This site is operated by The Travel Corporation, not by Costco. Use of this site (and any destination you reach through this site) is subject to The Travel Corporation’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, rather than those of Costco.
Skip to content
Need Help? Call Us   1-844-915-3555
Woman enjoying the sun in Seville

Wild West, Cowboys and Buffalos End Rapid City

This tour has other variations available

Everyday Price From

$5,950

9 days

No Countries

Overview

History comes alive on this family adventure into the wild west. Admire the peaks of the Grand Tetons, travel and watch Old Faithful put on a show at Yellowstone and see the vastness of South Dakota's Badlands on this epic National Parks tour. Enjoy a picnic-style lunch and guided tour at the National Oregon/California Trail Center, before you meet local Indigenous tribes of Montana over a Be My Guest experience at the historic Billings Depot. From standing in awe at Mount Rushmore to saying ‘hi’ to Buffalo Bill in Cody, these experiences will have your family reminiscing for years.

Locations Visited

Salt Lake City, Montpelier, Jackson, Grand Teton National Park, West Yellowstone, Yellowstone National Park, Cody, Billings, Gillette, Crazy Horse Memorial, Rapid City, Oglala Lakota Living History Village, Badlands National Park, Mount Rushmore

Countries Visited

United States

Travel Style

Family Experience

Accommodations

8 nights included

Age Requirements

Minimum Age 5

map-wild-west-cowboys-buffalos-end-rapid-city-guided-tour-2025.jpg

Itinerary

COLLAPSE ALL EXPAND ALL

Day 1

Start Your Travels In Salt Lake City

Saddle up for a Wild West family adventure starting with a relaxing afternoon together in Salt Lake City before meeting your travel companions for a rootin’ tootin’ evening Kick-off Party with your Travel Director.

  • Accommodation

    The Little America Hotel, Salt Lake City


  • Meals

    Dinner

Relive the adventures of an 1850s westbound wagon train with a visit to the National Oregon/California Trail Center in Montpelier, Idaho. Accompanied by actors playing wagon masters and pioneers, you'll journey back in time, exploring historically accurate attractions, including a gun shop, mercantile, and a ride in a covered wagon. After a picnic-style lunch at the Center, you're off to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where you can walk through the town's famous landmark arch of tangled elk antlers. Step back in time as you explore the Town Square with its Western boardwalks, craft boutiques and ice cream shops, all surrounded by the majestic Teton Range.

  • Accommodation

    Modern Mountain Motel, Jackson


  • Meals

    Breakfast

    Lunch

Highlights

highlights.title

National Oregon/California Trail Center

Discover the epic saga of pioneers' westward expansion at the National Oregon/California Trail Center. You’ll take a simulated wagon ride, where actors in authentic period costumes guide you through the trials and triumphs of the journey. This immersive experience captivates visitors of all ages, vividly portraying a significant chapter in American history.

Family fun awaits every day of this trip and today is no exception. If the season is right, today is your chance to get out on the water for some adventures. Rise early to float down the Snake River on an optional, scenic wilderness float trip. It’s the most relaxing way to experience the river as you learn about its history, geology, and wildlife from an expert guide. Travel onward to your hotel for the night.

  • Accommodation

    ClubHouse Inn West Yellowstone


  • Meals

    Breakfast

    Dinner

Highlights

highlights.title

Visit Grand Teton National Park

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.

Today you’ll enjoy a full day’s exploration of the geothermal wonderland of Yellowstone. You’ll join your Travel Director, marveling at Old Faithful, the thousand-year old geyser which has been shooting up water every 90 minutes for centuries. See the wonders of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone whose colors and shapes are a sight to behold. The rest of the evening is yours to enjoy on your own terms.

  • Accommodation

    ClubHouse Inn West Yellowstone


  • Meals

    Breakfast

Highlights

highlights.title

Visit Yellowstone National Park

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.

You’ll get a glimpse into “Spirit of the West” at the Buffalo Bill Center for the West museum complex. As you wander through this huge set of exhibits, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported back to a time of cowboys and cowgirls, lawmen and brave Native American warriors. The complex gives you the opportunity to explore the Buffalo Bill Museum, Plains Indians Museum, Whitney Western Art Museum, or the Draper Natural History Museum. Round out the day with a Be My Guest experience at Billings Depot where you’ll meet the owners 406 Native Roots, an Indigenous arts and education center, before dining in a historic train terminal. You’ll have the opportunity to learn about tipis and engage in a sweetgrass braiding activity led by a local Indigenous artist.

  • Accommodation

    DoubleTree by Hilton Billings


  • Meals

    Breakfast

    Dinner

Highlights

highlights.title

Visit The Buffalo Bill Center

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. 

highlights.title

Indigenous Encounters at Billings Depot

Get ready for a one-of-a-kind experience at Billings Depot. Greeted by hosts from Billings Depot and 406 Native Roots, unlock Native American culture over an educational presentation about Montana’s local tribes before you join in on the fun. You'll learn how to build a tipi using unique methods mastered by various Native tribes and how to braid your own sacred sweetgrass, which is used during smudging ceremonies. You can even take home your braided sweetgrass as a keepsake. Then dig into dinner prepared by award winning Chef, Stephen Hindman of Stacked, a Montana Grill and sipping on beverages provided by BarMT, a local taproom. Sampling Native American Fry bread with apples and cinnamon is the perfect finish to a big evening.

Continue your discovery of the Wild West heading through the "Energy Capital of the US," Gillette, WY. Then, travel to South Dakota to spend the afternoon getting familiar with a famed Lakota warrior at Crazy Horse Memorial. You’ll gaze in awe of this colossal carved tribute to Crazy Horse, which you’ll learn is the largest mountain carving in the world.

  • Accommodation

    Hotel Alex Johnson Rapid City


  • Meals

    Breakfast

Highlights

highlights.title

Visit Crazy Horse Memorial

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.

Alex Johnson Hotel Rapid City

Since opening its doors on July 1, 1928, the Alex Johnson Hotel hotel has played host to several presidents, countless celebrities, and some say a few spirits of its own. The handcrafted décor and Germanic Tudor-inspired architecture will leave you feeling that every step you take is a step back in time.

Today, participate in a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience with a visit to the Oglala Lakota Living History Village, introducing you to the beautiful landscape of the past and present Lakota culture, and of indigenous knowledge of Pine Ridge Reservation. Your visit contributes to the sustainability and resiliency of the Lakota community. Walk with a local guide on the trails through displays of living quarters used through the 19th and 20th centuries. Meet local artists who, through crafts and storytelling, provide insight into their cultures and traditions. Later, visit the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, the perfect place to prepare for your visit of Badlands National Park. Learn about the local earth science, wildlife and history as you explore museum exhibits, visit a working Fossil Preparation Lab or learn about Indigenous communities who one inhabited the land.

  • Accommodation

    Hotel Alex Johnson Rapid City


  • Meals

    Breakfast

Highlights

highlights.title

Discover the Oglala Lakota Living History Village

Travel to the past at the Oglala Lakota Living History Village and gain valuable insights into the culture and Indigenous knowledge of Lakota Country. Your experience supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 10 & 11: Reduced Inequalities & Sustainable Cities and Communities.

highlights.title

Scenic Drive through Badlands

Enjoy the spectacular sights as you make your way through Badlands Loop Road.

Today, head for the famous Black Hills of South Dakota to view the giant faces of former American presidents etched in the stone cliffs of Mount Rushmore. This evening, join your fellow adventurers at a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience and Farewell Dinner featuring your Lakota Sioux Tribe Member Stephen Yellowhawk (or another tribe member).

  • Accommodation

    Hotel Alex Johnson Rapid City


  • Meals

    Breakfast

    Dinner

Highlights

highlights.title

Discover Lakota Culture through Song and Dance

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.

highlights.title

Visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial

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. 

Your Wild West adventure comes to an end after breakfast. Say so long to your newfound friends this morning. Depart from Rapid City at your leisure. 

  • Meals

    Breakfast

Highlights

Must-see Highlights

  • Explore Crazy Horse Memorial with access to base of memorial

  • Discover Jackson Hole, Billings, Rapid City

  • Visit National Oregon/California Trail Center, Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Oglala Lakota Living History Museum, Badlands National Park, the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore

What's Included

Travel Director

  • An expert Travel Director and professional Driver

Hotels

  • 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

Meals

  • Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals

Sightseeing

  • Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras

Audio

  • Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing

Transport

  • All transport and transfers shown

  • Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)

Optionals

  • Optional Experiences and free time

Dates & Prices

Versions of this Tour

We have pre-selected the best options based on your search, however please feel free to adjust them to suit your desires. Please note that changes here will affect availabilty, pricing and trip itinerary.


Clear all

Trip

From Price

Wild West, Cowboys and Buffalos End Rapid City

$5,950

Wild West Cowboys and Buffalos End Denver

$5,950

Wild West, Cowboys and Buffalos with Rocky Mountaineer

$11,895

Results: 1 / 25

Definite Departures Only

Special Offers

Airfare is not included, but can be added to quote upon request.
  • Start Date
  • End Date
  • Deals
  • Departure
    Status
  • Price with
    current deals
  • Your Exclusive Costco
    Member Price
  • Get
    Easy Quote
Start Date Sun, Sep 14, 2025
End Date Mon, Sep 22, 2025
Deals
Departure Status
Price with Current Deals
$5,950

Tour Version Selected

You have successfully selected a different version of this tour

Terms & Conditions

Trip Notes:

  • ​International Air: Please note that airfares are not included. We will quote you the lowest possible airfare available on the day you book.
  • ​Travel to Europe often requires an overnight flight. Please arrange flights to arrive on or before Day 1 of itinerary.

Terms & Conditions:

  • Prices listed are per person, land only and based on double occupancy in CAD. Single room supplements are available. 
  • ​'Price with Current Deals' reflects current applicable 'Early Payment Discounts', 'Last Minute Deals' or 'Early Booking Discounts'. Early Payment Discounts (land only) savings vary by itinerary, are not valid on all vacations/departure dates and are subject to availability; not valid with all other promotional offers. Last Minute Deals or Early Booking Discounts are available on select departures only and only available to travelers departing from Canada; not combinable with Early Payment Discounts or any other promotional offers; full payment due at time of booking. All discounts are for new bookings only, subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Call or request a quote for complete details.
  • ​'Exclusive Costco Member Price' is available upon member login. 
  • For 'Costco Vacations of a Lifetime itineraries the price shown is the final base price, exclusive to Costco members and already reflective of any special member savings. *Please note may not be available at all gateways/cities. Where unavailable, will offer a discount for up to $100 USD.Additional, limited-time discounts are not applicable, other conditions apply. Please refer to Terms & Conditions
  • ​​​Trip prices and information are correct at the time of the trips going live online, however are subject to confirmation - please confirm all details at time of quote and booking.
  • For full details, please refer to our Terms & Conditions page.
  • Other conditions may apply