8 Days
Alberta is a province in Western Canada. Its landscape encompasses mountains, prairies, desert badlands and vast coniferous forests. It has more than 600 lakes, and rich mineral deposits. In the west, the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks have glaciers in the Columbia Icefields. The West in the summertime means hot weather, fields of yellow canola, the "Greatest Outdoor Show" in the World, and many beautiful sights to admire. You will experience the Calgary Stampede, "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth", as well as visits in the rural areas of Central Alberta and into the Canadian Rocky Mountain range.
Tour Highlights
Private, air conditioned motor coach transportation
Accommodations
Meals & Attractions as Outlined
Multiple Farm/Technical Visits
Columbia Icefields
Lake Louise
Banff National Park
Visit a Hutterite Colony
Entrance fee for Sulphur Mountain Gondola in Banff
Entrance fee to Calgary Stampede including evening "Grandstand Show & Chuckwagon Races"
Visit "Layden" Family Farm
Knowledgeable Select Holidays escort
Plus more...
DAY 01 - CALGARY – LETHBRIDGE (D)
Arrive Calgary, Alberta and transfer to southern Alberta and the agricultural city of Lethbridge for a 2-night stay. Southern Alberta is part of the Great Plains region, with the Canadian Rockies and their foothills to the west. The rest of region is dominated by irrigated farmlands, feedlots and specialty crops. Join us for a “Welcome Dinner” this evening
Overnight: Lethbridge
DAY 02 - LETHBRIDGE (B)
This morning, travel to “Feedlot Alley” to visit a feedlot operation specializing in both beef cattle feed lots as well as a sheep feedlot. This will be followed with a visit to a commercial greenhouse facilities. After lunch, visit with a local farmer that grows potatoes, beans, sugar beets and seed canola on his farm. Return to Lethbridge for the night.
Overnight: Lethbridge
DAY 03 - LETHBRIDGE – CALGARY (B/L)
Departing Lethbridge, drive to Fort Macleod to visit a replica of a fort built by the NWMP in the 1800’s and watch a live performance of the Musical Ride. Drive to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump for a guided tour of this unique facility and learn about the hunting of the buffalo by a ‘native’ story teller. Travel to Calgary for a 2-night stay. Overnight: Calgary
DAY 04 - CALGARY STAMPEDE(B)
This is a whole day at the Calgary Stampede to enjoy as you would choose, from the agricultural pavilions and other many other displays. There is the option to take in the afternoon rodeo performance. This evening there is reserved seating for the world famous Chuckwagon Races, Grandstand show and Fireworks. (NOTE: this will be a late evening)
Overnight: Calgary
DAY 05 - BANFF NATIONAL PARK (B/D)
Departing Calgary this morning, travel into the heart of the Canadian Rocky Mountains and the Banff National Park. Enjoy a scenic gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain in Banff, where you will take in breath-taking views of the mountain skyline before traveling on the “most scenic highway in the world” - the Icefield Parkway. This magnificent drive will offer spectacular mountain vistas and possibilities for wildlife sightings such as bighorn sheep, deer and bears. This afternoon, visit Lake Louise - considered to be one of the most beautiful and photographic areas in Canada plus a visit to Bow and Peyto Lakes before arriving at the Saskatchewan River Crossing for an overnight stay. Overnight: The Crossing, Banff National Park
DAY 06 - BANFF NATIONAL PARK – CENTRAL ALBERTA (B)
Travel into Jasper National Park where you will enjoy a unique snow coach ride on the icy slopes of the Icefields - the largest glacier south of the Arctic Circle. Return back via The Crossing and Lake Abraham—one of the largest “earth dams” in Alberta created for water management and hydro power production. Travel to the historic village of Nordegg, then leaving the Canadian Rockies behind, continue the drive through the most fertile farm land in Western Canada. This area is diverse with cattle farms, oil industry and grain farms. Red Deer is our destination for a 2-night stay. Overnight: Red Deer
DAY 07 - CENTRAL ALBERTA (B/D)
Touring today will include a Gouda Cheese factory, as well as a local farm. This afternoon, tour a Hutterite Colony. These "colonies", are all rural, depending largely on farming or ranching for their income. This is followed by a visit to a local family farm that specializes in oil seed and grain production. Enjoy a BBQ dinner at the family farm before returning to Red Deer for the night. Overnight back in Red Deer.
DAY 08 - END OF TOUR (B)
Tour comes to an end. (You may wish to add the Rocky Mountaineer Train this day. Call for details and pricing )
You may wish to extend your Canadian experience by traveling to visit this bustling west coast seaport city, Vancouver. You can also then join a Cruise to Alaska along the Inside Passage.
Call our office for details or to book.