8 Days from $995 Mt Rushmore, Grand Tetons & Yellowstone
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Begins: Rapid City, Ends: Salt Lake City
Back to Top Caravan Videos for this Tour
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Float Trip on Snake River in Grand Teton National Park – |
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Crazy Horse Monument – |
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Yellowstone National Park – |
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The West: Open plains of the American West – |
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Yellowstone Park Mudpots, Geysers and Hot Springs – |
Itinerary
Day 1 – Rapid City, South Dakota
See some of America’s grandest sights! Your western adventure begins in Rapid City, South Dakota. Transfer from the Rapid City Airport by hotel courtesy shuttle to your centrally located hotel for a two night stay. Rooms are available for check in after 3:00 p.m. Join Caravan for an 8:00 p.m. welcome briefing.
Day 2 – Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse
Enjoy a morning visit to Mt. Rushmore National Monument, with the sculpted faces of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. Next, drive to Crazy Horse Memorial. Started over 50 years ago, and still under construction, the memorial is the world’s largest sculpture in progress. Chief Standing Bear told the sculptor, Korczak Ziolkowski, “My fellow chiefs and I would like the white man to know the red man has great heroes, too.” The monument is a tribute to the Sioux Lakota Indian leader known as Crazy Horse. Here, Indian artisans showcase their arts and crafts and visit with guests. Then, visit the Indian Museum of North America. Return through the Black Hills to Rapid City. Free time to explore the historic district and stroll the Presidential Walk with life-size statues of American Presidents. Enjoy dinner. BD
Day 3 – Little Big Horn, Montana
Enter Wyoming and head west across the high plains. Drive by the old western cowboy town of Sheridan. Enjoy lunch. Next, enter Montana, “Big Sky Country.” Visit Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in the Crow Nation. Here, in 1876, in the Valley of Little Big Horn, combined Sioux and Northern Cheyenne forces led by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse overwhelmed Custer and his cavalry. Continue to Billings, nestled between the Yellowstone River and the red Rimrocks. Explorers Lewis & Clark camped near here in 1806. BL
Day 4 – Cody, Wyoming, Yellowstone
Journey through the wide-open spaces of Montana today en route to Cody,Wyoming. Visit the world famous Buffalo Bill Historical Center known for its wild west exhibits. See the Plains Indian Museum and the Whitney Gallery of Western Art, with paintings and sculptures by revered artists such as Frederic Remington and Charles Russell. This afternoon cross the Continental Divide and enter Yellowstone Park for a relaxing two night stay. B Note: All tours stay at Old Faithful Inn or Old Faithful Snow Lodge except tours departing June 2, 8, 12, 13 and 21 and August 18 which stay at Grant Village. All of these lodges are located within Yellowstone National Park.
Day 5 – Yellowstone, Mammoth Springs
Today enjoy a full day complete circle tour of Yellowstone Park. Established in 1872, Yellowstone became the first national park in the world. Now over 90 countries have national parks. This 2,219,766 acre park contains almost 300 geysers and over 10,000 hot springs, fumaroles and mud pots. Look for moose, elk and bison. You will visit the major attractions of both Yellowstone’s upper and lower loops. On the upper loop, you will see Norris Geyser Basin and visit Mammoth Hot Springs. Walk on the raised platforms above the unique terraced pools. Mammoth Hot Springs is one of the best areas in the park for close-up viewing of elk or bison. On the lower loop, you will see Old Faithful Geyser, where every 90 minutes the Old Faithful Geyser shoots thousands of gallons of steaming water into the air. You will see Fountain Paint Pots, Yellowstone Lake and visit Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon, where you can marvel at the rushing waters of Yellowstone Falls, twice the height of Niagara. Return to your Yellowstone Park Lodge. B
Day 6 – Grand Tetons, Jackson
This morning enter Grand Teton National Park. See the jagged soaring Teton Range with peaks over 12,000 feet. Scenes from the movie “Shane” were filmed here. Enjoy a picnic lunch near the banks of the Snake River. Weather permitting, an unforgettable float trip awaits you on the majestic Snake River. Wildlife viewing opportunities abound as you float through the park. Watch for waterfowl, beaver, osprey and eagles. Next, stop at pristine Jenny Lake. Then, to Jackson. Free time to explore the charming downtown. Stroll the art galleries and western shops. See the Antler Arch at the entrance to the town square. You may wish to visit the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, with bar stools made from horse saddles. Enjoy dinner. BLD
Day 7 – Tetons, Oregon Trail, Idaho
Drive south through the Bridger-Teton National Forest this morning. Enter Idaho and cross the route of the original “Oregon Trail.” Photo stop at beautiful Bear Lake. Continue via Logan Canyon to Salt Lake City, Utah, the state capital. Afternoon visit to Temple Square with its beautiful gardens and fountains. See the Mormon Tabernacle, home to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (unless closed to the public due to a religious ceremony). Enjoy a farewell dinner. BD
Day 8 – Salt Lake City, Utah
Your tour ends after breakfast at your hotel in Salt Lake City. Thanks for vacationing with Caravan. B
Latin America Tours
U.S.A. Tours
Canada Tours
2008 Departure Dates
| May | 28*, 29*, 30*, 31* |
| Jun | 1*, 2*, 3*, 4*, 5*, 6*, 7*, 8*, 9*, 10*, 11*, 12*, 13*, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18*, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24*, 25*, 26*, 27*, 28*, 29*, 30* |
| Jul | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 |
| Aug | 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 |
| Sep | 1*, 2*, 3*, 4*, 5*, 6*, 7*, 8*, 9*, 10*, 11*, 12*, 13*, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18*, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24*, 25*, 26* |
*indicates Super Value date.
Other Departures
| Please phone the Caravan office at |
Price Per Person - $U.S.
Occupancy: |
Super Value |
Great Value |
| Double | $ 995 | $ 1,095 |
| Triple | 975 | 1,075 |
| Single | 1,455 | 1,555 |
Twin $149; Triple $139; Single $179
How to Reserve Space
Call 1-800-Caravan. You can reserve space free for up to 7 days, then a $300 deposit per person is due. Full payment due 60 days prior to departure.
Airfare is not included or sold by Caravan. Here is a list of some of the airlines that service this tour.
11 Meals Included
B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner
What’s on this Page:
Hotels - listed by day
1, 2 |
Rapid City, South Dakota Radisson |
3 |
Billings, Montana Crowne Plaza |
4, 5 |
Yellowstone Park, Wyoming Old Faithful Inn, Old Faithful Snow Lodge, Grant Village |
6 |
Jackson, Wyoming The Virginian Lodge |
7 |
Salt Lake City, Utah The Hilton |
General Info
Pay by
Master Card, 
Visa, or 
check.
Travel Protection Plan
Caravan’s very reasonably priced travel protection plan offers peace of mind if you cancel for any reason prior to departure of the tour and also includes comprehensive medical air and baggage insurance. Caravan strongly recommends purchasing this plan. The cost is $99. Find out more
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Back to Top Hotels
Accommodations in the hotels and lodges are rooms with two beds and private bath or shower. A limited number of single rooms are available. Triple rooms are usually two beds, sometimes with a cot or rollaway.
Days 1, 2 – Rapid City, South Dakota
Radisson
The Radisson Rapid City is a surprisingly elegant and artistic hotel in the heart of Rapid City. The magnificent lobby is more than 60 feet long and has a marble floor design intricately pieced together with 75 different exotic stones from all over the world. It has been called “the most advanced marble floor design since the Renaissance.” All rooms at the Radisson have high speed internet, voice mail, coffeemakers, iron & ironing board, speaker phones and cable TV. In Rapid City, “The City of Presidents,” there are now 16 life size bronze statues of former U.S. presidents on city street corners. At the Radisson Hotel there is a life size statue of President John F. Kennedy and his son, John F. Kennedy, Jr.
Day 3 – Billings, Montana
Crowne Plaza
The Crown Plaza is city center in downtown Billings. The Crown Plaza has all the modern amenities including in-room coffee maker, iron/ironing board, and WiFi plus high-speed data port internet access. It has an indoor pool and sauna, game room and a health club.
Days 4, 5 – Yellowstone Park, Wyoming
Old Faithful Inn, Old Faithful Snow Lodge, Grant Village
Old Faithful Inn, Old Faithful Snow Lodge and Grant Village are National Park Lodges. All lodges are located inside Yelowstone National Park. Staying within Yellowstone enhances your wildlife viewing and sightseeing opportunities. Yellowstone National Park is a visual playground with bubbling hot springs, thunderous waterfalls, fascinating wildlife and steaming geysers.
Day 6 – Jackson, Wyoming
The Virginian Lodge
The Virginian is located in Jackson, Wyoming. Enjoy views of the surrounding mountains from the swimming pool and hot tub. The hotel also is home to a Jackson Hole favorite, The Virginian Saloon, featuring butting ram mounts and packed with artifacts reflecting the regional culture.
Day 7 – Salt Lake City, Utah
The Hilton
The Hilton Salt Lake City completed a twelve million dollar renovation in 2002. It is located in the heart of Salt Lake City, two blocks from Temple Square and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The rooms have all the modern amenities, including television, hair dryer, iron & ironing board, phone, voice mail, data port.
Back to Top Airport Transfer Information
Arrival Transfers
Caravans Rapid City, South Dakota hotel, the Radisson provides a courtesy shuttle from the Rapid City Airport (RAP). Upon arrival, request a pickup using the Radissons courtesy phone at the baggage claim area. The shuttle operates daily from 5:00 a.m. to 10 p.m. Taxis cost $25.00 and take 20 minutes.
Departure Transfers
Caravan does not provide departure transfers from the Hilton in Salt Lake City, Utah to the Salt Lake City Airport (SLC). Shuttles cost $6.00 per person and depart every half hour on the hour. Taxis cost $15.00. Please allow 20 minutes for the drive.
Airline Info
Airfare is not included or sold by Caravan Tours. Here are lists of airlines that service this tour:
| Continental, Frontier, Northwest, United Airlines | ||
| Air Canada, America West, American Airlines, Continental, Delta, Frontier, Jetblue, Northwest, Salmon Air, Southwest, Sun Country, United Airlines |
Back to Top Local Weather
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City | ||||||||||||
| temp | 34/11 | 38/15 | 46/22 | 58/32 | 68/42 | 78/51 | 86/58 | 85/56 | 74/46 | 63/35 | 47/23 | 36/13 |
| rainfall | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.5 |
| Yellowstone | ||||||||||||
| temp | 28.6/9.6 | 34.0/13.0 | 39.6/17.2 | 49.4/26.0 | 70.0/34.3 | 79.6/46.7 | 78.3/45.3 | 67.8/37.0 | 55.7/29.4 | 38.7/19.2 | 30.5/11.8 | 52.8/27.6 |
| rainfall | 1.1 | 0.75 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Jackson Hole | ||||||||||||
| temp | 27/1 | 36/5 | 39/13 | 49/23 | 61/32 | 67/39 | 78/42 | 78/39 | 68/33 | 55/21 | 37/15 | 25/5 |
| rainfall | 1.5 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.5 |
| Salt Lake City | ||||||||||||
| temp | 36/19 | 44/27 | 52/31 | 61/38 | 72/46 | 83/55 | 92/63 | 89/62 | 79/51 | 66/40 | 51/31 | 38/22 |
| rainfall | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.4 |
Clothing Tips
This is a predominantly casual tour. Casual wear is suggested for sightseeing and daytime travelling. Dress code for most evenings is smart casual.
Back to Top Frequently Asked Questions
What is included in the tour price?
Virtually everything! Hotels, most meals, all of the activities described in the itinerary pages, airport transfers in select cities, gratuities to hotel porters, restaurant staff and local guides. Caravan’s professional Tour Directors and local guides will be with you every step of the way, ensuring a worry free vacation.
What is not included in the tour price?
Prices do not include air travel, country entry or departure fees, airport porter fees, visas, phones, valet, all items of a personal nature, food and beverages not on the regular menu and tips to the Caravan Tour Director and Driver. General fees and taxes are additional and listed separately beneath each tour’s price.
Can your tours be enjoyed by all age groups?
From cosmopolitan French Canada to the tropical rainforests of Costa Rica, Caravan has a tour for every one. Passengers requiring special assistance must be accompanied by an able companion.
How long will each day be?
A well paced and unhurried itinerary is our goal, after all, you are on vacation! Touring days begin and end at reasonable hours and include frequent stops. While the occasional early morning departure is necessary, we do our best to ensure a leisurely vacation.
How large will my group be?
Group sizes will vary depending on the reserved rooms at the hotels and lodges and the capacity of the transportation and motorcoaches used. Usually, the maximum size will range from 36 to 44 passengers.
Are meals included?
Included meals for each tour are listed at the end of each day. Meals are shown by B (breakfast), L (lunch) and D (dinner). All meals in Latin America are included. Most meals are included in the USA and Canada. Full, buffet, or deluxe continental breakfasts are included everywhere. Coffee and tea are provided at all meals. In Latin America, bottled water is provided free on the motorcoach and purified water is provided at the meals. Alcoholic beverages are not included unless specified.
Can I use my cell phone in this area?
Out of courtesy to your fellow tour members, please restrict the use of cell phones to emergency use only when you are on the motorcoach. Please also remember to turn off ringers; cell phone conversations and ringers are intrusive and can spoil other passengers' enjoyment of the tour. Please contact your service provider for information regarding cell phone reception areas: many rural areas do not have cell phone network coverage
Back to Top Customer Reviews of our Mount Rushmore & Yellowstone tour
“Will be very likely to book other tours with Caravan”
Mr. & Mrs. J.S., Highland Park, Illinois“Great tours are the best way to assure you see all the highlights. The cowboy entertainment was fabulous. I couldn’t stop laughing. Our tour director did a great job. He kept everyone on time and informed us the history and points of interest that we were seeing. The overall trip was great, worth every penny we paid. We intend on traveling with you again, and I would feel very comfortable referring you to my friends.”
Mr. & Mrs. K.L., Tukwila, Washington“If I ever take another tour, I sure would like to take it with Caravan. I enjoyed everything we did on this tour. Thanks so much for a nice time.”
Mrs. P.A., Yucaipa, California“This was an excellent trip all around. Our tour director was the best we’ve ever had and we would definitely go on another trip with Caravan. As a matter of fact, we are already booked for another trip in March.”
Mr. & Mrs. E.S., Albuquerque, New Mexico“This was a trip we always wanted to take. Your Caravan tour made it a dream come true. We hope some day to take another tour with Caravan. This was a dream come true trip for me as well. Have always wanted to see the West. Caravan made it possible and enjoyable!”
Mr. & Mrs. P.R., Fort Worth, Texas“Looking forward to my next Caravan tour.”
Mr. & Mrs. B.W., Edmond, Oklahoma“The Western Museum at Cody was one of the best I’ve ever seen! This was a great tour. I’m recommending it!”
Ms. L.F., Granbury, Texas“The trip for both Josh and I was very nice and enjoyable. I had never been on a tour before, but I would go again! THANK YOU! I will tell my friends.”
Mrs. J.L., Falmouth, Maryland“I thought the entire trip was well planned. No complaints. This was a very nice tour. Our first with Caravan but not our last, very good value for your travel dollar. Very good trip, very congenial fellow travelers. Our tour guide was very caring. There was beautiful scenery. I appreciated the fact that additional activities were not pushed at us. Don’t know when we would have had the time to do them anyway! Will plan to go next year with Caravan.”
Mr. & Mrs. S.A., Richmond, Indiana“This company knows their business and they do it very well.”
Mr. & Mrs. D.H., Lancaster, South Carolina“I have told many people what a great job Caravan does.”
Ms. D.B., Berlin, New Jersey“I would go on Caravan again.”
Ms. I.J., St. Petersburg, Florida“Really enjoyed the raft trip down the river! Hope to take another Caravan tour in the not too distant future. I had a wonderful time on this tour. Caravan should be praised on this tour. If all your tours are like this one, I would never hesitate to go again.”
Mr. & Mrs. J.S., Centereach, New York“Wonderful group, great trip. We would definitely take another Caravan tour.”
Mr. & Mrs. J.P., Martinsville, Virginia“This is a trip that you don’t want to miss.”
Mr. & Mrs. D.M., Satellite Beach, Florida“This was a great trip and I hope I can take another Caravan tour sometime in the future. All of the meals on the tour were wonderful. The sheer number and selection of the places visited were WELL worth the money. Very illuminating, myth bustin’ and educational. Our tour director was highly motivated and excited about the tour. He was very professional and always on top of departure schedules, luggage handling, meal tickets, etc... He always tried to keep a running commentary on the sights, history, footnotes, etc..., while on the bus. I can wholeheartedly recommend this tour to anyone who has never visited that part of the country, and would like to see as many national treasures in the shortest amount of time.”
Mr. & Mrs. M.F., Staten Island, New York“A great tour, many of the sites only visited through pictures are brought to life.”
Mr. & Mrs. G.C., Hollywood, Maryland“This is an outstanding tour of the vast West. It really makes one appreciate the early pioneer history of this country. Our tour guide made this area and its history ‘come alive’ He was an outstanding guide!”
Mr. & Mrs. B.H., Blythewood, South Carolina“This was a great tour. I marvel at how you can offer so much for the price.”
Ms. G.G., Fort Smith, Arkansas“We were lucky to have a good cross section of people on the tour. You can choose to sightsee by yourself or stay within a small group of people. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and am considering the Grand Canyon tour on my next vacation.”
Mr. J.H., Larchmont, New York“The Caravan tour guide, the driver, the scenery, and the stops were fantastic. We will travel with Caravan again in the near future and encourage others to do so too.”
Mr.& Mrs. S.T., Citronelle, Alabama“Would recommend and use Caravan again. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip.”
Mr. & Mrs. T.T., Lancaster, Kentucky“Our country is beautiful. We strongly recommend Caravan Tours for sightseeing. It is fun meeting new people and not having to watch the road or locate hotels. Thank you again for a very enjoyable trip.”
Mr. & Mrs. S.L., Poinciana, Florida“Thank you for showing us an excellent time. I must again commend your tour director and the driver. They were both exceptional.”
Mr. & Mrs. R.G., Manasquan, New Jersey“My family enjoyed all that we did in such a short period of time. We would have never been able to do it all on our own. Would definitely do another Caravan tour! ”
Ms. M.T., Freehold, New Jersey These are only the first 25 reviews of this tour... Read all 100 Reviews »Back to Top About Caravan Tours
Caravan’s Proud History
Caravan Tours began selling fully escorted tours in 1952. We have been under the same management and ownership ever since. In 1965, Roger Mudd hosted a two hour CBS TV special on Caravan Tours. This TV production took about one month to make and was so successful it inspired the 1968 romantic comedy movie “If it’s Tuesday this must be Belgium.” In the early 50’s the Mayor of Dublin presented Caravan with the Key to Dublin for bringing the first American tour to the city after WWII. Since then Caravan has been recognized as a pioneer in travel. More recently, Caravan was awarded the Sierra Madre Explora award for our positive effect on Mexico’s Copper Canyon region!
Great Value, Book Early
Caravan’s strong buying power gives you great vacations at prices much lower than you can find anywhere. Last year many of our tours sold out quickly. Book early for the date you prefer and the best air fare.
Trade Association Memberships
Caravan Tours is a member of ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents), NTA (National Tour Association), CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), and an allied member of ACTA (Alliance of Canadian Travel Agencies).
How does Caravan Tours sell these tours for such a low cost?
Caravan delivers volume to our suppliers, who in turn reward us with their very best prices, we in turn pass these savings on to you, and you reward us by buying our tours. As volume continues to rise, we then receive even better prices from our suppliers, and we pass even greater savings on to you. This year our tours are better than ever.
How satisfied are Caravan clients?
The short answer is “very.” Our surveys are uniformly very positive. However we continually strive to improve our tours, (they are often updated several times in the course of one year), we study all client surveys and suggestions for improvement very carefully.
Pitch-Free Travel
Caravan includes all activities listed in the tour itinerary page. Caravan does not sell any optional activities which can add hundreds of dollars to your tour price. Your free time is scheduled in great settings where there is no need to buy additional expensive activities.
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Caravan Tours, 401 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611
Phone 800-Caravan or 312-321-9800 Fax 312-321-9845
Hours: Mon-Fri, 9 am to 6 pm, and Sat 9 am to 2 pm Central Time
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