Spring Magic in Nebraska
Trip Overview
Every March, Nebraska becomes home to one of the greatest wildlife spectacles in North America. More than half a million Sandhill Cranes, the world’s largest congregation of cranes, converges on the Platte River Valley in Nebraska. Joining the Sandhill Cranes are another 20 million birds – waterfowl, shorebirds, and the endangered Whooping Crane. They stop to rest and refuel in the adjacent Rainwater Basin before continuing further north to their summer breeding grounds. So many birds are here during spring migration that vast expanses of open sky are filled with sounds of flapping wings and a chorus of calls.
At the same time, male Greater Prairie-Chickens gather at ancient breeding grounds and compete for the chance to mate in Nebraska’s prairie grasslands. Their raucous displays include stomping, booming, whooping, and sparring. With exposed tail coverts and balloon-like air sacs flashing orange and yellow, few performances in the bird world are more memorable than this dawn dance of chickens.
We’ll spend five days exploring Nebraska’s wildlife hotspots. We have strategically selected areas away from crowds so that we have the time and space to truly enjoy these wildlife spectacles in true Reefs to Rockies style. We’ll travel in a custom American safari van with a conversion pop-top and spacious seating. This is not the traditional passenger van you may have traveled in on past trips. This one-of-a-kind vehicle has been specially designed by two wildlife biologists to allow for optimal viewing. It makes a perfect ‘blind’ and there’s ample room for everyone to view at the same time. Get ready for Spring Magic with Denver Audubon and Reefs to Rockies!
Itinerary
Day 1 | Denver to Ogallala
Morning departure from Denver for our scenic drive to Nebraska’s Platte River Valley with birding stops along the way. We’ll spend time this afternoon searching for cranes feeding in fields adjacent to the North Platte River. In the last hour of daylight, we’ll watch as flocks of cranes return to their nightly roost sites, our first introduction to the magnitude of this annual wildlife spectacle.
Accommodations: Hampton Inn Ogallala
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Day 2 | Ogallala to North Platte
This morning we’ll make our way east our way east to North Platte, a city rich in history located at the confluence of the North and South Platte rivers. Here, the two rivers becomes the Platte.
This afternoon, we’ll embark on a guided bus tour with our local guide exploring Platte River Valley backroads between North Platte and Hershey. We’ll stop when we find large groups of Sandhill Cranes so that there’s time to learn about their natural history while observing and photographing this charismatic species.
Accommodations: Holiday Inn Express North Platte
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 3 | North Platte
Today begins early with a visit to a nearby ranch that’s home to Greater Prairie-Chickens. Before sunrise, males start arriving to this historic lek, a place where multiple males gather during mating season and engage in competitive displays. Our blind is close to the action so we can observe the interactions between the alpha male and his challengers. This evening, we’ll head a short distance out of town to a viewing blind located at a prime location along the shore of the North Platte River. We’ll arrive in time to see Sandhill Cranes return from their daytime foraging areas to roost in the river for the night. This evening experience is sure to delight all your senses.
Accommodations: Holiday Inn Express North Platte
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 4 | North Platte to McCook
After a later start this morning, we’ll explore area wildlife hotspots in search of migrating flocks and other regional highlights on our way to McCook. We’ll hear tales of Greater Prairie-Chickens this evening from an engaging storyteller before our farewell dinner downtown.
Accommodations: Holiday Inn Express McCook
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 5 | McCook to Denver
No two leks are the same so we’ll wake before dawn again and head to another Nebraska ranch for a morning with dancing chickens. After a hearty mid-morning breakfast in McCook, we’ll start making our way back to Denver. There’s time for birding and wildlife viewing en route. Stops will be determined based on recent sightings and the group’s interests.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
About Your Expedition Leader
Carly Crow from Reefs to Rockies is thrilled to host this small-group wildlife expedition to Nebraska. A passionate birder and field biologist, Carly has been immersed in avian research since 2017, specializing in bird banding and field studies. Her work has taken her across the U.S. and around the world, giving her a deep appreciation for the incredible diversity of birdlife and ecosystems. With experience leading research and educational projects in Costa Rica, Mexico, and Ecuador, Carly brings a spirit of curiosity, discovery, and enthusiasm to every trip she leads.
Details
Price: $2895* per person based on double occupancy accommodations, i.e. two people sharing a room. If you prefer a private, single occupancy room, add $350**.
Tour cost includes accommodations, transportation from Denver in the Roaming Bison Safari Vehicle, all meals starting with lunch on Day 1 through lunch on Day 5, driver/guide expedition leader, daily guided wildlife viewing with spotting scope available, activities as listed, additional local guides in North Platte and McCook (bus tour, crane blind, and prairie-chicken leks), gratuities for local guides and at restaurants, and conservation donations to Denver Audubon and the Crane Trust.
Exclusions: transportation to/from meeting point in northeast Denver, travel insurance, optional activities, gratuities for expedition leader and hotel staff, and personal items.
*Reflects payment by check or ACH. Credit card fees, if applicable will be assessed at time of booking.
**If you are a solo traveler that prefers to share a double occupancy room, but we aren’t able to find a suitable roommate for you, the private room surcharge will apply.
Group Size: min of 5 and max of 7 participants + Expedition Leader. The North Platte activities are on a group basis. We are known for smaller group sizes with a better participant to guide ratio than most companies offering similar itineraries. This trip starts and ends in the Denver Metro area (likely RTD’s Central Park Station Park-N-Ride).
Level of Difficulty: Winter weather in Nebraska can be cold and windy. Participants should be prepared to spend birding periods of 30 minutes to an hour outside with walks up to a mile in length. Blinds are not heated and sessions typically last 2 hrs. Ability to climb up and down from a passenger van that is lifted for 4WD with a stool provided is required.
Conservation Impact
Denver Audubon and the Crane Trust are both doing vital, place-based conservation work that directly supports the landscapes and wildlife. Denver Audubon advances bird conservation across the Front Range through habitat restoration, education, and community science, while the Crane Trust protects and manages critical habitat along Nebraska’s Platte River, one of the most important stopover sites in the world for Sandhill Cranes and other migratory species. Together, their efforts help ensure these ecosystems remain vibrant and resilient for generations to come. A conservation donation to both organizations will be made on behalf of all participants.
