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LEWIS
& CLARK TRAIL
THE 1804 JOURNEY
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Dates & Prices
Day 1 St. Louis
Welcome to St. Louis. We are transferred to our hotel to freshen up for a
festive welcome dinner to kick-off our commemorative expedition.
Day 2 Westward Expansion & St. Charles
Our journey retracing the steps of the Corps of Discovery begins with a
visit to the Museum of Westward Expansion for an overview of this epic
voyage. Then it's on to historic St. Charles, a thriving fur-trading
settlement at the time of the Corps departure in 1804, and their last
sight of civilization. We stroll the same cobblestone streets and learn
about the expedition's final departure preparations before heading west
along the Missouri, our touchstone for the next 1500 miles. Overnight in
Independence, Mo.
Day 3 Frontier Trails & Fort Osage
Nearly all of America's major westward expansion trails begin at a well in
Independence, Missouri, where the National Frontier Trails Center now
stands. We'll view the special exhibits on the 200th anniversary of the
Lewis and Clark Expedition, tour the amazing Arabia Steamboat Museum for a
look at period lifestyles and trade goods and visit other historically
significant sites in the area. Tonight's special dinner will be a sampling
of what explorers and pioneers on the trail might have eaten at a replica
of Fort Osage, which was built at the suggestion of William Clark to
protect the growing fur trade in the West. Overnight in Independence, MO.
Day 4 Omaha &
Council Bluffs
The river turns northward here as we head for Council Bluffs, named for
the Corps' first encounter with Native Americans. We'll tour the brand new
National Western Historical Trails Center (which contains information on
the Mormon Trail as well) and browse through Omaha's famous Old Market. A
highlight of today's tour is a visit to the Joslyn Museum, home of the
world renowned collection of Karl Bodmer watercolors of the American West.
Bodmer produced more than 400 renderings of the Native Americans and
natural wonders he encountered on his own western journey just 30 years
after Lewis and Clark blazed the trail. Through his paintings we will see
the undisturbed terrain as the first whites saw it almost 200 years ago.
Overnight in Omaha.
Day 5 Fort
Atkinson & Riverboat Museum
Two months after departing from St. Louis, the Corps of Discovery was
still in present-day Missouri. Fortunately our latter-day journey is
measured in days instead of years. On today's agenda is a tour of Fort
Atkinson, yet another frontier fort built on the recommendation of William
Clark. We will tour the reconstruction and view living history
demonstrations from this early nineteenth-century period. As we approach
the location of the only casualty of the entire two-year journey, we will
visit his namesake at the Sergeant Floyd Riverboat Museum and hear his
story as told by a re-enactor. Overnight in Sioux City, NE.
Day 6 Akta Lakota
Museum & Encampment
A special treat awaits us today as we encounter a rendezvous encampment
and sample trail food prepared on an open campfire. We'll see muzzle
loading demonstrations, trade authentic recipes, and have an opportunity
to chat with mountain men (and women) about the hardships of travel in the
western territories early in the nineteenth-century. Our agenda also
includes a visit to the world famous St. Joseph Indian School where the
outstanding Akta Lakota Museum offers a view of the Native Americans whose
lives were so affected by the course of events set in motion by the
discoveries of the expedition. Overnight in Chamberlain, ND.
Day 7 Buffalo
Ranch & Arikara Lodge
Upwards of 70 million bison once roamed the vast plains of North America,
but without the intervention of ranchers like Roy Houk of Fort Pierre,
these hardy pre-historic mammals were on their way to extinction. Best
known as the major film site for the Academy Award-winning "Dances
with Wolves," the Houk ranch now offers four-wheel drive tours over
rolling pastures for a close-up view of these magnificent beasts. Further
upstream, at a remarkably undisturbed bend in the river, we'll visit a
replica of an Arikara earth lodge located where Lewis and Clark encountered
a village in September of 1804. After a full day of natural wonders, we'll
overnight on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservations, just over the North
Dakota border.
Day 8 Fort Mandan &
Lewis And Clark
Our final day is a full one as we arrive at the site where the Corps of
Discovery wintered under the watchful eyes of the Mandans. We'll visit the
Fort Mandan replica and the new Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center
nearby. The latter-day Fort Abraham Lincoln (Lt. Col. G. A. Custer's last
assignment) was built adjacent to an ancient earth lodge village which was
already abandoned when Lewis and Clark sailed by. We'll tour the rebuilt
lodges and visit the small museum at On-A-Slant Village. Our festive
farewell dinner will be aboard the Lewis and Clark Riverboat as we cruise
the mighty Missouri which has become a familiar friend over the course of
our journey.
Day 9 Depart For
Home
Sadly we bid a fond farewell to new friends and the magnificent adventure
behind us. We are transferred to Bismarck Airport.
Price Includes:
Eight nights
lodging, airport transfers, motorcoach and driver, professional tour
director, meals as specified, admission fees as specified, park entrance
fees, group photo, baggage handling (1 bag per person), airport transfers.
Not Included:
Airfare and gratuities to guides & drivers.
Discounted Air Fare
Available Nation-wide!
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