NEW Trip for Summer 2024Magdalen Islands Haven WalkView Trip Details
Duration
9 days
Activities
  • 4 day hikes
Accommodation
  • 8 nights hotel
Meals
  • 1 Dinner
  • 7 Lunches
  • 8 Breakfasts

Price

$4390USD

* All prices subject to applicable taxes

Trip Code: CGA

Can-Geo-Adv-+-Travel-Partners-1

 

Overview

Trip highlights


  • Can Geo Collection Adventure
  • Escorted by Marlis Butcher - Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and of The Explorers Club
  • Enjoy some of the best day hikes in the Canadian Rockies
  • Experience the Canadian Badlands
  • Learn about ancestral Indigenous hunting tradition of buffalo jumps
  • Explore Banff and the natural playground that surrounds it
  • Take in the views at scenic Lake Louise and its surrounding peaks and glaciers

For many, Alberta is all about the Great Plains, for others, the province is all about the Canadian Rockies. This itinerary provides the perfect mix of the scenic rural landscapes of the westernmost province of the prairie, and the aquamarine glacial lakes and majestic snow-capped mountains. Home to the third-largest Aboriginal population in Canada, your experience in Alberta includes historical significant sites like dinosaur fossil beds and buffalo jumps. As we leave the multi-hued canyons and wind-sculpted hoodoos of the Canadian Badlands, we go along the foothills of the mountains into Waterton Lakes. While the landscapes are spectacular, remember to also keep your eyes open for the abundant wildlife including bighorn sheep, grizzly bears and bison recently reintroduced in Alberta as a conservation project. From here we keep the mountain backdrop for scenic drives to some of the world’s best hiking trails in Banff & Yoho National Parks. We take a big dose of fresh air into endless forests, admiring the panoramic mountain views, turquoise colour of the glacier-fed lakes, and rainbows at the waterfalls.

Activities:
Grading:
3

Introductory

More info about grading system


Rating: 


On arrival at the Calgary airport, we will meet you for your transfer to the group hotel. There will be a trip briefing in the hotel foyer, at the time indicated in your final documents, where you will meet your fellow travellers.

Meals:  Nil

From Calgary, we drive into the Canadian Badlands to Dinosaur Provincial Park, home to one of the world’s highest concentrations of dinosaur fossils. A guided interpretive tour of the park brings us 75 million years back as we are literally walking in the footsteps of the dinosaurs. Over 50 species and more than 150 full dinosaur skeletons have been unearthed in the park. Besides being an archeologic gem, the sediments exposed in the badlands, the rock formations and hoodoos create out-of-this-world landscapes. After our visit, we head to the historic Patricia Hotel & Steak Pit to open your tastebuds to Western flavour.

Meals:  B,L

Be ready for a total change of scenery as we make our way to Waterton Lakes National Park. At the junction between the Great Plains and the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, we make a stop at Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo-Jump. A designated UNESCO World Heritage site, this is one of the largest and most outstanding buffalo jumps in North America. The visit provides an interesting introduction to the way of life and traditional hunting of the Indigenous Plains people. We then continue towards Waterton Lakes, where we will spend the next two nights.

Meals:  B,L

Waterton Lakes National Park has its own unique topography, including red rock canyons, hundreds of deep blue lakes, bear grass (vegetation found nowhere else in the Rockies). There is plenty of wildlife too: bighorn sheep, black bears, grizzly bears and even bison. Our hike today takes us to Upper Rowe Lakes. The trail passes through a mature forest and an enchanting wildflower meadow. The last section is a bit of a challenge, but the alpine lakes’ views are worth the effort. This evening, we go for a viewing wildlife drive, including the Bison Paddock Loop Road. Herds have recently been reintroduced as part of the Indigenous-led conservation project supported by Parks Canada.

Meals:  B,L

After breakfast, we drive to the ranch country and the foothills of southern Alberta. We make a short stop in Longview to sample some of Alberta’s best beef jerky. Then we drive across Highwood Pass, the highest paved road in Canada and through the amazing Kananaskis Country. The rugged and steep grey layers of the front ranges reach out into the sky and leave the Kananaskis area as we enter Banff National Park. The snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains form a spectacular backdrop for glacial lakes, fast-flowing rivers and endless forests. The park’s vast wilderness is home to elk, deer, moose, caribou, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, black and grizzly bears, wolves and cougars.

Meals:  B,L

Today’s hike will be one of our easiest and one of the most beautiful. We’ll be able to save most of the uphill walking today by taking the scenic Sunshine Meadow gondola into the alpine areas surrounding the Continental Divide. Our walk will lead us past three alpine lakes, wildflowers fields, and vistas stretching up to 50kms in all directions. Soak in the panoramic mountain view of the majestic Canadian Rockies. An early afternoon finish will leave time to explore the town of Banff from our centrally located accommodation.

Meals:  B,L

It’s a short drive from Banff to Yoho National Park, which gives us plenty of time to explore on our way. We couldn’t visit the region without stopping at the world-famous Lake Louise. From the iconic Chateau Lake Louise, our hike to the Plain of Six Glaciers offers the most scenic views of the surrounding mountains with a collection of impressive peaks and glaciers. After our walk, we stop by Moraine Lake before driving west across the Continental Divide into British Columbia along the Kicking Horse River past the spiral tunnels built for the railroad and into Yoho National Park.

Meals:  B,L

We begin our hike by following the path to the base of Takakkaw Falls, meaning ‘magnificent’ in the Cree Indian language, for some close-up views of the fall. After all, it’s not every day you get to stand beneath a waterfall over 1,000 feet tall! (380m/1250 ft). Then we take the trail along the Yoho River to Laughing Falls. On our way, admire a couple of waterfalls worthy of brief visits, Angel’s Staircase and Point Lace Falls. After our hike, we stop in the historical hamlet of Field to admire the lovely historic houses and buildings of the former mining town. Tonight, you can share your best memories and highlights with your fellow travellers at our farewell dinner.

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast, the trip concludes with a transfer to Calgary.

Meals:  B


Inclusions

  • 8 nights accommodation, double occupancy
  • 8 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 1 dinner
  • Services of a local guide
  • Return airport group transfers
  • Private internal transportation during the trip
  • Guided tour at Dinosaur Provincial Park
  • All permits, sightseeing and park entrance fees

  • Flights
  • Meals not listed in the itinerary
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Tips and gratuities
  • Travel insurance (compulsory)
  • Applicable taxes

Leaders in the field


Accommodation


Suitability

Introductory

3

Although graded 'introductory level hiking', this trip is designed for fit walkers. We will stay as a group while hiking each day - Expect a slow and steady pace. Most of the days involve hiking for up to 5 hours, but there are options for longer hikes on some days depending on the fitness of the group. Daily distances can range from 8km to 18km+. Elevation gains of up to 750m for some hikes. Any training you can do before you arrive will enhance your experience. The more fit you are the more great hiking you can enjoy!


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Priceper person from

$4390USD

* All prices subject to applicable taxes

Options & Supplements*
    * Prices listed are per person. All prices subject to applicable taxes.

Trip reviews


Why travel with us

Our Expertise

Everyone who works with us, from our office staff, ground staff and guides is the ‘’real deal’’. Our team is comprised of actual hikers and cyclists who have explored or live in the region in which you will be travelling. Our entire network is highly-specialised in active travel.

Great Value

Quality services at the best price make our adventures great value for money. Having essential items included like National Park fees, charming accommodations, most meals, bikes for cycling trips, maps and support for peace of mind. Our inclusions allow you to better budget for your big adventure.

Innovative Itineraries

We look beyond the horizon to find new and exciting adventures. We’re passionate about shaping the next generation of outdoor travel in Canada, and constantly seek different ways, routes and alternatives to exceed our clients’ dreams.

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