Compare 5-Day Sea Kayak Expedition by Anacortes Kayak Tours vs Roaming Western Trails by Tours of Distinction
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 5 days | 8 days |
| Price From | Check price | $ 3,789 |
| Price Per Day | Check price | $ 474 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Premium |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Airfare included |
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| Meals Included | N/A |
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| Description |
Your 5-Day kayak expedition will depart from Anacortes in order to maximize your time and to avoid the San Juan Island ferry hassles. Because we make every effort to include you in how the trip will unfold the following itinerary is useful mainly as a hypothetical example. Some groups choose to cover a lot of territory while others are content with a more leisurely pace. Your guide will engage with you and the other participants to help you create the best possible experience. |
Blaze an unforgettable trail experiencing the legends and lore of America’s Wild West. This trip includes a medley of manmade and natural attractions – of gargantuan proportions - from Yellowstone, and the Grand Tetons, to Mount Rushmore, and the Crazy Horse Memorial. Channel your inner pioneer spirit as you meet a colorful cast of characters in Cody, and the rough and tumble town of Deadwood. Unwind in the splendor of Jackson Hole’s profoundly beautiful landscape brimming with wildlife. Watch herds of buffalo graze against majestic mountain ranges as you float on Snake River, marvel at the timely precision of Old Faithful in Yellowstone, and have a close encounter with the nation’s first National Monument, Devil’s Tower in this small group guided tour. |
Day 1:
Launch from Cabana Beach at Skyline Marina. Passing between Burrows Island and the grassy slopes of Washington Park you will be treated to views of Rosario Strait and the islands that the trip will be passing through. After crossing the Strait your first landfall will likely be James Island, one of our favorite Marine Park camp areas. Some groups fall in love with the place and choose to stay, while more ambitious paddlers may choose to press on to Lopez Island. [Pro Tip: If given the chance, stay on James Island. It’s amazing!] After choosing your home for the night your guide will assist you in setting up your tents and the rest of the camp. The rest of the afternoon can be spent exploring the area, or simply relaxing on the beach. If there is time and you would like to participate in a short afternoon paddle then just let your guide know.
Later in the day your guide will be busy preparing a delicious dinner for you to enjoy. If you are going to be out exploring the island then check in with them so that you can be sure to get the meal while it is hot and fresh. As the light changes in the evening you’ll want to seek out a special place to watch the sunset. Don’t forget to bring your beer or wine, it’s been a great day of kayaking and you deserve it!
Day 2:
The second day of this trip is often where you and your guides will be deciding on how you wish the experience to unfold. For some people the goal is to cover as much territory as possible, putting in long days and lots of miles between camp areas. Other groups may prefer a more leisurely pace, often choosing spend multiple nights in the same places and making day trips with empty kayaks which require a little less effort to paddle. Maybe you want to split the difference, camping in new places each night but choosing islands that are relatively close to each other. Any choice is going to be rewarding, and your guide will help you decide on what will work well for everyone. Lunch is usually going to be prepared in the field during a stop along the way, and there are plenty of snacks available in between.
After arriving at your next camp it is time for more relaxation! Go for another walk, skip stones, or simply sit at the water’s edge and contemplate the beauty around you, while your guide is busy preparing your next delicious dinner. (As you can tell, these guides work hard for their tips!)
Day 3:
After a preparing you a hearty breakfast your guide will talk with you again about the day’s paddling, so feel free to talk about what you are hoping to see and do. The exact time of your departure on this day is often determined by the timing of the tidal currents and how far the group wishes to travel this day.
If you are an ambitious group that is putting in a lot of miles of kayaking then you might spend this evening out in the Wasp Islands, or perhaps you already pushed that far and are now looping around to a campsite closer to home. Either way you can be confident that you’ll find the day to be filled with satisfying views and fun conversation. The third day of this trip is when you will likely feel a transformation inside of your soul. The worries and stress of home give way to a sense of peacefulness. Everything is in place and you are carrying all that you need. It is this transformation that makes the longer kayak trips so special.
Day 4:
Another delicious breakfast will refuel your body and satisfy your soul. On the fourth day you may find that repacking the boats has become a much simpler task than it felt on the first morning. Your transformation is complete, this is what you hoped for.
Picking where you are going to spend your last night in the San Juan Islands is always a bittersweet choice. It will be good to get back, but you are not quite ready to leave. Early in the afternoon you approach your final campsite, in this story it is the Cypress Island Reserve. It’s been a fantastic day on the water and you are excited to explore another island. As your guide prepares the camp you are free to wander out on the trails on your own. If you are on Cypress Island then you won’t want to miss the exceptional views on Eagle Cliff. On a clear day you can across the San Juan Islands and into Canada. Behind you the massive Mount Baker rises high above the Cascade Mountain Range. Back at camp you will want to open that last bottle of wine and make a toast to your next kayak trip in the San Juan Islands!
Day 5:
Greet your final morning in the San Juan Islands with a hot cup of coffee. [Pro Tip: If camping at Pelican Beach on Cypress Island, it is recommended that you wake early to see the sunrise over Mount Baker.] After breakfast you and your guide will talk about the last channel crossings and the best time to depart before taking down your camp and packing the boats for the last time. Lunch will usually be another beach break somewhere along the route home.
Depending on the route you take, and the conditions of the day, you will likely return back to Anacortes sometime between 2:00pm and 4:00pm. The exact return time is difficult to predict because so many factors are involved with this sort of travel experience. We recommend that you do not schedule things too tightly just in case the weather or some other variable slows you down along the way.
One of our logistics people will be there to greet you and help you unpack the kayaks. If you left any luggage at our office during the trip then they will bring that with them as well. After saying farewell to your guide, you are off to the next adventure. Hopefully we will see you again!
Day 1 - Arrive Salt Lake City, Utah
If you’ve ever wanted to know what it was like to be an early Frontiersman, now is your chance! Transfer to the airport for your flight to Salt Lake City. Upon arrival, we will be greeted by our local guide and our awaiting motor-coach. Enjoy a city tour of Salt Lake City, where we will see downtown, the Capitol, Temple Square and more. We will check into our hotel before our ‘welcome’ dinner.
Day 2 - Salt Lake City - Jackson, WY
This morning, we will head over to Temple Square after breakfast. Here we will have a chance to see the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s weekly broadcast performance. After, we say goodbye to Salt Lake City as we travel north along the shores of the Great Salt Lake. We will travel through Logan Canyon to beautiful Bear Lake for an included lunch. We will arrive into the fun town of Jackson, WY. Once we check into our hotel, the evening is free to explore the many shops, art galleries and restaurants on your own.
Day 3 - Jackson - Yellowstone National Park
This morning after breakfast, we are in for a wonderful experience as we are introduced to Grand Teton National Park on a half day scenic float trip on the Snake River! Enjoy amazing views of the Teton Mountains and wildlife viewing opportunities as your guide explains the geology and history of the area. After the float trip, we continue sightseeing of Grand Teton which will include: Jenny Lake, Colter Bay and Jackson Lake. Next, we enter into Yellowstone National Park, the world’s first National Park, for sightseeing including the heart of the park, Old Faithful. There will be time to witness an eruption and explore Old Faithful Village and the many thermal features in the area. Later this afternoon, we travel to West Yellowstone and check into our hotel. This evening is free to explore and have dinner on your own.
Day 4 - Yellowstone National Park - Cody, WY
After breakfast, we head back into Yellowstone National Park for another day of sightseeing. We will visit the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and pass through Hayden Valley and along the shores of Yellowstone Lake. As we exit the park, we enter into the historic town of Cody, where we will tour the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, which is five museums under one roof. Tonight, we enjoy food and entertainment at the Cody Cattle Company with a chuckwagon style dinner, traditional cowboy music and some laughs. Then, there is exciting cowboy action at the Cody Nite Rodeo!
Day 5 - Cody - Rapid City, SD
We will depart Cody after breakfast and continue East crossing the Bighorn Mountain. Our first stop is at Devil’s Tower National Monument for sightseeing of the country’s first National Monument. Later this afternoon, we will arrive at the historic town of Deadwood for sightseeing. This is a rough and tumble western town famous for outlaws, gunslingers and lawmen alike. There will be time to explore the town and have dinner, on your own, before continuing on to Rapid City, SD for a two night stay.
Day 6 - Rapid City
After breakfast, we take a short drive to Badlands National Park for sightseeing. This famous park consists of nearly 243,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires blended with the largest, protected mixed grass prairie in the United States. After lunch, we travel to Custer State Park and the historic State Game Lodge to get up close and personal with the residents of this park as you head out on a Wildlife Jeep Safari to view the buffalo herds and much more. Next, we make our way to the Crazy Horse Monument for sightseeing of the unfinished mountain carving and insight into the Lakota culture. Then, join the group for an included dinner followed by a wonderfully patriotic and inspiring event as we attend the Mt. Rushmore Evening Lighting Ceremony!
Day 7 - Rapid City - Cheyenne, WY
We start our day after breakfast with a beautiful drive to Mt. Rushmore National Memorial, where we will have morning views of this magnificent monument. Depart the Black Hills and take your journey south returning to the plains of Wyoming. We make a stop at Fort Laramie National Historic Site for sightseeing and a picnic lunch. This afternoon, we continue to the capitol city of Cheyenne and check into our hotel. After, we have time to freshen up, we will enjoy a ‘farewell’ dinner, at the hotel.
Day 8 - Depart Cheyenne
After breakfast, we take a Trolley Tour of Cheyenne. After, a nice introduction to the city, we arrive at the Cheyenne Frontier Days grounds to experience a ‘Behind the Chutes Tour.’ The Cheyenne Frontier Days Arena is the home of the world’s largest outdoor rodeo each July. Get a first-hand look at what goes on during the rodeo from behind the scenes. This exiting tour follows the path of the bulls and broncs as the animals are rounded up and threaded through the maze of gates on their way to the chutes and out into the arena with cowboy in tow. A special experience awaits as we step into the chutes and finish the tour by walking across the arena. This afternoon, we will enjoy a western lunch before departing Cheyenne for the Denver International Airport for your departing flight.
