Great Western Expeditions — Local services in Jackson

We booked a family tour for 14 people from August 16-24, 2022. Our contract price was $42,536.00. The entire trip was $100,000.00. We had 8 adults and 6 children. We booked a private bus, a driver and a guide with Great Western Expeditions with an itinerary extending from Rapid City, SD to Jackson Hole, Wyoming with 8 nights in hotels. The first 3 nights were booked by Great Western and the remaining 5 nights were booked by a travel agent. The first night was at Under Canvas Mt. Rushmore and when I received the receipt, I saw we were overcharged by Great Western Expeditions by $469.57. I mentioned it to Laurie, our guide as she booked it and she said there was not supposed to be an upcharge and she would check it in the office after the trip. Our third night was at the Chamberlin Inn in Cody, WY and upon receiving the receipt I realized we were overcharged $799.49. Again Laurie said she would review it after the trip. Our first stop was Mt. Rushmore and Laurie asked me for my credit card for parking the bus as she did at the Crazy Horse parking lot. I gave it to her although I felt this should have been included as should admissions to the parks. Our second day stop was Devil's Tower. We had a significant amount of travel to get there and when we arrived about 4pm, they decided to go to the Devil's Tower Inn instead of dropping us off at Devil's Tower. They were totally unaware that Devil's Tower closes early and there was no access to Devils Tower from the Inn unless you wanted to hike for miles. We said this was not right and Laurie our guide stormed off the bus and Larry our driver took us back to Devil's Tower. Larry, the driver, was the more knowledgeable of the 2 escorts and more calm. I said to him we had to resolve these problems when we arrived back at the Inn. Larry, Laurie and I had a friendly discussion and she asked if I wanted a different guide and I said no and we hugged, but we need an explanation of the sites we are seeing which is what is expected of a good guide. It slightly improved but the driver was definitely more knowledgeable. At the Cody, Wyoming Rodeo Laurie asked who wanted rodeo food and who wanted to take out. Our impression was that rodeo food was like ballpark food and that was totally wrong. The rodeo food was disgusting and the area was surrounded by flies. Our guide should have known this. We saw all the sites we planned on seeing but did not expect drama out of a high end tour. We were also told because of the floods in Yellowstone we would have to pay an additional $1950.00 for a smaller bus in Yellowstone which I agreed to but then we saw larger buses in Yellowstone. I've been on many Tauck and Abercrombie and Kent Tours and the guided portion of this trip did not live up to our expectations. When it was time to depart, I asked Larry what the pickup times were to go to the airport and he gave them. That night he said to me he misspoke and transfers were not included. I called our travel agent and she spoke to the company and now transfers were included and she said she was shocked that they reneged on a previous agreement. When we returned home, our travel agent negotiated with Rob Caesar, the owner, a refund of $975 and a text was received on September 8 stating this fact. When the check was not received, I contacted them many times with no response. I then contacted the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce and their CEO, Rick, was unable to get a response. Next I contacted the Elliott Organization for help and they were very persistent and they followed the entire paper work trail from me and the travel agent and finally received a response from Rob saying he was not sending a refund. The Elliott Organization may still use this example in their syndicated column to warn other travellers and suggested if I wish to pursue this further, I would have to go to small claims court. Also reported to the BBB and Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce. My suggestion is if you want to go on a western tour, DO NOT USE GREAT WESTERN...

We had such a memorable time with Great Western Expeditions!

Our stay in the area was shorter than we would have liked, so maximizing Yellowstone was a top priority. We left fully satisfied that we came, we saw and we conquered!

Natalie, our tour guide, was not only accommodating and sweet, she was filled with vast knowledge and an uncanny skill of how to route us to maximize the day and the opportunity to see wildlife. We were fortunate to see 3 bears, countless Bison, a moose and even a gray wolf! For a tour on Friday the 13th....we definitely weren't cursed! So fortunate.

On GWE: every bit of it was fantastic. The van was on time and man, was it comfortable! We were a group of 5 but that van could have easily fit 8-10 comfortably. The windows were large and the high-roof van was clean. Natalie squeezed in tight quarters constantly with ease. The lunch and snacks were so good, too! We felt highly catered to.

We saw all the major highlights during the 12 hour day. While it's a long day, it didn't feel like it with GWE taking us on this private tour. We felt we had a leg up all day and an advantage that most didn't have and having someone that knew all of the best stops for the restroom was key, too! It was stress free and well worth what we felt was a competitive rate (after talking to others).

Overall Natalie and GWE exceeded our expectations and will undoubtedly call on them the next time we are...

We had the incredible opportunity to spend five hours exploring the Grand Teton area with David B as our guide, and it was truly the highlight of our trip. From the moment the tour started, David’s passion and expertise were clear. He taught us so much about the wildlife in the region and gave us a fresh perspective on how to look for animals in their natural habitat. With his guidance, we not only spotted a variety of species but also gained a deeper appreciation for how to track and observe them responsibly.

He also took the time to show us how to use a spotting scope, which made such a difference in seeing details we would have completely missed on our own. Beyond his wildlife knowledge, David amazed us with his insight into the geology and history of the Tetons—his understanding of the landscape is nearly limitless, and he has a real gift for weaving facts into engaging stories.

We ended the day with a delicious sunset dinner in the park. It was the perfect close to a remarkable adventure that blended learning, discovery, and natural beauty.

David is not only a highly skilled and knowledgeable guide, but also someone who genuinely makes the experience enjoyable and meaningful. We can’t recommend him highly enough—if you’re visiting the Grand Teton area, a tour with David is an...