tuuur.com - Worldwide Trips

Comfort

Explorer

Great American West

13 days • 5

Excellent

2 reviews

13 days

Start

Rapid City, USA

Finish

Missoula, USA

Trip Code

SSEAC

Min Age

Trip Size

1 - 12

Physical Rating

Meals

12 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 1 dinner

Transport

Private vehicle

Accommodation

Cabins (2 nights), Hotels (10 nights)

From £5,056(13 days)

Trip Informations

Why you’ll love this trip

Learn about Native American history as you spend a full day with a member of the Blackfeet tribe in First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park and visit Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument with a Crow Nation Guide.

Jump in a jeep to safari with an expert guide and see buffalo up close, along with pronghorns and elk, in Custer State Park.

Marvel at Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial where a walk will take you up close to this famous mountain sculptures.

Hike through Yellowstone National Park, where grizzly bears and herds of buffalo and elk roam free, and join an expert naturalist on a wolf tracking expedition.

Explore Glacier National Park by foot and by raft, standing at the foot of waterfalls, walking under the canopy of ancient forests and enjoying a homemade lunch in the wilderness.

Is this trip right for you?

This trip involves a whitewater rafting experience in which you will be required to manoeuvre in and out of a raft, and a guided hike with a distance of 10.5 km (6.5 mi). While the included activities do not require any special physical preparation for most travellers, at least a moderate level of fitness is needed to make the most out of the trip.

June departures may include a guided e-biking experience on Glacier National Park's iconic Going to the Sun Road instead of the full day hike if the high passes are not yet fully cleared of snow.

This trip includes time spent travelling in a private vehicle with your group. Extra space can be tight, and conditions may feel a little cramped. It’s all part of the adventure and a great way to get to know your fellow travellers. Please read the itinerary carefully for travel time estimates.

23 AUG 2025 Departure: Please see Important Notes for information about Missoula's temporary airport closure from 2-7 September 2025, including alternative arrangement options

Itinerary

A showcase of National Parks, famous landmarks and indigenous culture

See natural wonders in South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana on a 13-day small group adventure. Uncover the beauty of Badlands National Park, travel to Mount Rushmore, spot buffalo in Custer State Park, soak up wild west history in Cody and Deadwood and visit the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. With two nights at Yellowstone National Park, you’ll have time to track wolves with an expert naturalist and watch Old Faithful spray water into the air. Then travel from Bozeman to Missoula via mountains, rivers, glaciers, and lakes. Learn about the customs and histories of the Blackfeet Native American culture and explore Glacier National Park on a guided hike and a scenic river rafting trip. With easy to moderate hikes, comfortable accommodation, and a knowledgeable leader, this nature-focussed adventure is big on beauty.

DAY 1
Day 1 • Rapid City / Custer
Welcome to South Dakota! Your adventure starts at 10 am with a welcome meeting in Rapid City. After, take a short drive to the iconic Wall Drug Store – drawing millions of visitors every year, it’s hard to believe this store won over customers in its early days by offering something as simple as free ice water. Take some time to wander around and grab some lunch before heading to Badlands National Park. Have your camera handy to capture the sweeping prairie grass plains and dramatic rocky pinnacles. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, chirping prairie dogs and American bison. Take a short hike on one of the scenic trails before continuing to your lodge in Custer. Your home for the next two nights will be a cabin where you can immerse yourself in the Western feel of this historic-style accommodation. Tonight, you’ll have a group dinner at the lodge to settle in and get to know your fellow travellers.
Accommodation
Cabin (1 night)
Meals
Dinner
Included activities
Badlands National Park – Hiking
Badlands National Park – Scenic Drive
Special information
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting at 10am as we will be collecting insurance and emergency contact details at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.
Your travel time today will be approximately 3.5 hours.
DAY 2
Day 2 • Custer
Enjoy breakfast at the lodge, then it’s time to jump in a jeep and go wild on a buffalo safari. Trek through the Custer State Park in an open-air jeep as your expert guide shares historical and educational facts and helps you spot pronghorns, elk and buffalo. After, you’ll visit the Crazy Horse Memorial – the largest mountain carving in the Black Hills (widely considered the Eighth Wonder of the World in progress). Then continue to the famous Mount Rushmore to walk the Presidential Trail – this is a great spot to grab a photo! Tonight, you’re free to grab dinner at your accommodation or a nearby local restaurant.
Accommodation
Cabin (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Included activities
Custer State Park - Buffalo Safari
Custer - Crazy Horse Memorial
Black Hills - Mount Rushmore
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours.
DAY 3
Day 3 • Sheridan
Have a final breakfast in Custer, and then drive north to the city of Deadwood. Made famous for playing host to Wild West names like Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok, many of its Gold Rush-era buildings are preserved to this day. Your leader will take you on an orientation walk, and then you’ll have free time to do some exploring of your own – why not get fitted out in a new cowboy hat? Regroup for an included lunch, and then head back out on the road heading to Sheridan. It’s a long afternoon of driving, so sit back, relax and enjoy the rolling prairie views. Check into your accommodation, and then settling in for the evening.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Included activities
Deadwood visit
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 6 hours.
DAY 4
Day 4 • Cody
After breakfast, drive to the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. There, you’ll join a Crow Nation Guide for a tour that provides an Apsaalooke perspective on the conflict. With a tribal historian at your side, you’ll traverse the battlefield and learn how Lakota, Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors defeated the US Army on the Greasy Grass at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Grab lunch after your visit, and then make your way to Cody, Wyoming. Join an orientation walk with your leader around the quintessentially western town, scoping out the best spots for a BBQ dinner or your own pair of cowboy boots.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Included activities
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument -guided tour with a Crow Nation Guide
Cody - Leader-led orientation walk
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.
DAY 5
Day 5 • Yellowstone National Park / Gardiner
Depart Cody and drive west towards Yellowstone National Park – one of the country's most popular, expansive, and beautiful national parks. When you arrive at Yellowstone, you’ll head straight for a visit to the Old Faithful Geyser – a must-see for any trip to the park, Old Faithful is a cone geyser with striking colours and a predictable geothermal eruption (hence the name). Watch as it sprays over 4000 gallons (14,000 litres) of boiling water into the air, then be hypnotised by the startling colours of the Grand Prismatic Spring. After, you’ll check into your hotel in West Yellowstone.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Included activities
Yellowstone National Park - Southern Loop Featuring Old Faithful Geyser & Grand Prismatic Spring
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours plus time for stops in the park.
DAY 6
Day 6 • Yellowstone National Park / Gardiner
Today after breakfast, you’ll continue to explore the gorgeous Yellowstone National Park, looking out for grizzly bears, wolves, buffalo and elk roaming free. Visit The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (a great spot for photos) and then explore the Norris Geyser Basin – the hottest and oldest geyser in the park. Tonight, you’re free for dinner, so maybe get your group together and say a pre-final day goodbye over a couple of drinks.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Included activities
Yellowstone National Park - Northern Loop Featuring Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone & Norris Geyser Basin
Special information
Yellowstone is a huge park and we will cover a lot of ground during our exploration. We'll spend approximately 9-10 hours in the park today, of which you can expect to spend about 3.5 hours in the vehicle.
DAY 7
Day 7 • Yellowstone Wolf Tracking / Bozeman
You'll be up before the sun this morning, but it's for a good reason! You’ll head back into Yellowstone to join a wolf-tracking expedition with an experienced naturalist guide. There's no better place than Yellowstone to see these magnificent animals in the wild. Your guide tracks the movements and behaviour of Yellowstone wildlife almost daily and knows the best places to find the animals. There will be top-of-the-line binoculars for everyone and high-powered spotting scopes, so no one will miss out. Afterward, travel to Bozeman, where you will have the evening free.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Included activities
Yellowstone - Wolf Tracking Expedition
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours.
DAY 8
Day 8 • Bozeman to Helena
This morning there will be a meeting at 10 am to welcome any new travelers to the trip. After, your leader will take you on an orientation walk through this Rocky Mountains town, which serves as the perfect starting point for exploring Montana’s history and natural beauty. Take some time for lunch then head to Helena, where you’ll spend the night. After arriving, join a local guide for walking tour through the city’s downtown, where you’ll hear about how it transformed from its beginnings as a rowdy mining camp to the capital of Montana. This evening, you might like to head out for dinner with your group.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Included activities
Helena - Walking tour with a local guide
Bozeman - Leader-led walking tour
Special information
This is a combination trip, meaning your group will most likely change today.
Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours.
DAY 9
Day 9 • Helena
After breakfast, you’ll follow in the footsteps of the explorers Lewis and Clark and venture to the Gates of the Mountains on a scenic river cruise. You’ll sail alongside limestone cliffs to a set of towering stone walls which appear to open like a gate as your boat approaches. Little has changed since the two explorers first visited this stretch of the Missouri River, and the region’s untouched beauty remains. Your night is free in Helena to rest and recharge or find a good dinner spot – your leader is always on hand with suggestions.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Included activities
Helena - Lewis and Clark River Cruise
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours.
DAY 10
Day 10 • Great Falls
After an early breakfast, hit the road and drive to First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park – home to the largest buffalo jump in America, used as a hunting tool by Native American tribes for at least 1000 years. This is a special and unique experience to learn about the history of the land firsthand. Get to know the landscape with a member of the Blackfeet tribe, who will take you on a full day experience including hikes, walks, talks and a cultural exchange on their homelands. Then, sit down and soak up the scenery over an included lunch where you can ask questions and learn more. Spend the night in Great Falls, where you’re free for dinner.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Included activities
Great Falls - Hikes with Blackfeet Nation guide
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 1.5 hours.
DAY 11
Day 11 • West Glacier / Glacier National Park
This morning, you’ll hit the road again after breakfast. Known as the ‘Crown of the Continent’, Glacier National Park offers an impressive array of activities for lovers of nature and the great outdoors. Today, you’ll board a raft and enjoy an exhilarating (and splashy) rafting experience down the Flathead River with an expert local guide – a must-do in this area! Then head into the town of West Glacier, where you’ll spend the night. After an action-packed day, feel free to relax and recharge, or chat with your leader for the best dinner recommendations in town.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Included activities
Glacier National Park – Scenic Whitewater Rafting
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 3.5 hours.
The rafting experience covers 12.8 km (8 miles) of the Flathead River with 9 class 2 and 3 rapids. This excursion is classified as moderate rafting, and no experience is necessary. Rafters can expect to get wet during this excursion, but wet suits and/or splash gear are available at no additional charge. Helmets are mandatory and provided.
DAY 12
Day 12 • West Glacier / Glacier National Park
After breakfast this morning, you'll take on a full day locally-guided nature hike in Glacier National Park – a wilderness area in Montana’s Rocky Mountains, with glacier-carved peaks and valleys running to the Canadian border. First, we'll drive the iconic Going to the Sun Road to the trailhead where we'll begin our hike. Meander through sun dappled forests to the base of two waterfalls as you hear from your guide about the history of the people who have called Glacier National Park home. Stopping for a homemade picnic lunch with your group, soak up the beauty of your surroundings before making your way back along the trail. Tonight, you may like to drop into one of the local craft breweries or restaurants for dinner.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Included activities
Glacier National Park - Full Day Guided Hike with Lunch
Special information
Today's guided hike is considered easy-moderately difficult and taken at a leisurely pace with time for breaks and a one hour stop for an included lunch. Your trekking distance today will be approximately 10.5 km (6.5 mi) with an elevation gain of 236 m (775 ft).
Glacier National Park requires that only guides specially licensed to lead groups within the park can accompany visitors. As a result, your Leader won’t be joining you on today’s hike, but you will be guided by a certified park hiking expert instead.
JUNE DEPARTURES:
Glacier National Park roads do not fully open to vehicles until all snow is cleared from the high alpine passes. This usually happens in early to mid-June but can extend later into the month during especially snowy years. On departures that travel before the park roads fully open to cars, we will include guided e-biking on Going to the Sun Road. The e-biking typically lasts 4-5 hours and we ride 16-42 miles depending on road conditions. The minimum age to ride an e-bike is 18 years old.
DAY 13
Day 13 • Missoula
Enjoy a morning at leisure before hitting the road to Missoula. When you arrive, enjoy one last meal at a local brewery with your group to celebrate all you’ve done in this jam-packed adventure. Your adventure will end at around 3 pm.
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Included activities
Missoula - Local Brewery Tasting & Lunch
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 2.5 hours.

Inclusions

Meals

12 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 1 dinner

Transport

Private vehicle

Accommodation

Cabins (2 nights), Hotels (10 nights)

Included activities

Badlands National Park – Hiking

Badlands National Park – Scenic Drive

Custer State Park - Buffalo Safari

Custer - Crazy Horse Memorial

Black Hills - Mount Rushmore

Deadwood visit

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument -guided tour with a Crow Nation Guide

Cody - Leader-led orientation walk

Yellowstone National Park - Southern Loop Featuring Old Faithful Geyser & Grand Prismatic Spring

Yellowstone National Park - Northern Loop Featuring Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone & Norris Geyser Basin

Yellowstone - Wolf Tracking Expedition

Helena - Walking tour with a local guide

Bozeman - Leader-led walking tour

Helena - Lewis and Clark River Cruise

Great Falls - Hikes with Blackfeet Nation guide

Glacier National Park – Scenic Whitewater Rafting

Glacier National Park - Full Day Guided Hike with Lunch

Missoula - Local Brewery Tasting & Lunch

Dates and availability

Starting

Ending

Remaining

Prices From

Saturday Jun 21, 2025

Thursday Jul 03, 2025

Trip size max: 12 - 1 space left

£7,029£5,623

Saturday Jul 05, 2025

Thursday Jul 17, 2025

Trip size max: 12 - 9 spaces left

£6,320£5,056

Saturday Jul 12, 2025

Thursday Jul 24, 2025

Trip size max: 12 - 8 spaces left

£6,573£5,258

Saturday Jul 19, 2025

Thursday Jul 31, 2025

Trip size max: 12 - 6 spaces left

£6,622£5,298

Saturday Jul 26, 2025

Thursday Aug 07, 2025

Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left

£6,573

Saturday Aug 16, 2025

Thursday Aug 28, 2025

Trip size max: 12 - 3 spaces left

£6,573£5,915

Saturday Aug 23, 2025

Thursday Sep 04, 2025

Trip size max: 12 - 3 spaces left

£6,710£6,039

Saturday Aug 30, 2025

Thursday Sep 11, 2025

Trip size max: 12 - 1 space left

£7,293£6,564

Saturday Jun 06, 2026

Thursday Jun 18, 2026

Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left

£6,320

Saturday Jun 13, 2026

Thursday Jun 25, 2026

Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left

£6,320

Saturday Jun 20, 2026

Thursday Jul 02, 2026

Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left

£6,633

Saturday Jul 04, 2026

Thursday Jul 16, 2026

Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left

£6,633

Saturday Jul 11, 2026

Thursday Jul 23, 2026

Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left

£6,633

Saturday Jul 18, 2026

Thursday Jul 30, 2026

Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left

£6,633

Saturday Jul 25, 2026

Thursday Aug 06, 2026

Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left

£6,633

Important notes

1. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 9am on day 1. Please make your own way to the Joining Point Hotel listed in the Essential Trip Information for this itinerary.

2. This trip is a combination of two of our most popular itineraries. As such the composition of your group and your leader may change on day 8.

3. This trip finishes at approximately 3pm in Missoula on day 13. No accommodation is booked for this evening. If departing this day, please do not book any flights before 6pm. if you would like to spend more time in Missoula, we can request additional accommodation for you post tour. Please speak to your booking agent.

4. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights on your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.

5. We are not able to book airport shuttle service for North America trips. North America has convenient taxi and rideshare options from all airports, as well as public transport systems in major hub cities. Please check the joining and finishing point instructions listed in the Essential Trip Information.

6. IMPORTANT: 23 AUG 2025 Departure:

The Missoula Montana Airport (MSO) will be closed from 2-7 September, 2025 (8:00 AM Tuesday through 3:00 PM Sunday) for a runway upgrade. You have the option of ending the trip as scheduled in Missoula around 3 pm on 4 September, or choosing to end the tour upon check out from your lodge that morning in West Glacier so that you may take advantage of departing from Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) in Kalispell, which is approximately 30 minutes from the lodge. If you choose this option, you'll need to arrange your own taxi transportation to Glacier Park International Airport. Tuuur will provide a 50USD credit per person for those customers who elect to end their trip in West Glacier. Please speak to your booking agent to add a note to your booking and have this credit applied to your reservation. When arranging your own transport please coordinate pickup from Glacier Guides Lodge at 120 Highline Blvd, West Glacier, MT 59936. Please visit the Glacier Airport’s webpage for ground transportation options.

Reviews (2)

5 stars

Gregory

Sep 02, 2024

Our Great American West tour was well-planned and gave us a wonderful opportunity to learn about and experience the national and state parks in a way we never would have been able to otherwise. The included experiences were great at enhancing our knowledge of U.S. history, native cultures and wildlife.

Diana

Mar 10, 2023

This was my first Intrepid travel and I was so happy with everything. I always wanted to do a road trip through the US and as a solo traveler this was an excellent solution. A lot of the hassle is taken away and you can just focus on the experience of travelling and marveling at the fabulous landscapes. The activities and cities we visited were well chosen and honestly I could have never had the opportunity to meet our amazing local guides. I particularly loved the native american perspective and learned so much! Greta who was our fantastic guide made this trip even better and I will never forget this adventure I had. I also appreciated immensely that our group was quite small and it felt like I was travelling with friends/family.

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