Compare Montana Family: Great Western Adventure by Austin Adventures vs South Dakota to Yellowstone Parks Explorer by Intrepid Travel
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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4.5 | Great
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| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Price From | $ 1,998 | $ 2,404 |
| Price Per Day | $ 333 | $ 401 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Retreats | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Basic | Premium |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included | N/A | N/A |
| Description |
From Little Big Horn and the Beartooth Mountains to Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley and Cody’s rollicking Rodeo, there’s no better place to garner a true taste of the Wild West than here in Austin Adventures’ own backyard. Our expert guides can't wait to share the fascinating folklore and endless outdoor offerings of Big Sky Country on this six-day, exclusive journey through one of our favorite places on earth. This Montana vacation package is sure to delight adventurers of all ages and send you home with a collection of unforgettable photos and memories-to-last-a-lifetime. |
See natural wonders in South Dakota and Yellowstone National Park on this six-day small group adventure that packs plenty of wonders into a short amount of time. Uncover the beauty of Badlands National Park before you travel to Mount Rushmore, spot buffalo in Custer State Park and continue to Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. With two nights at Yellowstone National Park, you’ll have time to spot wildlife and watch Old Faithful spray water into the air before joining a wolf-tracking expedition. With easy to moderate walks, comfortable accommodation and a knowledgeable leader, this nature focussed adventure is big on beauty. |
Day 1: Billings
Day 2: Red Lodge
Day 3: Cooke City
Day 4: Lamar Valley
Day 5: Cody
Day 6: Billings
Night 1: Northern Hotel
This Four-Star hotel is located in the heart of downtown Billings. Reopened in early 2013, the Northern invites you to relax in the luxuriously-renovated guest rooms featuring warm, contemporary interiors by award-winning designer, Mitch Thompson. With 24-hour room service and unique in-room amenities (do you like aquariums?), the hotel has dotted every I and crossed every T in creating a luxurious Western experience.
Night 2: Pollard Hotel
Steeped in history, The Pollard is located in the former mining town of Red Lodge at the edge of the Rocky Mountains and is the destination hotel near Yellowstone’s east entrance. Open the French doors in your suite to a private balcony, or relax by the fire with a rich coffee in The Gallery, or appreciate a single malt scotch and a good book in the History Room.
Nights 3 & 4: Alpine Motel
Located in Cooke City right near the Northeast entrance to Yellowstone, the Alpine Motel's rustic charm mirrors the stunning scenery surrounding it.
Night 5: Irma Hotel
Step back in time into the old west of today at the Irma Hotel, a place the famous hunter and showman Buffalo Bill Cody called “a gem.” Here, you can stay in historic rooms that housed some of the most iconic figures of the West: Frederic Remington, Annie Oakley, and Calamity Jane. Fancy enough for royalty and comfortable enough for cowboys and cowgirls, the Irma Hotel exemplifies the spirit of Cody, Wyoming!
Day 1 Rapid City to 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 game lodge, established in 1920, where you can see bison wandering the property grounds and 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.
Day 2 Custer
Enjoy breakfast at State Game Lodge – your residence has played host to several presidents – 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 – a bucket list location, this is a great spot to grab a photo! Tonight, you’re free to grab dinner at your accommodation or a nearby local restaurant.
Day 3 Billings
It's an early start this morning as after breakfast you’ll drive to the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. After a stop along the way for lunch, join your 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. After, head to Billings, where you’ll spend the night.
Day 4 Yellowstone National Park
This morning after breakfast, depart Billings and drive west towards Yellowstone National Park – one of the country's most popular, expansive, and beautiful national parks. Stop in Cody along the way – a western town in Wyoming famously named after Buffalo Bill Cody. Enjoy some free time for lunch and to explore Cody, and then carry on to the park. 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.
Day 5 Yellowstone National Park
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. Along the way, you’ll enjoy a picnic lunch with your group, giving you some free time to sit down and relax or wander and take photos. Tonight, you’re free for dinner, so maybe get your group together and say a pre-final day goodbye over a couple of drinks.
Day 6 Yellowstone Wolf Tracking / Bozeman
You'll be up before the sun this morning, but it's for a good reason! After breakfast, 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. After an included lunch, travel to Bozeman, where your adventure ends at around 4 pm this afternoon. If you’d like to stay in the area for longer, just speak to your booking agent.
