Alberta Holidays
Home to cowboy culture, a diverse heritage and the incredible Canadian Rockies, there’s so much to explore on an Alberta holiday. Discover beautiful prairie lands and the breathtaking Rocky Mountains, blanketed in vast sub alpine forests criss-crossed by hiking trails. It’s a land of outdoor adventure where you can kayak along rivers or rushing rapids, take to the slopes at three world class ski resorts known as “Ski Big 3” or relax and luxuriate in mineral rich hot springs.
In Banff National Park, you’ll find yourself cradled in snow capped mountains and gazing at stunning glacier fed lakes. For breathtaking views over the park, take a ride on the Banff Gondola, or gently paddle across the turquoise waters of Lake Louise or Moraine Lake. Head north along the Icefields Parkway and make your way to Jasper National Park, leaving time to stop for Alberta’s abundant wildlife and the awe inspiring views that will accompany you the whole way. When you reach Jasper, you may find yourself lost in awe at the area’s pristine wilderness and vast mountains, but by night you’ll see the true spirit of the park, as the sky lights up with stars like you’ve never seen before and, if you’re lucky, the stunning Northern Lights.
Cities of the Wild West
Alberta’s vast stretches of stunning wilderness are broken up by its two biggest cities: Calgary and Edmonton. With Calgary’s gleaming skyscrapers and the impressive West Edmonton Mall, they might seem like innately modern cities on first look, but don’t be fooled - this is the Wild West after all, and cowboy culture is still alive and well here.
There are so many sides of Alberta to discover, so why not make your trip a multi centre holiday? Take an unforgettable trip on the iconic Rocky Mountaineer train or simply explore the province by car, exploring Calgary and Edmonton and the incredible mountains in between, or combine a visit to Calgary with a trip to Banff and Jasper.
Destination Highlights
Great sample itineraries
Alberta offers up a world of possibilities, so take a look at our sample itineraries below, give us a call and let us plan your perfect trip.

Calgary, Rocky Mountaineer Journey Through the Clouds Explorer and Vancouver Multi Centre
See the incredible Canadian Rockies in style on-board one of the world's greatest trains, the Rocky Mountaineer. Begin in Calgary with a chance to explore this modern city before joining the Journey Through the Clouds Explorer tour by coach, taking...
Couples Holidays

Vancouver, Banff and Calgary Multi Centre Holiday
Guide Price £2,299 pp
This incredible multi-centre holiday in Vancouver, Banff and Calgary combines the best of Canada’s incredible natural scenery with time spent its most vibrant and celebrated city. From the bright lights of Vancouver to the snowy alpine peaks of Banff and...
Couples Holidays

Unlimited Adventures
Guide Price £4,499 pp
Take an epic adventure across the great Canadian Rockies. Journey from Calgary through the Canadian Rocky Mountains to the breath taking coastlines of Vancouver and the Pacific Ocean. Experience the wilderness of Banff National Park, the magnificence of Lake Louise...
Fly drive holidays

Canadian Contrasts Tour
Guide Price £3,399 pp
Discover the wonders of Canada on our Canadian Contrasts tour, which entails a unique journey from the East to the West of this magnificent country. The tour incorporates Canada’s top sights; from exploring vibrant cities to observing the marvellous Niagara...
Adventure holidays
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There is so much to do in Alberta that the first decision you will need to make is, when do you want to go? The many National Parks are open year round but the wildlife can differ by season meaning you can go back again and again. We love describing Alberta as the ultimate adventure playground but it really is; kayaking, horseback riding, skiing, motorcycling trails… the list is endless and each one takes in the beautiful scenery and landscapes on offer. Something you cannot miss and is guaranteed to be on your wish list, is to witness the Northern Lights. We can make all this happen and more, so call our experts now and start your adventure.
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Alberta National Parks
Alberta is home to the largest and oldest of Canada’s National Parks and some of the most visited. Guaranteed spectacular scenery - mountain vistas, turquoise lakes, ancient glaciers and vast open spaces are what draw people to these magical parks. Canada’s first national park and the flagship of the nation’s park system, Banff is the ultimate adventure pilgrimage for those wishing to visit the Canadian Rockies and see its breathtaking mountain scenery and turquoise lakes for themselves. Explore Banff’s 1000 miles of trails on foot, by bike or on horseback. Head out and discover the park's incredible wildlife on display with bears, elk, big horn sheep and many more to see. The largest park in the Canadian Rockies, Jasper is a year-round mountain playground and covers more than 11,000 square kilometres of untouched alpine wilderness. Located directly north of Banff National Park, Jasper is linked to it via the iconic Icefields Parkway – frequently named as one of the most scenic drives in the world.
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Fossil Trail
Unlike Alberta’s other parks – Badlands National Park is a unique travel destination within Canada’s "Wild West" region. Home to the richest source of dinosaur fossils in the world, a drive along the “Fossil Trail” is perfect for families, from the jaw-dropping display of some of the largest full dinosaur skeletons at the Royal Tyrrell Museum; to taking a guided authentic paleontological dig at Dinosaur Provincial Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site where many of the planet’s most important discoveries have been made and continue to be unearthed.
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Wildlife experiences
In Alberta you'll find nearly 600 species across the five National Parks and two hundred and fifty provincial parks. From bison, elk, grizzly and black bears, to the elusive wolf, cougar and wolverine, there's plenty of wildlife for you to discover. Take an evening wildlife safari tour in Banff National Park, which becomes much more active in the cool hours before dark. Grab your binoculars and spot elk sauntering across a clearing, mountain goats perched high on a ridge, and sometimes even a grizzly bear snuffling through a berry bush.
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Outdoor adventure
Alberta is the ultimate adventure playground – with five enormous National Parks to choose from – whatever activity you’re looking for, Alberta will have it – all with the stunning backdrop of the incredible Rocky Mountains. Travel through this incredible terrain on horseback - exactly how this country is meant to be experienced, allowing you to view sweeping landscapes and spot wildlife that you might not get to see while on foot. Have you ever thought about touring Jasper’s rugged landscape from the freedom of the sidecar of a powerful Harley-Davidson touring motorcycle driven by a professional rider as you view the soaring mountains and lakes of the Icefields Parkway – one of the most scenic drives in the world.
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Alberta First Nations
The province of Alberta is home to the Métis peoples, with a population of over 85,000 – the largest in all of Canada. The Métis evolved many different and fascinating traditions, legends, cultures and celebrations that are completely unique to them, as well as their own language. Learn about the traditional First Nations way of life and gain a valuable skills you can use for a lifetime. Perfect for those who are interested in back to basics and getting up close to nature, with everything from hide tanning, plant medicines or even making soap, moccasins and learning to bead, these are all available to experience.
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Northern Lights
Your best chance of seeing the hypnotising phenomena known as the aurora borealis is in September through to mid-May. As Alberta is home to the world's largest dark sky preserves, this means you are able to see the beauty of the kaleidoscope of colours dancing through the sky - a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience that should be on everyone's bucket list.
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Katie
Destination Specialist
"Try to include a helicopter tour of the Rockies in your itinerary, it's a truly breathtaking way to see the sheer size and beauty of the mountains."
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Rachel
Destination Executive
"If you have time on your trip, try to fit in a helicopter trip over the Rockies. This will give you another amazing experience from up in the sky. They have a wide range of options beginning from a shorter 30 minute trip right the way up to spending a few hours up in the air exploring."
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Charlotte
Destination Specialist
"Learn more about the indigenous Metis people with a visit to Mahikan Trails at Canmore. There’s a tour and activities allowing you to get involved in first nations culture."
Events & Festivals
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Calgary Stampede
In celebration of the area’s Wild West culture, both past and present, millions of people gather at Stampede Park each July for the Calgary Stampede. The event is spread over 10 days, with one of the world’s biggest rodeos, a parade, chuckwagon racing, agricultural shows and more.
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Banff Gondola Sunset Festival
The Banff Gondola is an incredible experience at any time, but during the Sunset Festival it's even more incredible. Through the summer, after riding the Banff Gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain, you can celebrate the sunset in good company, with food, drinks and great live music.
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Jasper Dark Sky Festival
A designated Dark Sky Preserve, Jasper is the perfect place for stargazing, but there’s no better time to enjoy the clear views of the night sky than the Jasper Dark Sky Festival. The festival is a great opportunity to learn more about the stunning view, with keynote speakers, panel talks, dark sky photography workshops and the chance to experience Jasper’s planetarium.
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Edmonton Heritage Festival
Canada’s multiculturalism takes centre stage at the annual Edmonton Heritage Festival. Held in Hawrelak Park, the festival spans three days each August and brings together 100 countries and cultures sharing their cuisine, music and entertainment.
Local Cuisine
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Alberta’s Meat
Thanks to the great pastureland and wild habitats, Alberta is renowned for its beef, caribou, elk and bison.
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Bloody Caesar Cocktail
Invented in Calgary in 1969, this cocktail consists of a mix of clam juice, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, vodka, finished with a celery stick, and is popular throughout Canada.