Worldwide Travel

Item Description

On the Trail of the Wolf with Go Native America, 3 nights 4 days

Go Native America has been awarded Responsible Tourism Award (Best Conservation of Cultural Heritage) Highly Commended, 2007, and has been recognized as one of National Geographic Traveler's "Top 50 Tours of Your Lifetime"

Experience the Yellowstone region as you will have never experienced it before! Journey into the realm of the wolf on a unique tour exploring the physical and spiritual significance of the wolf to the Plains Indians. The wolf appears in sacred narratives of ceremony and origin, is celebrated in songs, and has taught and inspired hunters and warriors. Through stories, and by actually entering the wolf's domain, we learn of the power and gifts he brings to the people, and reflect upon his prominence in art and symbolism.

On the Trail of the Wolf, we learn that Yellowstone is Indian Country as we explore the region's Native history and culture. Just as the human beings and the buffalo share an ancient compact, so too do the wolf and the buffalo, and the wolf and the humans. The wolf taught many to hunt, and would call others to share the bounty. The wolf is revered in Cheyenne and other Plains cultures as a teacher, to the extent that the scouts of the people - those who guide, those who bring warnings and messages - are referred to as “wolves.” Within Cheyenne culture, the Bowstrings Military Society members have an ancient connection to the wolf. Join the Trail and learn why the Bowstrings are called "Wolf Soldiers", and the leader of the society, the "Wolf Chief".

At dawn and dusk, we will seek the twilight hunter and listen for the mysterious music of his song. We discuss the behavioral traits of the wolf, and compare those to the grizzly bear, for whom we may also search. At the world's premiere museum of The West, the Buffalo Bill Historical Society, we spend time in the Plains Indian gallery to associate the spiritual with the physical exhibits of the Old Ones. We learn the ways of the wolf both spiritually and scientifically.

This Trail features eco-sustainable lodgings of the highest standard and quality in Wyoming: The Cody. As the premier luxury hotel in Cody, this facility takes their commitment to the environment seriously while offering many upscale amenities. The Cody is a green hotel constructed and operating using principles of recycling and conservation. Even the planking and wood trim come from nearby Yellowstone Park facilities to accent the corridors and lobby, and you will enjoy a delicious organic breakfast each morning.

***Message to TIES auction participants: Our trips are very popular and we get booked out very quickly. If you would like to participate in this experience, please do not hesitate to make your booking - if yours is the successful bid, you will make an important contribution to TIES and get the trip for "free." If you bid unsuccessfully, we will offer all TIES bidders a discount for booking early.

Item Special Note

Blackout dates may apply, particularly on national holidays such as July 4th weekend. Go Native America trips are booked very quicky so grab your preferred dates early! Bear in mind weather restrictions/park closing dates. Need help? Call +1 (888) 800 1876 extension 1, and ask for Sarah.

Go Native America's Sustainability Practices:

• Paperless office: At Go Native America, detailed waste policy is encapsulated in office practices, where paper use is minimized by scanning and emailing to pass information. Other than the production of a modest brochure on recycled paper, Go Native America's booking process is designed so it can be completed with just one piece of paper. Wherver possible, recycled and environmentally friendly products are used.
• Water conservation: All tour members are provided with information and suggestions about reducing water use in their travel packs. Additionally, drought warnings which are posted everywhere in the Western US states, are brought to the attention of tour members, discussing the impact of drought particularly on tribal cultures.
• Wildlife: Minimizing environmental damage and protecting wildlife is an integral part of our own lifestyle which naturally spills into our guided tours – Go Native America's travel packs discuss the requirements and local laws.
• Environmental and social education: Where possible visits to, and information about local environmental projects (such as wind power production) are offered. However, environmental projects are not always in place – and they simply don’t get prioritized by tribal Governments in the face of extreme poverty. So we promise to help our tour members to understand social conditions.
• Small group low-impact tours: We will rarely take a group of more than 12-15 people, and usually take less than that, to minimize negative social and environmental impact.
• Transportation: We crave vehicles with better fuel consumption, but are presently stuck with the standards that vehicle manufacturers provide. So we undertake to research and use the best environmental option for any job. Such is our depth of feeling on this issue that, when possible, on some reservations we use an alternative mode of transportation – horseback!

Go Native America's Economic Policy:

• Accommodations: Our policy is to stay in tribally owned and run hotels/motels where possible. Where this option is not available, independent suppliers, or locally franchised operations are used.
• Authentic Native arts and crafts: Tour members have the opportunity to buy arts and crafts directly from Native artists in the Indigenous community, and not the fake mass-produced sweat-shop jewellery, beadwork that flood the Native art market, eroding one of the only financial lifelines available to many Native communities on reservations. Not only is this good economically for the individual artists and wider community, it is great for the guests, as they get an intimate look into Indian culture when they interact with the artists.
• Local guides: We use only indigenous guides, and this is not because of the "Indian Preference in Employment" Act – it’s because local tribal people should have the opportunity to define themselves and their own cultures. We aim to work with guides and tribal representatives in on-going relationships year on year and some have guided our groups since our very first tour 10 years ago.
• Supporting Native guides and families: All guides receive above "fair" wages for their work with us in recognition that with little infrastructure in their communities, families are often dependent on seasonal work for a year’s earnings. While tour members can choose their travel in a convenient time period, guides are less fortunate in choosing when to work. Whenever we give discounts or vouchers of any kind it is always in "Indian Country Dollars" - this is a Go Native America scheme whereby we offer cash equivalents that can be spent only with indigenous businesses, guides etc.

Go Native America's Social Policy:

Most of our tour members are aware of US political situations through extensive media coverage, but usually are unaware that reservations are self governed, with sovereignty and the political scene is not the same at each of the several reservations they will visit. The complexities, derived from a historical background of government coercion mixed with language barriers, are many. We prepare tour members in brief before they arrive, but our guides explain in situ so that the realities and accuracy of the conditions can be handled with sensitivity and understanding.

Go Native America will always employ local tribal people and we have the longest list of indigenous guides employed by any company on this continent. Companies we work with also employ locals - often they have to, since the communities we visit are usually rural in the extreme. For example, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is approx 90 miles from the nearest large town and is populated mainly by tribal members.

We strongly discourage local people from changing their regular customs/habits for our groups - we don't want to disrupt our hosts, but moreover we feel that to experience real Native American communities as an invited visitor is far more valuable than some put-on version amended for tourist eyes.

Although we do not need to use destination suppliers for our local guides since we have our own local guides, contacts and friends in all areas we visit, we make it policy to have community representatives involved everywhere we go.

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If you need assistance with the purchase of this package or any other items on TIES eco-holiday auction: please contact ecoDestinations@ecotourism.org or +1 202-506-5033 x14.

If you are the successful bidder, you will receive an email from TIES with the certificate confirming your purchase within 24 hours of the auction close. All TIES eco-holiday auction items are valid for one year (excluding the blackout dates noted in the item description) unless otherwise stated. The winner will receive contact details of the trip provider(s) to make travel arrangements.

All proceeds raised from your purchase of this trip will go directly to The International Ecotourism Society to support their numerous projects in support of responsible travel worldwide.