TRAVEL ALERT  Hurricane Helene

Best of Montana

6 Days | A nature-packed adventure in the mountains of Montana

4 out of 5 based on 15 reviews submitted.
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CHF  3,285
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Taking you from Bozeman to Missoula via Glacier National Park, this six-day trip showcases the customs and history of Native American culture and the natural beauty of Montana. With a knowledgeable leader guiding the way, you’ll experience a landscape shaped by the elements over thousands of years as you immerse yourself in local history and enjoy delicious picnic lunches surrounded by the scenic splendour of mountains, rivers, glaciers and lakes. Head out on a scenic river cruise, explore the mountains on hikes and get your heart pumping on an exhilarating rafting experience.

Trip overview

Map of Best Of Montana including United States Of America
Start
Bozeman, United States
Finish
Missoula, United States
Theme
Explorer
Destinations
United States
Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
Style
Comfort
Ages
Min 18
Group size
Min 1 - Max 12
Trip code
SSEM
This trip generates 30 kg of CO2-e per person per day.
We offset these emissions on your behalf. But we know that is not enough, so we also have a carbon reduction target.

Why you'll love this trip
  • Raft down the Flathead River in Glacier National Park – a wilderness area in Montana’s Rocky Mountains – and soak up the views from a different perspective.
  • Spend a full day learning about Native American history in First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park from a member of the Blackfeet tribe, hiking in Giant Springs State Park and exploring the land and culture.
  • Follow in the path of Lewis and Clark exploring the Gates of the Mountains on a scenic river cruise along the Missouri River.
  • Spend a full day on a locally guided hike through the incredible Glacier National Park, where you’ll stand at the foot of waterfalls, walk under the canopy of ancient forests, and enjoy a homemade lunch in the wilderness.
  • End your trip in Missoula with an included lunch and beer tasting at a local brewery, toasting your efforts on an adventure well spent!

Is this trip right for you?
  • This trip includes a whitewater rafting experience in which you will be required to manoeuvre in and out of a raft, and a guided hike with a distance of 10.5 km (6.5 mi). While the included activities do not require any special physical preparation for most travelers, at least a moderate level of fitness is needed to make the most out of the trip.
  • June departures may include a guided e-biking experience on Glacier National Park's iconic Going to the Sun Road instead of the full day hike if the high passes are not yet fully cleared of snow.
  • You may also want to check out our Great American West trip if you have a longer time to explore the region: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/united-states/great-american-west-150416

Itinerary

This itinerary is valid for departures from 01 January 2025 to 31 December 2025.

View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2024 - 31 December 2024

Map of Best Of Montana including United States Of America

Inclusions

Meals

5 breakfasts, 3 lunches

Transport

Private vehicle

Accommodation

Hotels (5 nights)

Activities
  • Helena - Walking tour with a local guide
  • Bozeman - Leader-led walking tour
  • Helena - Lewis and Clark River Cruise
  • Great Falls - Hikes with Blackfeet Nation guide
  • Glacier National Park – Scenic Whitewater Rafting
  • Glacier National Park - Full Day Guided Hike with Lunch
  • Missoula - Local Brewery Tasting & Lunch

Dates and availability

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Important notes

1. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 10 am on Day 1 in Bozeman. Please make your own way to the Joining Point listed in the Essential Trip Information for this itinerary.

2. This trip finishes at approximately 3pm in Missoula. No accommodation is booked for this evening. If departing this day, please do not book any flights before 6pm. if you would like to spend more time in Missoula, we can request additional accommodation for you post tour. Please speak to your booking agent.

3. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights on your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.

4. Glacier National Park roads do not fully open to vehicles until all snow is cleared from the high alpine passes. This usually happens in early to mid-June but can extend later into the month during especially snowy years. On departures that travel before the park roads fully open to cars, we will include guided e-biking on Going to the Sun Road instead of the full day guided hike. The e-biking typically lasts 4-5 hours and we ride 16-42 miles depending on road conditions. The minimum age to ride an e-bike is 18 years old.

Essential Trip Information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

Read Essential Trip Information

Reviews

4 out of 5 based on 15 reviews submitted.
Reviews are from travellers who have completed their trip and want to share their experience. We show all reviews, but may remove any that include profanity or inappropriate content, are unrelated to the trip or reveal personal details.

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Stephanie · Traveled August 2024
This is great way to experience Bozeman, Helena, Grand Falls, and Glacier National Park! Please note you will need to paddle on the Flathead River Rafting Trip, following the guide’s instructions. Please listen carefully about what to do when ejected from the raft, as this is a real possibility.
Review submitted 20 Aug 2024

Terri · Traveled August 2023
Day 1- Louis and Clark State Park was nothing special & not worth travelling to see. The night in Helena was at a nice hotel & cute downtown- but not sure why we were there. Day 2- The river cruise was okay, but again, not worth travelling to see. Night in Great Falls was at a run-down hotel. There was nothing in Great Falls- this was a complete waste of time & money. Day 3- We met with the Blackfeet guide and just killed time in Great Falls. This was a completely wasted day with another night at the same hotel in Great Falls. Day 4- FINALLY, we go to Glacier!!! However, we were just put on an 8-HOUR vintage bus tour of terror. Most of us booked the Montana trip primarily to see Glacier - this was a complete letdown and sad way to see the park. For our specific tour, the weather made the journey even worse as we had record high temperatures and these buses are open air, direct sun with no AC. It was a miserable experience. Night in Whitefish was at a very nice hotel. Day 5- I was so discouraged by the trip that at this point I skipped the nature walk to just spend some quiet time wandering in downtown Whitefish by myself. This trip was such a disappointment. It was a total waste of vacation time and money- I feel robbed by Intrepid. I met up with the group for whitewater rafting in the afternoon. It was a good time and I recommend keeping this on the itinerary, but otherwise it needs a complete overhaul. Our tour guide was excellent- he did his best to make the trip a good experience for us, but there was only so much he could do. We had a 5-star guide working with a 0-star itinerary.
Review submitted 26 Aug 2023

Kirsten · Traveled August 2023
Poor to mediocre itinerary and activities, unless you like sitting and moving sedately. Not worth the money. You certainly won't get to experience the "best of Montana". Thank god for our gude Andrew who saved the day, every day!
Review submitted 21 Aug 2023

Maria · Traveled August 2023
I am disappointed with the value for money on this Tour. The itinerary needs to be re-evaluated.
Review submitted 27 Aug 2023

Niamh · Traveled July 2023
While I enjoyed this trip, I feel that this trip is too expensive for 5 nights. We visited some lovely spots, particularly Glacier National Park. Accommodation was comforatble. However, the tour bus was below average - stained seats and noisy aircon, this is definitley in need of an upgrade. The people on the trip were lovley and the tour leader, Jessica, goes out of her way to ensure that everyone is looked after and did a great job at driving. I would suggest offfering more optional activities - e.g., horse riding, etc. particularly in quieter stops like Great Falls.
Review submitted 21 Aug 2023
Best of Montana
From
CHF  3,285