From the Rockies to the Badlands, this epic Canadian adventure encompasses glaciers, mountains hoodoos and dinosaurs, with a choice of activities to appeal to kids of all ages. Search for real life dinosaur fossils, walk on an ancient river of ice and try your hand at canoeing, horseriding or rafting, all against the spectacular backdrop of Alberta.
Starting and ending in the cowboy city of Calgary, your journey will take you and your family through the heart of the Canadian Rockies. The resort town of Banff offers a wealth of activities – you may wish to canoe the scenic Bow River, saddle up for a horse-ride or take the scenic gondola ride to the peak of Sulphur Mountain.
Heading north to Jasper there’s time to stop for an exhilarating Glacier Skywalk experience before travelling right out onto the ice of the Athabasca Glacier. The journey continues along the famous Icefields Parkway before arriving in Jasper for more optional activities – cruise, raft or walk, the choice is yours.
A couple of days spent in Edmonton allows time to recharge and enjoy city life before continuing to your final destination, Drumheller and the legendary Canadian Badlands. Set amongst a surreal landscape of hoodoos, flat topped mountains and deep river gullies, this region is the ‘dinosaur capital of the world’! A visit to the renowned Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology is included, before ending your holiday with one last adventure to the remarkable UNESCO World Heritage Site of Dinosaur Provincial Park.
Itinerary
Arrive in the Stampede City of Calgary and take the short drive to Banff, a mountain resort town renowned for its stunning natural beauty and alpine wildlife.
Enjoy a full day to explore Banff and the surrounding area. In town you’ll find lots of excitement including shopping, cafés, nightlife and museums. Personalise your day by choosing one of the follow experiences.
Banff Gondola Ride, Banff
Lake Minnewanka Cruise, Banff
River Explorer Canoe Tour, Banff
Bow River Horseback Adventure, Banff
On your journey to Lake Louise, take the scenic Bow Valley Parkway route, a quieter alternative to the Trans-Canada highway which runs parallel. Stop by Johnston Canyon and walk along the paved footpath to the lower or upper waterfalls.
Today you follow the spectacular Icefields Parkway through to Jasper. Get up close to the magnificent Athabasca Glacier by taking the Ice Explorer ride and walking out onto the ancient ice. You will also be able to appreciate the view from above on the Glacier Skywalk, a glass platform almost 1000 feet in the air.
Glacier Skywalk
Ice Explorer Glacier Tour
Enjoy your choice of included experiences from the following options:
Jasper Nature Walk – this guided walk offers spectacular views of jagged peaks, forests, meadows, marshes, streams, and stunning glacial lakes.
Jasper Rafting Float Trip
Maligne Lake Cruise
Travel through the beautiful alpine landscapes of Jasper National Park and arrive in the city of Edmonton where you can spend the remainder of your day exploring the walking trails and parks of the downtown River Valley.
Spend the day in and around Edmonton. You may wish to head out to Elk Island National Park in search of the wild bison and elk that roam there. Or perhaps visit West Edmonton Mall, the largest shopping centre in North America which boasts an expansive water park, amusement park, indoor skating rink, mini golf, and over 800 shops!
Depart Edmonton and head south towards the fascinating landscapes of Drumheller. Shaped by mesas, gullies and sandstone hoodoos, this other-worldy backdrop draws palaeontologists from around the world in search of dinosaur fossils. Visit the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology (included) to walk amongst an impressive array of fossils and learn everything you ever wanted to know about dinosaurs.
From Drumheller, venture further into the rugged Canadian Badlands and make your way to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Dinosaur Provincial Park. Interpretive displays allow you to see what an archaeological dig site really looks like, and you can also view the bones of a ‘duck-billed’ dinosaur still partially encased in the sediment that buried it, as well as the full body (articulated skeleton) of a Corythosaurus, the ‘helmet headed lizard’. Don’t forget to allow time to look around the informative visitor centre too.
Your family adventure ends with the short drive back to Calgary.
Prices & departures
What's Included
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Accommodation in a family room with private bathroom
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Intermediate car hire including unlimited mileage, 2nd driver, loss damage waiver and third-party liability
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Choice of experience in Banff: Banff Gondola / Lake Minnewanka Cruise / River Explorer Canoe tour / Bow River Horseback Adventure
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Choice of experience in Jasper: Maligne Lake Cruise / River Raft Float / Jasper Nature Walk
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Ice Explorer ride onto the Athabasca Glacier
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Glacier Skywalk
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Admission to Royal Tyrrell Museum, Drumheller
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24 hour emergency assistance from our team during your holiday
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No surcharge guarantee
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Full financial protection
From £1427 Excluding Flights
9 Nights
May-Oct
Prices are per person based upon 2 adults sharing, subject to availability. Up to 2 children under 10 years travel free if sharing a room with their parents. Your Travel Specialist will confirm the exact price based upon your tailored requirements, inclusions, and travel dates.
Make this trip yours
Every destination and itinerary you see here can be adapted to suit you – so reach for that bucket list and start imagining your next adventure here.
Lauren
Polar bear encountered in Spitsbergen
Fiordland penguins encountered
We create holidays that are as individual as you are. And we’ve been doing it for 40 years, crafting each and every holiday using our in-depth knowledge and enthusiasm for our destinations. Whatever your brief, we’ll create an amazing trip for you to get excited about. That might mean adapting one of our existing itineraries or we’ll build you one from scratch.