Tour
Dinosaurs and the iconic landscapes of Alberta: Canada聽
Next trip 10 days from 1 September 2027
Booking information
September 2027 – 10 days聽
Register your interest for 2027 and we will contact you when confirmed details including finalised dates and prices are available.
Journey from Calgary into Alberta鈥檚 spectacular Badlands, home to some of the world鈥檚 richest dinosaur fossil deposits. Along the way, discover extraordinary evidence of prehistoric life and the dinosaurs that once roamed western Canada, before continuing into the spectacular landscapes of the Canadian Rockies.
The journey begins in Calgary before heading into the Alberta Badlands and Drumheller, home to the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology and spectacular Horseshoe Canyon. Continue to Dinosaur Provincial Park, one of the world’s most important dinosaur fossil regions, before travelling through Waterton Lakes, Kootenay and Banff National Parks. Throughout the journey, discover the palaeontological significance of the landscapes and the fossils they preserve.
Accompanied throughout by a palaeontologist, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the fossils and prehistoric worlds you encounter. Through talks, field interpretation and walking commentary, your expert will explore how palaeontologists excavate and study fossils and piece together the story of life in prehistoric Canada.
This journey is ideal for anyone fascinated by dinosaurs, fossils and palaeontology, as well as travellers who want to explore some of Canada’s most spectacular landscapes through a scientific lens. No previous scientific knowledge is required 鈥� just curiosity and an enthusiasm for exploring Canada’s prehistoric past.
In partnership with Intrepid Travel.
Itinerary
This itinerary has been carefully planned, but this type of travel requires a degree of flexibility. Local conditions, weather, transport or other unforeseen circumstances may require changes to the programme. Intrepid Travel鈥檚 experienced tour leaders will manage any changes on the ground, and while every effort will be made to operate the tour as described, the itinerary may be amended where necessary.
Day 1: Arrive in Calgary
Arrive into Calgary and check into your hotel. You can spend the remainder of the day at leisure exploring Alberta鈥檚 cosmopolitan gateway.
In the evening, meet your fellow guests, tour leader and accompanying expert, who will give an introductory lecture on the tour ahead. The tour expert will give both evening lectures and walking commentary throughout the tour.
Afterwards, you will head out to enjoy dinner together.
Day 2: Calgary to Drumheller
In the morning drive around 2 hours to Drumheller, with stops to introduce the Badlands along the way.
Drumheller itself has a fascinating history which, like much of western Canada, is dominated by the development of the railway network in the early 1900s. It is the largest town by land area in Alberta, despite having a population of under 10,000 people.
Day 3: The Royal Tyrrell Museum and Horseshoe Canyon
The day will begin with an excursion to one of the world’s premier dinosaur museums, the Royal Tyrrell Museum. You will enjoy a talk on fossil preparation and visit a fossil preparation lab, followed by lunch at the museum.
In the afternoon, explore the dramatic landscapes of Horseshoe Canyon, where millions of years of geological history are revealed through striking layers of sedimentary rock, sculpted cliffs and colourful badlands. Discover how ancient rivers, changing climates and erosion have shaped this remarkable landscape, uncovering evidence of Alberta鈥檚 prehistoric past.
Return to Drumheller in the late afternoon.
Day 4: Dinosaur Provincial Park
Continue to Dinosaur Provincial Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its extraordinary concentration of dinosaur fossils and dramatic badlands scenery. This remarkable landscape offers a fascinating glimpse into life during the Late Cretaceous period, around 75 million years ago, when the region was a lush coastal plain inhabited by a remarkable diversity of dinosaurs and other prehistoric wildlife.
Spend the day exploring the park and discovering the rich fossil record that has made it one of the world’s most important palaeontological sites.
Day 5: Waterton Lakes National Park
Journey to Alberta’s Southern Rockies and the spectacular landscapes of Waterton Lakes National Park, where soaring peaks, glacial lakes and flower-filled valleys are enjoyed without the crowds of Canada’s better-known mountain parks. Discover a landscape shaped by powerful tectonic forces, where the Lewis Thrust Fault has placed ancient Precambrian rocks atop much younger sedimentary layers, creating one of the world’s most important geological sites. The region’s fossil-bearing rocks preserve evidence of ancient tropical seas that once covered western North America, offering fascinating insights into the area’s deep geological and palaeontological history.
Day 6: Waterton Lakes National Park
Spend a day exploring the spectacular landscapes of Waterton Lakes National Park, where the Rocky Mountains rise dramatically from the prairie. Cruise across Waterton Lake to the US border, watching for moose, bald eagles and other wildlife, while discovering the park’s remarkable geology. Here, ancient sedimentary rocks over 1.5 billion years old were thrust over much younger strata along the Lewis Thrust Fault, one of the world’s finest examples of mountain-building. This extraordinary geological history has shaped the fossil-rich rocks found throughout the region, helping scientists understand the evolution of ancient marine environments and the forces that created the Rocky Mountains.聽
Day 7: Waterton Lakes NP to Banff via Invermere
Cross into British Columbia and travel through the dramatic mountain landscapes of Kootenay National Park, where towering limestone peaks, glacial valleys and colourful mineral springs reveal over 500 million years of Earth’s history. Along the way, discover rocks that preserve evidence of ancient tropical seas and the tectonic forces that built the Canadian Rockies.
Continue to Golden and experience the spectacular Golden Skybridge, where two of Canada’s highest suspension bridges span a deep canyon carved by glaciers and powerful rivers, offering panoramic views of this remarkable geological landscape.
Day 8: Banff to Lake Louise
Travel along the spectacular Icefields Parkway towards Lake Louise, passing through some of the Canadian Rockies鈥� most breathtaking alpine scenery. Along the way, admire towering mountain peaks, ancient glaciers, cascading waterfalls and turquoise lakes, while discovering how powerful glacial processes have shaped this extraordinary landscape over millions of years.
Enjoy opportunities to stop and appreciate the panoramic mountain views before taking a leisurely walk along the shores of Lake Louise. Continue to Moraine Lake, renowned for its striking turquoise waters and dramatic setting beneath the Valley of the Ten Peaks, where you will enjoy a picnic lunch surrounded by spectacular alpine scenery.
After lunch, take a short, guided walk along the lakeshore or to a nearby moraine to explore deposits left behind by retreating glaciers.
Return to Banff.
Day 9: Banff to Calgary
Depart Banff and journey east through the spectacular foothills of the Canadian Rockies, exploring the geological forces that have shaped this remarkable mountain landscape. Begin near Mount Yamnuska, where dramatic limestone cliffs reveal evidence of immense tectonic forces that pushed ancient rock formations over younger layers during the formation of the Rockies.
In the afternoon, travel towards Calgary, passing through landscapes shaped by vast glaciers during the last Ice Age.
Enjoy a final dinner with the group in Calgary.
Day 10: Depart Calgary
Depart after breakfast.
FAQs
Where does the tour begin and end?
This tour begins and ends in Calgary, Canada. Please speak to Intrepid Travel, who can offer advice and book flights for those travelling from the UK.
How fit do I need to be to enjoy this tour?
A moderate level of fitness and mobility is recommended, as the tour includes guided walks through fossil-rich landscapes, national parks and uneven terrain. Most walks are relatively gentle, although the visit to Dinosaur Provincial Park includes a 6-kilometre walk over potentially rocky, dusty and uneven ground, with some inclines. You should be comfortable walking for several hours with breaks and negotiating steps and uneven surfaces. Some locations are at altitude, particularly in the Rocky Mountains, although strenuous hiking is not required. Comfortable, sturdy walking shoes with good grip are essential.
How much travel is involved?
This tour covers a considerable distance across Alberta and parts of British Columbia, combining scenic drives with visits to important palaeontological and geological sites. Most journeys are between 1 and 3 hours, although there are several longer travel days, particularly between Dinosaur Provincial Park and Waterton Lakes National Park (approximately 4鈥�5 hours) and from Waterton to Banff via Kootenay National Park and Golden (approximately 6鈥�8 hours, depending on stops).
Travel is by private vehicle, with regular breaks for sightseeing, short walks and expert commentary. The longer journeys are an important part of the experience, revealing the changing landscapes and geological history of western Canada.
What will the weather be like in September?
September is a wonderful time to explore Alberta, with early autumn bringing cooler temperatures and changing colours across the landscapes. In Calgary and the Badlands, daytime temperatures typically range from 15鈥�22掳C, although evenings and mornings can be considerably cooler. In the Rocky Mountains, including Waterton, Banff and Lake Louise, temperatures are generally lower, ranging from around 8鈥�17掳C during the day, with the possibility of overnight frost or early snowfall, particularly at higher elevations. Conditions can change quickly in the mountains, so warm layers, a waterproof jacket and sturdy walking shoes are recommended.
Is this tour suitable for solo travellers?
All of our tours are perfect for solo travellers. If you want your own room, you will need to pay a solo supplement. However, if you are happy to share a room with a fellow guest of the same sex, we will do all we can to match you with another guest so you do not have to pay the solo room supplement.
Booking information
Booking administration
This tour is operated by our trusted partner Intrepid Travel on behalf of New 女生小视频 Discovery Tours. Their dedicated specialist team will be your main point of contact from booking until you return home, handling your reservation, payments, travel documents, pre-departure information and any questions about your tour or travel arrangements.
Highlights
- Explore Alberta鈥檚 Badlands, one of the world鈥檚 richest regions for dinosaur fossils and Cretaceous discoveries
- Go behind the scenes at the Royal Tyrrell Museum to explore its world-class fossil collections and research
- Explore Dinosaur Provincial Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its exceptional dinosaur fossil beds
- Visit dinosaur excavation sites normally closed to the public and learn about ongoing palaeontological fieldwork
- Uncover the geology and fossils of the Badlands, where erosion reveals millions of years of prehistoric history
- Discover how palaeontologists excavate, prepare and study dinosaur fossils in the field and laboratory
- Experience the glacial landscapes of Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Grassi Lake in the Canadian Rockies
- Visit two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks and Dinosaur Provincial Park
- Maximum group size 鈥� 16 people
Meet the expert
聽Expert to be confirmed shortly
What’s included
- The services of your tour expert(s), who will be with the group throughout the tour, providing pre-visit briefings, walking seminars and will be available to answer questions
- A tour leader, who will attend to logistical matters, oversee the group鈥檚 health and safety and assist participants with their queries
- All transportation costs from the start to the end of the tour, including the services of a professional coach driver
- All accommodation costs for the nights stated
- All breakfasts, lunches and dinners, except for evening meals on Days 2 and 5
- Entry fees, local guide fees and activity fees, where arranged as part of the tour
- Most gratuities and all service charges
- Single supplement
What’s not included
- Travel insurance. Participants should carry their own health and travel insurance in case of accident or unforeseen circumstances
- Transport to the tour start point
- Private airport transfers
- Alcoholic drinks with meals are not included
- Optional activities as described in the tour itinerary or extra activities that are not described in the itinerary
- Personal expenditures, including bar bills, laundry bills and the cost of meals on day 2 and 5
- Visa/ETA (if applicable)
Accommodations
Accomodation to be confirmed shortly.