Private Tour

Private Tour of the Badlands with Local Experts

Overview

Available languages

English

Mobile ticket

The Badlands have many secrets and requires a seasoned guide to explain and reveal them. GeoFunTrek Tours' guides are local experts with decades of experience. We have no seasonal-guides, part-time guides or trainee-guides. This is a family-owned business and all tours are conducted by family members: Cindy, Christopher and John Esposti. We have the knowledge and skills to make your day one to remember. You will always get the A-Team when you tour with GeoFunTrek Tours!

All tours are PRIVATE TOURS, exclusive to the group booking the tour, and no additional guests will be included. Children must be accompanied by one adult. Children 3 years and younger are free and will have their own seat. Children's car seats must be supplied by family members when required. Our vehicles are SUV's and a van may be rented for larger groups. Please enquire about vehicles if you have any questions. This tour is great for 3-generation families with Children, multiple couples and groups of friends.

Additional Info

Service animals allowed

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Wheelchair accessible

GEOFUNTREK TOURS SAFETY UPDATE COVID-19 Your comfort and safety are our primary concern. Take a private tour, limited to your group only and enjoy the day. We have only three guides: John, Chris & Cindy. They are family members from the same household. They constantly monitor each other’s health. So even when not at work “THE BOSS” is always watching. We do not have vehicles with a wheelchair lift. We can accommodate a folding wheechair and the guest must be able to enter and exit the vehicle on their own. We will gladly assist with any needed assistance and pushing.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Light snacks, bottled water and apple juice

Snacks

We have time budgeted for a meal break at the guest's discretion and expense. Coolers are available for boxed lunches and picnic supples.

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

What To Expect

Museum of Geology

"What the mind does not know, the eye cannot see", is especially true of the Badlands. Here is where the veil of mystery will be lifted from the Badlands and its secrets revealed. This is the scientific institution where the geology and paleontology of the Badlands were defined and understood. The time spent here with your local experts will open your mind to what is to come. The museum is closed on Sunday and Federal Holidays.

30 minutes • Admission Included

Badlands National Park

The Badlands are as large and diverse as they are legendary. Fortunately this is a private tour, and you are free to determine how you spend your time there. Here is what we recommend: 1) Travel to the ghost town of Scenic, SD and the remote Sheep Mountain Table area. This is an area that few get to see and, you are ready to experience and understand; 2) Journey the Badlands Scenic Byway and stop at the park visitor center and several overlooks and trails.

6 hours • Admission Included

Options

Private Tour of the Badlands with Local Experts

Pickup included

Reviews

5.00

25 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Badlands / Bear Country / Wall Drug
TKsTravel,
Oct 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Chris was very knowledgeable about all of the sights he took us to visit. We really appreciated that he let us know that it was our tour and that we could stay as long or short as we wanted at the places we took us. He was very accommodating in working around the government shutdown. We were not able to visit a few places normally on the tour because of the shutdown but Chris made sure we had an amazing day.
A fun day in Deadwood and Spearfish Canyon
melcoker,
Jun 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
John was a fantastic tour guide who showed great wealth of knowledge and patience with our family of 4. We have 2 preteens who learned a lot about science and history. He took us to see the beautiful Spearfish Canyon and then we toured the Lead gold mine which conducts research in neutrinos. We then went to Deadwood to watch h the shoot out reenactments and learn about the famous characters Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane, saw their burials sites at Mount Moriah cemetery. We did a walking tour with an actor dressed as Marshall Bullock. John dropped us off at convenient locations and took care of the parking and all the tickets for us, allowing us to enjoy the activities and events without having to deal with the planning and hassle. He even provided big umbrellas when it started to rain. We went to Tatanka museum to learn about the bison. It was a wonderful day of learning and fun!
Amazing Experience 10000/10!!!
Rachael J,
Apr 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
My husband and I did this tour with Chris and he just made this experience amazing. Despite it raining off and on all day, he made the most of it with our raincoats and umbrellas. He was very knowledgeable and let us choose how we wanted our day to go. Would recommend this to everyone for a fun day full of fun activities and hitting the best scenic spots.
Mount Rushmore and Badlands
Philip P,
Apr 17, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Cindy our tour guide was excellent. She grew up in Keystone and her family has been in the tour industry for her entire life. Cindy knew all the secret scenic spots which made for a wonderful two days( we took the Mount Rushmore tour the day before).
Highly recommended!
Andrew C,
Oct 4, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00
Tour Date: 9/24/24 This is my family's first time in South Dakota. We have wanted to go to the Badlands for quite sometime now and we wanted it to be the best experience. We spoke to John, one of the owners before the tour for a special request- to see the sunset in the Badlands. John said we'll check the weather and if it was favorable, we will adjust the tour time so we can see it. We got lucky that the weather was good on the day of the tour. Chris, another one of the owners, was our guide. He took us to the Museum of Geology and then to the Minuteman Missile National Historic Park. Chris knew we collect cancellation stamps at each national park we go to and made sure to take us to the visitor center of the Badlands and to different viewing areas of the park. The Badlands was beautiful and awe-inspiring! We weren't rushed, we had enough time to take photos and Chris took our photos when we asked him to. We went to Wall Drug for dinner and went back to the Badlands in time to set up for sunset. It was wonderful! Chris said we got lucky because it was one of the clearest sunsets he has seen lately. On our way home, we mentioned to Chris that we would like to see some stars and the Milky Way and he promised to take us to a place close to our hotel to see the night sky (see photo). He went out of his way to accommodate this special request and we appreciated that. We highly recommend this private tour of the Badlands, etc. It was an amazing way to experience a beautiful part of South Dakota!
Excellent tour
Susan C,
Sep 17, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00
We really enjoyed touring the Badlands with Chris! He was a great guide and very informative. We also got to see the Prairie Homestead and the Wall drugstore. We would highly recommend Chris and his company.
Badlands excursion
Robert M,
Sep 5, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00
John was an excellent tour guide! His knowledge of the Badlands and its Geology was amazing! He was also very knowledgeable about the Black Hills region in general. Once in the Badlands we pretty much tailored our own day!
Knowledge and fun. Accommodating.
Gary H,
Jun 23, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00
Chris is very knowledgeable as he grew up in the area. He knows the geology, the animals and how to find them. We even saw a burrowing owl standing sentinel over its new home in the prairie dog town.
The Badlands are GREAT!
Roberta K,
Oct 20, 2023
- Review from Viator
5.00
A great day exploring the Badlands. Chris was our guide for 2nd day and his was terrific! Very interesting geology. Enjoyed the Geology museum and Minuteman Missle site/museum was very interesting. Definitely recommend this tour! Private tours the best!
Outstanding tour and guide
912kristil,
Oct 10, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Wanted to give a big round of thanks to our guide Chris for an A+ tour of the Badlands. Although the scenery alone can only be described as stunning, Chris’ commentary and insights added so much to our day. Visited a fossil /artifact/geology museum to get an understanding of how the badlands evolved, a wonderful burger and fry lunch in Wall, and then a drive through the Badlands that culminated in a view of sun setting over this beautiful park. Chris was knowledgeable, fun and so friendly! Having a driver allowed us to see all the highlights and allowed everyone to enjoy the trip without the stress of searching for sights. Booking was great, follow thru perfect. Would absolutely recommend… and see the Badlands… like a surreal landscape like no place else I’ve ever been.