2021 & 2022 Globus Guided Tours - Globus® Vacation Packages

The Classic Lodges & Parks of the West (AY)

10 Day Tour from Rapid City to Jackson

2027 Tour Details

Experience the American West the way it was meant to be seen—up close, unhurried, and surrounded by some of the country’s most spectacular scenery. This Small Group Discovery tour combines iconic national parks, historic landmarks, and unforgettable lodge stays for a journey filled with comfort, character, and adventure. Wake each morning inside the heart of the West’s most spectacular landscapes, from the pine-covered hills of Custer State Park to the geothermal wonders of Yellowstone National Park, and the rugged peaks of the Grand Teton National Park.

Enjoy two relaxing nights at the historic State Game Lodge in Custer State Park, once known as President Calvin Coolidge’s “Summer White House. Settle into the warm, rustic charm of Yellowstone’s legendary park lodges, where geysers, wildlife, and dramatic scenery are just outside your door. Then, unwind during a two-night stay at the Rustic Inn in Jackson Hole beneath the majestic Teton Range.

Along the way, stand before the monumental faces of Mount Rushmore, enjoy exclusive access at Crazy Horse Memorial, marvel at the striking formations of Badlands National Park, stroll the steaming terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs, and take in the awe-inspiring beauty of Grand Teton National Park.

With smaller group sizes, immersive experiences, and more time in the places that matter most, this journey through South Dakota and Wyoming blends natural wonder, Western heritage, and authentic local connections.

Small-Group Discovery Dates Available

Select Globus 2021 North America tours are limited to an average of just 24 guests per tour. There’s always room to roam with extra space between you and other travelers—while still getting up close and personal to the experiences you’ve been dreaming of. Small-Group Discoveries include all the features of a traditional Globus North America tour, complete with expert Tour Director, Driver, and Local Guides who ensure that your health and safety is our top priority. A Small-Group Discovery Europe vacation is the perfectly sized tour—without the crowds.

Special features included in this tour:
• Orientation tour of Rapid City, gateway to the Black Hills and western South Dakota
• Visit to Badlands National Park with scenic views and photo stops showcasing its dramatic rock formations and vast prairie landscapes
• Buffalo Safari and western-style cookout in Custer State Park [LF] home to one of North America's largest publicly owned bison herds
• Tour of the Mammoth Site and Museum in Hot Springs, [LF] an active paleontological excavation featuring Ice Age mammoth remains
• Visit to Mount Rushmore National Memorial, one of America's most recognizable monuments
• Small group exclusive visit to Crazy Horse Memorial, including a private guided tour and close-up view from the base of the mountain
• Guided sightseeing tour in Deadwood, the legendary Black Hills town known for its gold rush history and Wild West heritage
• Visit to Spearfish Canyon, renowned for its limestone cliffs, waterfalls, and scenic beauty
• Lunch at the historic Ranch at UCross in Wyoming, a working ranch with deep roots in the American West
• Small group exclusive docent led visit to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, exploring the art, history, and culture of the American frontier
• Guided sightseeing in Yellowstone National Park, featuring geysers, canyons, waterfalls, and opportunities to spot wildlife
• Visit to Grand Teton National Park, including Colter Bay, Jackson Lake, and Jenny Lake beneath the park’s dramatic mountain peaks
• Overnight stays at iconic lodges including two nights at the State Game Lodge in Custer State Park, two nights in Yellowstone lodges, and two nights at the Rustic Inn at Jackson Hole

Freedom to Travel: Save $400 per couple on select 2027 Globus vacations worldwide*
Freedom to Travel: Save $1,700 per couple on select 2027 Globus vacations worldwide*
Freedom to Travel: Save $1,000 per couple on select 2027 Globus vacations worldwide*
The Classic Lodges & Parks of the West map
National Park Tours – National Park Foundation

 Photo Highlights

 Meals

 Meals & Itinerary

Breakfast daily, 1 lunch, 5 dinners


Notes:

Routes and areas visited in Yellowstone are subject to weather and/or road conditions. The order of sightseeing subject to change.

Maximum elevation on tour: 9,033 ft (2,753 m).

This vacation visits national parks and other remote locations where some facilities may not meet the first-class standard you expect from Globus. Some lodges within the parks do not feature televisions and other routinely expected amenities.

 Itinerary

Day 1 ARRIVE IN RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA

Welcome to Rapid City! At 6:00 p.m., meet your traveling companions for a welcome drink. Your Tour Director will prepare you for your upcoming adventure. Small groups lead to big experiences on this Small Group Discovery tour!

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Day 2 RAPID CITY–BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK–CUSTER STATE PARK

Legends of the West After breakfast, enjoy a sightseeing tour of Rapid City. Depart Rapid City to explore Badlands National Park with a local Lakota guide and gain a deeper understanding of the land through the stories, history, and traditions of the Lakota people. Journey beyond the scenery to learn how this landscape is connected to cultural heritage and sacred places. Then change gears and visit Wall Drug, an iconic roadside stop full of Western charm and nostalgia, known for its quirky roadside signs. Continue to Custer State Park for a backcountry adventure; a Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite Buffalo Safari with a local expert and traditional cookout.

LOCAL FAVORITE
Awaken your adventurer’s spirit on a Buffalo Safari in Custer State Park. The U.S. national mammal and historic mainstay of indigenous people, the American Bison is a native species of North America, whose numbers were reduced from more than 60 million across the great bison belt grasslands from Alaska to the Atlantic to less than 600 by the late 1880s. Standing 6 feet tall and weighing up to 2,000 pounds, these formidable and majestic mammals have been restored in numbers due to conservation efforts of the 20th century.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
Enjoy a two-night stay at the historic State Game Lodge in Custer State Park. This gracious stone and wood lodge is set in a beautiful mountain valley, surrounded by a ponderosa pine forest. Built in 1920 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the lodge served as the “Summer White House” for President Calvin Coolidge and was visited by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

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Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 3 CUSTER STATE PARK. EXCURSION TO HOT SPRINGS & CRAZY HORSE MEMORIAL

Wild & Wooly Discoveries Today’s journey showcases the rich history, dramatic landscapes, and frontier spirit of the Black Hills. Begin in Hot Springs with a visit to the fascinating Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite Mammoth Site and Museum, home to one of the world’s largest concentrations of Ice Age mammoth fossils.

Discover the remarkable story of these prehistoric giants and the ancient sinkhole where their remains were preserved for thousands of years. Continue to the awe-inspiring Crazy Horse Memorial, a tribute to the legendary Lakota leader who fiercely defended his people and culture. During an exclusive Small Group Discovery experience, enjoy a special storyteller-guided visit to the base of the mountain carving (weather permitting) for an unforgettable close-up view and deeper insight into the history, vision, and craftsmanship behind this monumental work.

This afternoon, travel the spectacular Needles Highway and view towering granite spires, winding mountain roads, and breathtaking overlooks. Stop at Sylvan Lake, one of the Black Hills’ most beloved scenic gems, before returning to Custer State Park. The remainder of the day is yours to enjoy at your own pace—whether relaxing at the lodge, exploring a nature trail, taking a guided horseback ride through the French Creek Nature Area, or enjoying the beauty of the park on two wheels.


LOCAL FAVORITE
Dig deeper into prehistoric South Dakota with a visit to the Mammoth Site and Museum. Tour the world’s largest mammoth research facility and active dig site, where scientists are currently excavating remains of mammoths that were trapped and died in the pond more than 26,000 years ago. After a short tour, you’ll have time to stroll the sidewalks of the dig area and see the paleontology laboratory. Imagine this landscape when the more than 60 mammoths found to date roamed North America during the Pleistocene Epoch.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
Explore the Crazy Horse Native American Cultural Center and artist’s studio at Crazy Horse Memorial. The world’s largest mountain carving is still in progress, honoring Native American heritage with the Oglala Lakota warrior Crazy Horse on horseback pointing to his tribal land.

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Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 4 CUSTER STATE PARK–MOUNT RUSHMORE–DEADWOOD–SPEARFISH CANYON

Statesmen, Sheriffs & Sharpshooters Visit one of the world’s largest stone monuments – Mount Rushmore National Memorial – to see the solid granite faces of four legendary American presidents majestically carved high into the mountainside. Continue to the historic Old West town of Deadwood for a tour with a Local Guide. Visit Mount Moriah Cemetery then drive to the scenic Spearfish Canyon for a hike, dinner and an overnight stay at the exclusive Spearfish Canyon Lodge.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
The legendary town of Deadwood is home to the ghosts of the Wild West, where bold frontiersmen and optimistic gold miners set stakes in this untamed mining town. Hear the rip-roaring stories of legends like Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane while exploring the streets where shoot-outs and sheriffs ruled the day.

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Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 5 SPEARFISH CANYON–UCROSS RANCH, WYOMING–CODY

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch... Continue across the grassy plains of Wyoming and soak in the expansive blue skies. Enjoy lunch at The Ranch at UCross. Next, cross the Bighorn Mountains via Shell Creek Canyon to Buffalo Bill’s Wild West town of Cody, Wyoming.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
Enjoy lunch at The Ranch at UCross, set in the heart of Wyoming’s historic Western landscape. Explore activities that capture the spirit of ranch life in a place that has long inspired writers, sculptors, and artists. With its wide-open scenery and trout-filled river, it’s an ideal setting to step away from everyday life and take in the surroundings.

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Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch

Day 6 CODY–YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

Explore the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, a comprehensive museum of historic weapons and art on a private guided Small Group Exclusive experience. Go behind-the-scenes with an expert to view artifacts and hear insider stories that bring the collections to life. In the town named for Bill Cody (Buffalo Bill), you’ll find a wealth of amazing insight to the historic American West and Native American culture in this complex founded in 1917. Depart for Yellowstone National Park, America’s first national park, where wild animals roam freely in vast meadows and forests.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
Cavalry scout, Pony Express rider, ranch hand, wagon train driver, city planner, railroad contractor, bison hunter, fur trapper, gold prospector, Native American advocate, feminist, and pioneer of modern entertainment spectacles, William Cody’s legend rides on as a symbol of the unbridled possibilities of the early American West. “Buffalo Bill” Cody’s horsemanship and sharpshooting skills gained notice by the U.S. Army, and his Wild West shows endeared him to the elite audiences of Europe.


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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 7 YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

America’s First National Park Spend an unforgettable day exploring the untamed beauty and extraordinary natural wonders of Yellowstone National Park. Journey through one of America’s most iconic landscapes as you visit Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, where powerful Upper and Lower Falls plunge into a dramatic canyon painted in vibrant shades of gold, red, and ochre. Be ready to snap photos as you travel through Hayden Valley, one of the park’s best wildlife-viewing areas, where roaming herds of bison, elk, and perhaps even wolves or grizzly bears may appear against the sweeping mountain scenery. Throughout the day, discover Yellowstone’s world-famous geothermal features—from bubbling mud pots and steaming fumaroles to colorful hot springs and the legendary Old Faithful Geyser, whose towering eruptions have captivated visitors for generations. With every stop, Yellowstone reveals another layer of its wild beauty, geological power, and timeless wonder.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
More than 150 years ago, Yellowstone became the world’s first national park, preserving an extraordinary landscape unlike anywhere else on Earth. Protected under President Ulysses S. Grant, this vast wilderness remains a sanctuary of dramatic canyons, erupting geysers, abundant wildlife, and pristine forests spread across 2.2 million acres. From the thunder of waterfalls to the sight of bison grazing beneath endless skies, Yellowstone offers memorable moments at every turn. As part of Globus family of brands Lighthouse Project, this historic site is one example of our commitment to supporting the people and places we share with you.

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Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 8 YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK–JACKSON

Glacial Giants This morning, depart Yellowstone National Park and tour Grand Teton National Park. While Yellowstone is expansive and geologically complex centered on a volcanic caldera, Grand Teton is composed of alpine lakes, open meadows, and continuous sightlines to the mountains. Visit Jenny Lake, framed by towering peaks, for cinematic views and clear, still water. Find serenity on the banks of the gorgeous glacier-fed lake and stroll along the shore before continuing to Jackson for a two-night stay at the Rustic Inn at Jackson Hole. Enjoy free time in Jackson this evening. Consider a visit to the Antler Arches, a drink at the iconic Million-Dollar Cowboy Bar, or shop for the perfect cowboy hat downtown.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
Rustic Inn Creekside Resort & Spa at Jackson Hole blends rugged beauty with easy urban access, close to Jackson’s downtown and near the National Elk Refuge. The Flat Creek Preserve and Wetlands Walk onsite is a highlight, offering quiet, immersive connections to the land without even leaving the property. Walking paths, fire pits, and a backdrop of stunning Teton scenery are a perfect finale for this Small Group Discovery tour.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 9 JACKSON

Peak Experiences Enjoy a free day in Jackson to explore on your own, relax at the resort, or perhaps take an optional float trip down the Snake River. Join your Tour Director and travel companions for a farewell dinner tonight at a local restaurant.

ENHANCED FREE TIME
Explore more in Jackson with an optional float trip on the Snake River, stroll along the downtown boardwalks to enjoy a drink at one of the local saloons, or explore one of the many galleries that call Jackson home.


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Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 10 JACKSON

Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. Want more time to explore Jackson? Additional nights are available for purchase.

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Breakfast Breakfast

 Tour Director

With GLOBUS, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of a Tour Director. We’d like you to meet one of our Tour Directors, who average over a decade of experience and are representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

STEVE OSTEN

Escorting tours for more than 20 years

My interest in the national parks began as a child on summer vacations in Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. In college, I studied Botany, Ichthyology, Mammology, and Ornithology, and I began working in Yellowstone as a summer seasonal guide years ago. I have also worked in Sequoia, the Everglades, and Alaska as a naturalist guide. Whether it's beachcombing in Florida, birding in the Everglades, or hiking in the Tetons, as long as I'm in nature, I'm where I want to be.

Tour Director - STEVE OSTEN

 Accommodations

 Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyGlobus site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 CAD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 CAD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 CAD)
$$$$ (Over $150)



The “Starting at” or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per person based on twin occupancy and any applicable port charges, non-commissionable taxes and fees and intra-vacation flight are included in the price shown. Any included overnight stay in Canada, applicable GST/HST is also included in the price shown. International airfare, however, is not included. If price is crossed out, the new price shown includes a limited time promotional offer(s). Please review current promotions or deals for additional information.