Embark on this incredible Sandhill Crane migration trip. Each year, half a million Sandhill Cranes descend upon Nebraska’s Platte River. By March, nearly 80% of the world’s population crowds a 150-mile stretch of the river, creating a migration spectacle that is simply mind-boggling to witness. This is the largest gathering of cranes anywhere in the world! Here, the cranes rest and feed before they continue north to breeding grounds in Canada, Alaska, and even into Siberia.

Among the cranes are over 10-million ducks and geese, stunning in breeding plumage. We time this popular tour a touch on the early side so that our group has the chance to experience skies full of Snow Geese, too!

We have based this Nebraska nature tour out of Lincoln to keep the driving time down and the airport quiet—yes! It’s a lovely city and galleries and restaurants abound. You may even want to come in early to enjoy the atmosphere and several excellent museums at your leisure.

Tour Highlights

• Immerse yourself at the National Audubon’s Spring Creek Prairie Reserve and enjoy the pleasant trail system and plentiful feeder birds
• Experience hundreds of thousands of Sandhill Crane as they roost, feed, and sing along the Platte River
• Witness a “crane rise” at dawn as clouds of cranes awake with a cacophony of sound
• Marvel at the thousands of Snow Geese and other waterfowl at Rainwater Basin
• Opt to visit the Nebraska Museum of art, small, but a true treasure
• Enjoy the crane spectacle from privately reserved blinds at Audubon’s Rowe Sanctuary

Trip Itinerary

Itineraries are guidelines; variations in itinerary may occur to account for weather, road conditions, closures, etc. and to maximize your experience.

Sun., Mar. 17 : Arrival in Lincoln, Nebraska

Arrive in Lincoln, the state capital of Nebraska. Our expert guides are at the airport to welcome you. After getting settled into your room you can take a short walk to enjoy the historic Haymarket District or relax at the hotel prior to dinner. We plan a welcome dinner at a favorite restaurant in the Haymarket area.
Accommodations at Embassy Suites, Lincoln (D)

Mon., Mar. 18 : Spring Creek Prairie | Crane Trust

This morning we enjoy breakfast at the hotel, then pack up for our two-hour drive to Kearney. Your guides share their knowledge of the birds and the prairie along the way. Our first stop west of Lincoln is at Audubon’s Spring Creek Prairie, where we walk the trails and watch bird activity at the feeders.

Next we enjoy a restaurant lunch en route and then head to the Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center where we hear about the conservation work they are doing along the Platte River. The group also gets an in-depth introduction to the Sandhill Cranes we see in the coming days.

After we are finished at the Crane Trust, it’s on to Kearney to settle into our lodging, unpack, and unwind. Tonight we enjoy dinner as we get to know our guides and travel companions.

Accommodations at the Hampton Inn, Kearney (B,L,D)

Tue., Mar. 19: Sunrise on the Platte River | Crane Behavior

We start our day at Audubon’s Rowe Sanctuary where we experience our first sunrise with the cranes. The walk to the viewing blind is approximately a quarter of a mile one way. After a couple of hours in the blind, we return to the visitor center to see what birds are at the feeders.

After our visit to Rowe, we return to Kearney for brunch and then have a couple of hours of down time back at the hotel.

In the afternoon we head out to find cranes in the fields to look for the behaviors the group learned about the day before. Tonight we enjoy dinner and a relaxing evening at a delightful local restaurant.
Accommodations at the Hampton Inn, Kearney (Br,D)

Wed., Mar. 20 : Sunrise on the Prairie | The Archway Option | Evening with Cranes

This morning we drive north of Kearney to experience sunrise with Greater Prairie-Chickens displaying on their lek. The walk to the viewing blind is approximately 200 yards one way. After an hour or so in a blind, we return to Kearney for brunch.

After brunch, we again have a couple of hours to rest. In the afternoon, we have the option to visit The Archway Monument, followed by an early dinner. After dinner we travel to the Crane Trust for an evening with the cranes.

Accommodations at the Hampton Inn, Kearney (Br,D)

Thurs., Mar. 21 : Harlan County Reservoir | Free Evening or Optional Evening with Cranes

This morning enjoy breakfast at the hotel, with a more leisurely rising time before we head south to Harlan County Reservoir to search for waterfowl and other early migrants. We grab lunch while we're out and about and on our return to Kearney, we stop at a Prairie Dog town located in the Rainwater Basin where we also hope to see Burrowing Owl.

Tonight dinner is at a restaurant that is just a short walk from the hotel. Afterwards you can choose to relax or die-hard crane fans can venture back out at sunset to watch the cranes come back to roost in the river.

Accommodations at the Hampton Inn, Kearney (B,L,D)

Fri., Mar. 22 : Sunrise with the Cranes | Celebratory Dinner | Ft. Kearny Bridge

We start our day with a return to Audubon’s Rowe Sanctuary to enjoy one more morning with the cranes. There is time after the tour to peruse the gift shop in the visitor center as well as check out what’s at the feeders before we head back to Kearney for brunch.

After brunch, we again have a couple of hours to rest. In the afternoon we seek out cranes in the fields to observe their behavior.

We celebrate our great week with an early dinner and then return to the Fort Kearny Hike-Bike Trail Bridge over the Platte River for one last evening with the cranes.

Accommodations at the Hampton Inn, Kearney (Br,D)

Sat., Mar. 23 : Departures

This morning, we return to Lincoln for flights out after noon, arriving the airport by 10:30 AM. (B)

Cost of the Journey

Cost of the journey is $2,890 DBL / $3,490 SGL, from Lincoln, Nebraska. Cost includes: all accommodations; all meals as stated in the itinerary; group airport transfers; ground transportation; professional guide services; park, preserve, and other activity fees; and miscellaneous program expenses. Tour price does not include: round trip airfare to and from Lincoln, Nebraska, or items of a personal nature such as laundry, porterage, telephone charges, or alcoholic beverages. Gratuities for your guides and other staff are not included; these are at your discretion, but highly appreciated and recommended.

Travel Details

Please plan to make air travel plans only after the minimum group size has been met. We will send you a confirmation email as soon as the trip has been confirmed.

Arrival & Departure Airport: Lincoln Airport (LNK)

Arrival Details: Plan to arrive March 17, no later than 5:00 PM

Departure Details: Plan March 23 flights leaving after 12:00 PM Alternative Arrival or Departure Plan: Another option is to fly into the Omaha Eppley Airfield (OMA) and take a shuttle to the Lincoln Airport (LNK). The drive is approximately 1 hour.

Shuttle Recommendations from Omaha to Lincoln: Omalink (402) 475-5465 Leisure Limousine and Sedan (402) 476-8132

Travel Tip: If you would like arrive early, especially to avoid any winter weather delays, there are plenty of things to do in Lincoln! The University of Nebraska State Museum is the state’s premier natural history museum with a variety of exhibits including paleontology, biodiversity, and geology. The museum is within walking distance of Haymarket Square, where our hotel for the first night of the tour is located. Are you fascinated by fast cars or the history of the automobile? Then the Museum of American Speed is a must visit. It’s located a little over a mile from Haymarket Square and can be visited by taxi or Uber/Lyft.

Hotel Recommendations:

Top Choice: Embassy Suites by Hilton Lincoln, (402) 474-1111. This is our first night tour hotel, so booking here makes the best use of your time (and it’s located in a great area!) The hotel offers an airport shuttle. If this is your choice, please book this online and give us the confirmation number. We will submit that when we send our final room list, the goal being you don’t have to change rooms! If you want to stay near the airport we recommend you book: Holiday Inn Express and Suites Lincoln Airport (402) 464-0588 Hampton Inn Lincoln Airport (402) 474-6465.

Browse below for trip reports and species lists from past versions of this and other tours from this destination.

• Kent Skaggs
  

  Kent was born and raised in Nebraska and this is where he developed his passion for birds and nature in general. He worked 20 years at Audubon’s Rowe Sanctuary where he helped countless visitors experience the annual spring staging of Sandhill Cranes along the Platte River in south-central Nebraska. While at Rowe, he conducted bird surveys on the sanctuary and coordinated and led birding field trips for the annual Audubon Nebraska Crane Festival. He also spent three seasons leading tours to see displaying Greater Prairie-Chickens and Sharp-tailed Grouse for Calamus Outfitters in the Nebraska Sandhills. Kent and his partner Kathy currently reside in southwest Virginia.

  Other trips with Kent Skaggs

  • Ohio: The Biggest Week in Birding
    FULL - Check out Georgia Coastal Birding!
    May 8 - 15, 2024
  • Iceland Birding & Nature
    FULL - Check our our Finland & Norway birding tour!
    June 8 - 17, 2024
  • Nevada's Great Basin
    August 23 - 30, 2024
  • Costa Rica's Caribbean Side
    FULL - Check out Western Panama: Tranquilo Bay in October!
    October 17 - 27, 2024
  • South Texas Birding & Nature
    December 4 - 12, 2024
  • Birding New Zealand
    January 7 - 23, 2025
  • Costa Rica: Birding Across the Continental Divide
    February 15 - 24, 2025
  • Platte River Cranes: A Migration Spectacular
    March 16 - 22, 2025
  • Georgia Coastal Birding
    April 25 - May 2, 2025
  • Ohio: The Biggest Week in Birding
    May 6 - 13, 2025

Essential Information +

Packing List +

Suggested Reading List +

Useful Links +