The Heart of the Rockies

Calgary • Lethbridge • Great Falls • Yellowstone National Park • Missoula • Waterton - Glacier International Peace Park • Lake Louise • Banff

From the mountain peaks of Banff to the geysers of Yellowstone, this tour encompasses the heart of the Canadian and American Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains of Montana and Alberta. A journey that links the National Parks of Banff, Waterton Glacier and Yellowstone, and one that is designed to encapsulate the essence of an area as dramatic as it is diverse. Much of the tour is through Native American Indian communities such as the Blackfoot and Peigan and as part of an insight into the culture of the Plains Indians, we feature a visit to the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump.DAY 1 LONDON • CALGARY
We begin with Titan HiTours Home Departure Service to London Heathrow Airport and your scheduled Air Canada flight direct to Calgary, Alberta. On arrival our coach transfers you to the Delta Bow Valley Hotel, where the remainder of the evening is free to relax and settle in.

DAY 2 CALGARY • LETHBRIDGE
We depart Calgary this morning and head for Lethbridge, via the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, located at Fort Macleod. Named after a practice the Indians had of driving the buffalo over a cliff, this fascinating interpretation centre documents the buffalo hunting culture of the Plains Indians from ancient times to the arrival of the Europeans. From here we continue to Lethbridge and the Lethbridge Lodge.

DAY 3 LETHBRIDGE • GREAT FALLS
Our journey south this morning takes us across the border into America via Shelby, to Great Falls. In 1805, the explorers, Lewis and Clark and their Corps of Discovery, crossed this region on their “Voyage of Discovery”, in search of an all-water route, connecting the trade routes of the Pacific to the Atlantic. Our hotel tonight is the Holiday Inn, Great Falls.

DAY 4 GREAT FALLS • YELLOWSTONE
Today we continue southwards to Helena, capital of the state of Montana and site of a gold strike in 1864. From Helena we travel through the Gallatin National Forest and on to West Yellowstone and our hotel for the next two nights, the Stage Coach Inn.

DAY 5 YELLOWSTONE PARK
A day touring the world’s oldest national park. Yellowstone remains largely in the same natural state that it was more than one hundred years ago, at the time it was designated a National Park. It is also one of the world’s most extensive areas of geyser activity, a direct result of an enormous volcanic eruption some six hundred thousand years ago. Our tour of the park includes Old Faithful, one of the most consistent geysers in Yellowstone, erupting around 20 times a day a column of water and steam to an average height of 130ft. We return to West Yellowstone and our hotel in the early evening.

DAY 6 YELLOWSTONE PARK • MISSOULA
An early start this morning as we begin our journey north. Departing Yellowstone we drive, crossing the Continental Divide, to Butte, an old mining town once called the ‘richest hill on earth’. From Butte we continue on to Missoula and our overnight hotel, the Holiday Inn Missoula Downtown at the Park.

DAY 7 MISSOULA • WATERTON
We leave Missoula and continue north, passing the 18,400-acre National Bison Range with its bison, elk, antelope and mountain sheep. We drive via Polson and Flathead Lake through the Flathead Indian Reservation, en route to Glacier National Park and the Canadian border and follow the famed “Going to the Sun Road”, a spectacular 52-mile stretch of twisting, winding road that cuts through the park. (Please note that this is subject to favourable weather conditions). It was the historic joining of two stunningly beautiful wilderness areas, Waterton Lakes National Park and its American cousin Glacier National Park, in 1932 that today gives us the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. We transfer to our hotel for the next two nights, the Bayshore Inn, overlooking Waterton Lake.

DAY 8 WATERTON
Our morning tour of Waterton Lakes National Park will include the spectacular sights of Cameron Lake, Red Rock Canyon and Cameron Falls. Later in the day we have arranged an international scenic boat cruise across Waterton Lake and the American border. The park as a whole was declared in 1979 by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve, and as such has a spectacular array of wildlife, in both animals and plants.

DAY 9 WATERTON • BANFF
We depart Waterton this morning for Banff and travel north to Radium Hot Springs in British Columbia. From Radium Hot Springs we drive through Kootenay National Park, cross the Continental Divide at Vermilian Pass and continue into Alberta and Banff National Park. Our hotel for the next two nights is the Mount Royal Hotel in Banff.

DAY 10 BANFF • LAKE LOUISE • BANFF
This morning we tour the surrounding area of Banff and visit Canada’s most famous lake, Lake Louise. From here we have a picture postcard view of Victoria Glacier. The remainder of the afternoon is free in Banff and you may decide to take the gondola ride to Sulphur Mountain, top of the world at 7,500ft. This evening there are many good restaurants in Banff from which to choose.

DAY 11 BANFF • LONDON
Time for last minute sightseeing and shopping before boarding our coach for the transfer to Calgary Airport and our return Air Canada flight direct to London. Or extend your stay - call for details

DAY 12 LONDON
Arrival at London Heathrow Airport where our staff will greet and transfer you to Titan transport for the journey home to your own front door.DAY 1 LONDON • CALGARY
We begin with Titan HiTours Home Departure Service to London Heathrow Airport and your scheduled Air Canada flight direct to Calgary, Alberta. On arrival our coach transfers you to the Delta Bow Valley Hotel, where the remainder of the evening is free to relax and settle in.

DAY 2 CALGARY • LETHBRIDGE
We depart Calgary this morning and head for Lethbridge, via the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, located at Fort Macleod. Named after a practice the Indians had of driving the buffalo over a cliff, this fascinating interpretation centre documents the buffalo hunting culture of the Plains Indians from ancient times to the arrival of the Europeans. From here we continue to Lethbridge and the Lethbridge Lodge.

DAY 3 LETHBRIDGE • GREAT FALLS
Our journey south this morning takes us across the border into America via Shelby, to Great Falls. In 1805, the explorers, Lewis and Clark and their Corps of Discovery, crossed this region on their “Voyage of Discovery”, in search of an all-water route, connecting the trade routes of the Pacific to the Atlantic. Our hotel tonight is the Holiday Inn, Great Falls.

DAY 4 GREAT FALLS • YELLOWSTONE
Today we continue southwards to Helena, capital of the state of Montana and site of a gold strike in 1864. From Helena we travel through the Gallatin National Forest and on to West Yellowstone and our hotel for the next two nights, the Stage Coach Inn.

DAY 5 YELLOWSTONE PARK
A day touring the world’s oldest national park. Yellowstone remains largely in the same natural state that it was more than one hundred years ago, at the time it was designated a National Park. It is also one of the world’s most extensive areas of geyser activity, a direct result of an enormous volcanic eruption some six hundred thousand years ago. Our tour of the park includes Old Faithful, one of the most consistent geysers in Yellowstone, erupting around 20 times a day a column of water and steam to an average height of 130ft. We return to West Yellowstone and our hotel in the early evening.

DAY 6 YELLOWSTONE PARK • MISSOULA
An early start this morning as we begin our journey north. Departing Yellowstone we drive, crossing the Continental Divide, to Butte, an old mining town once called the ‘richest hill on earth’. From Butte we continue on to Missoula and our overnight hotel, the Holiday Inn Missoula Downtown at the Park.

DAY 7 MISSOULA • WATERTON
We leave Missoula and continue north, passing the 18,400-acre National Bison Range with its bison, elk, antelope and mountain sheep. We drive via Polson and Flathead Lake through the Flathead Indian Reservation, en route to Glacier National Park and the Canadian border and follow the famed “Going to the Sun Road”, a spectacular 52-mile stretch of twisting, winding road that cuts through the park. (Please note that this is subject to favourable weather conditions). It was the historic joining of two stunningly beautiful wilderness areas, Waterton Lakes National Park and its American cousin Glacier National Park, in 1932 that today gives us the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. We transfer to our hotel for the next two nights, the Bayshore Inn, overlooking Waterton Lake.

DAY 8 WATERTON
Our morning tour of Waterton Lakes National Park will include the spectacular sights of Cameron Lake, Red Rock Canyon and Cameron Falls. Later in the day we have arranged an international scenic boat cruise across Waterton Lake and the American border. The park as a whole was declared in 1979 by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve, and as such has a spectacular array of wildlife, in both animals and plants.

DAY 9 WATERTON • BANFF
We depart Waterton this morning for Banff and travel north to Radium Hot Springs in British Columbia. From Radium Hot Springs we drive through Kootenay National Park, cross the Continental Divide at Vermilian Pass and continue into Alberta and Banff National Park. Our hotel for the next two nights is the Mount Royal Hotel in Banff.

DAY 10 BANFF • LAKE LOUISE • BANFF
This morning we tour the surrounding area of Banff and visit Canada’s most famous lake, Lake Louise. From here we have a picture postcard view of Victoria Glacier. The remainder of the afternoon is free in Banff and you may decide to take the gondola ride to Sulphur Mountain, top of the world at 7,500ft. This evening there are many good restaurants in Banff from which to choose.

DAY 11 BANFF • LONDON
Time for last minute sightseeing and shopping before boarding our coach for the transfer to Calgary Airport and our return Air Canada flight direct to London. Or extend your stay - call for details

DAY 12 LONDON
Arrival at London Heathrow Airport where our staff will greet and transfer you to Titan transport for the journey home to your own front door.