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Ultimate Black Hills Vacation Package
A three day private Black Hills vacation package that connects the region’s best landscapes, wildlife, scenic drives, and iconic landmarks into one smooth plan. We handle the routing, timing, and admissions so you can relax and actually experience the Black Hills and Badlands, not just race through them.
What kind of Experience is this?
This is a three day private vacation package built for travelers who want the Black Hills and Badlands done right, without spending weeks planning routes, timing, and logistics. We guide you through the region in a way that feels natural and connected, not like a checklist of stops.
Each day is paced to match light, weather, road conditions, and your interests. You get time to explore, take photos, and ask questions, with a guide who adds real context on geology, ecology, wildlife, and local history as the landscapes change. The result is a calm, cohesive trip that feels personal and thoughtfully crafted.
Lodging is not bundled into the package price. Instead, we help you choose the best lodging locations for your route and preferences during your consultation, so your nights support the flow of each day.
Package Pricing
From $2,995 for two guests for the three-day private package, plus taxes and fees. Each additional guest is $1050 per person, plus taxes and fees. Final totals are confirmed during your planning call so everything is clear before you book.
Tour Snapshot
- Tour type: Private (your group only)
- Length: Three days, full day touring each day
- Regions covered: Black Hills, Badlands, Northern Black Hills, Wyoming day trip
- Major experiences: Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial, Badlands National Park, Devils Tower, Spearfish Canyon and waterfalls
- Scenic drives included: signature Black Hills byways plus countryside backroads and quiet towns
- Walking level: easy to moderate, with options based on comfort
- Admissions: all park admissions included
- Meals: optional picnic style meal add on, twenty dollars per person, per day
- Photos: professional quality photos included when possible, shared after the trip
- Booking: scheduled by phone or contact form, then confirmed after a planning call
This Package Is a Good Fit If
You should consider this Black Hills vacation package if you want a private, guided plan that covers the region’s biggest landscapes and most meaningful stops without feeling rushed. It’s a great match if you:
Want to see the Black Hills and Badlands in three days with a clear flow and smart timing
Prefer a private tour with flexible pacing rather than a crowded group experience
Love scenic drives, overlooks, short walks, wildlife watching, and photography
Want context as you travel, including geology, ecology, and the stories that connect each place
Like the idea of having a guide handle routing, admissions, timing, and the small decisions that make a trip smooth
Appreciate a calm, premium experience where we can stop when something is worth your time
This Package May Not Be the Best Fit If
This Black Hills vacation package is not designed as a fast checklist or nightlife trip. It may not be the best fit if you:
Want to cover every attraction in the region at a sprint, with strict minute by minute structure
Prefer shopping focused days or heavy nightlife as the main purpose of the trip
Need step free access at every single stop, since a few of the best viewpoints involve uneven ground or short trails
Prefer to drive yourself and independently manage timing, admissions, and logistics
Need a hard end time every day with zero flexibility
How the Day Flows
This three day Black Hills vacation package is designed as a connected journey, not three unrelated day trips. We start with iconic Black Hills landmarks and scenic drives, then spend a full day in Badlands National Park when the light and wildlife activity are at their best, and finish with the Northern Black Hills and a Wyoming day trip to Devils Tower.
Each day has a clear plan, but we keep the pacing flexible. We adjust around weather, light, road conditions, wildlife movement, and your comfort level. Some stops invite lingering. Others are best experienced briefly. The goal is a smooth trip with real time at the places that matter most, plus room for the moments that surprise you along the way.
Places We Spend Time
This Black Hills vacation package is built around places that are worth slowing down for. Over three days, we spend meaningful time in the Black Hills, Badlands National Park, the Northern Black Hills, and at Devils Tower, with scenic drives, overlooks, and optional short walks that match your comfort level. The exact order can shift slightly for weather and conditions, but the core experiences below define the trip.
Black Hills Icons and Scenic Byways
This day combines the region’s signature landmarks with some of its most beautiful drives. Expect time at Mount Rushmore, plus the kind of backroad scenery that makes the Black Hills feel alive. We often include Iron Mountain Road, Needles Highway, Sylvan Lake, and time in Custer State Park for wildlife and wide open scenery. If you want to include Crazy Horse Memorial, we can build that into the flow in a way that feels thoughtful, not rushed.
Badlands National Park, Wildlife, and Changing Light
Badlands National Park is all about texture, scale, and light. We spend the day moving between overlooks and quieter corners of the park with time for wildlife watching and photography. This day is designed around the natural rhythm of the Badlands so it feels immersive, not like a quick drive through.
Devils Tower, Spearfish Canyon, and Waterfalls
Day three shifts north into the Northern Black Hills and over into Wyoming. We spend meaningful time at Devils Tower National Monument, with trail options based on your ability level, including the Tower Trail around the base or the Red Beds Trail for a wider perspective. In Spearfish Canyon, we slow down for limestone cliffs, creek scenery, and waterfall stops like Bridal Veil Falls, Spearfish Falls, and Roughlock Falls when conditions allow.
Wildlife and a Living Landscape
A great Black Hills vacation package includes more than famous landmarks. Over three days, you move through living habitat: grasslands, pine forest, creek corridors, and canyon environments where wildlife lives freely. Sightings happen on nature’s terms, but it’s common to see deer, pronghorn, prairie dogs, bison in Custer State Park, and a wide range of birds.
Each landscape has its own character. The Black Hills blend granite spires and ponderosa forest. The Badlands shift into open prairie and layered formations. Spearfish Canyon adds cool creek habitat and limestone cliffs. We don’t treat wildlife like a checklist. We watch carefully, keep respectful distance, and build in time so the unexpected moments can happen naturally.
Scenic Drives That Shape the Experience
On this Black Hills vacation package, the drives are part of what makes the trip feel extraordinary. We intentionally include the region’s most beautiful routes, because the transitions between places are where the Black Hills reveal themselves.
Depending on conditions and your interests, this can include drives like Iron Mountain Road, Needles Highway, and the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway, along with quieter backroads through ranch land and small towns. Expect tunnels, framing viewpoints, changing light, and the kind of scenery that makes you glad you didn’t try to rush this trip.
What's Included
Private guiding for your group only across all three days
Pickup and drop off each day (Rapid City and nearby areas, with planning support for route efficiency)
All park admissions included for scheduled package stops
Flexible pacing, scenic pullouts, overlooks, and short walks based on your comfort
Bottled water, soda, and light snacks each day
Professional quality photos included when possible, shared after your trip
Planning support during your consultation, including help choosing lodging locations that fit the flow of the package
Whats Not Included
Lodging (we help you choose the best locations during your consultation)
Meals beyond snacks, unless you add the optional picnic style meal
Gratuities
A fresh picnic-style meal is available for $20 per person and is highly recommended. Choosing the lunch option allows us to enjoy quality food in a beautiful setting while saving valuable time that would otherwise be spent waiting at a restaurant. This keeps the day flowing outdoors, where it belongs.
Timing, Lunch, and Extra Time
Tour Length and Timing
This Black Hills vacation package is built as three full touring days. We’ll confirm your daily pickup times during your planning call based on the season, your lodging location, and what matters most to you. We design the timing to keep the days smooth, avoid peak crowds when possible, and maximize the best light for scenery and photography.
Optional Picnic Style Meal
You can add a picnic style meal for $20 per person, per day, and we highly recommend it. It saves time, keeps the day flowing, and lets you eat in a beautiful setting instead of spending a big chunk of your day waiting at a restaurant. We’ll confirm dietary needs during your consultation.
Gratuities
Gratuities are always optional, but they are deeply appreciated and have a meaningful impact on our guides’ daily lives. Many guests ask what’s appropriate. In the Black Hills, gratuities for private guides typically range from $70–$150 per day, with $100–$200 per day being common when guests feel they’ve received excellent care and attention.
Our guides are paid a living wage, and gratuities are a vital part of how they support themselves beyond basic expenses. For multi-day tours, gratuities are customary per day, not as a single total. While we understand that times are tough and no gratuity is ever expected, its impact is real and sincerely felt.
When Daniel is your guide, he is compensated the same as every other guide. He works long hours, carries additional responsibilities, and puts everything he has into each experience. A gratuity supports him in the same way it supports the rest of the team.
Guides gladly accept cash, Venmo, Cash App, and PayPal. If those options aren’t convenient, the home office can process a gratuity of any amount and add it directly to the guide’s paycheck.
What to Bring
Even on warm days, the Black Hills can shift quickly with elevation, wind, and changing weather. A little preparation keeps the day comfortable and relaxed, especially when we’re moving between scenic drives, overlooks, and short walks.
- A warm layer, even in summer (a light jacket or fleece goes a long way)
- Closed toe shoes for short walks and uneven ground
- Sun protection such as sunglasses, sunscreen, and a hat
- Your camera or phone, plus a portable charger if you use it for photos
- Any personal items you rely on during the day, including medications
- A reusable water bottle
If you’re unsure about conditions on the day of your tour, we’re always happy to offer guidance ahead of time. The goal isn’t to be overprepared, but to feel comfortable and at ease as the day unfolds.
Explore More With My XO Adventures
Badlands Sunset and Golden Hour Tour for guests who want the best light, wildlife, and wide open views in Badlands National Park.
Badlands Sunset and Night Sky Tour if staying out after sunset to enjoy the stars is a priority.
Spearfish Canyon, Devils Tower Adventure for a second full day that blends big scenery, a national monument, and western history.
Black Hills Wildlife Guide for a quick look at what you might see and how to watch wildlife respectfully.
Black Hills Weather and Packing Tips to help you prepare for changing conditions in the Hills.
Official Park and Site Information
Mount Rushmore National Memorial (National Park Service) for current hours, accessibility notes, and visitor updates.
Custer State Park (South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks) for road conditions, wildlife guidance, and park information.
Crazy Horse Memorial for admission details and museum information if you choose to include that stop.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are the questions we hear most often about our private Mount Rushmore tour from Rapid City. If something isn’t covered here, just reach out. We’re always happy to help you plan a day that fits your interests and pace.
Explore More with My XO Adventures
National Park Service and Official Sites
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