Alberta's Badlands and Rocky Mountains Self Drive

Day 1 - Fly to Calgary

 Arrive in Calgary and make your way to your downtown hotel. 

Calgary is buzzing with innovative energy while embracing its rich western heritage. Enjoy a visit to the iconic Calgary Tower (admission included). Another highlight worth visiting is the Heritage Park Historical Village (admission not included) on the city’s south side, a “living museum” representing turn of the-century Calgary with costumed interpreters, a steam train and scale-model sternwheeler, an old-fashioned candy store and much more. In the evening, embrace Calgary’s vibrant entertainment and culinary scene.

Day 2 - Calgary to Drumheller (135 km/83 mi)

Pick up your hire car this morning and heading east toward Drumheller. There is nowhere quite like the Drumheller Valley; Dinosaur Capital of Canada! Being here will take you into another world - the world of startling contrasts between the deep past and the exciting present. Rolling fields suddenly give way to steep, dry coulees ridged with the strata of hundreds of years of erosion by time, wind and water. Don’t miss the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology (included) - Canada’s largest dinosaur museum where you can journey through time and come face-to-face with incredible creatures that lived millions of years ago.

Day 3 - Drumheller to Dinosaur Provincial Park to Cypress Hills Provincial Park

From Drumheller, travel two hours to Dinosaur Provincial Park, where you will have a chance escape the ordinary and venture into the rugged Canadian Badlands. The Explorer’s Bus Tour (not included) provides the opportunity to experience the stunning views of the park’s Natural Preserve from the comfort and safety of the tour bus. You will be getting off the bus at various stops to see the badlands and fossils up close and personal. One stop includes a full body (articulated skeleton) of a Corythosaurus, the “helmet headed lizard”. 

Day 4 - Drumheller to Lethbridge (261km/ 165 mi)

Today's drive takes you from Drumheller to Lethbridge, onroute stop at Fort MacLeod and visit Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump one of the world's oldest, largest and best preserved buffalo jumps known to exist. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981, Head-Smashed-In has been used continuously by aboriginal peoples of the plains for more than 5,500 years.

Day 5 - Lethbridge

A full day to explore Lethbridge.

Day 6 - Lethbridge to Waterton Lakes National Park (119 km/74 mi)

On your way out of Lethbridge, you may wish to stop in at Fort Whoop-Up, an old fort and outlaw trading post, allowing visitors to step into life at a frontier outpost on the Great Plains, to discover exhibits about Canada’s first Mounties, whiskey and firearms traders and Blackfoot history and culture (not included). In Waterton, stroll through the town to shop, dine at the restaurants, visit the beach or hike the trails that start from the town site. You may wish to visit the Prince of Wales Hotel – a National Historic Site – for afternoon tea and lots of opportunities to take amazing photographs.

Day 7 - Waterton Lakes National Park Exploring

The day is yours to discover the wonders of this beautiful region. You may wish to travel to Montana’s Glacier National Park (the U.S. half of this International Peace Park) via the famous Going to the Sun Road, an astonishing feat of engineering and spectacular scenery as well. A popular activity is the 16-km drive from the Waterton town site to Red Rock Canyon - a colourful canyon of red, green and white banded rock cliffs, green alpine forests and bubbling white waterfalls.

Day 8 - Waterton Lakes National Park to Banff

Traverse to Banff for your stunning 3-night stay in the heart of the Rockies.

Day 9 - Explore Banff

Explore Banff National Park at your leisure today, to help you take in a birds eye view of the scenery we have included the Banff Gondola.

Day 10 - Discover Banff National Park

Continue to explore Banff National Park.

Day 11 - Banff to Jasper via Icefields Parkway

Today, travel through the spine of the Canadian Rockies along the amazing Icefields Parkway and encompass the ultimate glacier exploration. From walking on ancient ice with the Ice Explorer ride, to standing on a glass platform almost one thousand feet in the air at the Glacier Skywalk (included), today’s experiences will leave you with a special appreciation for this treasured region of the Rockies.

Day 12 - Explore Jasper

Explore the Maligne Valley and its wildlife. We have include a boat cruise on Maligne Lake for you today.

* Maligne Lake Cruise is operational from Mid-June to September, if the cruise is not operational Maligne Lake Guided walk will be offered.

Day 13 - Jasper National Park

Continue to explore Jasper and the national park. Why not take a Tramway ride up the mountain or add on a Wildlife tour.

Day 14 - Jasper to Lake Louise

Traverse east to Lake Louise where you will overnight.

Day 15 - Fly from Calgary

Depart Lake Louise and make your way to Calgary Airport to drop off your hire vehicle before your overnight flight homeward.