Calgary Stampede and Canadian Rockies

Trip Itinerary

Day 1: Depart Chicago

All Calgary Stampede and Canadian Rockies tour members will meet the Tour Director in Chicago’s Union Station. Early this afternoon we will board Amtrak’s Empire Builder for the 1475-mile journey across five states to Shelby, Montana. Relax in your comfortable reclining coach seat with leg rest. Roomettes or Bedrooms are available at an additional cost. All dining car meals are included.

After settling in you may want to go to the glass-walled Sightseer Lounge car for spectacular viewing.

Enjoy a full-course dinner in the diner tonight. We briefly stop in Minneapolis-St. Paul around 10:30 p.m.

Meal(s):  D

Day 2: Lethbridge

During the day we will roll across the remote flatlands of North Dakota and eastern Montana. Late this afternoon we’ll arrive in Shelby, Montana. A boxed dinner will be provided on the train prior to our arrival. The deluxe motorcoach that will transport us throughout the Canadian Rockies will be waiting for us. Our first night in Western Canada will be spent at the Lethbridge Comfort Inn.

Meal(s):  B, L & D

Day 3: Banff

After a Continental breakfast (included) we will board our motorcoach and head northwest for Banff. The awesome Canadian Rockies will soon begin to dominate the horizon.

Upon arrival in Banff early this afternoon, we will embark on a Discover Banff tour. The highlight of the tour will be the gondola ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain for a spectacular view. Our home for the next two nights will be the attractive Banff Aspen Lodge. Numerous dinner options are nearby.

Meal(s):  CB

Day 4: Columbia Icefield

Today our travelers will experience the Icefields Parkway, North America’s most scenic highway. We’ll visit the Columbia Icefield. A ride out onto the Athabasca Glacier in a specialized Snocoach will be a highlight of the tour.

Frequent photo stops will be made. Another high point will be the visit to Lake Louise and its famous Chateau. The setting is one of the most picturesque in the Rockies. A box lunch will be served en route. We will return to our Banff hotel for the night.

Meal(s):  CB & L

Day 5: Calgary Stampede

You’re free this morning to relax, shop or continue to explore all that Banff has to offer. At 1:00 p.m. we’ll continue on to Calgary and the magnificent Calgary Stampede.

Our arrival into Calgary is scheduled for mid afternoon. Our hotel for the next two nights is the Ramada Hotel Downtown Calgary. You’ll have time to freshen up and enjoy dinner at one of the nearby restaurants.

This evening we’re off to the GMC Rangeland Derby and Transalta Grandstand show. The derby is the world’s premier chuckwagon racing event; 36 drivers, 288 horses and their teams of outriders vie for over a million dollars in prize money. This is the Stampede’s most renowned event.

The Grandstand show features the Volte. This stunning program includes a rock opera musical score and gravity-defying sights. There will also be fireworks and performing black stallions.

Day 6: Calgary Stampede

You’re free to spend the entire day enjoying all that this major world event has to offer. Discover displays, attractions and events: The Art and Lifestyle Showcase, non-stop entertainment on the Window of the West Stage, creative arts and crafts, and so much more. Don’t miss the Co-Op Kitchen Theater. Some of the world’s top entertainers will perform.

Day 7: En Route

The morning is yours to continue the explorations you began yesterday.

This afternoon we’ll conclude our Stampede visit experiencing the thrill of one of the world’s all-time greatest rodeos. Six major events - Bareback, Bull Riding, Barrel Racing, Saddle Bronc, Steer Wrestling and Tie-Down Roping are the backbone of the Stampede Rodeo.

We’ll continue to Lethbridge where we’ll spend the night at the Lethbridge Comfort Inn.

Day 8: The Empire Builder

Following an included Continental breakfast, we’ll continue south to Shelby, Montana, where at we’ll board the Empire Builder for Chicago. Relax in your reclining coach seat with leg rest. Roomettes and Bedrooms are available for an additional cost.

Once you’re settled in, you’ll want to head for the Sightseer Lounge car. The rest of the day we’ll cross the remote flatlands of eastern Montana and western North Dakota.

Meal(s):   CB, L & D

Day 9: En Route to Chicago

Breakfast and lunch on the train are included. We pass through Minneapolis - St. Paul this morning and then head south along the west bank of the Mississippi River. The Empire Builder is scheduled to arrive in Chicago’s Union Station later this afternoon.

Many of our tour members will conclude their fabulous America by Rail vacation by transferring to other Amtrak trains bound for home cities. Others may spend the night in Chicago and fly home tomorrow.

Meal(s):  B & L