Travel Schedule
DAY # 1 - ARRIVALS
Upon arrival at St. Louis - passengers will have time to freshen up for a festive welcome dinner to kick off our commemorative expedition. Overnight in St. Louis (D)

DAY # 2 - Museum of Westward Expansion / Historic 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'll 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 1,500 miles. Overnight in Columbia, MO. (B)

DAY # 3 - National Frontier Trails Center/ Fort Osage
Nearly all of America's major westward expansion trails began 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 & Clark Expedition and tour the amazing Arabia Steamboat Museum for a look at period lifestyles and trade goods. 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 Kansas City, MO. (B, D)

DAY # 4 - Omaha / Council Bluffs
Before departing the Kansas City area we'll tour the Mahaffie Farmstead which has played a pivotal role in the settling of the West since 1865. The river turns northward here as we head for Council Bluffs, named for the Corps' first encounter with Native Americans. We'll spend a casual evening tonight browsing through Omaha's famous Old Market. Overnight in Omaha, NE (B)

DAY # 5 - Fort Atkinson / Western Historic Trails Center
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 rather than years. On today's agenda is a tour of Fort Atkinson, yet another frontier fort built on the recommendation of Wm. Clark. We will tour the reconstruction and few living history demonstrations from this early 19th century period. We'll tour the brand new National Western Historical Trails Center (which contains information on the Mormon Trail as well). We'll enjoy an campfire lunch on the riverside before proceeding on. Our overnight tonight is in South Sioux City, NE. (B,L)

DAY # 6 - Akta Lakota Museum / Living History
Today's agenda includes Gavin's Point Dam, site of the first encounter with the Yankton Sioux, plus a visit to 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. An evening living history program and authentic meal served on the banks of the Missouri River top off a perfect day on the Northern Plains.  Tonight's accommodations are at the Cedar Shores Resort, overlooking the Missouri River just north of Chamberlain, SD. (D)

DAY # 7 - Houk 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 Ft.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 earthlodge located where Lewis & Clark encountered a village in September of 1804. After a day full of natural wonders, we'll overnight on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, just over the North Dakota border. (L)

DAY # 8 - North Dakota Heritage Center/Five Nations Arts Center
Today we tour near at the site where the Corps of Discovery wintered in 1804-05. We'll tour the outstanding exhibits at the North Dakota Heritage Center and visit the Five Nations Arts Center in the present city of Bismarck. Our festive dinner this evening will be aboard the Lewis & Clark Riverboat as we cruise on the mighty Missouri which has become a familiar friend over the course of our journey. Tonight's accommodations are in Bismarck, North Dakota. (D)

DAY # 9 - Fort Mandan/ Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center
Today is a busy one as we visit the site where the Corps of Discovery wintered under the watchful eyes of the Mandans and Hidatsas. We'll visit the Fort Mandan replica and the new Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center which features a complete set of the Bodmer prints. Bodmer produced more than 400 renderings of the Native Americans and natural wonders he encountered on his own western voyage 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. The latter day Fort Abraham Lincoln (Lt. Col G.A. Custer's last assignment) was built adjacent to an ancient earth lodge which was already abandoned when Lewis & Clark sailed by. We'll tour the rebuilt lodges and visit the small museum at On-A-Slant Village. This afternoon we'll travel to the only park in the National Park System which is set aside to commemorate the Plains Indian: Knife River Indian Villages. The outstanding interpretive center and model earth lodge shed light on the people who continually inhabited this site for as long as 500-600 years ago to 1845. Overnight in Williston,ND.

DAY # 10 - Fort Union, Pompeys Pillar
Another eventful day begins with a tour of the beautifully restored Fort Union. Established by John Jacob Astor's American Fur Company, Fort Union was the most important fur trading post on the Missouri River between 1822 and 1867. Next we'll visit Pompeys Pillar National Historic Landmark, named for Sakakawea's infant son. Captain Clark carved his name in the rock on the return trip in 1806, and it remains today the only remaining physical evidence along the Lewis & Clark Trail. Overnight tonight in Billings, MT. (B,D)

DAY # 11 - Gates of the Mountains
On this morning's agenda is a visit to Missouri River Headwaters State Park where Lewis & Clark discovered (and named) the confluence of the Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin Rivers. After our picnic lunch, it's on to the Gates of the Mountains, named by Lewis after towering cliffs appeared to block the way up the Missouri River. As the expedition neared the cliffs and changed directions, the cliffs seemed to pull apart like a huge gate. Our interpretive boat ride will afford us much the same sights that awed Lewis & Clark. Overnight tonight in Great Falls, MT. (B,L)

DAY # 12 - Fort Benton / Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center
Montana's famous cowboy artist, Charlie Russell, wasn't on the scene when our heroes struggled with the great falls the Indians had warned them of. But he did commemorate the era of westward expansion that the Corps of Discovery opened up. We'll visit the outstanding C.M. Russell museum this morning before heading up to historic Fort Benton, a bustling river port of the last century. A highlight of our journey is the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls, one of the newest and best along the trail. In addition to the marvelous exhibits, we'll enjoy living history programs and a dinner at the Giant Springs location. Overnight again in Great Falls, MT. (B,D)

DAY # 13 - Lolo Trail / Nez Perce National Historic Park
Traveling the Lolo Trail will be far more pleasant for us than for the Corps which suffered greatly from cold and hunger along this extraordinarily beautiful passage. Our local guide will help us to understand the chronology as we travel westward and enjoy a luncheon along the way. We'll visit the canoe camp, where the expedition halted to hollow out logs as the Natives had instructed them. To learn more about these inhabitants who were meeting their first white men, we'll visit the visitors' center at the Nez Perce National Historic Park. Overnight in Lewiston, ID (B,L)

DAY # 14 - The Dalles
At the site of present day Sacajawea State Park (the spelling varies, depending upon what state you are in!) the Corps of Discovery met with local inhabitants, and as they had so many times before, made ceremonial presentations and speeches. We'll pause where the Snake River joins the Columbia to recreate some of the events of Oct. 17-18, 1805. The outstanding new Columbia Gorge Discovery Center will highlight this afternoon's agenda. Overnight in The Dalles.

DAY # 15 - End of the Trail: Columbia Gorge, Fort Clatsop
Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area and Multnomah Falls highlight our morning's journey. We'll tour the sites of that dreary winter where Sacajawea saw her beached whale, and Seaside, location of the salt works. Then it's on to winter camp at the recreation of Fort Clatsop, the capstone of our Lewis & Clark adventure. A gala farewell dinner rounds out the day and our journey, as we compare notes and recount our own highlights. Overnight in Seaside, OR (B,D)

DAY # 16 - DEPARTURES
Our return to Portland is a scenic drive through the verdant Willamette Valley which lured the generation after Lewis & Clark on their own westward overland trail. Airport transfers to Portland after 12:00 noon. (B)

Tour Price Includes:
*  15 nights' lodging
*  deluxe motorcoach transportation
*  professional tour director
*  meals as noted
*  admission fees as noted
*  park entrance fees
*  group photo
*  baggage handling (1 bag/person)
*  airport transfers
*  airfare is not included but can be provided