Fly Drive Canada

Depart the UK on your scheduled flight to Edmonton. Upon arrival, collect your rental car and proceed to the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, which is located in downtown Edmonton, overlooking the city and close to its attractions. You will spend two nights at this wonderful hotel.

Edmonton is a beautiful city – there are twenty-two major parks that make up Edmonton’s ribbon of green stretching along the North Saskatchewan River.  The capital of the province of Alberta, Edmonton boasts a thriving music and art community and great shopping. The historic Old Strathcona district has a neighborhood feel, with its galleries and shops and its famous farmers market.  You may wish to visit Fort Saskatchewan, one of the smaller downtown parks overlooking the river. It is also a shoppers paradise. Spend some time at West Edmonton Mall, the largest indoor shopping and entertainment complex in North America which boasts over 800 shops, a waterpark, skating rink, marine park, hotel and the world’s biggest indoor amusement park. 

Today, you head to the pretty town of Jasper, located in the heart of Jasper National Park. This park offers breathtaking sites and memorable experiences. Adventurers can take advantage of incredible backcountry locations, alpine day hikes, adrenaline pumping mountain biking and great paddling. For a more relaxed pace, take in one of the many scenic drives, picnic amongst majestic peaks, and enjoy unique wildlife viewing. It is home to 53 species of mammals that rely on a variety of habitats, some of which we share with them. Wildlife sightings are common across Jasper’s varied landscape and can be spotted year-round. Grizzly and black bears, are most commonly seen in the valley bottoms in the spring and early summer. Among the many other species, you may also see elk, moose, deer, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, wolves and coyotes. Whilst in Jasper, take time for a trip on the Jasper SkyTram, which whisks you up Whistlers Mountain to an elevation of 2,263 m, providing stunning vistas of mountain ranges. Pyramid Mountain is even higher, with an elevation of 2,763 m (9,064 ft), and is the highest peak in the vicinity. It is a favourite among scramblers and mountain bikers. The panoramic views overlooking the Athabasca River Valley from Disaster Point lookout make this intermediate-level hike well worthwhile. 

Along the Icefields Parkway (Hwy 93) jaw-dropping scenery is punctuated by more than 100 ancient glaciers, waterfalls cascading from dramatic rock spires and turquoise lakes set in sweeping valleys. There are so many places where you can pull over to take spectacular photos or find a trailhead to hike. You’ll want to take your time, with many must-see stops along the way. Located 19 miles south of the town of Jasper, you shouldnt miss Athabasca Falls. At 23 m (75.5 ft) in height, it may not be the tallest waterfall in the Canadian Rockies but it is one of the most powerful, due to the sheer volume of water flowing into the gorge from the Athabasca River, fed by the massive Columbia Icefield. There are a number of platforms and walkways where you can safely view and photograph the falls. The Columbia Icefield is the largest icefield in the Canadian Rockies, covering some 230 sq km (89 sq mi) to a depth of 365 m (1,200 ft) and some 28 km (17 mi) long. Draped over the continental divide on a high alpine plateau along the Alberta-BC border, it receives an average of 7 m (23 ft) of new snowfall per year. Not all of that snow can melt in the short summers so it accumulates, turning to ice which flows outward through the surrounding passes, creating fingers of ice known as glaciers, the Athabasca Glacier being the most well-known.  The Columbia Icefield Skywalk experience features fossils, waterfall views and incredible glacier landscapes along a one-kilometre interpretive walkway, situated near routes frequented by mountain goats and other wildlife. The journey is memorable, but your destination is unforgettable — a suspended platform where glass is all that separates you from rugged and wild terrain 918-foot (280 m) below.

Heading north again, your destination is the rolling hills, glassy lakes, and star-filled skies of Elk Island National Park, a UNESCO designated Biosphere Reserve. Look for herds of bison, elk or one of more than 250 bird species that call this special place home.  In fact, this park boasts some of North America’s best wildlife viewing. To improve chances of catching a glimpse of the amazing animals in the park try to visit at dawn and dusk, which provide a better chance of sighting wildlife. Hiking is obviously a big draw, through a shadowed landscape of a black spruce bog; the tangy smell of spruce trees mixes with the earthy scent of moss and peat under foot. You are staying in Elk Island Retreat, a beautiful serene private campground situated on the outskirts of Elk Island National Park. The unique Geo Cabins are a wonderful, if rustic, experience.

It is just a short drive back to Edmonton Airport, so perhaps enjoy a little more time at Elk Island National Park or pick up some last minute souvenirs in downtown Edmonton. On arrival at the airport, return your rental car and check in for your flight back to the UK.