Discover
millions of years old fossils, precious minerals, and fantastic geological
formations while enjoying the fantastic views of the Fraser River
Canyon, lush Okanagan Valley, hot springs in the Kootenays, and the
badlands of southern Alberta.
Please
Note: Alberta has laws that prevent the collecting of any natural
resources. Collecting in the province of Alberta is strictly prohibited.
Although BC does not have the same laws in effect, it is strictly
forbidden to collect any material from any of the province's many
Provincial Parks. Also, many rockhounding sites are personally staked
and permission is needed before any collecting. We ask your cooperation
in protecting the owners' rights and any sites that you visit. We
fully support the preservation of these areas for everyone's enjoyment
today and in the future.
Day 1 Vancouver-Kamloops. (5 hrs) Pick up your rental car and
drive the 5 hours to Kamloops. View the stunning scenery of the Fraser
River Canyon. Arrive in Kamloops. You can spend the evening on the
Thompson River by paddlewheeler, riding an authentic steam train,
or enjoying the shops.
Day
2 Kamloops. Spend the day discovering the unique geological formations
surrounding the area. Millions of years ago, the area had been a lake
bottom. Enjoy your guided hunt for fossils of ancient sealife or discover
the mineral deposits that can be found in the area. Overnight Kamloops.
Day
3 Kamloops-Grand Forks (4 ½ hrs) Travel through the scenic
Okanagan Valley. You can stop for a stunning ride on the local steam
engine or take a tour of a vineyard. Arrive in the little town of
Grand Forks, in the Kootenay region of British Columbia.
Day
4 Rock Candy Mine Enjoy a guided hunt to Rock Candy's colourful
minerals and mining history. You can collect green fluorite, banded
purple fluorite, sparkling quartz and (if you're lucky!) barite crystals.
Day
5 Grand Forks-Ainsworth Hot Springs (2 hrs) Today you can soak
in the soothing therapeutic mineral pools of the Ainsworth Hot Springs
Resort. This hot spring features a unique horseshoe shaped cave, where
the darkness, mineral deposits and humidity combine for a unique hot
springs experience.
Day
6 Ainsworth Hot Springs-Pincher Creek (4 ½ hrs) Today you
will travel the beautiful Crowsnest Pass to cross the border from
British Columbia into Alberta. Stop at Frank's Slide where 100 years
ago, Turtle Mountain fell on the sleeping town of Frank. Listen to
the story of the coal miners and the tough lives they lived 100 years
ago.
Day
7 Waterton Lakes National Park Take a short 1 ½ hr detour
to where the majestic Rocky Mountains rise out of the rolling prairies
and lakes are carved out of the rock by ancient glaciers. The uniqueness
of Waterton Park is a blend of mild climate, rare wild flowers, an
abundance of wildlife, and unusual geology, featuring ancient rock
(1200 to 1500 million years old) with associated fossilized blue-green
algae. Paleontologists come from around the world to study geology
here. Overnight Pincher Creek
Day
8 Pincher Creek-Brooks (4 ½ hrs) The gently rolling prairie
grasslands suddenly drop off to the badlands, where you can marvel
at the hoodoos and the geological formations. Strange land formations,
hoodoos, pinnacles, coulees and buttes, rise up on all sides, sculpted
by wind and water.
Day
9 Dinosaur Provincial Park A trip to Dinosaur Provincial Park
is a 75 million-year foray back in time, an amazingly rich fossil
and bone record to discover. You will see fossils and discover exciting
new facts about creatures, which once prowled this land.
Day
10 Brooks-Drumheller (2 hrs) Visit the world-renowned Royal Tyrrell
Museum in the heart of the Canadian badlands. The exhibits are amazing.
You will see more than 35 dinosaur skeletons and life-like models
depicting life in Alberta more than 65 million years ago. If you would
like to visit an actual dinosaur dig, you will have to add an extra
day onto this tour in Drumheller.
Day
11 Drumheller-Calgary (2 hrs) Drive the short distance to Calgary.
Return your rental car.
Included in your holiday:
10 nights hotel/resort accommodations
11-day mid-size car rental
Kamloops rockhounding tour
Rock Candy Mine Tour
Entrance to Ainsworth Hot Springs Pools
Entrance to Frank Slide Interpretive Centre
Entrance to Dinosaur Provincial Park
Entrance to the Royal Tyrrell Museum
Comprehensive Information Package
Room tax
Not
included:
Meals
Optional Activities
Cancellation Insurance
Loss Damage Waiver and taxes on rental vehicle
Gas
7% GST
Trip start dates:
June: Every Thursday
July and August: Every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday
Rates: please contact us for pricing
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