to see the official brochure for this trip click here

Welcome to the Best of the Northwest

Over nine thrilling days, participants experienced it all, from rugged frontier towns of the Old West to spectacular vistas in some of the country’s most beautiful National Parks.

They started the journey in Whitefish, located in Northwest Montana, home to some of Montana’s best sights and experiences. With fine dining, panoramic views, endless adventure opportunities and fabulous art galleries and shops, they were overwhelmed with the natural beauty of one of Montana's finest gems.

Dramatic Views Will Take Your Breath Away!

More than 20,000 years ago, the territory we know as Montana was covered in sheets of glacial ice. This was an excellent chance to view the dramatic results of that pre-historic ice age in the rugged mountain ranges, steep ravines and deep lakes that dominate the beautiful countryside of Glacier National Park. Set in the rugged northern Rockies, Glacier National Park offers 1,000,000 acres of lush forests, alpine meadows and glittering lakes. A highlight of the visit was a tour of the park’s famous Going-to-the-Sun Road, a 52-mile highway that crosses the Continental Divide and offers some of the area’s most memorable vistas. You could journey along this famed highway in one of the park’s vintage red buses – called “Jammers” this was the classic way to tour Glacier National Park.

Great Falls, Montana

On the route to Great Falls they also paid tribute to the Indians who settled these lands with a visit to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and by viewing beautiful examples of Native American arts and culture at the Museum of the Plains Indian. On the first afternoon in Great Falls, they explored the artwork and life of the legendary Charles M. Russell! Charlie Russell captured the landscapes, spirit and culture of the West in his artwork during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Participants had a chance to get to know the man and enjoy his artwork, part history lesson, part entertainment. They enjoyed a tour of the Russell Home, Log Cabin studio and exhibits dedicated to one of America’s favorite Western artists.The next morning they enjoyed the many interactive exhibits at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, where they learned what life was like during their grueling expedition.

Cowboys and Gunslingers...

Travellers were told to “Grab your ten-gallon hat and reach for your six-gun”, because they would be stepping back in time to experience life on the frontier. They visited historic Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where you could stroll the wooden plank sidewalks of downtown and catch a glimpse of gunplay every night in the town square.

While in Jackson,they enjoyed the many activities and exhibits of the Jackson Hole Arts Festival. Featuring locally and nationally celebrated artists, chefs and musicians, live auctions, Taste of the Tetons food and wine tasting, theatre performances, gallery openings and much, much more.

After some free time to explore, participants took a guided tour of the renowned National Museum of Wildlife Art. With collections of nearly 4,000 works of art, the museum strives to enrich and inspire public appreciation of fine art and humanity's relationship with nature by focusing its exhibitions and programs on wildlife.

Other optional Jackson highlights included an Art History tour of Jackson Hole at the Jackson Lake Lodge in Grand Teton National Park and a ride up to the heavens on the Bridger Gondola at Jackson Hole’s Ski Resort.

America’s First National Park

Few places in the world can match Yellowstone's collection of accessible wonders. The Continental Divide slices through the park from southeast to northwest, amid a diverse terrain that includes rugged mountains, lush meadows, pine forests, free-flowing rivers, and the largest natural high-elevation lake in the United States. Located in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, it is home to a large variety of wildlife including grizzly bears, wolves, bison, and elk. Preserved within Yellowstone National Park are Old Faithful and a collection of the world's most extraordinary geysers and hot springs, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. They enjoyed a guided tour of the park’s well known and secret highlights, including Old Faithful and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. They also got an up-close look at some of the region’s most exciting wildlife at the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center. A unique not-for-profit Wildlife Park and Educational Facility located in the gateway of West Yellowstone, the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center makes for a memorable departure from the park.

Bozeman

A college town and tourism hotspot with a friendly, semi-bohemian vibe, Bozeman was first settled in the 1860s as a ranching hub. Today, its cowboy edge has been mostly chipped away, revealing a sophisticated Western chic. The vibrant downtown strip is filled with independent shops and restaurants. The area bustles all year long -- whatever the season, the locals always seem to be out and about.

The tour finished up with the trip in Bozeman at The Museum of the Rockies, where they explored the rich natural and cultural history of America's Northern Rocky Mountains. The Museum of the Rockies today is the largest natural history museum in the region with 94,000 square feet under roof and has developed a fully interpreted Living History Farm on 11 adjacent acres.