Edmonton, Jasper area

Jasper National Park Edmonton

City & Maligne Lake Cruise

Rockies Adventure

Edmonton / jaspEr national park / malignE lakE cruisE / jaspEr arEa

Spend time in Edmonton, Alberta’s vibrant capital, before exploring Jasper National Park and nearby natural attractions

DAY 1 EDMONTON

In Edmonton, Alberta’s capital, they throw axes for fun, barbecue in blizzards, run with dinosaurs and camp with bison.

From the continent’s first, biggest and wildest Fringe Theatre Festival to a shopping mall that at one time had more submarines than the Canadian navy, Edmontonians have a reputation for doing things differently. After settling into your hotel for three days, make your first excursion out of the city to Elk Island National Park. Fortyfive minutes east of Edmonton, the park is something of a wild oasis, and the perfect place to day-hike, canoe, or camp overnight. Elk Island National Park is also a designated dark sky preserve and the cornerstone of Canada’s bison conservation.

city lights in Edmonton can includE thE aurora borEalis

DAY 2 EDMONTON

West Edmonton Mall has been described as the ‘Mt. Everest of shopping and indoor entertainment in North America’. Spanning the equivalent of 48 city blocks, the sprawling mall is part entertainment complex, part shopping and part dining destination. Then explore the funky, bohemian spirit of Whyte Avenue, the main street artery of Old Strathcona, one of Edmonton’s trendiest neighbourhoods. This is where a Heritage district, with turn-of-the-20thcentury brick- and wood-framed buildings, meets youthful exuberance: find the perfect outfit at a chic boutique, sip and socialize on a summer patio and enjoy world-class festivals, entertainment, and live music.

Look out!

Hike the 3.8 km to Peak Nic for a back-country outdoor cooking lesson featuring local ingredients

DAY 3 EDMONTON

In Edmonton, every season is festival season. Over annual 50 festivals means that whether it is 30 degrees above or below, there will be an event or festival to entertain you. Options include the summer Freewill Shakespeare Festival (with plays under an open sky), and Ice on Whyte, a winter festival with ice sculptures, carving demonstrations and other activities.

Top tip: Check out the ICE District in the downtown core. Here you’ll find the new Rogers Place arena, home to the Edmonton Oilers NHL team

DAY 4 EDMONTON - jAspER NATiONAl pARk

225 miles: A ‘must-stop’ before leaving the Edmonton area is Fort Edmonton Park, which has undergone a massive expansion project that has created a larger-than-life historical experience for visitors. The brand-new Indigenous Peoples Experience is an awe-inspiring new addition to the park’s exciting offerings. Visitors explore life through the diversity of First Nations’ and Métis Peoples’ histories and perspectives. The stories, music, artwork and more come from local Indigenous perspectives and voices, gathered through engagement with local Indigenous communities and research. Then depart for Jasper National Park.

DAY 5 MAligNE lAkE CRuisE

Look out! Sail 14 kilometres along Maligne Lake, past towering Check out the artifacts at the peaks and glaciers, to the peaceful and remarkable Royal Alberta Museum and Spirit Island. Sit back, relax and enjoy vibrant stories world-class art at the Art from the on-board tour guide, including the history Gallery of Alberta of the lake and its earliest explorers. Once the boat docks, enjoy a short nature trail leading to a viewing platform for that bucket list photo overlooking Spirit Island. In the afternoon, sign up to a Jasper Food Tour. Peak Nic is a 3.8-kilometer intermediate hike up a stunning peak where you’ll take part in a hands-on back-country cooking lesson! You will learn to prepare your own gourmet meal in the outdoors, using efficient and environmentally friendly backcountry cooking methods! The best part? You get to eat an amazing meal while enjoying panoramic views.

CANADA PAR k S

kayaking on malignE lakE

DAY 6 jAspER AREA

Take a walk on the wild side and keep your eyes peeled for Jasper National Park’s furry friends that include caribou, elk, moose, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, bears and wolves.

A tour by local operator, Maligne Adventures’ Wildlife and Waterfalls, explores the impressive Maligne Valley, which is home to a wide range of flora and fauna and has geological features unique to anywhere in the world!

Other suggestions include SunDog Tours, which offers excursions to local attractions year-round, and the Jasper Skytram, which showcases the town from an entirely fresh perspective.

The Skytram whisks you up Whistler’s Mountain to an elevation of 2,277 metres for stunning vistas over six mountain ranges, glacially fed lakes, rivers and of course the town below!

On a clear day, you can even see the white pyramid of Mount Robson in neighbouring British Columbia.

DAY 7 jAspER-EDMONTON AiRpORT

225 miles. Depart to Edmonton International Airport, approximately a four-hour drive. There are plenty of small towns to stop for a snack and stretch your legs.

Book it with... Canadian Affair

Enter through Edmonton, the gateway to the Canadian Rockies, prior to travelling west to the beautiful mountain town of Jasper. Edmonton offers prime shopping as well as more than enough on offer to please those looking