Rocky Mountains Tour: South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana

While Rapid City is home to an old gold mine and the interesting Journey Museum, it's best known for hosting the Sturgis Rally, the world's second largest motorcycle rally, every August. However, the real adventure lies in its rich surroundings. The Black Hills on the South Dakota border are a few miles to the west. Great plains of dry grass, black rock formations, wild horses and bison set the scene perfectly. Iron Mountain Road zigzags through the heart of these mountains, over dizzying bridges and through narrow tunnels, until it reaches the famous Mount Rushmore. Here, the faces of four American presidents are engraved in granite: George Washington (1732-1799), Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) and Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865). Next, pay tribute to the Native Americans at Crazy Horse Memorial, an engraving of Crazy Horse himself and the Sioux tribe equivalent of Mount Rushmore. 'Crazy Horse', a warrior and Native American tribal leader, was a hero in the Battle of Little Bighorn. His head is carved into the mountain peaks, and at 89ft in length it dwarfs the 60ft presidents. It was started in 1948 and is not expected to be completed until 2060, and will depict him on horseback. Further north, Deadwood epitomises the Wild West vibe with its typical saloon facades and tributes to famous bandits and adventurers, including Wild Bill Hickok, Preacher Smith and Calamity Jane. The city also attracts a large number of gamblers to its casinos. A little farther away there's Spearfish Canyon, which was featured in the movie 'Dances with Wolves'.

An hour's drive separates Rapid City from the Badlands National Park to the east, where herds of buffalo graze the beautiful and colourful landscape. Tiny ghost towns are scattered everywhere and prairie dogs roam fee. Sundown is the best time for exploring the park. Spend a night in the heart of the park, at the exit of Badlands Loop Road, the scenic road that winds through this fairy tale landscape of rocky scenery. Isolated from the rest of the world, beautifully-renovated cabins are scattered throughout the small property.

Return west to Custer State Park, named after the famous American cavalry general. Native American history enthusiasts can make a detour to Wounded Knee, before joining the Wildlife Loop Road, which winds through beautiful grasslands, home to herds of buffalo. Watch out for them crossing the road. Spend a night in a lodge classified as a historic monument, made entirely of stone and wood, and surrounded by pine trees. The property has been extended with a second lodge and cabins. Wild animals can often be seen from the windows.
Included in the itineary - A private wildlife tour in a 4x4 in Custer Park with an expert guide. The park covers over 114 square miles of prairies, forests and granite peaks and is home to the largest numbers of free-roaming bison, moose, white-tailed deer, sheep and mountain goats in the world.

It takes a good half-day to drive from Custer to Sheridan, across the border into Wyoming. Leave the prairies of Custer State Park behind and head west, passing the second largest cave in the country, nicknamed the Jewel Cave because of its calcium crystals. The road runs through Newcastle, Upton and Moorcroft. Here, we recommend making a detour to Devil's Tower, a curious monolith of fluted basalt that is 5,112ft tall, a sacred place for Native Americans, and was immortalised in the film 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'. The road continues through Gillette and then Buffalo, nestled at the foot of the Big Horn Mountains, home to the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum dedicated to the history of the pioneers. Spend a night in Sheridan, in a historic settlement partly owned by William Frederick Cody, known as Buffalo Bill, a legendary figure in the conquest of the American West. The charm has been retained, even Buffalo Bill's rocking chairs still sit on the porch, but everything has been given a modern touch.

On the itinerary - A private tour of the Little Bighorn site with an expert Native American guide. Together, explore the sites of the famous Battle of Little Bighorn, where the US cavalry were defeated and General Custer, a legendary figure in the country's history, lost his life. The tour, which is adapted to everyone's pace and questions, also includes vists to the two museums on site, as well as insights into the Crow tribe and the neighbouring Cheyenne tribe.
Continue heading west through Bighorn National Forest and then to Cody, founded in 1896 by Buffalo Bill and dedicated to the heritage of the Wild West. Spend a night in conveniently-located accommodation that has the feel of an old lodge, with wooden railings and rustic interior design.
Included in the itinerary - Tickets to the Cody Nite Rodeo, held every night from the beginning of June to the end of August since 1938.