This is a Yellowstone Park and Tetons tour.  It's time to hit the trail and discover what Cowboy Country and Yellowstone vacations are all about.  What a great vacation for the young at heart, families and especially grandparent travel.

When you think of the Wild West, what do you see? Purple mountains that stand like sentinels off in the distance? That pretty much describes your first views of the Grand Tetons as you settle into your classic western lodge for a two-night stay. The first pioneers had to raft down wilderness rivers, just like you will when you explore the Snake River. What kind of animals do you think you'll see? Beaver? Elk? Bison? You'll have a chance to look for them as you travel to Yellowstone, the world's first-ever national park. If you've ever read about Old Faithful, here's your chance to watch it shoot its plume of steam skyward every hour, because you'll be staying in a lodge just steps away. Nothing says "Wild West" like Buffalo Bill and a buckin' bronco rodeo. You'll be able to learn more about them when you spend the night in historic Cody. Then it's your turn to live like a cowboy at The Ranch at Ucross, a real dude ranch up in the Bighorn Mountains. Everything is larger than life in the West, especially Crazy Horse Memorial and Mt. Rushmore, where the faces of four former presidents are sculpted in stone – a fitting finale to your real-life western adventure!

Trip Overview:

• Horseback riding, fishing or hunting frogs at the trout pond, evening campfire
• A true western event – the world-famous rodeo in Cody
• Old Faithful Geyser on a two-night stay at a lodge right in the heart of
• Scenic float trip on the Snake River
• Prices From $2,726 for 8 Days

Location of Adventure: Rapid City, South Dakota

Included

• A taste of cowboy life at a Wyoming ranch – horseback riding, fishing or hunting frogs at the trout pond, evening campfire & more
• A true western event – the world-famous rodeo in Cody
• Lots of chances to watch Old Faithful Geyser on a two-night stay at a lodge right in the heart of Yellowstone – and a behind-the-scenes park tour with a local expert
• Scenic float trip on the Snake River with a guide who helps spot eagles, beaver, elk and maybe even a moose
• Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted
• 17 meals (7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 6 dinners); gratuities to Tauck Director, local guides & drivers; service charges, taxes, and porterage

2012 Dates: June 20th, July 8th, July 26th, August 13th

2012 Pricing:    

$2,726 per person
Single Supplement: $319

Day 1: Welcome to the Black Hills of South Dakota

Day 2: Mount Rushmore experience and a night at a ranch

Day 3: A western town named Cody... and a rodeo

Day 4: Stay right in the heart of America's first national park

Day 5: The many wonders of Yellowstone National Park

Day 6: Wyoming travel at its best – Grand Teton National Park

Day 7: Raft down the Snake River, then volunteer

Day 8: Tauck's Wyoming travel adventure comes to an end

Day 1

Welcome to the Black Hills of South Dakota

Tour begins: 6:30 PM at K Bar S Lodge. A transfer is included from Rapid City Regional Airport to the K Bar S Lodge. Welcome to the Black Hills and the start of your South Dakota and Wyoming travel experience. Kick off the week with a true taste of the Old West at our welcome party and dinner this evening.

Lodging: K Bar S Lodge (D)

Day 2

Mount Rushmore experience and a night at a ranch

Look up in wonder at presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt at Mount Rushmore National Monument; you'll be amazed by the size of these towering stone portraits carved into the rock of South Dakota's Black Hills. At the Crazy Horse Memorial, view the work in progress as artisans carve the likeness of the famous Lakota warrior out of the mountain. Depart South Dakota; in Wyoming travel to The Ranch at Ucross, a working ranch where you’ll discover what western life is like today with an authentic ranch experience and an overnight stay. Go horseback riding*, fishing in Piney Creek or a stocked trout pond, or swimming in the heated pool.

Lodging: The Ranch at Ucross (B,L,D)

Day 3

A western town named Cody... and a rodeo

Journey through vast grasslands, deep canyons, Wyoming's Bighorn Mountains and back in time to the days of the Old West in Cody, named for frontiersman and showman Buffalo Bill Cody and dubbed the "rodeo capital of the world." Attending a real Wild West rodeo is a must-do during any Wyoming travel adventure and you’ll do just that this evening, seeing buckin' broncos, steer wrestlers, barrel riders and rodeo clowns!

Lodging: Holiday Inn Cody at Buffalo Bill Village (B,L,D)

Day 4

Stay right in the heart of America's first national park

Visit the museums of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center this morning to get a sense of the history, culture and art of the great American West. Then continue your Wyoming travel adventure across the northwest corner of the state to Yellowstone National Park, both America’s oldest and one of its largest national parks. Staying right inside the park for the next two nights, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy its unique natural features to the fullest – after the day's crowds have departed. This Wyoming travel experience at Yellowstone is one that your family will always remember.

Lodging: Old Faithful Snow Lodge or Old Faithful Inn (B,D)

Day 5

The many wonders of Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone is full of wonders for you to explore and experience today. With your Tauck Director and a local expert, discover the restless geology of the park that has created 10,000 hot springs, volcanic calderas and bubbling mud pots. Look for wildlife including gray wolves, bald eagles, and grizzly bears, and watch Old Faithful, the most famous geyser of them all, shoot a pillar of steam high into the air – just steps from your lodge!

Lodging: Old Faithful Snow Lodge or Old Faithful Inn (B,L,D)

Day 6

Wyoming travel at its best – Grand Teton National Park

Tauck's Wyoming travel adventure takes you to another wonderful national park today, set against the towering peaks of the Tetons. Keep an eye out for antelope and bison as you journey to Grand Teton National Park. Explore the historic town of Jackson, and view sparkling lakes, majestic glaciers and other spectacular scenery. Spend the next two nights at lovely Jackson Lake Lodge, nestled amidst the scenic treasures of the park.

Lodging: Jackson Lake Lodge (B)

Day 7

Raft down the Snake River, then volunteer

Today, embark on a guided rafting adventure* down the Snake River looking for beavers, eagles, elk and perhaps even moose. Then you'll have an opportunity on Cowboy Country to volunteer with park experts on a service project in Grand Teton National Park, made possible by Tauck's long relationship with the national parks. It's a memorable experience! Tonight, join us in saying goodbye at a farewell dinner, with a fond look back at an amazing week of South Dakota and Wyoming travel.

Lodging: Jackson Lake Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 8

Tauck's Wyoming travel adventure comes to an end

Tour ends: Jackson, Wyoming. Fly home anytime; a transfer from Jackson Lake Lodge to Jackson Hole Airport is included. Allow a minimum of two hours for flight check-in.

(B)

(B) = Breakfast,   (L) = Lunch,   (D) = Dinner