Destination • July 2014
Seven wild Canadian adventures
Situated in the rolling ranchlands of southwestern Alberta, Calgary is flanked by the Canadian Rockies to the west and the Alberta Badlands to the east. Calgarians pin their identity to wide-open spaces, rugged geography and areas rich in outdoor adventures. Resident travel expert Ian Doig chooses seven of the wildest
Brave a stroll on Glacier Skywalk
If there’s one Rocky Mountain attraction for which it is worth enduring a crowd, it’s the new Glacier Skywalk (pictured). The viewing platform, with its knee-knocking, glass-floored walkway, adorns a cliff face over the Sunwapta Valley.
Dig for dinosaurs
Scratching about in the dirt for old bones isn’t everyone’s idea of holiday fun. However, at this Unesco site, one- to three-day digs in Dinosaur Provincial Park are magical. The palaeontologically curious can help unearth a huge range of ancient animals, a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Calgary. At day’s end, participants can retreat to a campsite with the option of a luxury safari tent.
Saddle up for a trail ride
Sixty kilometres southwest of Calgary, Moose Mountain Horseback Adventures leads trail rides into Kananaskis Country. The sprawling wilderness preserve features rugged foothills and gradual peaks at the foot of the Canadian Rockies. Excursions are also available for riders of all skill levels.
Explore a subterranean grotto
A 90-minute drive from Calgary, Canmore Caverns conducts guided adventure crawls through Rat’s Nest Cave, a network of tunnels whose resident bushy-tailed wood rats are cartoon cute. Tailor-made for amateur spelunkers, moderate exertion is required for big adventure pay-off.
Hike a mountain park
Three hours south of Calgary, Waterton Lakes National Park (pictured) features several of Alberta’s best hiking trails. Visitors can walk, drive or take a boat taxi to the trailheads of the locally dubbed ‘Triple Crown’ of mountain hikes. The crown’s jewel is Crypt Lake Trail, on which you may catch a glimpse of an elusive white mountain goat and see the rare alpine pygmy poppy, but will definitely view a 183-metre mountainside waterfall.
Paddle a white-water river
Across the British Columbia border, Wild Water Adventures conducts guided white-water rafting down the rapids and gorges of Kicking Horse River in Yoho National Park. There’s a high thrill-to-skill ratio, and basic safety sessions precede ‘float’ trips of varying challenge levels.
Fly-fishing on the Bow River
Each Sunday during summer, Wayne Hanson holds a day-long crash course in fly-fishing at his Hanson’s Fishing Outfitters HQ which sits on the banks of the Bow River, downstream from Calgary. The seasoned fisherman takes complete beginners from knot tying and casting to fishing one of the world’s top trout rivers.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner flies to Calgary from July 15. Fly there from London using 25,000 Avios – use the Avios calculator for full details
This article has been tagged Adventure, Destination