 Experience the spirit of the wild Rockies on the Trail of the Great Bear.
This unique, award-winning self-drive includes six national parks, wonderful wildlife, stunning glaciers,
World Heritage Sites and colourful local communities. Your heart will be forever filled with the beauty of this
country and you will be happy knowing that part of the package price is used to preserve and restore this region
for the "great bear" - the grizzly.
TOUR FEATURES
7 nights hotel accommodation, mid-size vehicle, Glenbow Museum, Heritage Park, Calgary Zoo,
Banff Gondola, Banff Upper Hot Springs, Cave and Basin, Columbia Icefield Snocoach ride on the
Athabasca Glacier, Fort Steele, Frank Slide, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, Waterton Lake Cruise,
Bar U Ranch, Trail of the Great Bear Travel Pack, and National Park vehicle entrance fee.
DAY 01
Pick up your rental vehicle, then take the day to explore Calgary. Established by the North West
Mounted Police in 1875, the city's population now numbers close to 800,000. Visit the Zoo (admission included),
Glenbow Museum (admission included) take in a football game, stroll the riverside pathways, dine on the world's
finest beef. Don't miss Heritage Park (included) in the city's south side, a "living museum" reconstructed Alberta
town with costumed interpreters, a steam train and scale-model sternwheeler, an old-fashioned candy store and much
more. Overnight in Calgary.
DAY 02
Take the short (2-hour) drive from Calgary to Banff on either the Trans Canada
Highway or the more scenic 1A Highway. Upon arrival in Banff, check out the Cave and
Basin National Historic Site (included), birthplace of Banff and the Canadian national
parks. Make a stop at Banff Gondola (included) which will lift you high over Banff for an
incredible panoramic view. Overnight in Banff.
DAY 03
You will have the entire day to explore Banff and area. You'll find lots of excitement -
shopping, caf‚s, nightlife, and museums. Later on take a dip in the hot mineral pools at
the newly-renovated Upper Hot Springs (included). Overnight in Banff.
DAY 04
Another great day in the Rockies - Banff to Jasper along the amazing Icefields Parkway.
You're sure to be enthralled by the scenery, the wildlife, the incredible blue lakes and
sparkling waterfalls en route. Take a quick side trip to lovely Lake Louise. Stop for a self-guided
interpretive walk at Peyto Lake. Don't miss the Columbia Icefield Visitor Centre and a ride onto the
Athabasca Glacier on board a Inbound Holiday's Snocoach(included). Overnight at the Columbia Icefield Chalet.
DAY 05
Retrace the Icefields Parkway to Yoho National Park, where you can see Takakkaw Falls,
Canada's third-highest waterfall, or stop for lunch at Emerald Lake. You are now in Canada's most
westerly province, British Columbia. Overnight in Panorama.
DAY 06
Tour the "living museum" reconstruction of the Mounties' Fort Steele (admission included), then continue
to Waterton via the spectacular Crowsnest Pass. Don't forget to stop at the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre
(admission included) - set amid rock debris at the base of Turtle Mountain, the centre describes the massive
landslide that obliterated the town of Frank in 1903. Then you'll travel into foothills country, passing
through the ranching town of Pincher Creek with an array of high-tech windmills on the ridges above. You'll
re-enter the mountains at Waterton National Park. Overnight in Waterton.
DAY 07
A full day to explore Waterton and area, with an optional side-trip to Montana's Glacier National Park.
Waterton is a wildflower paradise, with many scenic drives, hikes and strolls. Take a lake cruise on the
International Boat (included). Overnight in Waterton.
DAY 08
Today's return to Calgary is filled with history and heritage. Your tour includes the Remington-Alberta
Carriage Centre in Cardston, where you will find the world's best collection of horse-drawn vehicles.
Continue to the town of Fort Macleod, where the Northwest Mounted Police built their first western outpost
in 1874 (admission included). Your next stop is the UNESCO declared World Heritage Site, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo
Jump (admission included) and its innovative interpretive centre. Your last stop along your way to Calgary is Bar
U Ranch National Historic Site - opened in 1995, this site features ranch buildings dating from the early 1880s
(admission included). Return your vehicle in Calgary to complete your tour.
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