Trafalgar USA National Parks Wonders

Although I have been lucky enough to travel to many beautiful places in the world, I really haven’t explored the many breathtaking settings in the US and oh my goodness, this trip exceeded my expectations. We met our Trafalgar Travel Director, Mary Lee, the first evening at a casual Welcome Reception.

Mary spent some time going over the day-to-day itinerary and let us know which meals were included, the optional sightseeing opportunities, how luggage was handled at each stop, and how Trafalgar makes traveling easier.

We arrived at Jackson Hole mid-afternoon and had time to explore the charming town, while Mary arranged to have our luggage delivered to our rooms. A beautiful western-style city in the summer, and I’m sure spectacular in the winter as it’s home to many celebrities for the ski season. We were delivered to The Lodge at Jackson Hole later that day to enjoy an evening on our own. This hotel was my favorite on the trip and the cabin décor perfect in this setting.

The next day, my group thoroughly enjoyed our included float trip down the Snake River. The scenery was stunning with the Grand Tetons rising above it all. But what really caught my attention was the peacefulness of the environment, the quiet ripples of the river, the beauty of the vegetation and varied wildlife. Yes, we saw three bald eagles! Afterwards, we enjoyed the aerial tram to the summit of Rendezvous Mountain at 10,450 ft. with views as far as the eye can see and a stop at the stunning Jenny Lake. I could have stayed here another week. This evening we enjoyed an included Chuckwagon dinner complete with a 20-minute ride with a real-cowboy driven covered wagon.

as close as you can be to the Crazy Horse Memorial and we were allowed to take some of the small pieces of granite home as souvenirs. Its inspiring how this memorial is being constructed based solely on private funding and contributions. The last part of the day was a trek through the endless plains of South Dakota to the rugged beauty of Badlands National Park. Its formations are similar to sandcastles and can have you dreaming up all sorts of stories.

The bond and comradery of this shared group tour experience, is a memory I will forever treasure.