Western Canada
Fabulous Music Performing
Tour That
is Guaranteed to Meet Your Budget
Exhibition Sport Play - Glaciers - a Rejuvenating Forest Fire Area – Mountain
Hikes – Alberta Industry - Winery
Day 1
We
arrange your flight to Alberta’s largest city and the provincial capital,
Edmonton. This evening we are honored to provide a live presentation in front
of one of the most beautiful city halls anywhere. What a great way to start
our tour!
Day 2 We
have a day to explore the largest shopping mall in the world. The water park is
several acres, the Edmonton Oilers practice occasionally on the skating rink
here and there is an amusement park with the world’s fastest indoor roller
coaster.
Day 3
Depart for Jasper, Alberta. We can include visits to the Canadian Petroleum
Interpretive Center or the Devonian Gardens very near to Devon (adjacent to
Edmonton) and see the historic spot where oil was discovered in Alberta! Or stop
near Wabamun to see Canada’s largest coal mind operation and see some of the
largest mining equipment in the world. We’ll then visit the power plant to see
the coal being consumed and learn of the power that is generated. Where does
this electricity go? Continue to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and arrive
in Edson in time to tour a lumber mill. We learn about the lumber industry and
the effect that the mills may have on the drinking water of cities downstream.
Groups may wish to drive directly to Jasper (without stops) with driving time
only 4 hours. Overnight in a Unesco World Heritage Sight. Jasper, Banff,
Kootenay and Yoho Parks together make up one of Alberta’s five Unesco Heritage
sights.
Day 4 A
highlight of the trip is hiking and exploring the trails that have made Jasper
world famous. We tour Maligne Lake, one of the jewels of the Rocky Mountains.
Later we hike Pyramid Lake and we can arrange bicycling and hiking through the
nature trails in the area. See hidden lakes and wildlife while riding through
primary forest. We’ll also see the lake where top-secret experiments were
carried out in WWII. The allies need a way to safely get men and equipment
across the Atlantic Ocean and an ingenious idea was hatched and tested in a lake
right here. We’ll soak in the hottest hotsprings (53 degrees C) in Canada at
Miette, in the Fiddle Valley. There is no better way to "get in
touch" with Alberta. This evening we test our performing skills
once more. The magnificent Canadian Rockies are the perfect backdrop to our
event.
Day 5 Depart
south on the Icefields Parkway. Stare in awe at the rush of water at Athabasca
Falls. We ride a sno-coach onto the Columbia Icefield the largest ice-cap south
of the Arctic Circle (Sno-Coaches available mid-April through early November).
What river(s) and oceans does this massive ice cube feed? How far does this
water flow? What affect does the nearby continental divide play in the path this
water will follow to the ocean? We’ll learn that the great glacier is receding
16 feet per year and is as tall as a hundred story building. Continue south to
world famous Banff, Alberta. World famous Lake Louise shines with an incredible
aquamarine blue found only in the Canadian Rockies. Learn about rock flour and
the cause of this amazing phenomenon. Overnight in Banff or Canmore.
Day 6 Continue
to the west to visit the other half of the Unesco sight located in British
Columbia. We cross the continental divide into Kootenay National Park. Kootenay
is a great park with uncrowded, spectacular trails. We hike Fireweed Trail for a
vivid lesson in forest ecology. Our path meanders through the area that was
swept by a forest fire in 1968. Rather than being a desolate walk it is
fascinating to see life bountifully springing forth. See Magenta Fireweed,
flowers. Trembling Aspen and Lodgepole Pine. Some Lodgepole cones are only
opened by the extreme heat of a forest fire and are thus the beginning of
reforestation. We’ll see this close up! Near Storm Mountain we could see
moose, Blue Grouse, northern Hawkowls and various other animals. Our next
adventure finds us in Marble Canyon with its scalloped limestone walls, carved
out by Tokumm Creek. Cross First Bridge in Prospectors Valley and then Second
Bridge where the canyon narrows. See the Salad Bowl below, which has been hewn
by eons of rushing water. Cross 5 more bridges (two high bridges) to marvel at a
69 foot waterfall and continue to the eerie Paint Pots. Hike past ochre beds,
which are colored red-brown by mineral deposits and used for decades as pigment
for paint. See the "choked cone" (dried up heap of iron oxide) before
standing before the circular green pools of water. Return to the motor coach for
the 65-minute journey south to Forte Steele, an authentically restored fur
trading post. We visit the Radium hot-springs pools. Situated at the base of a
mountain sheep can often be seen grazing the slopes. Overnight nearby.
Day 7 We
move on, via the Trans-Canada Highway towards the coast. Stop in the town of
Armstrong to tour a cheese factory. We also arrange winery tours in the Okanagan
that are fun and fascinating year round. Continue through the Okanagan Valley
and arrive at Kamloops. Continue to Vancouver area for overnight.
Day 8 We
visit the charms of this lower mainland city including the Totems at Stanley
Park, Grouse Mountain and the Capilano Suspension Bridge. This evening we
enjoy our third musical performance in downtown Vancouver.
Day 9 Tour
fascinating local businesses and attractions. Pick
your choice of the following:
Vancouver Stock Exchange,
MacMillan Bloedel Forestry Mine, Vancouver Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver
Aquarium (Beluga Whales), Planetarium (evening show), Granville Island artist
community including glass-blowing demonstration, whale watching tour.
Day 10 We are delivered to Richmond and Vancouver
International Airport for the flight home.
We arrange
exhibition matches in schools across the West. Volleyball, Basketball, Baseball,
Hockey.