Welcome to Edmonton, the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta, located on the North Saskatchewan River. Known as Canada’s festival city, with more than 30 festivals each year, from the popular Edmonton Folk Music Festival to the International Street Performers Festival, they bring the city to life no matter what the season. Winter in Edmonton is the time to explore the city’s cultural scene for immersive experiences at the Royal Alberta Museum or the Art Gallery of Alberta, or embracing some indoor fun (and shopping) at the famous West Edmonton Mall. Edmonton’s culinary scene is known across Canada and beyond. This evening we will enjoy our welcome dinner and experience some of this for ourselves.

Winter is a fabulous time to enjoy the wilderness of Elk Island National Park. Wildlife viewing is at its best and the serenity of the winter landscape offers peace of mind and a quick getaway from city madness. This afternoon, we visit the Ice on Whyte Festival, founded in 2003 in partnership with local artists interested in presented the unique art-form ice carving to Edmonton. Ice on Whyte was rated by World Atlas as one of the world’s 10 Best Ice Festivals and by Readers’ Digest as one of the top 10 winter festivals in Canada. Every year, the Boardwalk Ice on Whyte Festival grabs Canadian winter by the snowballs and carves it into a wicked combo of ice and art. Just imagine, 96,000 pounds of ice is dumped just to prep for this weeklong party. We will see the International Ice Carving Competition, visit the ice bar, and maybe learn to carve ice like a pro.

We depart Edmonton after breakfast and enjoy some beautiful views as you travel west towards Jasper National Park. The frozen lakes and rivers provide a great backdrop for the elk, deer, moose, wolves, sheep and coyotes that are still very active in winter. There will be some time to spend time exploring attractive Jasper town centre before we gather for a 3-hour Downtown Foodie tour that will take you to four local eating places, visiting points of interest and taking in some of Jasper’s tastiest tales along the way. At each restaurant, you will be able to try a top dish and a perfectly paired drink to get a real experience of Jasper’s food scene. Renowned for its breathtaking dark sky, Jasper is the perfect place to embrace the night and whether you want to stare into the Milky Way or watch an awe-inspiring aurora. Jasper’s dark sky is exceptional during the winter; we gather under the dome of the Jasper Planetarium inside at the Jasper Park Lodge. The Planetariums’ experienced astronomy guides will guide us on a tour of the cosmos. Specializing in the night sky above Jasper, visitors have the chance to see the stars above Jasper regardless of the weather. This is a great opportunity to take in a closer look at the heavens over the lakes, canyons, glaciers, and mountain tops of the second largest Dark Sky Preserve in the world.

The Maligne Canyon Icewalk Tour in Jasper, Alberta is one of Jasper’s most popular and impressive winter activities. Your guide will take you to the bottom of the Maligne Canyon - the deepest accessible canyon in Jasper National Park, where you will explore frozen waterfalls, ice caves, and incredible ice formations. You will learn about Jasper’s Maligne Valley, Karst topography, and the mystery of the Jasper’s disappearing Medicine Lake.

This morning we embark on the most beautiful drive in North America made even more stunning in its stark winter beauty. Considered to be one of the most spectacular drives in the world, the Icefields Parkway winter drive allows visitors to experience the awe-inspiring mountains, epic glaciers, frozen waterfalls, and ice-covered lakes that define the beauty of the Canadian Rockies. On the way, we will stop at the icefields Visitor Centre for a break to learn about the retreating glaciers and changes to local climate, and later visit world-famous Lake Louise. Frozen solid in winter, the lake is set against the backdrop of the Rockies and see the ice sculptures on display during mid-winter. The Ice Magic International Ice Carving Competition is a perfectly magical winter experience in Lake Louise where ice serves as a fascinating medium of artistry and architectural design. Watch incredible ice carvings take shape under the precise hands of skilled artists from around the world. Marvel at the frozen forms and the iconic ice castle in front of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. After some time to explore, we continue onwards to Banff. On our January departure we’ll be able to enjoy Banff’s SnowDays festival where Bear Street is transformed into an outdoor gallery of snow sculptures with enticing food and drink stations available.

This morning we experience a classic, traditional sleigh ride through awe-inspiring mountain scenery. Cuddle up under warm wool blankets as a team of horses pulls us through snow-covered meadows. Watch for grazing elk or coyotes prowling near the edge of the forest as our guides take you on quintessential winter experience. This afternoon, we will head out to the Johnston Canyon and do the famous ‘Ice Walk’. We hike on steel walkways built into the canyon walls that give an airy view of the canyon below. As we travel through prime wildlife habitat on our way to the trailhead and we will hear about how Johnston Canyon was formed. This popular walk will lead us past the lower falls and to the breathtaking upper icefalls.

Banff National Park is home to one of the longest ski seasons in North America and three world-class ski areas, which are all located within 45 minutes of the Town of Banff: Mount Norquay, Sunshine Village, and the Lake Louise Ski Resort. You can enjoy a day skiing or snowboarding and experience the "champagne powder" Banff is known for. Or your Tour Leader will be able to advise you on the many possibilities in town including an easy introductory snowshoeing excursion to dramatic colours of Marble Canyon where you can see how the pounding and frozen waters of Tokum Creek have eroded a 40-meter-deep limestone gorge. There are opportunities to experience dog sledding, winter walks or simply to enjoy a spa amidst stunning mountain scenery. Watch snowflakes float gently down and anticipate your time on the ski slopes with the sensation of making smooth, floating turns through light, soft snow. Let us know in advance and day ski passes can be pre-booked and made available for this day.

We depart Banff and drive east through the town of Canmore and through Kananaskis Country before arriving in Calgary and ending our winter adventure through the Canadian Rockies.