and several thousand spectators.
Day 8
Travel to South Dakota to pay tribute to Crazy Horse, the largest mountain carving in the world, peering at the immortalized face of the famed war chief of the Lakota people etched from the granite rock of the Black Hills. We continue to Mount Rushmore featuring the enormous carvings of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln dramatically etched into the granite rock face. Tonight, join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for dinner.
Accommodation
The Rushmore Hotel & Suites
Meals
Breakfast
Dinner
Get ready for a one-of-a-kind-experience meeting Stephen Yellowhawk to discover the history of his tribe during a festive evening of dance and song. A performer for more than 20 years, Stephen has a passion for dance and sheer determination to promote his Native American culture. Raised by his grandparents from the Lakota tribe and Onondaga Iroquois tribe, Stephen will share his family and tribal history, culture, and traditions with you. Your experience supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities.
Unlock the history of Crazy Horse Memorial. Learn how construction began in 1948 after Henry Standing Bear, a Lakota elder, commissioned Korczak Ziolkowski, who worked on construction of Mount Rushmore. While the original idea was to carve a face into rock like Mount Rushmore, the monument will ultimately have a full body and horse. There is no completion date yet, but the face of Crazy Horse was completed in 1998 at 87 feet 6 inches (26.7 m) high.
The grand faces of Mount Rushmore National Memorial await. View the faces of four of America’s most important presidents - George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt - dramatically etched into the granite rock. Mount Rushmore tells the story of the birth, growth, development and preservation of the United States. From the history of the first inhabitants to the diversity of America today, visitors will come face to face (literally) with the rich heritage we all share.
Day 9
After breakfast, bid farewell to your traveling companions and transfer to Rapid City Regional Airport at your leisure. Or, extend your stay in Rapid City.
Meals
Breakfast
Title
Discover Jackson, Rapid City
Visit Grand Teton National Park, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, the Black Hills of South Dakota
View Crazy Horse Memorial and Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota and Devils Tower National Monument
Explore Meet naturalist guides in Yellowstone National Park to lean about its geysers, hot springs, deep canyons and wildlife
An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
All porterage and restaurant gratuities
All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized
Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
All transport and transfers shown
Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
Optional Experiences and free time
Trip Notes:
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