Arrive To: HOTEL CHECK-IN: Available from 4:00pm. Independent arrivals in Calgary

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel, casual dining in Moxie’s Classic Grill.

Evening: ORIENTATION: Dinner is followed by participant introductions and orientation to the program.

Lodging: Sandman Hotel

Meals Included: Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at your hotel

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Drumheller and the Royal Tyrrell Museum. On a field trip to Drumheller and vicinity, you will learn about the prehistoric animals that once roamed this region. Explore the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, an internationally recognized museum that contains the world's largest display of complete dinosaur skeletons. On a self guided hands-on exploration, you will learn about the amazing dinosaur finds that have been made in this area of Alberta. Discover the collection, preservation, research, display and interpretation of Alberta's rich fossil heritage. Drumheller Valley is best known for its diverse and beautiful topography, made up of badlands, canyons and coulees. Alberta was once an oceanfront, tropical paradise for prehistoric animals, and their story is written in the sedimentary layers of the Badlands.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant

Afternoon: Depart for hotel

Dinner: Dinner at your hotel

Evening: PRESENTATION: The Sandstone City. An evening slideshow presentation and discussion, led by an interpretive guide, will demonstrate why Calgary is known as "The Sandstone City".

Lodging: Sandman Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at your hotel

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Glenbow Museum. Depart by coach for Banff. On a field trip to the Glenbow Museum, you will explore Western Canada’s largest museum and one of Canada’s foremost museum facilities. It houses an art collection, museum and archives, with over 93,000 square feet (8,640 square meters) of exhibition space and more than 20 galleries. This is a self-guided experience but museum docents will be on hand to answer any questions. Its museum collection focuses on cultural and military history, ethnology and mineralogy. What sets it apart from other museums chronicling the continent's Native cultures and pioneer settlement is the excellence of its interpretation. Especially notable is the third floor, with its vivid evocation of Native cultures -- particularly of the local Blackfoot -- and compelling descriptions of western Canada's exploration and settlement.

Lunch: Lunch at Fort Calgary.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Lake Minnewanka. After lunch, you will continue on to Banff. En route, you will have a field trip to Lake Minnewanka, where you will explore this water reserve and buried underwater town. Dams were built here in 1912 and 1941 to supply the town with hydro-electric power. The most recent dam (1941) raised the lake 98 feet (30 meters) and submerged the resort village of Minnewanka Landing that had been present there since 1888. On a short lakeshore walk with an interpretive guide you will view the submerged village and learn about the Aboriginal people who long inhabited areas around Lake Minnewanka, as early as 10,000 years ago, according to stone tools and spearheads discovered by archaeologists. FIELD TRIP: Bankhead. Continuing on to the ghost town of Bankhead, learn about the history of this famous early-1900s town that supplied coal for the locomotives of the Canadian Pacific Railway and at one point boasted a population of 1,500, including 300 underground coal mine workers. An interpretive guide will accompany you on a guided walk through this historic site and explain why it was forced to close in 1922. A fascinating educational exhibit in the old transformer building interprets the area's geology, the mining operation and community life. Arrive in Banff and check into the hotel.

Dinner: Dinner at El Toro, at your hotel, a Banff favorite known for its homemade quality food and great service.

Evening: Your evening is free to explore the town of Banff, walk along local trails or swim at the Hot Springs.

Lodging: Irwin's Mountain Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Geology of Banff Presentation/Sulphur Mountain Gondola/Banff Park Museum

Breakfast: Breakfast at your hotel.

Morning: PRESENTATION: Geology of Banff. During a presentation by an interpretive guide on the geology of the Banff area, you will learn what natural forces formed this rugged landscape and the differences between the Front Ranges and the Main Ranges. Between 100 and 150 million years ago, shifting tectonic plates caused western North America to buckle, break and bow upward, forming the Rocky Mountains. At the same time, the heavier and thinner Oceanic Plate was sliding beneath the Continental Plate. Some of it melted, surging back to the surface as volcanoes. This created the coastal ranges of British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. Geologists call this band of volcanic activity “The Ring of Fire,” and some believe that this uplift still continues today.

Lunch: EXCURSION: Sulphur Mountain Gondola. Before lunch, take an excursion up Sulphur Mountain in a four-passenger, glass-enclosed gondola (weather permitting). This activity will reinforce what you have learned during this morning's lecture. Please note: you will experience elevations above 10,000 feet. Along the way, you will have a 360-degree view of the breathtaking beauty of the Rockies. Bring your camera along, you will be amazed at the view from the top! Lunch at Melissa's, a local favorite in a landmark building.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Banff Park Museum. The museum building itself is a Banff landmark and a National Historic Site of Canada. The distinctive log structure was built in 1903 as a showpiece for the park. It's the largest and most elaborate example of the early phase of park design, utilizing decorative cross-log construction. Your interpretive guide will explain how the museum's collection of natural history specimens reflects and commemorates the approach taken by naturalists of an earlier era. The collection was established in 1895, when the Geographical Survey of Canada provided more than 1300 samples of mammals, birds, wood, plants and minerals. At the time, the collection was said to represent "an almost complete representation" of the birds and flowering plants found within the limits of the park. Today, the museum houses more than 5,000 specimens which are characteristic of early museum practices.

Dinner: Dinner on your own to explore local fare

Evening: Explore Banff or relax at your hotel or the Hot Springs.

Lodging: Irwin's Mountain Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Johnston Canyon/Bow Valley Parkway/Lake Louise/Cave and Basin Presentation

Breakfast: Breakfast at your hotel.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Banff National Park. Take a day-long field trip with your interpretive guide, starting with a walk that will lead you through Johnston Canyon, a narrow canyon cut into 350 million year old limestone. You will be awed by spectacular cascading falls, copper-colored cliffs and Black Swifts, found only in a few places in Alberta, nesting in the canyon walls. At the Bow Valley Parkway, study the biodiversity, forest ecology and outstanding geological and ecological features of this area. Arriving in beautiful Lake Louise, take a shoreline hike and visit the interpretive center. The view across Lake Louise is world famous, and you may recognize it from photos, postcards and old Hollywood movies, particularly those featuring Mounties and damsels in distress!

Lunch: Lunch at Lake Louise Inn in a picturesque mountain setting.

Afternoon: Return to Banff

Dinner: Dinner at El Toro

Evening: PRESENTATION: Cave and Basin Hot Springs. Your Parks Canada interpretive guide will present a film and discussion on the birthplace of Canada's National Parks, established here in 1885. You will learn about the effects of the warm sulphur water on the ecosystem of this area. Discover how the financial schemes of three railway workers became a legacy for all Canadians and visitors to our national parks.

Lodging: Irwin's Mountain Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at your hotel.

Morning: FIELD TRIP & PRESENTATION: The Icefields Parkway and Glaciers. Depart by coach for Jasper. En route, a local interpretive guide will tell you about the glaciers of the Icefields Parkway. Learn how the remnants of the last Ice Age left behind this magnificent landscape, and discover the flora and fauna of this mountainous region. Continuing north along the Icefields Parkway, considered one of the most scenic highways in the world, you will visit Bow Lake, the Columbia Icefield and the Athabasca Glacier and Falls. At the Columbia Icefield Interpretive Centre, you will learn all about this impressive geological feature. The Icefields are the largest accumulation of ice and snow in the Canadian Rockies, covering an area of nearly 125 square miles (325 square km) and straddling the Continental Divide with an average elevation of 25,480 square kilometers (9,800 square miles). The Icefields feed eight major glaciers, including the Athabasca, Dome and Stutfield glaciers, all of which you will see from the coach. The Icefields lie on the boundary between Banff and Jasper National Parks, and their meltwaters flow to three of Canada's largest river systems and eventually to three oceans: the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic. There is only one other such watershed in the world, and that is in Siberia.

Lunch: Boxed lunch en route

Afternoon: Arrive in Jasper late afternoon; check into the hotel and freshen up before dinner. Jasper lies in the center of Jasper National Park, deep in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, and it is known around the world for its rugged beauty. It is also a renowned, world-class resort town that has many attractions, yet it retains its small-town feel. Its distance from large urban centers and its relatively intact ecology give you a real sense of the early days in the Rockies.

Dinner: Dinner at your hotel

Evening: Free evening to rest after a long day of travelling.

Lodging: Amethyst Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at your hotel

Morning: FIELD TRIP & PRESENTATION: Jasper National Park. Depart by coach for a field trip in the nearby area, stopping at Pyramid Lake and Patricia Lake, and Maligne Canyon (weather permitting). En route, a Jasper naturalist will discuss the ecology of Jasper National Park. The Maligne Canyon trail is rich in natural history, with impressive geologic features and wildlife. Search for fossils and find out how this deep canyon formed during glacial ages and how Maligne Canyon may not be a true canyon! The tall pine covered forests of these wilderness areas are home to an abundance of mountain goats, elk, moose, and bears. Scenic trails let you explore the spectacular vantage points, flower meadows, and sapphire blue mountain lakes.

Lunch: Lunch at your hotel

Afternoon: OPTIONAL EXCURSION: Jasper - Yellowhead Museum. Enjoy an optional excursion to the Jasper -Yellowhead Museum and Archives, where you can explore the history of the Jasper-Yellowhead corridor from its earliest visitors 10,000 years ago to the present day. The Historical Gallery includes exhibits on the fur trade, the pioneers, the railways, early tourism in Jasper National Park and the town of Jasper. Spend some free time exploring the town on your own or relaxing at your hotel.

Dinner: Dinner at your hotel

Evening: PRESENTATION: The History of Jasper, presented by a Jasper naturalist.

Lodging: Amethyst Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast served at your seat on the train.

Morning: Rocky Mountaineer Train to Quesnel. Please note: Pack only what you will need for the next two full days and nights. Due to space limitations onboard the Rocky Mountaineer your main luggage will be checked through to Vancouver. You won't have access to your main luggage during this time. Depart for the train station and board the Rocky Mountaineer, Red Leaf Service, bound for Quesnel. From the comfort of your roomy, reclining seat enjoy and experience the spectacular scenery through large picture windows. Train attendants will provide interpretive commentary. You will travel from Jasper to Quesnel through the Rocky Mountain Trench and past Mount Robson, at 13,000 feet (3,954 meters) the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. The train will travel around the base of Mount Robson where the track is approximately 4,000 ft. above sea level. Other highlights will include Yellowhead Pass, Moose Lake and the Fraser River.

Lunch: Cold lunch served at your seat

Afternoon: Arrive in Quesnel in the early evening. Coach transfer from the railway station to the hotel; check into the hotel. Quesnel (pronounced /kwe-NELL) is a small city that is part of the Cariboo District of British Columbia, Canada. Quesnel is nestled in between the Fraser River and the Quesnel River just before they join and become the Fraser River. Located nearly evenly between the cities of Prince George and Williams Lake, it is on the main route to northern British Columbia and the Yukon. It is claimed to be home to one of the world's largest gold pans (disputed by Nome, Alaska and others). Quesnel is sister city to Shiraoi, Japan and Val-d'Or, Quebec. Quesnel hosted the 2000 British Columbia Winter Games, an annual provincial amateur sports competition. To the east of Quesnel lie Wells-Gray, Barkerville, and Bowron Lake Provincial Park, a popular canoeing destination in the Cariboo Mountains.

Dinner: Dinner in Quesnel

Evening: Free evening to explore Quesnel or relax at your hotel.

Lodging: Sandman Hotel Quesnel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast served at your seat on the train

Morning: Depart for the train station and board the Rocky Mountaineer, Red Leaf Service, bound for Whistler. Train attendants will provide interpretive commentary. Your journey continues south today through breathtaking and varied scenery to Whistler. Highlights include sweeping views of the Fraser Canyon, the crossing of Deep Creek Bridge, one of the highest railway bridges in the world, and the shorelines of glacial-fed Seton Lake and Anderson Lake.

Lunch: Cold lunch served at your seat

Afternoon: Arrive in Whistler in the early evening. Coach transfer from the railway station to the hotel; check into the hotel. Nestled in the Coast Mountains, Whistler is 25 miles (40 kilometers) inland from the Pacific Ocean and 75 miles (120 kilometers) from Vancouver. The landscape around Whistler includes five main ecological areas: temperate rainforest, wetlands, sub-alpine forest, high alpine tundra and disturbed sites such as logged areas and roadsides. Few places possess so much biodiversity in such a small area as the Coast Mountain Range of southwestern British Columbia. The coastal rainforest fills the deep valley bottoms, while alpine flowers retrace the steps of receding glaciers. The Whistler corridor is a magical place for nature enthusiasts from every walk of life.

Dinner: Dinner on the train.

Evening: Evening is free to do some sightseeing on your own or relax at your hotel.

Lodging: Listel Whistler Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Squamish Lil’wat Native Cultural Centre /Rocky Mountaineer to Vancouver

Breakfast: Breakfast at your hotel.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Squamish Lil’wat Native Cultural Centre The Squamish Nation and Lil’wat Nation celebrated the official opening of the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler on July 10, 2008. The Native Cultural Centre showcases the local Aboriginal cultures through historical and contemporary exhibits and galleries, art, food, language, interactive crafts and engaging performances. A spectacular 15 minute film introduces guests to the Centre and provides context to the art and exhibits on display, and the presentation by your Squamish and Lil’wat hosts.

Lunch: Lunch at Squamish Lil’wat Native Cultural Centre

Afternoon: Rocky Mountaineer Train to Vancouver. Depart for train station and board the Rocky Mountaineer, Classic Service, for a three hour breathtaking rail journey to the coastal city of Vancouver. Train attendants will provide interpretive commentary. Highlights of the trip include the impressive Cheakamus Canyon, Mount Garibaldi, Shannon Falls and spectacular views of the Coast Mountains and Howe Sound.

Dinner: A light meal will be served at your seat on the train.

Evening: Arrive in Vancouver in the early evening. Coach transfer from the railway station to the hotel; check into the hotel. Located in a stunning ocean harbor and surrounded by spectacular mountain peaks, Vancouver is on the leading edge of public policy and planning, and it has developed a plan for sustainable development. This large metropolitan center provides an international gateway for exploring the natural wonders of southwestern British Columbia. Free evening to explore Vancouver on your own or relax at your hotel.

Lodging: Best Western Sands by the Sea

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at your hotel

Morning: FIELD TRIP: A local historian will lead a guided walking exploration of Gastown, Chinatown and Stanley Park (local buses will be used to travel between areas). The history of Stanley Park coincides with the early days of Vancouver. Opened in 1888 and named after Lord Stanley, then Governor General of Canada, this urban park is a cool, lush, evergreen oasis situated on a peninsula in the heart of the city. Today, Stanley Park is recognized as one of the great parks of the world, offering a backdrop of majestic cedar, hemlock and fir trees.

Lunch: Lunch at your hotel

Afternoon: FREE AFTERNOON: Enjoy a free afternoon to explore Stanley Park and Vancouver's famous seawall or another part of beautiful Vancouver. The Stanley Park Seawall rings the peninsula of Stanley Park for a distance of 5.5 miles (8.85 km). It was designed in the early 1920s as a precaution to prevent erosion. It took nearly six decades to complete the entire seawall, and today it is the most popular spot in Vancouver, used by residents and visitors alike. Vancouver is a clean and safe city where you can walk or bike where you please and was chosen as the site for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Dinner: Dinner on your own to explore the wide array of restaurants in Vancouver.

Evening: Free evening to explore Vancouver on your own or relax at your hotel.

Lodging: Best Western Sands by the Sea

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast: Breakfast at your hotel

Morning: PRESENTATION: Vancouver 101. A local historian will present a slide show and discussion on the history of Vancouver. Learn about Vancouver's evolution into a modern, progressive city. Cradled between snow-capped mountains and the Pacific Ocean, it is consistently ranked as one of the best places in the world to live. It has one of the worlds most beautiful and busiest harbors and the vast urban wilderness of Pacific Spirit Park.

Lunch: Lunch at your hotel

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Museum of Anthropology. On a field trip to the Museum of Anthropology, you will gain a remarkable glimpse into the lives of the indigenous peoples of the northwest coast of British Columbia. Explore one of the world's outstanding collections of Pacific Northwest Aboriginal artefacts. Massive totem poles, carved boxes, bowls and feast dishes are displayed in the Great Hall, while smaller (but equally magnificent) pieces in gold, silver, argillite, wood, ceramic and other materials are exhibited in the galleries. Canada's largest teaching museum is located in a spectacular building overlooking mountains and sea, and its collections, exhibitions and programs are renowned for providing insight into the cultures of indigenous peoples around the world. You will be guided by docents who are students of anthropology at the University of British Columbia.

Dinner: Dinner at your hotel

Evening: WRAP-UP SESSION: Enjoy farewell celebrations and a review of your program’s highlights.

Lodging: Best Western Sands by the Sea

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Depart From: Check out; independent departures after breakfast.

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast