TV’s Heartland, Indigenous and Waterton Tour

Okotoks, the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, and Waterton

We make an early start south, with our first stop in High River. Visit the town that served as the setting for the TV series Heartland. Stop at the Museum of the Highwood and see the Heartland exhibit. The Walkers General Store carries many Heartland souvenirs. Stops at leafy George Lane Park, Maggie's Diner, and Colossi's Coffee.Next, travel south, just outside Okotoks, and the impressive Okotoks Erratic—often called "Big Rock"—stands as one of Alberta's most remarkable geological landmarks. This boulder, carried over 400 kilometres by glacial ice from the mountains during the last Ice Age, was deposited here thousands of years ago as the glaciers receded, leaving it dramatically isolated on the prairie landscape. Sacred to the Blackfoot people, the rock holds deep cultural significance and is tied to traditional stories and teachings. Today, visitors can walk right up to this massive natural wonder, marvelling at its size and imagining the immense forces that transported it, all while enjoying sweeping views of the surrounding foothills.Next, our 145 km drive south takes us to the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump Interpretive Centre, a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site that preserves and interprets over 6,000 years of Plains Buffalo Indigenous culture. Through vast landscapes, exhibits, and diverse programming, you will learn from a Blackfoot Nation's guide about the cultural significance of this cliff to the Plains People. From the Interpretive Centre, venture along a paved trail that leads you to spectacular views of Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump Cliff, Calderwood Buffalo Jump & Vision Quest Hill to the north, the great prairies to the east, and the Rocky Mountains to the south. The final 100 km drive south will take us near the USA border to Waterton Lakes National Park, set amidst the unparalleled scenic beauty of the Canadian Rockies. It's the perfect unwind. Check into our Waterton Park accommodation for the evening and take time to soak in the surroundings of Waterton Lakes National Park's incredible mountain landscape.

Overnight: Waterton

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Waterton Peace Park - Prince of whales hotel lunch

After breakfast and check-out, enjoy a tour of Waterton Peace Park to hear how the Alberta and Montana Rotary Clubs, and USA President Herbert Hoover, approved a Bill to create the world's first International Peace Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will enjoy a light walk on the Cameron Falls trail, keeping our eyes open for returning migratory birds and the first signs of wildflowers beginning to bloom. Next, we will stop at the Prince of Wales Hotel. The viewpoint offers sweeping panoramas of Upper Waterton Lake and the surrounding mountains, framed by the early spring snow lingering on the peaks. Enjoy lunch here in their dining room before leaving Waterton. End the tour with a leisurely walk in the Red Rock Canyon. Offering a striking contrast of deep red sandstone cliffs and rushing turquoise streams, it creates a dramatic and photogenic spot. Transfer back to Calgary following the tour.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch