Travel Kuoni

Peaks & Prairies of Alberta

Take two weeks to do one figure of eight route through central and western Alberta, seeing two sides to this incredible province

Alberta’s mountain towns are so famous, they barely need an introduction. This behind-the-wheel trip takes you there but also goes beyond the obvious and avoids the most overcrowded spots. It pairs the poster-child peaks with the seemingly never-ending prairies, a lesser-visited side of Wild Rose Country, and takes you down to the Waterton Park where Canada meets the USA in gloriously scenic style. We’ve filled the 14-night trip with nine destinations including a few overnight stops to break up those longer distances

Self drive
14 nights

From £3,795 to £4,750 per person

Itinerary overview

Days 1-2

First up is the largest city in largely rural Alberta. You’ve got a whole day to settle into the ...

Days 3-4

Your first taste of the Rockies is down in Waterton Park National Park, but we highly recommend d...

Day 5

Make the turn back north and make your way along AB Highway 22, keeping the rolling Rockies footh...

Day 6

It’s back out onto the prairie lands today as you travel to Drumheller, a town off the well beate...

Days 7-8

The focus flips from the landscapes to the Métis (pronounced may-tea) people at Métis Crossing wh...

Day 9

Make the turn back westwards this morning, stopping for a night in Edmonton, Alberta’s provincial...

Days 10-11

The plains give way to foothills and high peaks as you dip back into the Rockies. We’ve included ...

Day 12

Most people make the journey from Jasper to Banff in one day, travelling the staggeringly spectac...

Days 13-14

The final leg south continues along the Icefields Parkway down to the mountain playgrounds of Lak...

Day 15

It’s a short drive back to Calgary and you’ll be catching an evening flight so make the most of y...

Days 1-2

Calgary

First up is the largest city in largely rural Alberta. You’ve got a whole day to settle into the Canadian pace of life. Check out the small town, indie vibes of Inglewood, bar hop around the craft breweries in industrial Ramsey and chill on the Bow River waterfront in Prince’s Island Park. Instead of city slicking on your first day in Alberta, you could pick up your hire car a day early and make the out-and-back day trip to Dinosaur Provincial Park. The name gives it away, but this incredible spot in the Red Deer River valley is known for its overabundance of dino fossils. It’s about a two and a half-hour drive but well worth the trip if you’re more palaeontologist than urbanist.

National Hockey League (NHL) Tickets
Florida

The National Hockey League (NHL) is something of an institution across North America. Established in 1917, 32 teams compete against each other in ice hockey from October to June. Subject to availability, we can arrange tickets so that you can be rink side to witness the power and speed of the players as they attack and defend across the ice.

Days 3-4

Waterton Park

Your first taste of the Rockies is down in Waterton Park National Park, but we highly recommend detouring via the dramatically named Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump. This foothills UNCESCO World Heritage Site is dedicated to indigenous traditions and culture as well as the importance of the buffalo to the Plains People. We’ve set aside a whole day to marvel at Waterton Lakes National Park and its lakes, waterfalls and hiking trails, but one of the quirkier activities is a boat trip to Goat Haunt Landing on the USA side of the lake (with no passport required).

Day 5

Kananaskis Village

Make the turn back north and make your way along AB Highway 22, keeping the rolling Rockies foothills to your left. A little later, the views crank up a notch as you head on to Highway 40 and into the Rockies proper (close December to June). The small but perfectly formed mountain resort of Kananaskis Village is your end of the road for today; we’ve set aside the first of the one night stops to break up your journey, but this is a pause with a jaw-dropping backdrop and a spot where you can skip the Banff crowds.

Day 6

Drumheller

It’s back out onto the prairie lands today as you travel to Drumheller, a town off the well beaten tourist track and a dream for budding palaeontologists. The Badlands landscapes (think hoodoos and canyons), Wild West vibes and dinosaur fossil beds feel a world away from the high peaks and make this much more than just a simple stop en route.

Days 7-8

Métis Crossing

The focus flips from the landscapes to the Métis (pronounced may-tea) people at Métis Crossing which is part immersive cultural centre, part lodge. It sits on the bank of the North Saskatchewan River, a travel and trade route of choice for hundreds of years. To delve deeper into Métis culture and traditions, pack your full day with wildlife tours, weaving workshops, paddling trips or nature walks. This is a real standout moment of the holiday and a moment that few people get when hightailing it straight to the Rockies.

Day 9

Edmonton

Make the turn back westwards this morning, stopping for a night in Edmonton, Alberta’s provincial capital. The city straddles the same river that passes through Métis Crossing and is home to the River Valley Parks that combine to make up the largest urban parkland in North America.

Days 10-11

Jasper

The plains give way to foothills and high peaks as you dip back into the Rockies. We’ve included a couple of nights in Jasper to give you a full day of national park adventures checking out the canyons, waterfalls lakes and trails. Every moment in Jasper is a wildlife spotting opportunity, but heading out on a tour with an expert will up your sighting chances and bulk out your knowledge. And the fun doesn’t have to stop after the sun goes down – visit in the shoulder season for more hours of darkness and turn your face to the stars; Jasper is the world’s second largest Dark-Sky Preserve.

Explore Jasper with Maligne Cruise
Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise & Jasper

Exchange life’s hectic hustle and bustle for a slice of pure serenity on our Maligne Lake Cruise. Voyage from Jasper to the Maligne Canyon, Medicine Lake and beyond, uncovering a melting pot of hidden treasures along the way. Channel your inner Robinson Crusoe as you explore the neverending wonders of the Canadian Rockies’ largest national park and take a moment to truly appreciate the majestic mount that surrounds you.

Get snap-happy at Maligne Canyon, where spectacular views of the rushing waterfalls are the jewel in the crown, and discover the mystery of the disappearing water at Medicine Lake. The slow shores of Maligne Lake serve up a postcard-perfect spot for a leisurely stroll, while Jasper’s rocky terrain welcomes animal lovers to delight in some truly magnificent wildlife watching.

• Duration: Six hours
• Daily departures
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

Good to know
Maligne Lake Cruise and a hot lunch are included. Light snacks & refreshments supplied for all guests. Please note that the Maligne Lake Cruise is seasonal. Additional programming will be provided when Maligne Lake is closed.

Columbia Icefield Adventure
Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise & Jasper

Discover Canada's most scenic mountain roadway, the Icefield's Parkway, featuring over one hundred visible glaciers, turquoise lakes and rushing waterfalls. Venture onto the surface of the Athabasca Glacier in a specially designated Ice Explorer for a spectacular Ice Age adventure. Experience Jasper National Park's Glacier Skywalk as you step out onto a glass-floored observation platform extending 30 metres out over the Sunwapta Valley.

• Departs daily from the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre
• Operates 4 May to 14 October
• Group experience

Good to know
You will need to make your own way to the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre.

Jasper Planetarium & Telescope Combo
Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise & Jasper

Jasper National Park is the world's largest Dark Sky Preserve meaning that on clear nights, it is one of the best places to view the stars, planets, galaxies and any passing satellites. On this evening adventure, head to the town's planetarium where you'll learn about the universe and hear tales of indigenous Canadian constellations and the aurora borealis in the 40-seat dome theatre. It's then time to head outdoors to witness the night sky in more detail as you watch instant live footage captured through one of the most powerful telescopes in the Rockies (weather dependent).

• Times and departure days are different depending on the time of year; please call for details
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

Good to know
Clear skies for live telescope viewing cannot be guaranteed;be sure to dress warmly.

Day 12

Icefields Parkway

Most people make the journey from Jasper to Banff in one day, travelling the staggeringly spectacular Icefields Parkway and stopping off at the bevy of beauty spots en route. To slow the pace and give you the chance to see the snaking Athabasca Glacier and surrounding peaks, sans crowds, we’ve included a night at the Glacier View Lodge, one of the few spots to stay overnight along the Parkway. As part of your stay, you’ll get an evening tour of the glass-floor, cantilevered Skywalk and a trip out onto the glacier on the aptly named Ice Explorer.

Days 13-14

Canmore

The final leg south continues along the Icefields Parkway down to the mountain playgrounds of Lake Louise and Banff. We recommend picking a hotel in Canmore which is a little further south along the Trans-Canada Highway; it’s the perfect alternative to Banff which can seem to burst at the seams during the high summer season. Canmore has a more local life vibe to it, with a proper community feel, and the folks that run any featured tours and experiences will pick you up from here, so you won’t have to worry about any FOMO. What you choose to do on your full day here is up to you – will you pick gondola trips, glacier lake boat trips, riverside wanderings, hot-spring soaking, canyon-side hike?

Discover Banff & its Wildlife & Banff Gondola
Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise & Jasper

Discover the town of Banff and its unspoiled natural surroundings. Tour highlights include Bow Falls, the hoodoos that are curiously shaped by centuries of erosion, Surprise Corner, Tunnel Mountain Drive overlooking the beautiful scenery of the Bow River Valley, and the magnificent Lake Minnewanka and Two Jack Lake. Also included are tickets for the Banff Gondola, check-in assistance and return transportation to your hotel. Maple cookies and refreshments are provided.

Sightseeing tour See the top sights of Banff and view wildlife in their natural habitat Learn about Banff and its wildlife from your experienced guide Ascend to the summit of Sulphur Mountain in Banff Gondola, offering amazing panoramic views

Mountains, Lakes & Waterfalls from Banff or Lake Louise
Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise & Jasper

Take a journey deep into the Rocky Mountains, seeking out glacier and snow-fed lakes backed by towering peaks. You'll visit Banff and Yoho National Parks and stop off at Lake Louise (except if you have booked the tour to start from here), Moraine Lake*, the Valley of the Ten Peaks and Takakkaw Falls**.

As well as a barbecue lunch on the edge of Emerald Lake, you'll visit a view point that overlooks the Spiral Tunnels - an epic feat of engineering; see if you can follow the train tracks (or even a train if the timing is right) as they twist and turn and sporadically disappear into the mountain.

• Daily departures
• Operates from 4 May to 14 October
• Group experience

Good to know
*The road to Moraine Lake opens in late May (depending on snow conditions) and **the road to Takkakaw Falls opens in mid-June (depending on snow conditions). Alternative stops will be used before this date. Potential visits include Johnston Canyon, Marble Canyon, Field Visitor Centre, and Natural Rock Bridge. The itinerary will be at the driver's discretion on the day.

Banff Gondola Ride
Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise & Jasper

This gondola ride is one of the easiest ways to get high above Banff for wide mountain views without a long hike. You’ll ride up Sulphur Mountain in a matter of minutes, spend time exploring the summit at your own pace, and enjoy panoramic scenery across the Bow Valley and surrounding peaks. It’s accessible, flexible, and easy to fit into a day in Banff.

Most visitors spend around an hour and a half to two hours at the top, wandering the well-maintained interpretive boardwalks that run along the ridge. They’re ideal for a gentle walk with big views and just enough context to deepen your appreciation without slowing things down. The gondola operates year-round, with hours varying by season. Clear days offer the widest views, but even when the weather rolls in, watching clouds drift through the peaks below the viewing platforms can be just as memorable.

• Duration: 2 hours
• Daily departures 
• Operates May to 13 October
• Group experience

Day 15

Depart Calgary

It’s a short drive back to Calgary and you’ll be catching an evening flight so make the most of your last day, ticking off anything you missed in the mountains.

Personalise your trip

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Call our North America experts on

01306 744 988

Available until 5pm

Other Itineraries

Call our North America experts on

01306 744 988

Available until 5pm

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