We had been wanting to go out to South Dakota for many years as my husband and his children had never been but I had and had spectacular memories of the monuments and the parks. When I was putting together an itinerary, I suggested that we take a private tour of the "BIG bigs" so we could maximize our time, our learnings and so my husband wouldn't have to drive after driving in from Chicago the day before. John called us the day before to set everything up and the morning of our tour, he was there on time and with everything he could possibly need to make us comfortable for the day! He had water, snacks - everything! We departed from our hotel and along the way, John told us about him and his long history in the area which certainly make him a credible tour guide! But more so, he knew ALL the history and shared it with us in a way that was interesting and engaging. When we arrived at Mount Rushmore, John said he would grab some umbrellas and although it didn't look like rain, he was right! And he had umbrellas for us all and a back up plan for us to check out a super cool video about Mount Rushmore which I might have otherwise skipped. But I was so glad I didn't! John's tour was flexible and allowed us to decide where we wanted to spend more time. He was incredibly kind and ensured that he looked hard and asked everyone and took us around until we finally saw some bison. He knew a lot about those too! But certainly, I think that the most memorable part of this entire tour (besides the sights!) was his cowboy poetry, which stays with us. His ability to recall and recite such impactful poetry was something I'll never forget - And I've done more to look up additional poetry by the same author. It was impressive but impactful and something neither my family nor I will ever forget.
The cost was 1000% worth it as the my family and I agreed that was the best day. Not just for the sights, but for what we learned and what we took from it - A great testament to John's contribution to our day. I know that we would have had a good day seeing these things, but John made it a day we'll never forget. I cannot recommend ENOUGH!
Thank you for this wonderful memory!
Response from Host
Jul 2024
Wow! I almost do not know what to say, other than "Thank you for the glowing review." Sharing this region with folks who appreciate it makes my life meaningful and fun. Thanks for the chance to share it with you.
Take care,
John Esposti, Co-owner
GeoFunTrek Tours