This odyssey into Native American Lakota culture traverses the wide open prairie, shining mountains, rolling plains and mighty rivers of the Lakota Nation, the landscape of the dreamers and the dreams. With all-indigenous guides, we follow the history of the Lakota people through great leaders such as Sitting Bull, Red Cloud, and Crazy Horse.
Start/finish: Rapid City, South Dakota (airport code RAP).
Dates: May 26-June 6, 2009 (if you cannot make these dates we may be able to create a similar itinerary for you – please call for information)
Alternative journeys to consider: 'Yellowstone Is Indian Country',
'Sacred Earth' and 'Ancient Ways of the Hopi'
Tour Itinerary:
We begin by entering He Sapa Wakan – The Heart of Everything That Is – the sacred Black Hills, Holy Land of the Lakota people. In the Black Hills we seek out Tatanka, the buffalo, and in sight of one of the last free herds of buffalo we will explore the spiritual and physical significance of the buffalo to the Lakota people
At Wind Cave we will learn of Lakota genesis. At the Place of the Thunders, Hinhan Kaja Paha, we view the highest point in the Black Hills upon which Black Elk experienced much of what embodied the story of his life as told in Black Elk Speaks. At the Bear's Lodge (Devils Tower) we hear ancient tribal explanations of the sacred rock’s creation, then standing before the sacred mountain, Inyan Kara.
Traveling north to the band of Crazy Horse’s mother, the Minneconjou Lakota of the Cheyenne River Reservation, we visit the area where Pte San Win, the White Buffalo Calf Woman, brought the Sacred Pipe to the Lakotas and the knowledge of the Seven Sacred Rites.
Continuing north, we reach the Standing Rock Reservation of the Hunkpapa Lakota, the band of Sitting Bull and Gall, whom are among the great leaders we will discuss. We explore the life and legacy of Tatanka Iyotake, the great Hunkpapa Lakota patriot and visionary – Sitting Bull. From his birthplace on the Standing Rock Reservation, to his resistance of white encroachment and inspiring leadership, we visit the sites and discuss the events that shaped the life of Sitting Bull
Heading south through the Crow Creek reservation, then onto the incredible landscape of Mako Sica, the Badlands, we hear the perspectives of Lakota ambassadors whose ancestors gave all to protect Lakota culture: from the arrival of the Europeans, to ‘Red Cloud’s War’ of 1866 and the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868, to the Battle of the Little Bighorn and the Wounded Knee Massacre.
Driving through the Badlands to Pine Ridge we reach the land of Red Cloud, the Oglala Lakota Nation, and take the Chief Red Cloud trail on the way to Wounded Knee. We finish our journey at one of the most sacred sites on the Northern Plains – Mato Paha - Bear Butte.
Notes:
- We don't charge single supplements and we don't ask tour members to share rooms.
- We are happy to provide add-on experiences for tour members: please discuss possibilities and pricing with Sarah.
- Please explore our other excellent full length itineraries: ‘Yellowstone Is Indian Country’, ‘Ancient Ways of the Hopi’, ‘Sacred Earth’.
- Consider a Weekend Getaway or short break into Native America – we offer ‘Mountains Plains and Powwow’, Paha Sapa (in the Black Hills) we visit the Grand Tetons, Cody/Yellowstone region, and in Arizona we travel amongst the Navajo and Apache peoples.
We also offer the Great Lakes area with Ojibwe guides.
Discover the very best in Native American tours
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
You can supplement the Lakota Moon tour with extra guided excursions with our Lakota or Cheyenne guides at either end of your journey with us. Please contact us for details – these extra activities are usually only offered by prior arrangement
Also see tour packages in:
USA
South Dakota
North Dakota
Montana
Local Culture
Native Americans
Cultural Journey
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