Buffalo Roundup

September 21

* Travelers departing from INDIANA, ILLINOIS or IOWA, take advantage of a transfer to our 'gathering overnight' hotel, Aspen Suites, Rochester, MN. Remaining travelers can arrive on their own at the hotel for a complimentary night or join the group on September 22 from our identified Minnesota departure location.
* For those spending the night in Rochester, meet your fellow travelers and enjoy breakfast the next morning.

September 22

* Sit back, relax and get to know your travel mates as we make our way to South Dakota - known by the Lakota Nation as the "Island of the Plains."
* Our first stop of the day is Sioux Falls, SD for a lunch break near Falls Park while viewing the picturesque waterfalls and rock formations.
* Prior to our overnight at the Comfort Suites - Mitchell, SD, we’ll enjoy dinner together.

September 23

* Our first stop of the day is Wall Drug Store, Wall, SD. Enjoy a "free glass of water" with time to shop and have lunch.
* Our next stop is Badlands National Park. Once described as "Hell, with the fires burned out," the park is truly one of our nation’s natural wonders.
* Enjoy free time this evening to explore Rapid City and dine in one of its restaurants.
* Our home-away-from-home for the next two nights is the Best Western Ramkota Hotel - Rapid City, SD.

September 24

* Elk, Cougars, and Bears, oh my! Experience the Bear Country drive-through safari.
* For the rest of the day, you will have free time to continue exploring Rapid City and dining on your own.

September 25

* Rich in South Dakota history, our first stop of the day will be The Journey Museum - Rapid City, SD.
* A fun foot-stompin', hand-clappin’ experience awaits - an old-fashioned scenic hayride and chuckwagon dinner.
* Our home-away-from-home for the next two nights is the Holiday Inn Express - Custer, SD.

September 26

* Feel the ground shake beneath us at the Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup.
* We’ll view cowboys and cowgirls driving a herd of approximately 1,300 buffalo for testing, branding, and sorting based on Custer State Park officials’ criteria.
* You "Herd" it here... A Bison BBQ Sandwich will be a unique and tasty lunch. [Should you wish, you may use some of your lunchtime to visit the corral to view staff conducting buffalo medical checks.]
* Our visit to the Crazy Horse Memorial will be inspirational. Considered the Eighth Wonder of the World, the carving began in 1948 and continues today.
* Enjoy free time in Custer for exploration and dinner.

September 27

* We’ll take a walk through "Old West" history with our visit to Four Mile Wild West Town (or similar).
* At the Custer State Park Buffalo Art Festival, you will be surrounded by artisans’ arts & crafts for purchase. Here, you will also sample unique Western-style food for lunch.
* Mount Rushmore, with its carved 60-foot-tall heads of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln, is truly a remarkable sight.
* Prior to our overnight at the AmericInn Conference Center - Chamberlain, SD, we’ll enjoy dinner together.

September 28

* We’ll learn more about the rich heritage of the Lakota people at the Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center.
* After lunch on our own, we say goodbye to our travel mates departing the tour in MINNESOTA and IOWA.
* Travelers continuing to Illinois and Indiana, enjoy a relaxing overnight at the Fairfield Inn - Decorah, IA.

September 29

* Travelers departing the tour in ILLINOIS and INDIANA, welcome back to your departure locations.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner