WMT Home Calgary Stampede billed as The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, offers an impressive range of experiences and activities for all ages.
In 2006 look forward to the $1.6 Million rodeo, attracting top riders from around the globe. Enjoy the famous evening show featuring chuck wagon races and grandstand shows. The city of Calgary is proud to host visitors from around the world at this spectacular celebration, which blends Western Canadian heritage with dynamic contemporary entertainment.
See you at the Calgary Stampede!
Calgary Stampede – Rocky Mountain High Tour
July 2 – 9, 2006 (8 days/7 nights)
Sun., July 2 – Home - Calgary, Alberta
Group members arrive from various provinces and countries. Transfer to airport hotel. Lunch or dinner is on your own after arrival into Calgary, depending on time of arrival. Met at hotel by AgriTours Canada Tour Director. Evening social get together and orientation program – introductions of group members to each other and to the program. Airport Hotel.
Mon., July 3 – Calgary – Banff – Golden (B, L)
After a deluxe continental breakfast in the hotel, we check out and depart for Banff, by-passing Calgary and heading into the foothills and then into the Banff National Park. Our visit in Banff will include a driving tour to the Hoodoos area, Tunnel Mountain with a view of the spectacular Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, a brief visit to the Banff Springs Hotel, followed by a visit to Bow Falls. We then proceed into town where the group will have free time to shop, sightsee, have a coffee break and enjoy the wonderful mountain air.
Banff Nat’l Park http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/banff/index_E.asp
Jasper National Park http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/jasper/index_E.asp
Following our visit, we depart for Lake Louise, the jewel of the Rockies and location of the Fairmont Lake Louise Hotel. There will be enough time to stroll along the lake, take pictures, visit the lobby and shops area of the hotel, get souvenirs and enjoy the view. Following this visit we will have lunch in the village of Lake Louise. Canadian Rockies: www.canadianrockies.net/
We will travel north along part of the famous Ice Fields Parkway, said to be one of the most beautiful highway drives in the world. We will visit Peyto, Bow and Hector Lakes, viewing many glaciers on the east face of several mountains along the Parkway. We have a coffee break at Bow Lake before returning south and traveling to the famous Emerald Lake for a photo opportunity. We will overnight in the town of Golden, famous for its forestry industry, nature and skiing. Dinner on your own in Golden where there are several choices of restaurants.
Tues., July 4 – Golden - Radium – Fort Steele – Fernie/Crowsnest Pass – Pincher Creek (B, L)
Following a hearty breakfast, we depart for Radium Hot Springs in the middle of the Columbia River Valley. The Columbia River system provides a source of water for many hydro-electric projects in both Canada and the United States. However, in addition to this, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of the incredible diversity of wild animals, birds of prey and waterfowl. Watch for Bald Eagles, Golden Eagles, Blue Herons, several varieties of ducks and geese as well as deer, elk and other native animals.
Kootenay Nat’l Park: http://www.pc.gc.ca/docs/v-g/GuideM-MGuide/sec10/gm-mg5_E.asp
We stop at Radium Hot Springs for time to soak in the natural hot springs (included) and to soak off some of the travel miles. We continue south to Fort Steele where we have lunch and visit this historic outpost that was important when Canada’s North West Mounted Police were stabilizing Canada’s western frontier.
Fort Steele: www.fortsteele.bc.ca/
After a visit to this living history museum, we proceed through the Rockies to Fernie, a mining and ski resort town where we stop for coffee break. We proceed through the famous Crowsnest Pass, stopping briefly at the Frank Slide, site of one of Canada’s largest rock slide disaster where the mining town of Frank was destroyed when 1/3 of Turtle Mountain collapsed and buried much of the town and its sleeping inhabitants. This is now an historic site where the history and memory of those who died is maintained by a memorial and museum.
Frank Slide: www.frankslide.com/.
Our next stop is the town of Pincher Creek where we will overnight and rest from our travels along and through the Rocky Mountains. Dinner on your own in Pincher Creek.
Wed., July 5 – Pincher Creek – Fort McLeod – Lethbridge (B, L)
Following breakfast we will visit a large Hutterite Colony where we will learn about this religious group that provides most of its own necessities from their farming and small enterprises within the colony. We will pass by the large Windmill Farm that provides the region with wind-generated electricity. We will visit the Bloomin Inn (http://bloomin-inn.com/) and Ranch for lunch and to learn about this family-owned cattle and Bed and Breakfast operation.
Our next stop is Cardston, the largest Mormon town in Canada and home of one of the best Buggy and Carriage Museums in North America, the Remington Museum (www.remingtoncarriagemuseum.com/). We will have a coffee break at the museum as well as time to explore the amazing variety of buggies and wagons that this world class museum has in its collection.
The tour will proceed eastward toward Lethbridge and we will visit Fort Whoop Up, built to support and supply the cattle ranchers who settled the region in the days of the Northwest Mounted Police and unsettled times between native population and also between the United States and Canada. Following this enlightening visit, we proceed to Lethbridge, southern Alberta’s largest city and a true agriculturally based Canadian city. Fort Whoop Up: http://www.fortwhoopup.com/exhibits.html
Time permitting an optional visit to the Japanese Gardens in Lethbridge will top off our day that featured western ranching and the history of western Canadian settlement. Overnight in Lethbridge. Dinner on your own.
Thurs., July 6 – Lethbridge – Coaldale - High River – Calgary (B, L)
Our breakfast will prepare us for the visit a large scaled dairy cattle operation and learn about dairy production in southern Alberta. Following this visit, we proceed to Perlich’s Livestock Auction just west of Lethbridge. Thursday is sale day so we will watch a real life cattle auction of feeder cattle. Supporting Canadian beef producers, we will provide group members with a lunch at the auction.
Following this visit, we proceed to Head-Smashed-in-Buffalo-Jump, a Unison World Heritage Site (www.head-smashed-in.com/) for a self-guided tour of the interpretive centre. Then we’re traveling through the southern plains of Alberta through such intriguingly named towns as Picture Butte, Diamond City, Barons, Vulcan and Nanton. In High River, we proceed east to the “Cowboy Trail” and follow the foothills north, past beef cattle ranches, pastures with horses, bison and fields of crops dedicated to the production of wheat, hay and pasture for the livestock industry of southern Alberta.
Time permitting we will briefly stop at the famous Spruce Meadows Equestrian Centre, second largest facility of its type in the world and largest in North America. We then arrive in Calgary where we settle in to our hotel, with dinner on your own at any of the several local restaurants near the hotel. Overnight in Calgary. Spruce Meadows Equestrian Centre: www.sprucemeadows.com/.
Fri., July 7 – Calgary – Stampede Parade (B, L, D)
Bright and early after our breakfast, we proceed downtown to get in position to view the famous Calgary Stampede parade. The parade winds its way through the city’s downtown core and includes cowboys, first nations peoples, marching bands, floats and an incredible variety of parade participants from Alberta, Canada and around the world – there is no other parade like it in the world. Calgary: www.visitor.calgary.ab.ca/.
Following the parade, the group will have lunch in downtown Calgary. Following lunch, there will be free time to explore downtown shopping, the indoor Devonian Gardens and many other features of downtown Calgary. Optional visit to the Calgary Tower, overlooking the Stampede grounds and the city of Calgary. We return to our hotel via the Calgary Winter Olympic Ski Jump venue on the west side of town. Overnight in Calgary – dinner at a western venue this evening is included.
Sat., July 8 – Calgary Stampede (B)
Breakfast in the hotel will be followed by our departure on the city transit system – the C-Train, which takes us right to the entrance of the Stampede and provides us with our transfer back that evening as well, fully escorted to and from the Rodeo by an AgriTours Canada Tour Director. Calgary Stampede: http://calgarystampede.com/.
Spend the day at the Calgary Stampede including the afternoon RODEO. The evening Grand Stand Show is an additional option and must be purchased in advance for those interested in attending. Return to the hotel after the Grand Stand Show. Lunch and dinner are not included. Departure from the Stampede is scheduled for around 6:00 pm. Group members staying for the Grandstand Show are responsible for their own taxi ride back to your hotel. Overnight in Calgary. Grandstand Show Attendees late return to the hotel on your own
Sun., July 9 – Calgary – Home (B)
Following breakfast, group members will say goodbye to new friends and depart for the airport. The group will have shared an amazing western Canadian experience that shows the diversity, the natural beauty and the incredible heritage of the people in southern Alberta and British Columbia.
For those staying in Calgary for further travel, car rentals, accommodations, train transfers, motor coach tours or other services can be arranged for the convenience of group participants.
Land only - Cost per person
Twin share A$1960.00
Single Supplement A$2490.00
- Official Canadian tax receipt will be issued, outlining agricultural components of the tour.
B, L, D - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner – indicates which meals are included in the package price. Where a meal is not included, we can suggest several restaurants in close proximity to the hotel.
If you are travelling alone and would like to share a room, please let us know. We will do our best to find a room mate for you. If we are unable to find a room mate, you may choose to travel as a single or wait for another tour. We will do our best to give single travellers a reasonably priced single option.
- AgriTours Canada Director
- Meals mentioned as included – half-board program.
- Hotels - Superior Tourist quality hotels
- Ground transportation throughout the tour in deluxe mini-bus or 47 passenger highway motor coach.
- Entrance to attractions as included – Forte Steele, Fort Whoop-up, Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo-Jump, Remington Carriage Museum, Spruce Meadows Equestrian Centre, Calgary Tower.
- Entry fees to Banff, Jasper National Parks in Alberta and Kootenay National Park in British Columbia.
- Lake Louise, Emerald Lake, Kicking Horse Pass, Crow’s Nest Pass, Frank Slide
- Calgary Stampede and Rodeo
- Agricultural visits including farms, agribusinesses and specialty agricultural venues.
- Gratuities are included for ALL included meals throughout the program.
- Scenery, wildlife and fresh mountain air!
Exclusions
- Airfare to and from Calgary
- Meals not specifically mentioned as included
- Attractions not specifically mentioned as included
- Medical and Travel Insurance – highly recommended for all participants – purchase at a discounted rate from AgriTours Canada or from your preferred travel agent or tour operator.
- Alcoholic beverages and gratuities for bar services are not included
- Gratuities for drivers or guides for the tour.
- Gratuities are NOT included for meals not part of the paid program
- Items listed as optional or items of a personal nature such as telephone calls, rooms services, pay TV or movie channels, etc.
Please note:
World Marketing Pty Ltd in conjunction with AgriTours Canada reserves the right to change the program. We also reserve the right to alter or cancel any contracted service if conditions warrant. AgriTours Canada Inc. reserves the right to make any changes to farm visits or attractions if due to circumstances beyond our control, the visits cannot proceed as planned. In the event that a farm or attraction cannot be visited, a replacement farm or attraction will be scheduled which is of equal or greater value or quality. Program is based on a minimum of 15 participants signing up for the program.
Payments:
Deposit: A deposit of A$150.00 is required when making your booking
Balance payment is due 35 days prior to your departure
Cancellation fees apply, travel insurance is highly recommended, please ask us for details
