Top Rapid City Bus Tours

What makes this tour unique is the combination of three of Western South Dakota's most iconic destinations – Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, and Custer State Park Wildlife Loop – into a single, comprehensive, and fully narrated experience. Over 8-9 hours, you'll not just see these landmarks, but gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for their history, cultural significance, and natural beauty. We always give the guest time to buy their lunch during the tour.

If you’re planning a trip to Mount Rushmore, but don’t want to be packed on a big tour bus full of people, try booking this Mount Rushmore National Memorial and Black Hills Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour. This tour takes you through the Black Hills to stops inside both Badlands National Park and Custer State Park, as well as many other noteworthy highlights of the area. Plus, you’ll explore at your own pace with an easy-to-use, downloadable app.

Don't bother renting a car or planning a thing with this private tour to three celebrated South Dakota monuments: Mount Rushmore National Memorial, the Crazy Horse Memorial, and Custer State Park. After a hassle-free pickup from your hotel, your personal guide transports you to these three landmarks. You visit each attraction—with entry fees included—and learn more as you go with the help of your guide's expert commentary.

Experience the Black Hills, including Mount Rushmore, with a local guide to tell you about the history of the sights, share personal stories from their time spent living in the area, and do the driving for you. See the Crazy Horse Memorial, the town of Custer, the Iron Mountain Road, and more. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a herd of bison.

Maximize your time in South Dakota by seeing Black Hills’ highlights all in one day. An air-conditioned vehicle loaded with snacks takes you to famous carved monuments Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial, as well through some of Custer Park’s 71,000 scenic acres. You might even spot resident bison, elk, and other wildlife. There are also stops at Sylvan Lake and Iron Mountain Road, for more Rushmore views.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a massive sculpture carved into Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills region of South Dakota. Completed in 1941 under the direction of Gutzon Borglum and his son Lincoln, the sculpture’s roughly 60-ft.-high granite faces depict U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. The site also features a museum with interactive exhibits.

You visit Mount Rushmore, one of our nation's national treasures, and Custer State Park, one of our nation's largest and most diverse state parks. This is the perfect tour for families looking to combine sightseeing with a history of the area. You'll be provided with the history of the Black Hills in the context of the western expansion across North America. Custer State Park is home to an abundance of wildlife and a free roaming 1,500 herd of bison. You'll also be provided with the historical background for how the faces of four important founding fathers came to be carved on Mount Rushmore.

The annual Buffalo Roundup takes place on the last Friday of September. Get a view of the action, and discover Custer State Park highlights, with this full-day tour. After pickup from Raid City, head to the South Parking Lot, where a folding chair, hot beverages, and continental breakfast await. Afterwards, enjoy a picnic lunch at Stockade Lake and sightseeing that includes the Needles Highway, Sylvan Lake, and Iron Mountain Road.

Make exploring the Black Hills’ many sights effortless with this private half-day tour. Picked up from your Rapid City hotel by your personal driver/guide, you’ll wander amongst giant Presidents—Mount Rushmore, that is—traverse the spectacular Needles Highway, gaze upon Sylvan Lake, witness the wildlife of Custer State Park, and more. With no worries about driving, navigation, or parking, you’ll be free to relax, take pictures, and enjoy the view.

Hop aboard 'Buff,' a Jeep Wrangler specially modified to resist excited bison, with this private tour through Custer State Park. You'll visit all corners of the park, including Mt. Coolidge, Iron Mountain Road, Needles Highway, Sylvan Lake, and the Custer State Park Wildlife Loop, with a stop along the way for a picnic lunch served with beer/wine (on request) at Stockade Lake.

Explore the Black Hills with this self-guided walking and driving tour, weaving through landmark sites steeped in monumental art and history. Walk through the majestic Mount Rushmore, delve into the natural splendor of Custer State Park, experience the cultural resonance of Crazy Horse Memorial, and relax at the picturesque Sylvan Lake. Each location enriches your journey with its unique story and breathtaking vistas, creating memories that echo through the landscapes of South Dakota. Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together! After booking, check your email to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action, enter your unique password, and access your tour. These steps require good internet/Wi-Fi access. From there, follow the audio instructions and the route. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.

Experience Mount Rushmore in its most powerful setting — illuminated against the evening sky with your private guide who served as a National Park Ranger and once delivered the official evening program. Your private evening begins with scenic travel into the Black Hills and ascending Iron Mountain Road, where granite tunnels frame distant views of the the presidents faces. Upon arrival, you’ll explore the memorial in person. You’ll hear the deeper stories of engineering challenges, the unfinished chamber behind the faces, tools still embedded in the granite, and the human drama behind the carving of the mountain itself. As twilight settles, you’ll attend the official Evening Lighting Ceremony — a moving program of history, film, illumination, and tribute. Watching the sculpture emerge from darkness into light is a powerful and reflective moment. You'll return through the quiet Black Hills with memories lingering long after the lights fade.

Experience Badlands National Park privately, intentionally, and at a relaxed pace with a former national park ranger as your guide. After Rapid City pickup, travel east across open prairie past ranch country and to the near-ghost town of Scenic, with stories of frontier survival, dinosaurs, and the rare black-footed ferret. Enter the Badlands where the prairie suddenly drops into glowing, layered formations. From sweeping overlooks near Bigfoot Pass and the White River Valley, trace ancient seas and deeper Lakota (Native American) history. At Yellow Mounds and Conata Basin, watch soft yellows, purples, and rust tones unfold—often alongside bison, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, and prairie dogs. Enjoy a midday lunch at the Salty Steer in Wall, plus time at iconic Wall Drug. The afternoon shifts to Cold War history at the Minuteman Missile Site before returning to dramatic overlooks and optional short walks like the Door, Window, or Notch Trail.

Discover the landmarks of South Dakota during this full-day excursion from Rapid City. Alongside a private guide, visit the iconic Mouth Rushmore, where you can enjoy a hike, as well as the Crazy Horse Memorial. You also visit Custer State Park where you have the opportunity to examine the flora and fauna of the area such as bison, antelope, elk, and bighorn sheep.

Experience the magic of Badlands National Park like never before on this exclusive private sunset and stargazing tour, led by a former National Park Ranger. As the sun dips below the horizon, watch the otherworldly spires and jagged pinnacles ignite in brilliant shades of orange, red, and gold. For those who want to go deeper, optional short hikes take you off the roadside and into the heart of the Badlands, where your guide's expertise brings the geology, wildlife, and history to life. When darkness falls, sink into a zero gravity chair and let the universe open up above you — a vast, unpolluted sky blazing with thousands of stars, sweeping meteor trails, and the luminous arc of the Milky Way stretching from horizon to horizon. Peer through a telescope to explore distant planets, star clusters, and galaxies with the naked eye impossible to see. Fully private, completely personalized, and led by a local former park ranger — this is the Badlands experience you won't find anywhere else.

We would pick you up from your Rapid City hotel at 6:30-6:45 pm in 7 or 12 passenger van depending on if we have others going. It is a 45 minute drive to Mt Rushmore. You would have half an hour to get to the amphitheater to get a seat for the program that starts at 8:00 pm. There is a 10 minute Ranger Talk about some topic about the 4 presidents. After the talk is a 20 minute video about the growth of the country in relation to the 4 presidents. At 8:30 pm, the Star Spangled Banner is sung and the lights go on the faces. Veterans and military are invited to the stage to help retire the flag and be honored. It is about a 45 minute program. We do have blankets for you in your vans if it is a chilly night. But, plan on bringing a jacket as it cools off once the sun goes down. We would get you back to Rapid City around 9:45 pm.

This isn't just another tour; it's a chance to experience the Black Hills at their best, during the prime season of May through September. What makes this tour unique is its personalized touch. We take the hassle out of your day by picking you up directly from your Rapid City hotel at 8:00-8:30 AM, ensuring a seamless start to your adventure. Then, we transport you to the charming town of Keystone, SD, where you have the freedom to explore for at least 1½ hours, crafting your own experience. Whether you're drawn to the unique shops, the thrilling Big Thunder Gold Mine, or the insightful Rushmore Borglum Story, you're in control. It's your day, your way, in the heart of the Black Hills.

Discover the beauty of the Dakotas with this bundle of self-guided driving and walking tours in North and South Dakota. Pay a visit to the awe-inspiring Mount Rushmore. Cruise through the lush greenery of the Black Hills. Experience views like nowhere else in Badlands National Park. And journey through wilderness that inspired one of America’s greatest presidents in Teddy Roosevelt National Park. This bundle is the ultimate Dakota experience. Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together! After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. This is not an entrance ticket to attractions along the route. Check opening hours before your visit.

Discover the wonders of the American heartland with our Mount Rushmore & Great Plains Audio Tour Bundle! Marvel at the iconic Mount Rushmore, where our guides share fascinating stories about the presidents carved into the mountain and the history behind this monumental project. Then, journey through the vast Great Plains, exploring wide-open prairies, historic landmarks, and diverse wildlife. Learn about the Native American history, pioneer trails, and natural beauty that define this region. Perfect for families, history buffs, and adventure seekers, this bundle offers a captivating and educational experience. Simply download, plug in your headphones, and set off on a remarkable journey through Mount Rushmore and the Great Plains! *Download the Shaka Guide app to access the purchased tours*

This tour is unique because it offers a convenient and efficient way to experience two iconic South Dakota landmarks in a single day. Instead of having to drive yourself and navigate parking at both Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse, this tour provides shared transportation from Rapid City, maximizing your time to explore and learn about these impressive monuments. By dedicating 2 hours to each site, you'll have ample time to take photos, soak in the history, and appreciate the artistry of these incredible sculptures. This is a great option for travelers seeking a hassle-free and time-optimized introduction to these popular South Dakota attractions.

This Northern Black Hills Shared Tour is unique because it combines breathtaking scenery with a fascinating glimpse into the Wild West history that shaped the region. You'll experience the natural beauty of the northern Black Hills while also uncovering the stories and historical points that bring the legendary Wild West days to life. It's a perfect balance of natural wonder and historical intrigue!

What makes this Badlands and Wall Drug Store tour unique is the depth of knowledge and storytelling it offers. It's not just a scenic drive, but a fully narrated experience that brings the Badlands and prairie areas to life with abundant information and captivating stories. This ensures a richer and more engaging experience compared to self-guided tours or those with less historical and cultural context, especially since it spans a substantial 7-8 hours.

This tour offers a unique opportunity to experience the awe-inspiring presence of Devils Tower, a geological marvel unlike any other. Unlike typical mountain peaks, Devils Tower is a towering butte, possibly formed from a laccolith – a mass of cooled, solidified magma. This means you'll be witnessing a rare formation of igneous rock carved by the relentless forces of nature. Standing a staggering 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River, and 867 feet from summit to base, the sheer scale of Devils Tower is breathtaking. You'll be immersed in the rugged beauty of the Bear Lodge Ranger District within the Black Hills, far from the hustle and bustle, near the charming towns of Hulett and Sundance, Wyoming. This tour isn't just about seeing a rock formation; it's about experiencing the power of geological history and the grandeur of the American West.