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Enjoy our western hospitality on a Rockies-Ranch
Adventure!
City and country excitement awaits you on a Calgary - Rockies Adventure!
Join us in the foothills of the Rockies for an Authentic Western Experience!
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Did you know that Brokeback Mountain doesn’t actually exist? But the locations where it was filmed sure do! And, did you know that Brokeback Mountain was filmed in Alberta not Wyoming? Why Alberta? Because of the spectacular scenery and accessible wilderness found in abundance in Alberta. So come follow the Brokeback Mountain trail and have the vacation of a lifetime in the uncrowded surroundings of Southern Alberta – including an overnight Horseback Pack Trip and Tipi Camping. Here you’ll experience firsthand the stunning visuals of the movie, while relaxing in Alberta’s wide open spaces.
Pick
up your rental vehicle and spend the day exploring Calgary. Established
by the North West Mounted Police in 1875, the city's population now numbers
just over one million. Don't miss Heritage Park Historical Village,
a "living museum” with costumed interpreters, a steam train,
a scale-model sternwheeler, an old-fashioned candy store and much more.
And, after checking out restaurants and shopping locations frequented by
the Brokeback Mountain cast, settle into one of their favorite
hotels for the night, the Fairmont Palliser.
Today you can take time to visit the Northern Wilds Exhibit at the Calgary Zoo, stroll the riverside pathways, dine on the world's finest beef, go up the Calgary Tower and shop along Stephen Avenue Mall. This evening you can ample on over to Ranchman’s Restaurant. Ranchman’s is featured as Jack & Lureen’s bar in Brokeback Mountain and it is as authentic a cowboy bar as you’ll ever mosey across. And then its back home to the Fairmont Palliser for another restful night.
Saddle
up and head down The Cowboy Trail. Nestled along the foothills of Alberta’s
Rocky Mountains, the Old West is still evident in the art, history, food,
hospitality and culture of the residents who live and work along this famous
route. As you near Waterton, you can stop briefly to visit the quaint little
town of Cowley. Brokeback Mountain opens
with a haunting scene of big sky country. This is Cowley, the town where
Heath Ledger (Ennis del Mar) and Jake Gyllenhaal (Jack Twist) meet. Follow
the highway south to Waterton Lakes National Park where you’ll spend
a very pleasant evening at the Waterton Lakes Lodge.
After a short 20 minute drive in the foothills, you arrive at a historic working cattle and horse ranch to begin preparations for your pack trip. Mount up and head for the high country, where you’ll ride across open meadows filled with a dazzling array of wildflowers and meander through silent shady pine forests. Stay overnight at a remote private wilderness base camp with cabins, cedar hot tub and outdoor showers.
After
a hearty western breakfast, you’ll saddle up and set off from your
base camp to savour more magnificent scenery. Your guide is always there
to help with riding instructions, and you can be sure that there will be
no shortage of western stories about the area, past and present. After a
western style lunch you will head back across the countryside, through the
open meadows and shady pine forests, to the ranch house. A brief drive then
takes you to Fort MacLeod where you will spend the night
at another Brokeback Mountain cast favourite, the Red
Coat Inn Motel.
Rise and shine in the heart of the location for the making of Brokeback Mountain. Stop in at The Java Shop for a wholesome breakfast, and possibly sit in one of the same seats as the cast and crew. The Java Shop is where Ennis del Mar was filmed eating a slab of apple pie. Fort Macleod is also Ennis and his family live above a Laundromat. Spend the rest of your day exploring various film locations and a few local attractions. Finish your day with a refreshment at the Queen’s Hotel (Cassie’s Bar in the movie), and return to your Brokeback Mountain retreat at the Red Coat Inn Motel.
Until
Brokeback Mountain, the southern Alberta town of Fort MacLeod
was been know for its Empress Theatre and proximity to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo
Jump. Located 18 km north & west of Fort Macleod, at a place where the
foothills of the Rocky Mountains meet the great plains, this is one of the
world's oldest, largest and best preserved buffalo jumps. 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.
Complete your journey along Highway 2 to Calgary and your return home.
OR
For dinner, savour a unique taste sensation, buffalo stew or perhaps buffalo burgers. This will fuel your body for a night of breathing in the fresh prairie air and sleeping under the stars in your Tipi Camp.
If you only have seven (7) days, then this will be
the end of your journey, and you will depart Calgary today.
2008 Basic Package (6 Nights/7 Days)
RETAIL PRICE:
May 19 to June 15: CAN$1499 plus taxes (GST and Tourism Levies)
June 16 to September 3: CAN$1699 plus taxes (GST and Tourism Levies)
(Per person based on double occupancy - Moderate Accommodation)
Enjoy a truly Albertan breakfast after you awake from your Tipi Camping and before you set out on today’s adventure. Today you’ll travel through Kananaskis Country, an unspoiled paradise of towering mountains, pristine lakes, evergreen valleys and glacial streams. Brokeback Mountain is actually a composite of angles, from the peaks of Three Sisters flanking the town of Canmore, to Fortress and Moose Mountain – all in Kananaskis Country. Some of the key scenes from the movie, featuring a collection of Alberta’s finest campgrounds, are shot at Upper Kananaskis Lake which is easily accessible. Overnight at the Executive Resort at Kananaskis.
Take
a full day to explore Banff and area. In the town site
you'll find lots of excitement - shopping, cafes, nightlife, and museums.
Check out the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, birthplace of Banff
National Park.. Take the eight minute ride up the Banff Gondola and savour
the incredible panoramic view, and then take a dip in the hot mineral pools
at the newly-renovated Upper Hot Springs. Overnight at Brewster’s
Mountain Lodge.
There is nowhere quite like the Drumheller Valley; Dinosaur Capital of Canada! You will pass several Brokeback Mountain film locations as you travel in the Drumheller area. These include the Texas Highway, the Post Office, the Clown Rodeo, Signal Bar & Trailer, the Highway to Signal, the church where Ennis and Alma’s wedding was held and the A&P Grocery store. And you won’t want to miss the Royal Tyrell Museum - Canada’s largest dinosaur museum. Overnight at the Best Western Jurassic Inn.
Follow
the Dinosaur Trail, and experience the world of hoodoos, as you journey
to Dinosaur Provincial Park. Then travel the highway through Brooks and
make your way to Calgary for the final night of your Brokeback Mountain
adventure tour! Overnight at the Sandman Hotel, Spa & Suites, Calgary
Airport.
Take in some of the attractions that you missed or catch up on some last minute shopping. Today ends your western adventure expedition.
RETAIL PRICE:
May 19 to June 15: CAN$2199 plus taxes (GST and Tourism Levies)
June 16 to September 3: CAN$2499 plus taxes (GST and Tourism Levies)
(Per person based on double occupancy - Moderate Accommodation)
Just tell your personal planning adviser if you would like to stay longer
or do more. Your vacation can be tailored to your schedule and interests
with additional days and/or activities. More great ideas to include when
designing your Tailor Made Western Experience tour can be found
on our Custom Adventures
page.
| Day | Location | Activities |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calgary | Heritage Park Historical Village |
| 2 | Calgary | Northern Wilds Exhibit – Calgary Zoo |
| 3 | Waterton Lakes National Park | Travel day |
| 4 | Mountain Meadows | Day 1 of Horseback Pack Trip |
| 5 | Mountain Meadows | Day 2 of Horseback Pack Trip |
| 6 | Fort MacLeod | Leisure |
| 7 | Calgary OR Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump | Travel day OR Tipi Camp |
| 8 | Kananaskis Village | Travel day |
| 9 | Banff | Banff Gondola |
| 10 | Drumheller | Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology |
| 11 | Calgary | Travel day |
| 12 | Vacation ends |
Daily Departures May 19 to September 3 (All prices in Canadian Dollars)
 |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| May 19 - June 15 | $2,199 | $2,999 |
| June 16 - Sept 3 | $2,499 | $3,199 |
Prices are per person and do not include taxes (GST and Tourism Levies).
Contact
our knowledgeable staff today to discuss making your western experience
holiday a reality.
Our Escorted Tours offer escorted getaways
for your Western Experience Adventure!
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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