Black Hills & Buffalo Roundup
September 24, 2024 thru September 30, 2024
Discover the American West on a 7-day tour from Denver, experiencing the heart of cowboy country, the artistry of Crazy Horse Memorial, and the iconic Mount Rushmore. Witness the exhilarating Buffalo Round-Up, delve into Deadwood’s Wild West history, and marvel at Devil’s Tower. Highlights include the Days of ’76 Museum and a stop at Fort Laramie, culminating in a journey filled with stunning landscapes and rich history. Join us for an unforgettable adventure!

Transportation
Deluxe Motorcoach

Trip Duration
7 days, 6 nights

Activity Level 4
Active

Meals
11 meals (6 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners) included

Availability
Available

Gratuities
Tour Director, Driver & Local Guide tips included
Tour Highlights
- Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum
- Crazy Horse Memorial
- Custer State Park Arts Festival
- Mount Rushmore
- Buffalo Roundup
- Fort Hayes Chuckwagon Supper and Show
- Days of ’76 Museum
- Deadwood City Tour
- Devil’s Tower National Monument
Inclusions
- Transportation by deluxe motorcoach
- 6 nights’ lodging at excellent hotels
- Baggage handling at hotels (for one piece)
- 11 meals (6 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners)
- Admission to all listed attractions
- Your Professional SUN TOURS Tour Director
- All taxes and tips for included items (except hotel housekeeping)
Day 1 - Travel to Denver
This afternoon journey into Denver and transfer to our hotel for the evening. We lodge one night in Denver.
Meals included: (D)
Day 2 - Cowboy Country
We are in cowboy country now as we cross into Wyoming. In Cheyenne, we stop at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum, where the history of the world’s largest outdoor rodeo and western celebration comes alive. A premier cultural and historical center, the Museum offers rotating historic artifact exhibits that celebrate the Western legacy and thrilling history of Cheyenne Frontier Days.
Meals included: (B, L)
Day 3 - Crazy Horse, Arts, & Mount Rushmore
Today we enjoy the beauty of the Black Hills and take in its great attractions. First is the ongoing sculpting of Crazy Horse Memorial by the Ziolkowski family. We then head to Custer State Park to explore their arts festival. We have lunch in Custer State Park at the State Game Lodge. Finally, we head to Mount Rushmore, with the 60 ft. high granite faces of four great presidents, making for a memorable day.
Meals included: (B, L)
Day 4 - Buffalo Round-Up
Today is the first day of the Buffalo Round-up! The Buffalo Roundup is part of Custer State Park’s management plan to maintain a healthy balance between the number of bison and the available rangeland forage. The park can only sustain a certain number of bison, based on the condition of the grassland and how much food is available. Each year, the herd, one of the largest in North America, is rounded up. New members of the herd are vaccinated, cows are checked for pregnancy and some 250-500 are sorted out of the herd for sale. We’ll share a pancake breakfast and hear the thundering hooves as the cowboys and cowgirls bring in the herd. Free time this afternoon before we re-join our group for the Fort Hayes Chuckwagon Supper and Show.
Meals included: (B, D)
Day 5 - Days of '76 & Deadwood
We check out of our hotel and head to the Days of ’76 Museum, where an extraordinary collection of horse-drawn vehicles resides. The Days of ’76 is a legendary annual event with a historic parade and an award-winning PRCA rodeo.
The Days of ’76 Museum is a repository for the horse drawn wagons and stage coaches, carriages, clothing, memorabilia and archives generated by the Celebration.
We take the scenic route through the Black Hills to Deadwood where we enjoy a city tour with Kevin Costner’s Original Deadwood Tour Guide. A trip to Devil’s Tower, the very first official United States National Monument, thrills us. Prepare for a cute-overload with the park’s prairie dog town. The town spans 40 acres and is home to over 600 residents. Prairie dogs are not only cute, they are also a keystone species vital to the park’s ecosystem. Enjoy a farewell dinner with the group and lodge one night at the Arbuckle Lodge Gillette.
Meals included: (B, D)
Day 6 - Fort Laramie
We leave the Black Hills behind and drive south through eastern Wyoming and northern Colorado where we often see herds of antelope. We stop at the Fort Laramie National Historic Site Visitors Center and enjoy a stop for lunch. We continue to Denver to lodge one night.
Meals included: (B, L)
Day 7 - Travel Home
We continue our drive south through beautiful Colorado with great memories of our time in the “wild and woolly” Black Hills of South Dakota.
Itinerary subject to change.
Fun Facts
Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore features the 60-foot (18 m) heads of four United States presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. The sculpture was carved from October 4, 1927, to October 31, 1941.
Buffalo Roundup
The Buffalo Roundup plays a crucial role in the conservation of the American bison and began in 1965. Once near extinction, Buffalo are now thriving in places like Custer State Park.
Purpose of Buffalo Roundup
The roundup also serves as an opportunity for park staff to perform health checks on the bison, administer vaccinations, and select animals for the annual auction. Skilled riders participate in the roundup, herding the bison across the prairie and into the corrals.
Hotel Information
SpringHill Suites Denver Airport
Denver, CO
EverSpring Inn & Suites
Hill City, SD
Arbuckle Lodge Gillete
Gillette, WY
Package Pricing
$1,995 per person
Double Occupancy
Deposit: $200
$2,495 per person
Single Occupancy
Deposit: $200
Final Payment Due:
July 23, 2024
Deposit: N/A
Price Includes
• Transportation by deluxe motorcoach
• 6 nights' lodging at excellent hotels
• Baggage handling at hotels (for one piece)
• 11 meals (6 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners)
• Admission to all listed attractions
• Your Professional SUN TOURS Tour Director
• All taxes and tips for included items (except hotel housekeeping)
Booking Policy
FINAL PAYMENT DUE: July 23, 2024
CANCELLATION FEES:
- None – through July 23, 2024
-
$200 – July 24 – August 6, 2024
-
$1,500 – August 7 – August 20, 2024
-
100% – After August 20, 2024
TRAVEL PROTECTION Starts at $159
ACTIVITY LEVEL RATING
Level 4: Active
Expectations: The tour includes well-paced walking tours with regular breaks. Up to 2-3 hours of walking each day. To fully take advantage of all this tour has to offer, guests need to be able to walk longer distances, climb several flights of stairs and navigate steps and uneven terrain walking for extended periods of time over more difficult terrain (e.g. cobblestones, city hills, stairs without handrails, limited or no access to elevators). Your itinerary can include significant changes in temperature and altitude and may require a higher number of longer travel days with morning and/or evening activities. Most trips will feature long touring days, many full-day excursions and a full and active itinerary with a faster pace and longer distances. Excursions require standing and walking to city centers where coaches are prohibited.
Appropriate for: Travelers who are physically fit, expect a vigorous pace and enjoy participating in two to three hours of physical activity per day.
ITINERARY
For your reference, we send to you a detailed itinerary approximately 3-4 weeks prior to the scheduled tour departure. This has day-by-day times and events, hotel information where you can be reached in case of an emergency, and airline information.
The times listed on the itinerary are all approximate. We cannot be held responsible for schedule changes due to unforeseen circumstances with the weather, transportation agents, highway conditions, hotels or contracting agents.
EMERGENCY CONTACT
It is always a good idea to carry on your person a list of medications that you are taking and an emergency contact phone number while you are traveling. And we suggest making a copy of the itinerary and provide it to a friend or family member.
GRATUITIES/ITEMS INCLUDED IN PRICE
The traditional end-of-tour gratuity to your tour director is included on this tour. All hotel porterage and airport skycap (when available) fees are included. We also include the gratuities for the coach drivers. Hotel housekeeping tips are not included.
LODGING REQUESTS
If you would like to request special accommodations at the hotel(s) where we are lodging, please call us as soon as possible and we will forward these requests for you. The phone numbers of the hotel(s) where we are staying are listed on the itinerary.
Many hotels around the country have instituted a "reconditioning fee" of $300 or more that is levied upon a guest that smokes in a non-smoking room. If this occurs during our tour you will be responsible for paying this fee to the hotel prior to check-out.
TRAVEL REQUESTS
We pay close attention to your requests but please realize that these are merely requests and cannot be guaranteed.
RESPONSIBILITY
SUN TOURS acts solely as an agent in arranging hotels, transportation, sightseeing, baggage-handling, and other services and does not assume any liability for injury, damage, loss or delay due to any act or default of any company or person. We, along with our subcontractors, reserve the right to make changes to an itinerary if it is necessary for the proper handling of a tour.
WEATHER AND CLOTHING/MISC. SUGGESTIONS
The Black Hills region in South Dakota experiences a relatively mild and comfortable climate in September, making it one of the popular times for visitors. Here’s a breakdown of the typical weather conditions:
Temperature:
Average High: Around 70°F (21°C)
Average Low: Around 45°F (7°C)
Precipitation:
September is generally drier compared to the summer months.
Occasional rain showers are possible, but prolonged periods of rain are less likely.
What to Wear:
It's advisable to dress in layers as temperatures can vary significantly from morning to afternoon.
Bringing a light jacket or sweater for the mornings and evenings is recommended.
Comfortable walking shoes are essential for exploring the region’s parks and attractions.
Things to Note:
The weather can change quickly in the Black Hills, so it’s wise to check the forecast regularly and be prepared for varying conditions.
September marks the beginning of the fall season, and visitors might start to see some fall foliage towards the end of the month.
Overall, September in the Black Hills offers pleasant weather, making it an excellent time for outdoor activities like hiking, sightseeing, and exploring the region’s natural and historical attractions.
Inquire About This Tour
Submit your inquiry for more information about a tour. We will get back to you with a (human) response as soon as possible. During the week that’s usually within a couple of hours. Evenings and weekends may take us a little bit longer. Please note that this is an inquiry for tour bookings only and does not constitute or confirm a reservation on a tour.
Call 505.889.8888 to Book Today!
If you aren't ready to inquire by email or would rather call and speak to a team member, we look forward to hearing from you.
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