Black Hills All-Inclusive: Educational Private Adventure
4.4
7 Ratings
Keystone
Experience the ultimate all-inclusive private adventure in the Black Hills. Explore with a well-educated guide, enjoy ultimate hospitality, and delve into the rich history and culture of the area. Book now!
Duration: 10 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Mount Rushmore National Memorial - Visiting Rushmore and having a guide tell you all the little known secrets are two different things. Learn about Mount Rushmore from a local perspective, including its Native American History. Sit with us in the amphitheater and discover the secrets behind Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt & Lincoln in this artistic masterpiece. Learn about the men behind the concept, the workers that made it happen, the mistakes, occupation, original intent and more.
  • Iron Mountain Road - Iron Mountain Road was said to be impossible to build. Let’s see what it’s like to drive a challenge accepted. This road goes through the Black Hills, pigtail curves bridges, and tunnels on our way to stunning views. Learn about the architect, history, plants and animals along the way.
  • Custer State Park Visitor Center - A stop at the visitor center is a great way to get ready for the Wildlife Loop Road. Enjoy a movie narrated by Kevin Costner. Learn a bit about the bison, Calvin Coolidge and Sylvan Lake.
  • Wildlife Loop Road - Its about to get wild! We have binoculars ready and will be on the lookout for the great American Bison, Pronghorn (Antelope), Bighorn Sheep, Mountain Goats, Elk, Prairie Dogs, and all kinds of birds. This is the most diverse and best place to enjoy the wildlife of the Black Hills. We’re able to get off the paved road and head back into the deeper parts for more wildlife viewing.
  • Custer - The Wild West Town set up by the Gordon Party has a lot of little known secrets. Let’s explore the town, and have some lunch while we’re here. You’ll love hearing about the history, the Gold Rush and be taken to the exact location where gold was discovered by Custer’s Expedition.
  • Mount Coolidge Fire Lookout Tower - After Custer State Park, we’ll take our vehicle to the very top of an active fire lookout tower. Beautiful views can be seen from the top, and it’s a favorite of guests. Our guests are wowed by the beauty, views and the road to the top.
  • Needles Highway - Threading the eye of the needle is the best part. Find out why they call this the needles parkway and be prepared to traverse a few windy roads and tunnels along the way. Who knows what you might find? We can stop in various places along the way to take pictures and be awed by the views.
  • Crazy Horse Memorial - Enter the culture and history before settlers arrived in the scene. This monument is dedicated to one of the most important Indigenous people of the area, Crazy Horse. A courageous, and complicated warrior and hero to Native Americans everywhere, he truly left his imprint upon this land. It’s a fascinating story that must be told. Let’s visit the monument, take a ride to the front side, learn about Crazy Horse the man, watch a movie and make out way through some of the most interesting Native American artifacts of this land.

An artist in residence, along with performing art can be seen and enjoyed here.

  • Needle Eye Tunnel - This is one of the most sought after roads in the country, because of its design, tunnels, winding switchbacks, ultimate view of the Black Hills and in general an unbelievable experience. The Needles Eye Tunnel is an engineering marvel. We’ll fold in the side mirrors and video the experience as we cross through to the other side.
  • Sylvan Lake - Sylvan Lake is regarded by many as the most beautiful lake in the Black Hills. We’re sure you’ll agree. We’re not just here to see the lake, but take a walk around its perimeter. See why so many come to enjoy this special place, and take in the fresh air from this world famous place.
  • Needles Eye - For those that do travel the Needles Highway, most miss the Needles Eye. This extraordinary natural formation is like nothing you’ve seen. Let’s get out, explore, take pictures and look in awe at the features atop Needles Highway.
  • Hill City - After our experience on Needles Highway, we’ll stop in Hill City. This is a cute little town nestled in the Hills and known to have two churches on either end and a mile of hell in between. It’s not really that way anymore. From here we’ll enjoy a dinner or press on back to Rapid City for dinner downtown before concluding our tour
  • Rapid City - If time is available, and we are taking you back to hotels in Rapid City Proper, we’ll stop for some shopping before ending the tour at the hotel.
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • Complimentary soft drinks and bottled water
  • Meals included: lunch and dinner
  • Knowledgeable Private Guide
  • Alcoholic beverage included with meals for guests 21+
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Struggling to select the best tour from a multitude of options? We understand it’s a tough decision, so let’s simplify it for you. The Black Hills area is brimming with intriguing sites, and your exploration of it shouldn’t feel hurried, need any preparation, or bring about unforeseen hitches. You’re entitled to a well-informed guide, top-notch service, and a thorough knowledge of the Black Hills that is engaging, enlightening, and exhilarating.

Your search ends right here. Our firm boasts the highest ratings of any other private tour operator in the Black Hills, and we’re committed to keeping up this remarkable achievement. We deliver knowledge that surpasses information from plaques, films, self-guided excursions, and lightly-touched topics. The Lakota Heritage is a key component of the tour, and we strive hard to represent it accurately. This isn’t just another tour, it’s an unrivalled private adventure.

  • Alcoholic beverages are served to those who are 21 years of age and older.
  • Road Closures in winter include Iron Mountain Road and part of Needles Highway
Location
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
13000 Hwy 244
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.4
(7 Ratings)
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Bamalicious
Feb 25, 2024
Best custom tour I have ever been on !!! - I booked a custom 8 hr tour since I only had one day to do it all . Daniel and his mom with XO Adventures showed me everything on my list and then some. I saw Mt Rushmore, Custer Park, Sylvan Lake , Black Hills, Badlands and numerous tunnels!!! Daniel definitely has the wisdom and knowledge of each area plus the best places for pics. We saw so many animals up close and personal it was awesome and funny at the same time. XO Adventures made me feel like family I did not want the tour to end I was having so much fun !! To end the tour in complete darkness in the badlands was amazing the stars are so bright and you can see all the constellations. At my hotel that night I could not believe all that was accomplished and the most beautiful pictures of Gods creation!! I was truly blessed to meet Daniel and Amiee of XO Adventures if I’m ever in the area I will definitely book with them again 🥰
Review provided by Tripadvisor
I3416qschristinaf
Dec 17, 2023
Second time on one of the tours yet still amazing!! - I had an amazing experience with My XO Adventures, I did two different tours the Winter Wonderland and the Badlands tours. I fully recommend them both to get the full experience of South Dakota. While on the tour, I learned so much about the land and history, while seeing the views out of the window. The 8 hours for a tour might sounds like a lot, but with the sights, great hospitality, and passion in the stories, it go by so fast and left me wishing it was longer. It was such and immersive experience and the guide tried their best to cater to our interests and what we wanted to see. It was an awesome experience to have with mom and boyfriend. In fact, this is my second time on the Winter Wonderland tour and it still felt like a completely new and exciting experience.
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Boardingpass554760
Dec 17, 2023
Badlands - Had a great adventure with Daniel went to the Badlands, Did not disappoint! Would definitely recommend
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2lovedaphne
Dec 12, 2023
Fabulous - Best company ever. Timely efficient and professional. Made sure that Everyone was taken care of and truly got their moneys worth. I would say went way above and beyond their duty. Thanks My XO adventure ! I would highly rate anyone looking for a wonderful trip to reach out and experience what we did.!
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Excursion573567
Dec 12, 2023
Breathtaking - Beautiful views and we learned much about the areas very rich history. We felt like we had a special view from Daniel’s perspective who has studied this area and the culture more so than some who have lived in the Black Hills all their lives!
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Rick
Dec 5, 2023
Extraordinary Vacation - Four of us traveled to South Dakota for a week long vacation. Daniel and his team were amazing. The tour brought so much more value than just driving through and seeing the sights. I especially enjoyed hearing history from the Native American perspective. It was a beautiful vacation, a great learning experience, and a fantastic way to connect with nature. This is truly a beautiful part of our country. I would highly recommend this to anyone.
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Ellen
Dec 6, 2023
Not Reliable - The tour never arrived to pick us up at our hotel. We contacted them and were told it would be another hour. Two hours later, I managed to find another company who came through for us at the last minute. I recommend Black Hills Adventure Tours.
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