Day 1
Fly to Calgary
Fly into Calgary and transfer independently to your hotel for a two night stay. We’ve suggested some hotels in this itinerary, but we can change them for any available alternatives.
Overnight: Classic Hotel - Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Calgary; Deluxe Hotel – Fairmont Palliser
Day 2
Calgary
A full day to explore the friendly city of Calgary, located on the banks of the Bow River. A great place to start is the Calgary Tower for a birds eye view of the city, prairies and distant Rockies. You could tour the city on foot or by Segway (we can book this for you) or tou can also visit the Olympic park when Calgary was host to the winter games in 1988. This evening relax in one of the many restaurants and bars on 17 th Ave.
Overnight: Classic Hotel - Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Calgary; Deluxe Hotel – Fairmont Palliser
Day 3
Calgary – Banff (79 miles)
Pick up your hire car and for the hills. Banff is just a short drive away, so you’ll have plenty of time this afternoon to explore this charming mountain town. Perhaps take a walk to Bow Falls – a really pretty spot just a twenty minute stroll from the town centre. Highly recommended is a trip up the Banff Gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain, and we can book you tickets for this. At the summit you will find a brilliant visitor centre and superb panoramic views of several mountain ranges.
Overnight: Classic Hotel - Banff Ptarmigan Inn; Deluxe Hotel – Fairmont Banff Springs
Day 4
Banff
There are some great tours of the Banff National Park that we can book for you, with entertaining guides who will tell you all about the wildlife, geology and history of this beautiful place. Or if you’d rather do your own thing, there are some lovely hiking trails to follow and gorgeous lakes to drive to such as Lake Minnewanka. In the evening there are many restaurants, cafés and bars for you to choose from.
Overnight: Classic Hotel - Banff Ptarmigan Inn; Deluxe Hotel – Fairmont Banff Springs
Day 5
Banff – Jasper (145 miles)
Today you will have a beautiful drive north to Jasper, and whilst this is only around 3 hours direct drive, we suggest you take all day over it, as there are so many great stops en route. It will be worth getting up early so that you can reach Lake Louise before the crowds, and have some breathing space to get that perfect photograph. After Lake Louise you’ll follow the Icefields Parkway – one of the worlds most scenic drives. There are well signposted viewpoints, so just keep stopping as many times as your schedule allows, and keep your eyes open for wildlife. Arrive in Jasper and perhaps this evening you’d like to visit the Planetarium where you can enjoy a virtual exploration of the Jasper Dark Sky Preserve
Overnight: Classic Hotel – Chateau Jasper; Deluxe Hotel – Fairmont Jasper Lodge
Day 7
Jasper – Edmonton (227 miles)
Later today you’ll be driving east to Edmonton but first we suggest you enjoy some fresh mountain air and take the Jasper Skytram up Whistlers Mountain to see six mountain ranges and the town of Jasper below. You could perhaps have lunch at the Summit Restaurant then head back down and get on the road to Edmonton.
Overnight: Classic Hotel – Delta Edmonton Center; Deluxe Hotel – Fairmont Hotel MacDonald
Day 8
Edmonton
After a lazy breakfast we suggest you book either a walking tour or a Segway tour to explore Edmonton. If you want to shop on this holiday, then Edmonton is the place to do it, with its mall stretching for over 40 blocks! If you’re travelling with children you might want to visit the waterpark or Galaxyland. The Royal Alberta Museum is a beautifully designed space chronicling the natural and cultural history of Alberta. Whyte Avenue is filled with quirky independent boutiques, coffee shops and ice-cream parlours.
Overnight: Classic Hotel – Delta Edmonton Center; Deluxe Hotel – Fairmont Hotel MacDonald
Day 9
Edmonton – Drumheller (174 miles)
You’re going to drive due south for around 3 hours into the Drumheller Badlands, a unique landscape of gulleys and canyons eroded from multi-colored layers of sandstone and shale dating back 70 million years. Over the years the natural erosion of these layers have unearthed myriad fossils and dinosaur bones, turning Drumheller into the Dinosaur Capital of the World. A visit to the Royal Tyrrell Museum is a must, housing the largest displays of dinosaurs and bringing prehistoric past to life.
Overnight: Econo Lodge Inn & Suites
Day 10
Drumheller – Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump - Waterton Lakes (231 miles)
Continue your road trip south, stopping off at the Head-Smashed-in-Buffalo-Jump World Heritage Site. This is a fascinating archaeological site and you will learn the fascinating story of the First Nations way of live over the centuries. Then continue into the Waterton Lakes National Park to the township of Waterton for the final stay of your holiday. Arguably saving the best til last, we think this is the most beautiful part of Alberta. This is where the peaks meet the prairies, with the Rockies tailing into rolling grasslands, interspersed with sparkling lakes.
Overnight: Bayshore Inn Resort & Spa
Day 11
Waterton Lakes National Park
Today we suggest you take a cruise on the Waterton Lakes, which will take you into Glacier Park Montana USA, where you’ll see towering cliffs, beautiful waterfalls and myriad wildlife. Take a pic nic and follow a hiking trail to admire the rare wildflowers and rugged natural beauty. This is the only national park which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, International Peace Park and Biosphere Reserve!
Overnight: Bayshore Inn Resort & Spa
Day 12
Waterton Lakes National Park – Calgary (169 miles)
Time to drive back to Calgary airport, drop off your hire car and fly home
