Trail of the Great Bear from Calgary
VACATION FEATURES: 7 nights hotel accommodation, 8 days mid-size car rental, Admission to: Glenbow Museum, Heritage Park, Calgary Zoo, Banff Gondola, Banff Upper Hot Springs, Cave and Basin, Columbia Icefield Glacier Experience, Forte Steele, Frank Slide, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, Waterton Lake Cruise, Bar U Ranch, Trail of the Great Bear Travel Pack, hotel luggage handling, National Park vehicle entrance fee and Brewster Documentation Package.
DAY 1 Calgary
Pick up your rental vehicle, then take the day to explore Calgary. Visit the Zoo, Glenbow Museum take in a football game, stroll the riverside pathways, dine on the world's finest beef. Don't miss Heritage Park in the city's south side, a "living museum" reconstructed Alberta town with costumed interpreters, a steam train and scale-model sternwheeler, an old-fashioned candy store and much more.
DAY 2 Banff
Take the short (2-hour) drive from Calgary to Banff on either the Trans Canada Highway or the more scenic 1A Highway. Upon arrival in Banff, check out the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, birthplace of Banff and the Canadian national parks. Make a stop at Banff Gondola which will lift you high over Banff for an incredible panoramic view.
DAY 3 Banff
You will have the entire day to explore Banff and area. You'll find lots of excitement - shopping, cafes, nightlife, and museums. Later on take a dip in the hot mineral pools at the newly-renovated Upper Hot Springs.
DAY 4 Columbia Icefield Chalet
Another great day in the Rockies - Banff to Jasper along the amazing Icefields Parkway. You're sure to be enthralled by the scenery, wildlife, the incredible blue lakes and sparkling waterfalls en route. Take a quick side trip to lovely Lake Louise. Stop for a self-guided interpretive walk at Peyto Lake. Don't miss the ride onto the Athabasca Glacier on board a Brewster Ice Explorer.
DAY 5 Panorama
Retrace the Icefields Parkway to Yoho National Park, where you will take in the thundering splendor of Takakkaw Falls, Canada's third-highest waterfall, or stop for lunch at Emerald Lake. You are now in Canada's most westerly province, British Columbia.
DAY 6 Waterton
Tour the 'living museum' reconstruction of the Mounties' Fort Steele, then continue to Waterton via the spectacular Crowsnest Pass. Then you'll travel into foothills country, passing through the ranching town of Pincher Creek with an array of high-tech windmills on the ridges above. You'll re-enter the mountains at Waterton National Park.
DAY 7 Waterton
A full day to explore Waterton and area, with an optional side-trip to Montana's Glacier National Park. Waterton is a wildflower paradise, with many scenic drives, hikes and strolls. Take a lake cruise on the International Boat.
DAY 8 Calgary
Today's return to Calgary is filled with history and heritage. Your tour includes the Remington-Alberta Carriage Centre in Cardston, where you will find the world's best collection of horse-drawn vehicles. Continue to the town of Fort Macleod, where the Northwest Mounted Police built their first western outpost in 1874. Your next stop is the UNESCO declared World Heritage Site, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump and its innovative interpretive centre. Your last stop along your way to Calgary is Bar U Ranch National Historic Site - opened in 1995, this site features ranch buildings dating from the early 1880s. Return your vehicle in Calgary to complete your Trail of the Great Bear vacation.
| Seasons | |
| 2008 Summer | May 21 - September 13, 2008 Daily |
| 2008 Fall | September 14 - September 28, 2008 Daily |
| 2008 Spring | May 1 - May 20, 2008 Daily |
Call 1-877-482-6555 to book or email your request to info@lakelouise.com