This is an “Active Discovery” Trip - Led by 2 guides, each day you have a choice between guided walking/hiking and a discovery tour focusing on nature, culture, or wildlife.
On this trip we travel through Southern Alberta from little known Waterton National Park in the very southwest corner of the province to Canada's most famous park, Banff National Park. It is a rich and diverse landscape where prairies meet the mountains, grizzlies still roam the mountainsides, and where nature has created one of the most picturesque landscapes on earth.
There are more trails to hike and country to explore here than anyone can accomplish in a lifetime. Our “Active Day” options include some of the best and most famous of those trails...Crypt Lake at Waterton, Sentinel Pass and Sunshine Meadows in Banff. Our “Discovery Day” options will focus on wildlife watching, unique geology, and the rich native history of the area.
Your Itinerary
Day 1:
Arrival at Calgary in afternoon. Drive south to Waterton townsite, just 6 km. north of the Montana border! Overnight Waterton
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Day 2:
The mountains of Waterton are known for their great trails and very colourful rock formations. Our walk today will be to the top of Carthew Summit for grand vistas of prairies to the east, red shale peaks surrounding us and the spectacular mountains and glaciers of Glacier National Park to the south. (See photo) Our "Discovery Day" option includes an easy nature walk along Red Rock Canyon, a visit to Blakiston Falls, and the best boat cruise in the Rockies, Waterton Lake from the townsite to Goat Haunt USA. Overnight Waterton.
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Day 3:
A short water taxi ride across Waterton Lake will start us on today's walk to Crypt Lake. This is truly a classic hike and includes waterfalls, a tunnel, and a jewel of a lake set in a mountain amphitheatre. Today's "Discovery" tour takes us to the Crowsnest Pass, location of a massive mountain collapse, the Frank Slide (so-named for the town buried beneath!) and for a visit to the UNESCO world heritage site, Head-Smashed n buffalo jump. Overnight Waterton
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Day 4:
Today we head north to Banff through the spectacular mountain ranges of Kananaskis Country with a stop at the summit of Highwood Pass. At Highwood Pass we'll get the spotting scope out and search the mountainsides for grizzlies and mountain goats. For those interested in hiking today, Highwood Pass is a great jumping off point for a hike into the alpine environs of Ptarmigan Cirque. Overnight Banff
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Day 5:
Stanley Glacier lies just over B.C. border in Kootenay National Park and is our hiking choice for today. This "fire and ice" trail begins by traversing a forest fire dating from 1968 and ends high in a valley below the Stanley Glacier. On today's "Discovery" tour you'll explore the Banff environs on a wildlife and nature tour learning about different habitats and looking for wildlife such as bears, coyotes, bighorn sheep and bald eagles. Overnight Banff.
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Day 6:
Sunshine Meadows is our location today, for both an "active" day of hiking or a "discovery" day learning about and enjoying the high alpine environment. The Sunshine Meadows are a high alpine meadow straddling the Continental Divide that is ideal for all levels of activity. Think "Sound of Music" and you come close to what it feels like.
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Day 7:
Kootenay National Park lies just west of Banff and makes for a great day of exploring. Marble Canyon, Johnston Canyon and the Paint Pots are some of the places we'll visit as today's "Discovery" option. On the "Active" side Today we give you two options, a choice of going on a classic hike in the world famous Lake Louise area or on a whitewater rafting trip down the Kicking Horse River.
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Day 8:
Return to Calgary.
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Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
All taxes included.
Trip Dates: June 16, June 30, July 31, August 11, September 1, September 22, 2002
Also see tour packages in:
North America
Canada
Outdoor: Land Rambler
Hiking & Trekking
Ecotourism
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