Duration: 10 Days
Go west for adventure and treasure on this affordable American holiday through Colorado, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Utah. From the “Mile High City” of Denver to the lofty peaks of the Grand Tetons, you’ll experience the Wild West with its stunning vistas and historic lore. Pass through the Black Hills of South Dakota where the legends of the frontier made their mark and stand at the national monuments to presidents at Mount Rushmore, and to Native American legend, Chief Crazy Horse. Follow the trail of pioneers and history-makers to Wyoming—home of Buffalo Bill and the spectacular natural splendour of Yellowstone National Park. From Old Faithful and thundering waterfalls to the desert of the Great Salt Lake, your journey through the American West is a tale to be told for years to come.
Traveller Notes
- Adventure is knocking with everything you need for perfectly affordable touring. Cosmos includes hand-selected accommodations, guided sightseeing, and seamless transportation between destinations—with value-minded travel lovers in mind. Explore with expert Cosmos Tour Directors and Local Guides, and private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi. Enhance your free time to explore like a local with your CosmosGO mobile app!
- This holiday visits national parks and other remote locations where facilities may not be up to the standard you expect from Cosmos. Some lodges within the parks do not have air-conditioning, televisions, and other amenities you would expect from most Cosmos hotels.
- Maximum elevation on tour: 9,033 ft
Please note: Itinerary is based on 2024, and is subject to change. Full details will be confirmed in 2024.
Welcome to Denver, the "Mile High City," capital of Colorado and gateway to the Rocky Mountains. This evening is free to explore on your own.
Depart Denver and travel north to Cheyenne, capital of Wyoming. Then, on through the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota, immortalised in a famous song from the musical Calamity Jane, to an overnight in Rapid City. (B)
Visit Crazy Horse Memorial, a monument carved out of a mountain that pays respect to the great Native American hero, Chief Crazy Horse. Drive deep into the Black Hills, through what was Sioux Indian territory, to see the stunning granite faces of Mount Rushmore, a giant monument to four great American presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. On to Deadwood, a lawless frontier town during the 1876 Gold Rush, where Jack McCall murdered Wild Bill Hickok during a poker game. Overnight here, and discover Deadwood's Wild West ways as you walk in the footsteps of legends like Calamity Jane and Seth Bullock.
This morning, head through high country, where open-range cattle kings made war on the homesteaders in the 1890s. Drive past Sheridan and then ascend into the alpine region of the Bighorn Mountains, and the site of the Battle of Tongue River. Overnight in Buffalo Bill's frontier town of Cody. (CB)
Proceed through Shoshone National Forest to Yellowstone National Park. Travel along Grand Loop Road to Artist Point for views of the Lower Falls of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Overnight in West Yellowstone.
NOTES: Routing and areas visited in Yellowstone National Park are always subject to favourable weather, gate access, and road conditions; therefore, routings may be adjusted.
Today, explore more of America's first national park by returning to visit the geyser basins with bubbling mud paint pots and the reliable "blow" of Old Faithful. In addition to superb mountain scenery, the park is one of the world's principal wildlife preserves and a photographer's paradise. (CB)
Head south into magnificent Grand Teton National Park, one of America's last preserves of wild solitude. Its 13,770-foot-high ridges are crested with snow most of the year. Stroll along the shores of beautiful glacier-fed Jenny Lake before ending the day in the Wild West town of Jackson. This evening, consider an optional barbecue cookout and Wild West show. You'll travel by horse-drawn covered wagon into Cache Creek Canyon and experience dinner and entertainment before returning to Jackson. (CB)
Time to relax in Jackson or maybe embark on an optional scenic trip down the Snake River. Enjoy an 8-mile float trip that passes nesting areas of bald eagles, ospreys and a plethora of other bird species and wildlife. The afternoon is free to explore the historic downtown area of Jackson. (CB)
Today, travel to Salt Lake City, Utah's vibrant capital. Set on the edge of Great Salt Lake Desert, this centre of the Mormon religion is where Brigham Young declared to his followers, "This is the place." An included sightseeing tour features the Capitol Building, and the beautiful downtown area. (CB)
Your holiday ends this morning. You may choose to extend your holiday with extra nights and explore Salt Lake City further. (B)
