With the new Walking with Dinosaurs series set to drop on the BBC this year, in addition to the next Jurassic World film coming to the silver screen in July, now is the time to recommend Alberta to clients wishing to delve into the age of dinosaurs.
The Canadian province is the real-life land of the prehistoric giants, with its abundance of fossil beds, which are one of the most significant concentrations of dino remains found anywhere on the planet.
Here are five suggestions for walking in the footsteps of our dinosaur ancestors.
Breaking Badlands
The Badlands are a living laboratory, with more than 40 species unearthed here over the years, including the ferocious Albertosaurus, T. Rex’s deadly cousin.
The 30-mile Dinosaur Trail Loop traverses these ancient lands, with its fossil beds, canyons, desert hills and otherworldly rock formations recalling the prehistoric past.
Fossil safari
After visiting the fossil beds, get up close to the bones at Dinosaur Provincial Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The arid landscape plays host to real archaeological digs year-round, and five per cent of all dinosaur bones ever found have been discovered at this site.
Join a tour of the park, such as the Fossil Finder Program or the family-friendly Fossil Safari. Or take a hike – the Centrosaurus Bone Hike visits a world-famous dig site where many horned dinosaurs have been discovered.
Behind the scenes
Take a 3.9-billion-year journey through time to view one of the biggest and most impressive fossil collections in the world, at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller. Walk its halls and corridors to view the remains of Albertosaurus, discovered in 1884, plus five displays which hold Guinness World Records.
The museum’s collection is so vast, that only around one per cent of it is on display, including the most complete tyrannosaurus skeleton, best-preserved armoured dinosaur and the largest marine reptile.
Dig deeper
Named after the famed Canadian paleontologist, the Philip J. Currie Museum, near Grande Prairie, is a monument to the Cretaceous period. The world-class institute encourages guests to explore their inner scientist with the chance to visit the Pipestone Creek, known as the “River of Death”.
Visitors can get their hands dirty on a real dig or sign up for a guided hike at one of the densest fossil sites on earth. Book a ‘Night at the Museum’ sleepover experience after a long day of excavation.
Open wide
A unique way to journey through the world of dinosaurs can be found taking centre stage in the town of Drumheller. Climb the 106 steps through the centre of a looming 25-metre replica of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, dubbed the ‘world’s largest dinosaur’, emerging in its gaping maw. From here, visitors are rewarded for their trek with views across the surrounding landscape, safe in the knowledge that they have conquered one of history’s most fearsome beasts.
