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Enjoy our western hospitality on a Rockies-Ranch
Adventure!
Join us in the foothills of the Rockies for an Authentic Western Experience!
Our Fly-Drive Tours offer personalized
self drive getaways for your Western Experience Adventure!
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Tour Code: CRA-1 to CRA-15
2013 RETAIL PRICE: CAN$1899 plus taxes
(Per person based on double occupancy)
Saturday - Tuesday (4 Days/3 Nights)
Calgary - Guest Ranch**
(clients should arrive the day prior in order to start the tour this morning)
We
start the day and the tour off with a dining experience that features
a revolving view of the city of Calgary. The Calgary Tower's
famous revolving dining lounge offers a unique setting for breakfast.
All tables enjoy an unrestricted panoramic view through large 2.13
metre by 1.5 metre tinted windows. You can see every angle of the
City, the Rocky Mountains and the surrounding areas without leaving
your chair.
After
breakfast, our first stop is The Canadian Wilds Exhibit at
the Calgary Zoo. You will wander through this immersion
habitat featuring animals from the Aspen Woodlands to the Rocky
Mountains. It is a perfect location to start your wildlife viewing -
you are guaranteed to see animals here that you may not have a chance
to see anywhere else during your trip. Get a close-up view of mountain
goats, cougars and grizzlies, wolves and wood bison, as well as one of
North America’s most endangered species – the whooping crane.
Next,
savour the delicious taste and aroma of a hearty lunch at Heritage
Park. Heritage Park is a real frontier town. And the
people are as real as their town. From the baker to the blacksmith,
they're lovers of the true West. Travel back in time and discover the
treasures of Western Canada's past. All the sights and sounds of
pre-1914 life are recreated at Canada's largest living historical
village. You can cruise the lake aboard the S.S. Moyie steam wheeler,
or tour the town by steam train, horse-drawn wagon, carriage or
old-fashioned bus. Or just take a stroll down Main Street.
From Heritage Park you are transported across Alberta’s rolling countryside to a rustic guest ranch, where you will spend the next three nights. A variety of wildlife can be frequently seen here, and you will enjoy the very best of western hospitality in this restful western hideaway.
But, before you retire, you will enjoy a wonderfully flavourful traditional western dinner.
Guest Ranch – Rodeo
You
will enjoy a hearty breakfast before you head off to attend the rodeo
and/or powwow. For those who are not familiar with the Native American
culture, powwows are celebrations, social gatherings and friendly
competitions of traditional dancing, drumming, singing, ceremonies and
feasting, and the bringing of many nations of people together.
Everyone is welcome regardless of race, creed, religion, or color.
At the rodeo you will experience the adrenalin rush of the cowboys’ eternal battle to overcome the raw power of the untamed animals of the west. You will spend the day enjoying the exhilaration and excitement of bucking broncos, bull riders, steer wrestlers, calf ropers, and barrel racers.
In addition, you may have the opportunity to meet some of the rodeo cowboys and/or clowns for conversation and photographs.
At the conclusion of the rodeo we head back to the guest ranch for a terrific dinner, and another restful night in the foothills.
Guest Ranch - Rocky Mountains
Today
you will experience the incomparable beauty of the rugged and majestic
Rocky Mountains. Our first stop is the Columbia Icefields,
an area of glacial ice covering some 390 sq. km with a maximum depth
of 365 m (1210 ft). Bigger than the City of Vancouver, the continuous
accumulation of snow feeds eight major glaciers and its meltwater
feeds streams and rivers that pour into the Arctic, Atlantic, and
Pacific oceans. You will take a tour of the icy slopes in a specially
designed Ice Explorer that goes to the middle of the glacier on a 5
kilometer round trip journey. Your driver/guide will explain how
glaciers are formed and point out interesting geological features as
you travel in safety and comfort. At the icefall below the glacier
headwall, you will have the option of stepping out onto ice formed
from snow falling as long as 400 years ago.
After
lunch at the Icefields, it’s a short trip to your first view of the
imposing Victoria Glacier nestled behind beautiful Lake
Louise. You will be left with no doubt as to why this is
known as the "Jewel of the Rockies." Not only have international
royalty, Hollywood stars and heads of state come to Lake Louise to
relax, but increasingly the rest of the world is discovering its
simple charms as well. Lake Louise, with its blue-green water set
against the stark backdrop of Victoria Glacier, is probably the most
beloved and most photographed scene in the Canadian Rockies. Chateau
Lake Louise presents lake-side views of the glacier, while offering
old-world charm and elegance amidst the wilderness.
And,
you’re not done yet. Your last stop, before heading home for the day,
is the town of Banff. Here you can take an eight
minute ride in a glass enclosed gondola to the 2288 m (7500 ft) summit
of Sulphur Mountain, where three levels of outdoor observation decks
offer a panoramic 360 degree view of Banff and the surrounding area.
Also, you can tour the many fine museums and natural history centres,
in addition to sampling the extensive and unique shopping
opportunities.
Then it’s back to the guest ranch. Where, after a leisurely dinner, you can settle into your comfortable accommodations, and enjoy a good night’s rest in preparation for another full day tomorrow.
Guest Ranch – Kananaskis Country - Calgary
After
breakfast, you can go on a trail ride, savour the majestic scenery on
the beautiful hiking trails as you watch for birds and wildlife, or
just sit back and soak it all in (flight departure time permitting).
The morning and the choice is yours.
Then, after lunch the next leg of your journey is a drive through Kananaskis Country (flight departure time permitting). This is an unspoiled paradise of towering mountains, pristine lakes, evergreen valleys, and glacial streams. The name Kananaskis is rich with history. Captain John Palliser, an early explorer of the valley, identified the area by taking the name of a local Indian. Palliser wrote that he had heard of an Indian named Kananaskis, "giving an account of a most wonderful recovery from the blow of an axe to the head - which stunned, but failed to kill him."
At the end of the day you arrive back in Calgary, where we'll be happy to deliver you to your onward location.
We’re going to miss you, but you’ll carry away memories that will make you the envy of your family at friends back home. And these memories will always provide a quieter and more tranquil place to retreat to during the those more hectic times of your life.
**The specific guest ranch, hotel or B&B may vary depending on availability of accommodation. All the members of each tour departure will stay in the same accommodation. All accommodations are of an equal or higher standard than the one specified in the tour description.
Saturday - Tuesday (4 days/3 nights)
2013 RETAIL PRICE: CAN$1899 plus taxes
(Per person based on double occupancy)
Contact our knowledgeable staff today to
discuss making your western experience holiday a reality.
* Specific Rodeo included in each tour to be confirmed.
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Ask us for a Custom Designed
western experience holiday!
Our Rocky Mountain Weddings offer
spectacular scenery, attention to detail, and a deeply romantic
setting!
Join us for an Aboriginal Experience!
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