Compare Kayaking the Adirondacks by Road Scholar vs Roaming Western Trails by Tours of Distinction
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| Trip |
4.5 | Great
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 5 days | 8 days |
| Price From | $ 1,049 | $ 3,789 |
| Price Per Day | $ 210 | $ 474 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Premium |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Airfare included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included |
4 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches and 3 Dinners |
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| Description |
“Feeling at one with the water” is how enthusiasts describe the singular sensation of kayaking. Experience this tranquility for yourself, paddling a pristine lake as dawn’s rising mist reveals reflections of autumnal trees and your own smiling visage. Instruction begins in the calm lee of the boathouse. Once you are familiar with the equipment and how to use it safely, enjoy kayaking excursions to nearby waters led by experts. |
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
Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner, Video
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Great Camp Sagamore
Dinner: Dinner is at 6:00 P.M. The chef will carefully prepare buffet meals provided in our paneled dining room with splendid views of Sagamore Lake. Dinners typically include selections such as: a hot entry, like creamed chicken over biscuits, veggie lasagna, pot roast, spaghetti/meat balls, roasted turkey, stuffed pork loin, or ham; salads, along with several dressing choices; potatoes, rice or pasta; a vegetable choice; bread or rolls; milk or juice. Coffee & tea are always available Note: Sagamore's buffet line is bountiful and varied. If you do not think that you can choose the foods you need for your special diet from the buffet, please supplement with your own that may be stored for your convenience in our walk-in cooler and/or cooked in an available microwave. Beer and wine are available for purchase. Sagamore's water is pure and delicious. Please do not bring bottled water.
Evening: After dinner there will be introductions, orientation, and a schedule overview. There will also be a 15 minute DVD about Sagamore's history. Sagamore was the wilderness retreat of the Alfred Vanderbilt family for over 50 years. There is also a video presentation on kaykaing.
Day 2
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Great Camp Sagamore
Class on the Water, Lecture
Activity note: Lectures and hands on
Breakfast: Breakfast is at 8:00 A.M. All breakfasts are served in the Vanderbilt dining hall, with lovely views of the sun rising over the mountains of the Blue Ridge Wilderness. Breakfast choices typically include selections such as: one hot entry, like blueberry pancakes, egg strata, french toast, or scrambled eggs; hot & cold cereal & milk; a variety of donuts, bagels & pastries; and several juices. Coffee, tea, and very pure Sagamore water are always available to guests.
Morning: We will begin the day with a boat house orientation followed by equipment and gear explanations. The history of kayaking will be followed by basic paddling instruction to make sure you're all set for the week. You'll have an opportunity to speak one on one with your instructors for any clarifications.
Lunch: Lunch is at noon in the Sagamore dining hall. Lunches typically include selections such as: sandwich meats, cheeses, breads and condiments: a hot entree like macaroni & cheese or soup; various salads, like cole slaw or potato salad; cookies or granola bars; a variety of fresh fruits; milk and a variety of juices or lemonade. Coffee, tea, Sagamore water are always available.
Afternoon: The afternoon will be spent continuing instructions, reviewing safety and rescue procedures and paddling around Sagamore Lake. After we've had enough of our intro to kayaking, we'll have a guided historic tour of Great Camp Sagamore. Learn about the buildings and grounds and how they were once used by the Vanderbilt family and their famous guests!
Dinner: Dinner is at 6:00 P.M.
Evening: LECTURE: We'll learn about the history of the Adirondack Park by a presentation that will give you a sense of place and describe the unique features of the Adirondack waters, a playground for paddlers.
Day 3
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Great Camp Sagamore
Class Trip on the Water, Free Time
Activity note: Hands on and field trip
Breakfast: Breakfast is at 8:00 A.M.. We will pack out our lunch for our out trip. Pack lunches consist of cold-cuts, chips or pretzels, fruits and vegetables, yogurt, juices, and cookies or other snacks,
Morning: This is an outtrip on one of the many waterways near Sagamore. The goal for this session will be practice, practice, practice . . . that feels like fun, fun, fun as we visit a larger, neighboring lake in the Raquette Lake area. The group will decide when to stop for lunch.
Lunch: Packed lunch.
Afternoon: After lunch, more paddling and possibly a short hike, we will head home to Sagamore. There will be a bit of time for rest before dinner.
Dinner: Dinner is at 6:00 in the dining hall.
Evening: Tonight we will be entertained by a storyteller or learn more about the history of the camp or the Adirondack Park region. Afterwards, there will be time for board games, jig saw puzzles, or a campfire at Sagamore's rustic lean-to. .
Day 4
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodation: Great Camp Sagamore
Field Trip on the Water, Evening Discussion
Activity note: Field trip in the region
Breakfast: We'll have breakfast in the Sagamore Dining Hall.
Morning: We'll take another trip to a water body in the area. Sagamore is located close to a number of lakes, ponds and flat-water rivers, include Brown's Tract Pond, the South Inlet of Raquette Lake, Seventh Lake, the Marion River, Utowana Lake, Eagle Lake, or Blue Mountain Lake. Each of these waterways has unique characteristics, and our choice of trip will be determined by the instructor and class together, depending on his assessment of the groups' collective skill level. Regardless of which trip is chosen, students will have a great opportunity to hone their kayaking skills, observe the local flora and fauna, and immerse themselves in one of the wildest and most beautiful regions in the eastern United States.
Lunch: We'll have lunch on the water, perhaps on a beach or lakeshore in the area, alongside a babbling brook, or even near some small cascading waterfalls.
Afternoon: After lunch, we'll paddle a bit more, possibly with a short walk, either finishing up a one-way journey, or completing a small circuit.
Evening: After a long day's paddle, we'll finish up the day with a short discussion about our experiences,with a good old fashion campfire at Sagamore's Historic Lean To to wrap up our week!
Day 5
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodation: Great Camp Sagamore
Program Concludes
Breakfast: After 8:00 A.M. breakfast we will meet one more time for water work, evaluations and wrap-up.
Morning: Kayaking overview, including a Q&A with the instructor. We'll say our good-byes by 10:00.
Lunch: Lunch today will be either in the Dining Hall, or packed at breakfast, depending on other groups in camp.
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.
