Region
Alberta
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Alberta is one of the most breathtaking places on earth, as vast as it is varied in landscape and experiences.
Located in Western Canada, the province is bordered by the spectacular Canadian Rocky Mountains, with its jagged peaks and turquoise lakes to the west and the Badlands and rolling prairies to the east.
Explore UNESCO World Heritage Sites and many parks and wildlands that protect the bounty of wildlife that makes this place their home.
Alberta’s cities are known for their western hospitality, chef-driven cuisine, classic and quirky theatre and lively music events, outdoor festivals and accommodation to suit all tastes and budget.
You will arrive in Calgary, a vibrant city set between the foothills of the Rockies, prairies and the Canadian Badlands.
Pick up your rental car and plan how many “must-see” attractions you can take in tomorrow.
Calgary’s wide range of attractions will appeal to those interested in history, sport, art, culture and the great outdoors.
You can explore museums that tell the stories of First Nations culture and the early settlers, visit galleries, join a food or brewery tour or celebrate Canada’s music icons at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre.
At WinSport, there’s mountain biking and mini-golf. In winter, try skiing, snowboarding and tubing.
Then step back in time at Heritage Park, a living history museum that documents the history of the early West and has over 180 exhibits and 55,000 artifacts.
The area’s cowboy culture is celebrated each year with the Calgary Stampede – known as the “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth”– which has been drawing huge crowds for over a century. The Sam Centre shares the Stampede story through interactive exhibits, multimedia experiences and archival material that showcases the history, peoples and cultures that have shaped the Stampede.
Look out for…
The Northern Lights can appear in Alberta year-round but fall and winter offer the optimal chance of a sighting. The best places to see them are in national and provincial parks, which have minimal light pollution
Drive to the Canadian Badlands to discover Alberta’s rich dinosaur history and stunning natural landscapes.
Some of the world’s biggest dinosaur fossils have been uncovered at Dinosaur Provincial Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Go on a real dig with a paleontological guide or step foot in the mouth of the world’s largest dinosaur.
Continue the dinosaur theme at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, where you can take a 3.9-billion-year journey through time as you explore one of the world’s most renowned collections of dinosaur fossils and interactive exhibits.
The Grounds for Discovery Hall introduces visitors to some of the incredible fossils that have been found through industry, and the workers who found them.
Explore the historic Last Chance Saloon in the ghost town of Wayne, where time seems to have stood still, then head to the iconic Hoodoos and wander around the unique landscape shaped by the fascinating sandstone formations that have been sculpted by wind and water over millions of years
There is a good choice of hotels in Drumheller.
From the continent’s first Fringe Theatre Festival to a shopping mall that at one time had more submarines than the Canadian navy, Edmontonians have never been afraid to do things a little differently.
Glide along the beautiful river valley pathways of Edmonton during a fun and memorable Segway tour, then take the characterful streetcar across the 100-year-old High Level Bridge that spans the North Saskatchewan River and leads to Old Strathcona historic district.
Browse in one-off shops then tantalise your tastebuds on a food tour accompanied by a local guide.
Leave half a day to explore West Edmonton Mall, North America’s largest retail space with shops, restaurants, roller-coasters – and more.
Head out to Fort Edmonton Park, for a step back in time and to learn about four different periods: 1846, 1885, 1905 and 1920.
Views from Edmonton and Calgary
Pass miles of farmland and rolling forested foothills as you head towards to the mountains and Jasper on Highway AB-16.
Stop in Edson, the halfway point of the drive, to stretch your legs. For a quirky road trip photo, head to the Galloway Station Museum, Travel Centres & Archives, which is easily accessible off the highway, for a photo with the giant squirrel!
As you are leaving Edson look out for a first glimpse of the mountains in the distance.
Approaching Jasper National Park, west of the town of Hinton, look out for bears (both grizzly and black), wolves and moose. Once inside the park, there are areas along the highway where you may see elk, deer and bighorn sheep.
Just inside the Jasper National Park boundary, the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, stop at the Miette Hot Springs to soak in the warmest mineral rich water.
A town, a National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Jasper is defined by its untamed beauty and rugged wilderness. It also boasts untamed wilderness and a Dark Sky Preserve.
Jasper is a small-sized community brimming with heaps of mountain town charm: stroll through quaint streets, see local and Indigenous art in galleries, browse independent shops and boutiques and hang out in friendly pubs.
Take a boat cruise on Maligne Lake to Spirit Island, one of Canada’s most photographed places.
Learn about Indigenous cultures and folklore by signing up for a tour with Warrior Women or ride the Jasper SkyTram, the longest and highest-guided aerial tramway in Canada.
Take an evening wildlife tour to see wildlife in their natural surroundings – the park is a haven for wildlife such as coyotes, wolves, moose and grizzly bears, then stargaze at the Jasper Planetarium and experience the park’s dark-sky wonders. When conditions are right, you may even spot the Northern Lights.
Overnight options include the famous Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.
Be sure to take your time to drive down the Icefields Parkway (Alberta’s Highway 93), one of the most scenic drives in the world.
It’s open year-round and offers a 141-mile stretch of double-lane highway with soaring rocky mountain peaks, icefields, a variety of wildlife, birds, and vast sweeping valleys.
Your journey will take you along the spine of the Canadian Rockies – and there will be plenty of opportunities for stops to gaze at waterfalls, glaciers, canyons, lakes or just to breathe in the view.
Experience the Athabasca Glacier aboard a giant Ice Explorer vehicle and reach new heights with a stroll above the Sunwapta Valley on the glass-bottomed Columbia Icefield Skywalk.
The village of Lake Louise, the highest community in Canada, offers a range of amenities and accommodation options catering for all styles and budgets, including welcoming guesthouses, backcountry lodges and even the fairytale-like hotel, Chateau Lake Louise.
The village has a range of independent and locally owned restaurants, shops and boutiques.
loOK OUT FOR…
After breakfast in Lake Louise head the iconic mountain town of Banff.
The faster route is via the TransCanada highway #1 – but if you are not in a hurry, take the Bow Valley Parkway (#1A) – it’s a slower, more relaxing drive (60 km/hr instead of 90) on the old highway, with a few slightly winding sections and plenty of scenic pull-outs to enjoy.
There’s also a better chance of seeing wildlife by taking this road.
Surrounded by rugged peaks, this bustling mountain town has plenty of charm but also offers a great line-up of shops, restaurants, bars and nightlife.
The long Banff Avenue has plenty of one-off shops and eateries featuring some of the top chefs in the country.
Whatever the season, there is plenty to keep you occupied during a two-day stay in Canada’s first National Park.
Nestled in the Canadian Rockies, the UNESCO World Heritage Site has 1,000 miles of hiking trails, hundreds of glaciers, picture-perfect lakes, three world-class ski resorts that enjoy a “long season”, and around 2,500 campsites.
From pleasant walks to heli-hiking and multi-day backcountry epics, hikers of all levels have numerous trails to choose from.
Those who prefer exploring on two wheels can cycle along scenic river paths while exhilarating opportunities await advocates of climbing, caving and canyoning, or discover the park on horseback, riding through the high country, across alpine pastures.
For a slower pace, sightseeing gondolas offer sweeping panoramic vistas of the expansive valleys below – there are four to choose from and you can even relax with a drink or a meal on the roof of the Rockies.
Or enjoy a soak in the Banff Upper Hot Springs, Canada’s highest elevation operational hot spring.
Leave Banff and head to Canmore.
Known for craggy summits like the Three Sisters and Ha Ling Peak, this “hidden gem” offers a range of adventures and excursions.
Options include exploring Canmore’s extensive trail system with a guide who will take you on a wilderness tour and explain all about the area’s diverse ecosystems and history while looking out for wildlife along the way.
Half-day small-group cave tours reveal a subterranean world of prehistoric bones and centuries-old rock formations.
Or take a walk in a mountain meadow or through the forest with a Cree guide of the Kwerekwere people as you learn how to identify any plant, tree or bush and hear how they can be used as a food source, medicine, toothbrush or a fire starter.
Other Canmore-based activities include rafting for all ages and abilities, food tours, brewery and distillery tours.
Canmore is home to authentic artisans and entrepreneurs while K-Country (as it is known by the locals) offers some of the best hiking, horseback trails and white-water rafting in summer and cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter.
Waterton’s hidden draws remain something of a best-kept secret, but it is a place for clients to seek solace and inspire their wild sides year-round.
There’s snowshoeing in winter, photographing wildflowers in spring (Waterton Lakes National Park is Canada’s wildflower capital), climbing summits in summer and biking paved pathways in autumn, to name a few. Wildlife “spots” include elk, bighorn sheep and bears.
Many trails are all-season accessible, such as the winding Red Rock Canyon, the rushing Blakiston Falls, the popular Bear’s Hump lookout and the picturesque Cameron Lake.
Winter here is particularly special for experiencing Waterton’s International Dark Sky Park. Its skies are protected from light pollution, meaning planets and the Milky Way galaxy can shine uninhibited.
From camping in national parks to lakeside luxury hotels, Waterton has a range of accommodations to suit.
UK tour operators with specialist Canada programmes include:
Canadian Affair
canadianaffair.com; 0203 918 3003
First Class Holidays
fcholidays.com; 0161 888 5630
Audley Travel
audleytravel.com; 01993 461 471
Premier Holidays
premierholidays.co.uk; 08444 937 531
Prestige Travel
prestigetravel.co.uk; 01425 480 400
