Nebraska's Sandhill Crane Migration

DAY 1: JOURNEY TO THE PLATTE VALLEY

Travel west toward the heart of the crane migration corridor. After checking into your hotel, gather with your fellow travelers for an included welcome dinner and settle in for a 4-night stay. D

DAY 2: GRAND ISLAND HERITAGE

Discover downtown Grand Island’s architectural gems, starting with a tour of the beautifully restored 1930s Art Deco Grand Theater. Visit the 1898 Queen Anne-style Andrew M. Hargis House to learn about the region’s Victorian-era history. Begin the journey home with photos, memories, and a renewed appreciation for the wildlife with which we share our home. B, D

DAY 3: THE GREAT SANDHILL CRANE MIGRATION

Begin your wildlife experience at the Stuhr Museum with an educational presentation and video overview of the migration. Next, a local step-on guide joins the coach for a driving tour through the rural fields where the cranes feed during the day. This afternoon, visit the Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center to learn about the vital conservation efforts protecting this habitat. At dusk, enter the riverside viewing blinds for an unforgettable view of thousands of cranes flying in to roost for the evening. Conclude the day with dinner at the racing-themed Thunder Road Grill. B, D

DAY 4: SUNRISE FIELDS, INDUSTRIAL MIGHT

Rise early for a sunrise blind tour to watch the cranes depart the river (depending on flock location) at dawn before returning to the Crane Trust Visitor Center for a full breakfast. Take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Case IH equipment manufacturing plant to see how heavy agricultural machinery is built. Tonight, enjoy authentic German cuisine and tour at the historic 1911 Liederkranz. B, D

DAY 5: RETURN HOME B

ACCOMMODATIONS
Nights 1-4: SpringHill Suites Grand Island, NE

Departure Cities:

• Kansas City
• Springfield, MO

Depart: March 14, 2027
Return: March 18, 2027

Price per person:

• DB $1,199
• TP/QD $1,109
• SG $1,469

Mobility Note
Guests should be comfortable walking outdoors before sunrise and after sunset, potentially over gravel, grass, uneven ground and short inclines while entering the riverside viewing blinds. The blind experience may require standing or sitting quietly for an extended period in a confined, unheated space.

Average Temps
Daytime: 50–55°F
Overnight: 28–33°F

Time Zone
Central Time

Packing Tips
Pack a warm winter coat, hat, gloves, scarf and removable layers. Mornings and evenings along the river can feel considerably colder because of wind and prolonged periods of limited movement. Waterproof walking shoes or boots with good traction, hand warmers and a compact raincoat are recommended.

Photography Tips
Bring binoculars and a camera or phone with a strong zoom, as the cranes may roost at varying distances from the blind. Flashlights and flash photography are prohibited during crane viewing. Keep phones silenced and screens dim to avoid disturbing the birds.

Notes on Highlights
The tour is scheduled during the heart of the migration season, when roughly one million Sandhill Cranes gather in Nebraska’s Platte River Valley to rest and refuel before continuing north. The exact number and location of the cranes vary naturally according to weather, river conditions and migration patterns.

Guests experience the migration at both dusk and dawn. In the evening, thousands of cranes descend toward the river to roost, while the sunrise viewing offers the chance to watch the flocks lift off and travel to nearby fields to feed. These two viewing times provide distinctly different sights, sounds and behaviors.

The Platte River’s broad, shallow channels and exposed sandbars provide cranes with a protected overnight roost, while surrounding cornfields offer the food they need to build energy for the remainder of their migration.

Sandhill Cranes are known for their distinctive rolling calls, elaborate dances and social behavior. Inside the blind, guests may hear the gathering before there is enough daylight to fully see it.

Although the cranes are the main attraction, the Platte River corridor also supports bald eagles, geese, ducks and numerous other migrating birds. Wildlife sightings are always unpredictable.

Other General Information
Tour Communications: You will receive three key communications leading up to your tour:

• Get Ready: Your email confirmation and initial tour information, sent after you register.
• Get Set: An email with additional tour details, sent approximately two months before departure.
• Go: Your final trip documents, mailed via USPS approximately three to four weeks before departure. This packet will include your daily itinerary, luggage tags, and final departure information.

Travel Protection: Travel Protection is optional but highly recommended and may be purchased until the day before departure. Sunrise Tours offers plans through battleface. Additional information will be included with your Get Ready email and can also be found HERE.

Inclusions: Unless otherwise noted, your Sunrise Tour includes:

• A professional Sunrise Tour Director
• Meals as indicated in the itinerary
• Local step-on guides, including gratuities
• International tour guide gratuities when specified for the individual tour
• Deluxe motorcoach transportation with an onboard restroom
• Admission to activities and events as indicated
• Airfare from designated airports
• Transportation to and from designated airports from our convenient local pickup points*
• Luggage handling at hotels when available

Gratuities: We believe tipping is a personal and discretionary interaction between our guests and staff. A typical gratuity for your Sunrise Tour Director and motorcoach driver is $6 to $10 per person, per day of the tour. Sunrise Shuttle drivers also appreciate gratuities for excellent service, with a suggested amount of $5 per person. Our staff will not solicit gratuities or distribute gratuity envelopes.

Refreshments: We are happy to provide refreshments on most motorcoach travel days. We also recommend bringing a refillable water bottle to help you stay hydrated throughout your tour.

Pickup Points: If fewer than four travelers request a particular pickup point, we may ask those guests to select another available pickup location. Travelers are also welcome to join a tour from a city that is not listed as a departure point. Please contact our friendly reservations team to discuss available arrangements. For departure cities not listed, airfare is typically $100 more than the published fare for domestic tours and $200 more for international tours.

TSA PreCheck and Airline Rewards Numbers: TSA PreCheck, Known Traveler Numbers, and airline rewards numbers must be provided to our reservations team at least 60 days before departure. Numbers received after this deadline may not be applied to your reservation.

Airline Seating: Preferred seating may not be available with group airfare. In some cases, seats are not assigned until travelers arrive at the airport. Your tour fare includes an economy-class seat but does not include advance seat selection. Seat upgrades may be available for an additional cost.

Motorcoach Capacity and Seating: To provide one of the most comfortable motorcoach experiences in the industry, Sunrise Tours generally limits motorcoaches to 80% capacity. This allows for a maximum of 44 passengers on a motorcoach designed to accommodate 55. Sunrise Tours reserves the right to amend this practice. Your Tour Director will rotate motorcoach seating each day of the tour. Payment of a single-occupancy fare does not guarantee two motorcoach seats, and you may be seated beside another friendly Sunrise Tours guest.

Terms and Conditions
Please refer to our policies HERE for more information on our terms and conditions.