Daily Tour Synopsis
Departing Cranbrook our tour crosses the continental divide at Crowsnest Pass. This route provides an insight into the mining history of the region and the power of the mountains. A stop at Frank Slide, the site of the 1903 landslide that destroyed the town and Sparwood break our journey before arriving at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Waterton Lakes. Here we take a cruise along the lake with a short break on the US side in Montana hosted by the historic Waterton Shorline Cruise Co. At night we host you to a welcome dinner where you can meet and greet your fellow travellers.
Tour Route
Many of our guests will have overnighted in Cranbrook after their arrival in Canada ready to start the first day of our Experience Canada tour. We recommend our guests spend some time in Cranbrook to explore the many attractions in the town prior to our departure. Departing Cranbrook we head east initially following the Kootney River before switching to the Elk river as we pass the Three Sisters, a trio of mountains outside the town of Fernie. Mt Hosmer with its steep cliffs signals we are approaching the the mining town of Sparwood where we make a brief stop.
The small community of Sparwood is home to just 4,200 residents but is also home to the largest tandem dump truck on the planet, affectionately named Terex Titan. The mining history of the area is represented in the murals that adorn the slab concrete sides of buildings, and in the antique mining equipment that is placed in key locations around the downtown core. After a short break to stretch the legs we continue towards the continental divide and the Alberta border.
Crowsnest Pass is the most southern crossing of the continental divide in Canada and is also one of the lowest passes in the mountains. Despite its lower elevation, this pass provides beautiful views of the surrounding landscape and is home to the richest archeological zone in the Canadian Rockies. Discoveries of tools dating back more than 11,000 years identify the early inhabitation of this region well before the Canadian Pacific Railway built a railway across the mountains here in the 1890’s.
Now well within Alberta we make our second stop at Frank Slide to discover what happened in 1903 when half a mountain submerged the town of Frank in a tragic landslide. You can still see the effects of the slide today as we take a guided tour of the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre, which reflects this amazing tale of tragedy and the triumph of the human spirit.
Arriving into the Waterton Lakes township guests are given some time to check in at our hotel before boarding an afternoon cruise on Waterton Lakes. View majestic towering cliffs, unique geological formations, beautiful waterfalls, snow clad mountain peaks and the International Border between Canada and the United States.
On arrival back at the Waterton Lakes township we host a casual welcome dinner. This meal gives you the opportunity to meet and greet your fellow group members in Canada, learn a little about each other and make some new travel friends.
Essential Tour Facts and Inclusions
- Overall distance travelled: 282km (approximate)
- Overnight accommodation: Waterton Glacier Suites – King Deluxe Suite
- Activity level: Easy
Towns along our tour Route
- Cranbrook – Learn more at Cranbrook Tourism
- Fernie – Learn more at Fernie Tourism
- Sparwood – Learn more at Tourism BC
- Waterton – Learn more at My Waterton
Daily Tour Inclusions
- A tour director will escort the group for the duration of the tour and will provide relevant, informative and engaging commentary and answer guest questions.
- Transportation between Cranbrook and Waterton onboard a coach driven by a professional driver.
- Frank Slide Interpretive Centre: Admission and a group guided tour of the interpretive centre.
- Waterton Lakes Cruise: Admission to an approximately 2.5 hour cruise on Waterton Lakes including a stop in Montana, USA.
- Welcome Dinner including a welcome sparkling wine (other alcoholic beverages not included) at a local restaurant in Waterton.
- Overnight accommodation in Waterton Lakes.
- National and Provincial Park entry fees / guest permits.
Departure Dates for this Itinerary
| Program | Departure Date | Departure Point | Conclusion Date | Conclusion Location | Included Nights | Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Experience Canada | Private Tours in 2018/19 | Cranbrook | Contact Us | Victoria, B.C | 14 | Book Now from $7,800pp |
